A tarot reading turns into an honest conversation about living inside uncertainty. Laura opens up about facing a cancer recurrence, the loneliness of waiting, and how it changes what matters. Gen shares her own anxiety and how sobriety reshaped her ability to handle the unknown. Together they talk self-worth, support systems, eldest daughter pressure, and letting what doesn’t matter fall away.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome to Fate 40 and Beyond + meet Laura

00:30 – Laura’s backstory: nurse, mom, feeling lost in her 40s

01:35 – Midlife time pressure and the “halfway mark” feeling

02:45 – Diagnosis fear and the deadline feeling

03:11 – Tarot begins: focus on what matters most

04:10 – Surgery possibility and fear of the unknown

05:02 – Cancer perspective shift and grief cycles

06:18 – The “warm tomato” message: tiny moments matter

07:34 – Control vs enjoyment after diagnosis

08:10 – Support system and love, even if it shows up oddly

09:16 – Marriage stress: logic vs nurture during crisis

10:50 – “Just take it out”: body autonomy and medical decisions

12:06 – The lesson is how you handle it, not just outcome

13:06 – Gen on depression, anxiety, and fear of losing progress

13:54 – Laura on anxiety, anger, advocacy exhaustion

15:37 – Fast-moving care feels scarier than slow care

16:46 – Letting others fight for you: support team question

18:14 – Trusting the doctor, trusting the plan

19:21 – Friendship at a distance still counts

20:21 – Isolation during treatment and why words matter

22:27 – Shared language of support groups and AA

23:32 – Tarot reiteration: don’t rush, steps click like a puzzle

25:29 – Waiting game: biopsy and testing timelines

26:47 – Self-advocacy: catching what others missed

28:13 – Midlife health routines and the “handful of pills” era

32:13 – Burning bridges vs protecting your energy

33:22 – Family minimization and emotional abandonment

36:24 – Pushing people away while wanting comfort

37:28 – Eldest daughter wounds and expectations

44:18 – Healing each other: reframing the Three of Swords

48:29 – Acceptance and fighting for yourself too

51:25 – Sobriety, anxiety, and the fear of the rug-pull

55:19 – “Being a mom is hard” in every season

1:15:13 – Biggest lesson: stop jumping ahead

1:16:29 – Advice to 20-year-old self: don’t settle for love

1:18:38 – Closing: friendship, meeting up, retreat idea

If you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you’ll feel right at home here.

Follow the show & connect with Gen:

Gen's Website: www.soulfulexistence.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence

Podcast homepage: www.fatefortyandbeyond.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

midlife podcast, women over 40, self growth, healing conversations, motherhood, spirituality, personal growth