This week, Anna, Gen and Margaret are back for a catch-up, starting with a big thank you to Exhale Coffee for keeping them very happily caffeinated! (link for free coffee below)

They're also reflecting on their recent conversation with confidence coach Jodi Goldman. Is fake it till you make it really good advice? Can changing the way you stand actually help you feel more confident? And how do you get those butterflies flying in the right direction?

There's also chat about menopause symptoms, driving anxiety, finding a new hobby in midlife and Margaret's award-nominated podcast CrushedbyMCS, including some rather surprising revelations from her guests.

As usual, the conversation goes off in a few unexpected directions!

A big thank you to Exhale Coffee for sending us some delicious coffee and travel mugs. We're genuinely big fans, and if you fancy trying it yourself, you can find out more (including their free trial) at https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/free-trial-hp

Please do like and subscribe and follow Margaret @crushedbymcs, Gen @ghnutritioncoaching and Anna @40swoman&beyond.
Disclaimer: Anna Black, Genevieve Hallam, Margaret Cabourn-Smith or any guest presenter featured in this podcast cannot be held responsible for any injury or harm caused as a result of participation in any session or ideas you follow as a result of listening to this podcast. You are taking part at your own risks and need to make sensible decisions. Check in with your GP if you have any concerns and before making changes.

Have you ever walked into a room, stood up to give a presentation or faced something new and thought, "I can't do this. Why would anyone even want to know this"?

What if feeling nervous or anxious doesn't mean you're not capable? And what if confidence isn't something you need to have before you take action?

In the first of three conversations with Jodi Goldman, we're exploring the confidence gap: why it exists, how it holds us back and, most importantly, what we can do to close it.

We talk about when it's OK to 'fake it', particularly when speaking in public or putting yourself out there, and why feeling anxious doesn't automatically mean you're not good enough. Just because we feel something doesn't make it a fact.

We also challenge the idea that being a strong, independent woman means doing everything on your own. What if, instead of thinking we have to do it all ourselves, we approached things with a sense of "I'm doing this for you, for me and for us"? Because supporting one another can be far more powerful than going it alone.

And confidence is only part of the picture. Jodi also introduces two other gaps that can hold women back: the influence gap and the visibility gap, which we'll be exploring with her when she returns in our next season.

It's a conversation full of practical insights, fresh perspectives and reassurance that we don't need to wait until we feel completely confident to take the next step.

Because feeling anxious doesn't mean you're not capable. And confidence isn't necessarily something you have to always have, it's something you can build.

Find Jodi here https://jodigoldman.co.uk/

Find her onboarding quiz here https://animalinstincts.scoreapp.com/

And follow her on LinkedIn here: Jodi Goldman

Please do like and subscribe and follow Margaret @crushedbymcs, Gen @ghnutritioncoaching and Anna @40swoman&beyond.
Disclaimer: Anna Black, Genevieve Hallam, Margaret Cabourn-Smith or any guest presenter featured in this podcast cannot be held responsible for any injury or harm caused as a result of participation in any session or ideas you follow as a result of listening to this podcast. You are taking part at your own risks and need to make sensible decisions. Check in with your GP if you have any concerns and before making changes.

So happy to be back together and In Real Life. We cover trusting your instincts, the silver lining of chaos, and once again the ups and downs of Summer 2026

Please do like and subscribe and follow Margaret @crushedbymcs, Gen @ghnutritioncoaching and Anna @40swoman&beyond.
Disclaimer: Anna Black, Genevieve Hallam, Margaret Cabourn-Smith or any guest presenter featured in this podcast cannot be held responsible for any injury or harm caused as a result of participation in any session or ideas you follow as a result of listening to this podcast. You are taking part at your own risks and need to make sensible decisions. Check in with your GP if you have any concerns and before making changes.