Were you taught to be a good girl? In this episode, I’m getting real about good girl syndrome, good girl conditioning, and why embracing your bad side might be the most powerful thing you ever do. Growing up in Texas in the 70s and 80s, I learned that being a good girl meant staying quiet, looking a certain way, and conforming so people would like me.

But here’s the truth: people are going to judge you either way. And the good girl mentality is a recipe for never feeling good enough.If you’ve ever wondered how to stop being a good girl, how to stop being a people pleaser, why you feel guilty setting boundaries, or whether you’re a bad person for saying no, this conversation is for you. I share how I used to fill my journals with self-criticism, why I threw them all away, and how I discovered the power of boosting myself up with positive affirmations, something women are rarely taught to do.

We also talk about why so many women get labeled “bad” when they’re simply enforcing their boundaries, how to stop over-apologizing, and how to stand up for yourself without apology.I also open up about the hardest part of my story: leaving my first marriage. I talk about divorce guilt, being willing to be “the bad guy,” facing judgment from others, and the nervous breakdown that came with choosing a life that was true to me instead of the one that was expected of me.

If you’re navigating leaving a marriage, starting over after divorce, or the fear of being vilified for putting yourself first, I hope you hear this: you are going to be okay. And if you’re in a dark place, remember the simplest advice that carried me through: don’t do it today. Take a breath, get some sleep, and reach out for support.Embracing your bad side isn’t about being reckless. It’s about self-worth, personal power, speaking up for yourself, and reclaiming your authentic self. Setting boundaries is a muscle, and it takes reps. It’s uncomfortable, but that’s where your power lives. Whether you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, this is your reminder that “bad” and “good” are just labels, and what’s underneath is power.

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Why am I so mad at myself? If you keep replaying a moment you wish you’d handled differently, and you’re angrier at yourself than at the person who actually wronged you, this episode is for you. I share a bad date I still can’t shake, the moment I stayed when I should have walked out, and why I was still beating myself up about it years later.I also talk openly about starting therapy on a whim and trying EMDR for the first time. If you’ve been wondering what EMDR therapy is, how EMDR works, or whether EMDR works at all, I walk through what my session was like: the eye movements, the knee tapping, and talking to the younger version of me who was sitting on a bench filled with dread. I’m not a therapist, just sharing my experience, and the emotional charge around that memory dropped noticeably. I also answer the question I kept asking myself: do you have to be hurt to have trauma?Then we get into why I no longer buy into the idea of self-abandonment. If you’re asking how to stop abandoning yourself, how to rebuild trust with yourself, how to trust yourself again, or why you ignore your gut feeling, here’s the shift that helped me: you were doing the best you could with the skills and experience you had. Giving yourself grace is how you learn to trust yourself, not a way of letting yourself off the hook. I also share a simple pause exercise for when you feel pressured or overwhelmed, and a few ways to stop ruminating at night when your mind is running scenarios.If you want to know how to forgive yourself, why you blame yourself for everything, how to let go of anger at yourself, or how to stop being mad at yourself about something you can’t change, this conversation is a reminder that healing isn’t about never having these thoughts again. It’s about meeting them with compassion and moving forward kinder and stronger. These are the life lessons I wish someone had handed me earlier, and that’s what life in your 50s is teaching me. Whether you’re looking for life advice at 50 or just starting your own healing, I hope this feels like a hug.If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who is being hard on herself, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations about self-worth, healing, midlife, and life lessons in your 40s and 50s.Connect with Amy: Beacons: ⁠⁠⁠amyedwards.info⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@realamyedwards⁠⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠⁠ @themagicbabe⁠⁠⁠Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠The Amy Edwards Show

Can you feel sexy after 50? Yes, and it has nothing to do with the next injection. In this honest midlife conversation, I'm talking about feeling sexy after 50, what natural sexiness really means, and how to age naturally in a world of filters, fillers, and Hollywood magic. I'm sitting here in hair extensions, makeup, and breast implants, so I get the irony. I share the cognitive dissonance I felt watching Practical Magic 2 and why nobody seems to know what aging naturally looks like anymore. If you've ever searched for how to be attractive after 40 or how to be attractive after 50, the answer starts with a feeling, not a face: the "I matter" energy.

This episode is for any woman looking for midlife advice,midlife tips, or proof that sexy women over 50 and sexy women over 40 are not a myth. These midlife conversations are about self-love after 40, self-love after 50, and how to love yourself as you age without waiting for a new look or a smaller number on the scale. I share what happened when I gained 50 pounds and felt sexier than I ever had, and what that taught me about how to love your aging body at any size. Feeling sexy after 50 doesn't require reinvention. It requires using your voice, putting yourself on your own priority list, and letting more laughter, ease, and flow into your days.

If you're asking how to feel sexy after menopause, or working on menopause and confidence at the same time, I hope this reminds you that changing hormones, breakouts, and a changing body are not problems to fix. They're part of the story. I share two simple practices for self care in your 40s and self care in your 50s: a daily "I matter" ritual, and a future-self writing exercise about aging with purpose. Think of it as your permission slip for how to embrace aging gracefully. Whether you want to lift weights at 75, start a business, or just feel radiant in your own skin, aging with purpose is how you stay vibrant. For more midlife advice, self-love after 50, and honest midlife conversations, keep listening.

Please remember to rate, review, and follow the show – and share with a friend!

Subscribe to the newsletter:

https://mailchi.mp/amyedwards/sign-up-to-amys-newsletter

Connect with Amy:

Beacons: ⁠⁠⁠amyedwards.info⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@realamyedwards⁠⁠⁠

TikTok:⁠⁠⁠ @themagicbabe⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠The Amy Edwards Show