Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

In this bonus episode, Lisa Hopper reflects on how being labelled - and later labelling herself - as “shy” slowly became an identity, shaping her confidence, choices, and sense of self without her even realising it. What began as a single childhood experience quietly influenced how she showed up in relationships, work, money, and life.This honest conversation explores how easily confidence can be misunderstood, how victim thinking can keep us stuck, and why true confidence often begins with questioning the stories we’ve carried for years.Lisa also shares a deeply personal experience around mental health and medication, highlighting the importance of separating who we are from what we’re experiencing - and why awareness can be the turning point.This is a shorter, reflective bonus episode, but one that will resonate if you’ve ever thought: “I’m just shy,” and wondered where your confidence went.---Work with Lisa Hopper & receive 25% off, use discount code: JSZ23D8Full details & claim your offer here---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

As we step out of 2025 and into a brand-new year, we asked you one simple question: what are you really taking with you into 2026?In this New Year special of Real Women’s Stories, you share your hopes, intentions and truths for the year ahead - speaking honestly about growth, courage, boundaries, family, ambition, gratitude and learning to trust yourself again.There’s no pressure to reinvent your life here.No perfect plans. No performative positivity.Just real reflections from real women, offering perspective, reassurance and the reminder that change doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful.If you’re stepping into 2026 feeling hopeful, uncertain, reflective - or quietly ready for something different - this episode is for you.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

This Christmas, we’re asking a simple but powerful question: what does Christmas really mean to you?In this special festive episode of Real Women’s Stories, voices from our global community come together to share their most personal Christmas memories - from laughter-filled moments and family traditions, to loss, nostalgia, kindness, and the quiet reflections that surface at this time of year.Recorded across different countries and life stages, these stories capture the full emotional spectrum of Christmas: chaotic dinners, childhood magic, missing loved ones, chosen family, and the moments that stay with us long after the decorations come down.Lisa also shares a heartfelt message for anyone who finds Christmas difficult, reminding us that there is no single “right” way to experience the season - and that connection, community, and small moments of light still matter.Whether Christmas feels joyful, complicated, or somewhere in between, this episode is a gentle pause in a busy season - and a reminder that you’re not alone.From all of us at Real Women’s Stories, we wish you a peaceful Christmas and a hopeful New Year. ---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

Christmas has a way of magnifying awkward moments - saying the wrong thing, feeling clumsy, or replaying something small in your head long after it’s happened.In this episode of Real Women’s Stories, Lisa explores why women are so quick to overthink embarrassment, how we’ve been conditioned to feel shame around very normal human moments, and what actually helps us handle them with confidence rather than self-criticism.Through honest storytelling and relatable examples, this conversation reframes embarrassment - not as something to hide from, but something we can normalise, laugh about and move on from.If you’re heading into the festive season feeling anxious about social situations or family gatherings, this episode offers a calm, compassionate reset.Because it’s not what happens that matters - it’s how you respond to it.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

Christmas is a time for connection, celebration - and for many women, quiet anxiety about food, alcohol and “undoing all their hard work”.In this episode of Real Women’s Stories, Lisa is joined by Ellie Bradshaw, Nurse Consultant in Gut Function and founder of The Functional Gut Clinic, for a refreshingly honest conversation about gut health at Christmas - and the one thing you won’t hear on most other podcasts.Ellie shares why a few days of indulgence won’t damage your gut, how stress impacts the gut-brain axis far more than festive food, and why letting go of rigid rules may actually be the healthiest choice you can make this Christmas. Rather than restriction or perfection, this episode focuses on realism, compassion and understanding how your gut actually works.From bloating and indigestion to alcohol, movement and January resets, this is practical, evidence-informed advice grounded in real life - not Instagram wellness culture.In this episode, we explore:Why Christmas eating isn’t the gut disaster you’ve been led to believeThe powerful connection between stress, the brain and gut symptomsAlcohol, bloating and what genuinely helps (and what doesn’t)Why enjoyment and social connection matter for gut healthHow to return to balance in January without punishment or guiltIf you’ve ever felt pressure to be “good” over Christmas - this conversation offers a calmer, kinder alternative.🎄✨If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to follow or subscribe to Real Women’s Stories for more honest conversations that challenge the narratives women are so often expected to live by.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

When was the last time you heard an honest conversation about women’s sexual health - one without shame, whispering, or outdated myths?In this powerful and unexpectedly funny episode, Lisa sits down with Dr Betsy Greenleaf, the first board-certified female urogynecologist in the United States, triple board-certified and now specialising in sexual wellness and hormone health for women over 40.Together they unpack everything we should have learned years ago: - why sex and orgasm are critical for women’s long-term health, especially through perimenopause and menopause - the real science behind libido, pleasure and “why I’m just not in the mood” - how trauma shaped Dr Betsy’s mission to make sure no woman feels dismissed or unseen again - what’s actually happening to our pelvic floor, hormones and desire as we age - the simple mindset shift that can transform your sex life: start with willingness, not desire - why creativity, confidence and even business success are deeply connected to our sexual wellbeingDr Betsy brings clarity, compassion, and decades of expertise - and Lisa brings the honest questions every woman wants answered.If this conversation resonates, follow the show for more real stories, real women, and real transformation.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

“I smiled at the time… but later, the words stayed with me.”In this deeply honest and unplanned coaching episode, Lisa reflects on how a handful of unexpected online comments affected her far more than she anticipated - even at 51, even with experience, and even knowing the comments weren’t true.What lingered wasn’t criticism - it was the feeling of being misunderstood. Strangers created stories about who she is, stories that didn’t reflect her truth, yet still found a way to sit quietly in her mind long after the moment had passed.In this episode, Lisa explores:Why negative comments often hurt more than positive onesWhat it feels like to be misunderstood publiclyHow easily false narratives about us are createdWhy we replay certain words long after we wish we wouldn’tAnd how to stop allowing other people’s opinions to shape how we feel about ourselvesLisa also shares the powerful “Let Them / Let Me” mindset - a gentle but transformative way to release control over what others think and reclaim control over how we respond.This episode is for anyone who has ever:Been misjudgedFelt quietly shaken by someone else’s wordsOr wondered why certain comments linger long after they should have faded---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

When our DNA episode went live, we expected emotion. What we didn’t expect was backlash, national media attention, and one of the most divided audiences we’ve ever seen.In this behind-the-scenes episode, Lisa is joined by producer Aaron to reveal what was really happening off camera while the viral DNA story was unfolding - including the unexpected personal journey Aaron himself was on at the very same time.As Jeanette’s story of discovering a hidden family member captivated millions, Aaron was quietly waiting for his own DNA results in the hope of uncovering a missing branch of his family tree. What followed for both of them raised difficult questions about truth, identity, family, and the risks of genetic testing.We unpack:What you didn’t see during the original DNA episodeThe emotional and ethical fallout behind the scenesThe private producer’s story unfolding in real timeThe backlash, strong opinions, and public reactionThe risks most people don’t consider before taking a DNA testAnd how this one episode changed the future of the podcastThis is the untold story behind our most talked-about episode - raw, reflective, and honest.🎙️ Listener question: Would you still take a DNA test after hearing what really happened? Take the poll on our YouTube channel---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

Take this 3 min quiz and receive your FREE tailored workbook from Lisa.---What if you’re not lost at all - you’ve simply forgotten the evidence of who you really are?In this intimate coaching episode, Lisa takes you on a guided journey through the moments, memories and emotions that have quietly shaped your life. With Dr Carol’s powerful teaching - that every breath leaves an imprint - Lisa reveals how each woman she’s spoken to carries a golden thread woven through her story… and so do you.You’ll explore: ✨ The moment you’re secretly proud of but never speak about ✨ The strengths you used without even realising ✨ The clues your past is leaving for your present ✨ How to activate the code within you and step into your next eraIf you’re listening on a commute, a walk, or in the car, take a breath.This is your moment to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the woman you’ve always been.------ Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait---0:00 – Why you’re not lost (you’ve just lost the evidence).0:32 – How life moments leave an imprint on who you are.1:12 – When was the last time you truly saw yourself?2:28 – A guided moment to breathe and come into the now.3:13 – Understanding the “golden thread” in your story.4:14 – How small moments shape your identity.5:16 – Lisa’s story from travelling that changed everything.7:06 – The ripple effect of your energy and experiences.8:49 – You haven’t lost yourself — you’ve forgotten the clues.10:08 – Guided coaching: three questions to uncover your strengths.12:05 – Realising your strengths have always been there.13:27 – Using your story as a toolbox for today.14:21 – What you’re no longer willing to tolerate.15:19 – Activating your next era with courage.16:42 – How Lisa helps women find their building blocks.17:38 – Rediscovering the layers that make you who you are.18:53 – Reclaiming the parts of you that have dimmed.19:16 – How to take the quiz or book a coaching session.20:10 – Final reflection: the one moment you can use today.---Series Producer: Aaron Nelson