Episode #35. Rewriting the narrative of ageing: Recognising the power of midlife and beyond with Sophia Raday
Are you ready to embrace your power and thrive in midlife?
In this inspiring episode, I chat with Sophia Raday, creator of "SheFlexx", about how women over 50 can challenge stereotypes of ageing. Sophia passionately advocates for rejecting the narrative that ageing equals decline, and instead shows how it can be a time of reinvention, strength, and endless potential.
She dives into how embracing movement—whether through dance, fitness, or simply celebrating your body’s capabilities—can unlock a whole new level of vitality and confidence.
Sophia’s mission is all about empowering women to step into their full power and embrace midlife with confidence and joy. She shares how she’s personally challenged the stereotypes of ageing, and offers tips for embracing movement as a tool for feeling stronger, more agile, and more alive.
If you’ve ever felt dismissed because of your age or wondered if it’s too late to get in the best shape of your life, this episode is for you. Listen to hear Sophia’s uplifting perspective and get inspired to make the most of the second half of your life!
Chapters
00:00 Redefining Ageing: A New Perspective
03:01 The Power of Women Over 50
05:54 Challenging Stereotypes: Menopause and Empty Nesting
08:57 Embracing Self-Care and Personal Growth
12:06 The Joy of Movement: Dancing Through Life
22:44 The Power of Natural Movement and Dance
25:16 Empowerment Through Fitness and Body Awareness
30:07 Building Confidence in Physical Abilities
32:01 Internal Motivation vs. External Expectations
34:30 Changing the Narrative Around Ageing
39:11 The Connection Between Movement and Mental Clarity
42:13 Empowering Women Through Community and Support
About this week’s guests:
Sophia Raday
Sophia Raday encourages women 50+ to flexx their power with movement & fitness through her SheFlexx social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook. She is also a writer currently at work on a mystery featuring two 50+ women cops -- once best friends but now estranged -- who must join forces to investigate the murder of a dominatrix in the Bay Area. A proud member of The Writers Grotto, she is the author of Love in Condition Yellow: A Memoir of an Unlikely Marriage (Beacon Press, 2009), about her romance with her political opposite. Love In Condition Yellow was selected for the American Bookseller Association’s Indie Next List and as an Indie Hardcover Favorite. Sophia’s work has also appeared in various outlets including The New York Times, Slate, and Politico. Connect with her on Instagram: @sheflexxer.
Connect here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheflexxer/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.raday1?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Additional Resources:
Writters Grotto Website: https://www.writersgrotto.org/
Sophia Raday’s trainer BETH RYPINS, owner of Wine Country Crossfit in Napa, CA. providing training virtually as well as in person: https://winecountrycrossfit.com/
More about your host, Wendy
Wendy (50) founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. The philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age, coupled with the benefit of using strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world made her realise she had found a way to move for life.
Wendy’s aim is to help people embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things they love for as long as they want.
MovNat Level 1 certified & Functional Range Conditioning certified, she coaches online group classes live & by replay in the Reclaim Movement membership as well as online and in-person private coaching in Oxford.
Find out more about Reclaim Movement:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/reclaim.movement
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@reclaim.movement
Facebook: https://facebook.com/reclaim.movement
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