Pathways with Amber Stitt

Navigating the Midlife Transition: Thriving with Purpose & Freedom in Life's Next Chapter with Debbie Golden

• Amber Stitt • Season 3 • Episode 11

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🎙️ Welcome to a Special Edition of Pathways with Amber Stitt: "Debbie Golden Unleashed"

💡 Join host Amber Stitt as she sits down with bestselling author Debbie Golden for an inspiring, vulnerable, and uplifting conversation recorded live at the Unleash Your Superpower conference in Delray Beach, Florida. 

👣 In this episode, Debbie shares her journey of reinvention, the challenges of navigating midlife transitions, and how she helps women find new purpose and joy during pivotal life changes.

🗝️ Key Topics Covered:

❤️ Midlife Reinvention: Why it's never too late to pivot and create a life you love.

🐣 Navigating Transitions: From empty nesting and menopause to career burnout and shifting identities.

📖 Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You: Debbie's perspective on releasing old patterns and embracing new chapters.

🤝 Scarcity vs. Overflow Mindset: How shifting your energy can lead to abundance, fulfillment, and authentic connection.

👫 Building Community: How Debbie is creating safe spaces online and in-person for midlife women to share, heal, and grow together.

🗿 Introducing "The Rocks Method": Debbie's upcoming personal development program focused on letting go of long-held burdens to discover true freedom.

🛤️  Whether you're in the middle of a life transition or just craving a more purposeful path, this episode is packed with relatable stories and practical wisdom.

📽️ To watch this podcast:  https://youtu.be/kiAbjACqH58

🔗 Connect with Debbie Golden: 

📲 Join Debbie’s free midlife community (find the link on her social channels)

📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@midlifereinvention

📲 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-golden-4939481

📲 Website: https://debbietheaffiliate.com

#midlifereinvention #amberstitt #pathwayswithamberstitt #debbiegolden #unleashyoursuperpower #scarcitytoabundance 

🎤 Recorded at Owwll Studios, Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by Owwll – Your network, unleashed.

📻 Thank you for tuning in to Pathways!

🔗 Connect with Amber on Social Media:

📲 Be sure to visit Amber's website:

www.AmberStitt.com

🎬 And remember, let's take action today!!!

=====================

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Debbie Golden [00:00:00]:
And that's really where I work with midlife living is this sort of this gap between, "This is the life that you had, but now you want this life," and it's in that transition, kind of in that gap in between the life you used to have and the life that you want to have, kind of finding purpose in this new life.

Amber Stitt [00:00:18]:
Hello and welcome to Pathways Unleashed, a special edition of Pathways with Amber Stitt. The Pathways Unleashed podcasts were recorded with special guests and the authors of "The Unleashed Entrepreneur" and "The Biohacking Entrepreneur", who were celebrating the book launches at the Unleash Your Superpower conference in Delray Beach, Florida, in April 2025. Let's join the conversation.

Amber Stitt [00:00:45]:
Okay, here we are. All right, so we have Debbie Golden here, a bestselling author, and we're celebrating this week. We have new projects published.

Debbie Golden [00:00:55]:
This is...it's weird for me to say that this is my 2nd book that I've co-authored.

Amber Stitt [00:00:59]:
Well, we're not used to talking about it.

Debbie Golden [00:01:00]:
I know.

Amber Stitt [00:01:01]:
So they're here and we just got them.

Debbie Golden [00:01:03]:
I know I haven't seen it, so I'm...

Amber Stitt [00:01:05]:
Touch it, yeah, but this is it.

Debbie Golden [00:01:06]:
This is my book.

Amber Stitt [00:01:07]:
Okay, so let's do a little cheers. Here we go. Pick up this. Cheers. Okay, so everyone live, you've seen parts of this today. Who knows how long you've been with us, but at Owwll Studios here, Owwll will be present at the conference this weekend.

Amber Stitt [00:01:20]:
But we are celebrating a book signing, and we're in Boca Raton. So you are, I'm not going to say the city that you live in unless you want to, but you are now a Florida resident.

Debbie Golden [00:01:30]:
I am a Florida resident up in the kind of Cocoa Beach, Melbourne area.

Amber Stitt [00:01:34]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:01:35]:
So, yeah.

Amber Stitt [00:01:35]:
Too many beaches. I can't keep track. I get jealous of all of you.

Debbie Golden [00:01:38]:
Yeah. So I'm from Wisconsin, at which there's really no beaches, except Lake Michigan. And you only can do that probably 2 or 3 months out of the year. So, yes, definitely a different landscape.

Amber Stitt [00:01:49]:
But I like the transitions of the journeys because reinvention is kind of your thing to help women.

Debbie Golden [00:01:55]:
It is. Midlife women, for sure. Yes, for sure. So transition happens at any age, right? When you first become parents, when you first whatever. I think the difference with midlife transition that separates us women during this time frame is there's a million things coming at us, meaning:

Debbie Golden [00:02:13]:
So, we're going through empty nesting.

Amber Stitt [00:02:15]:
So what age are you talking about? Ish?

Debbie Golden [00:02:18]:
It's so funny. Like menopause can hit women, or empty nesting depends on when you had your kids, but it's really more or less when are these pivotal times in life that these big changes happen?

Amber Stitt [00:02:30]:
Because I think your demographic could be a little fluid.

Debbie Golden [00:02:32]:
Yeah, it could definitely be. So it's almost more about the emotional stuff that happens when you have aging parents, you have career burnout. The careers that you loved for a million years, they no longer serve you. You wanted to climb the corporate ladder, you were so into it, and all of a sudden you just don't care anymore. You just don't care.

Amber Stitt [00:02:53]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:02:53]:
You know, and then your kids are getting older, and you want to spend as much time with them. All of a sudden, you start going through menopause and you're just like, what's normal? Things are happening in your body. So there's all these changes, which I think is why midlife reinvention is so important, is because all of a sudden it's like this spotlight is on you because the life that you had before is gone, and you can't control it. You can't control that your kids are going off to college, you want them to do it, but your role as mom is changing. Your parents are aging, and you can't change that.

Debbie Golden [00:03:28]:
You definitely can't change what's going on in your body. You can manage it, but you can't change it or stop it. Your career...so you have all these factors. And so it's like, "Now what?" And that's really where I work with midlife living is sort of this gap between, "This is the life that you had, but now you want this life," and it's in that transition, kind of in that gap in between the life you used to have and the life that you want to have, kind of finding purpose in this new life.

Amber Stitt [00:03:59]:
There's been some corporate talk, and sometimes it's just like a bad job, things like that. But I feel like I'm pulling from your perspective. I mean, I know you a little bit, so I'm kind of a little bit biased with my information. It's not just off the cuff, I guess, but I liked how you just said that. Maybe there's just a point where you're like, "I don't like this anymore," and it's okay.

Debbie Golden [00:04:18]:
It's okay.

Amber Stitt [00:04:18]:
Let's talk about that. Because I think sometimes things get yanked out from under the rug, or there's a trauma, or this is where you're almost like, "Nope, I'm good. I just don't want to do this." And it's being okay with an acceptance. There's an underlying thing with our messages, with the podcast all day is just like knowing yourself. So would you say the work that you're trying to build into the demographic,

Amber Stitt [00:04:40]:
or your client, we'll call it, or your community, is to help almost build a ramp, a transition window, before the transition, to help them be okay early, but then through it all.

Debbie Golden [00:04:50]:
I don't know if there is a way to prepare. I don't think there is. And the reason is, is because you have to feel it in your soul.

Amber Stitt [00:04:56]:
Sure. You got to go through it.

Debbie Golden [00:04:57]:
It's to me, more or less something like what no longer serves you. And I could never have imagined when that hit for me, I don't think it was anything I could prepare for, but it's just something that naturally happens. And I'll say this just in my personal life recently, is you get to these things where, and to your point, it's kind of hard to put this together, but it's getting rid of the things that no longer serve you. Even if at some point they were beautiful, or at some point you needed them, or they protected you during that time of life, you needed them. But then you can't take that where you're going, or what your next phase is.

Amber Stitt [00:05:37]:
I think that's especially like chapters of your life and mourning that past. I think that's probably a constant thing, but you gotta be okay with that chapter. Might not any longer serve you, or that friend, or the kids is hard. That's always hard.

Debbie Golden [00:05:51]:
The kid thing is hard because it's probably the same thing at corporate America, or even being a mom is so much of your identity is wrapped up in being mom. And it is that chaotic activity thing where you're always running to the next thing, or you're cooking, or making sure they're packing, driving, looking for the other shoe before the soccer game. Just like all the things and all of a sudden it's gone and it's just letting your kids go and having that faith in God, the Universe, that you believe that you did a good job and they're going to be okay.

Amber Stitt [00:06:28]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:06:28]:
And it is, as I look at this, what I'm calling the midlife gap of, no longer this place anymore isn't the same. And you can't change. You can't go backwards. So now we need to go this way. So in that gap is kind of where my work has really turned into of having that faith that it is safe to let some of this stuff go.

Amber Stitt [00:06:50]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:06:51]:
It no longer serves you.

Amber Stitt [00:06:52]:
And I think you've done a great job of that with the community online and social media being relatable and letting people feel vulnerable and to share that with others. But then you're helping them build some solutions and pull that into not a game plan but more of just being okay and stair stepping into what's the new world for you?

Amber Stitt [00:07:10]:
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Amber Stitt [00:07:33]:
I want to talk about scarcity versus overflow because I see this and how you talk about it and I think people need to hear from a perspective of what maybe they could even take away today.

Debbie Golden [00:07:44]:
Yeah. So I think anytime you start something, I really feel this a lot on social media, or anyone that has their own business or creating something is that your results are a result of your energy and you can have energy coming from two places. And this was part of my huge online journey that, I'm a Gen X and I came from this thing where you just worked hard. If it wasn't working, you just worked harder. And you push and you push.

Amber Stitt [00:08:14]:
I'm on the X and then I'm on the...I don't know, depends on who I talk to, but I think I'm an X'er, too. Suck it up, just keep going.

Debbie Golden [00:08:21]:
You keep going. And so sometimes we all tend to put ourselves in this position where we feel like it almost becomes desperate. And it's not working for us. That means we have to work harder. You know, and you just...you're desperate. You want that sale, or you want someone to call you, or you want...

Debbie Golden [00:08:39]:
And you keep pushing and you keep pushing. So it becomes this overall energy of lack. So where you're coming from is lack. And people can see this, they can sense it, they can just a million miles away, they can feel that you're not...

Amber Stitt [00:08:54]:
It's like when you smile on the phone, you can tell when someone's smiling at you through the phone. So this is even like bigger. And that's the negative energy.

Debbie Golden [00:09:02]:
Right. Or the other side is coming from joy, abundance. How I want to help midlife women is, I want to help them, and it's coming from a place of I just want women to feel so good about this next chapter. I want them to find their divine purpose. I want them to be everything that they were put on this planet to do.

Amber Stitt [00:09:25]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:09:25]:
And so when you're coming from that place of pure joy, abundance, love, all of those things, your audience can feel it, your friends can feel it.

Amber Stitt [00:09:35]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:09:35]:
Your family can feel it. Like, this is just a beautiful place versus, "Oh, my God, I got to make money, or I need people to buy my stuff," or whatever it is.

Amber Stitt [00:09:45]:
We tell ourselves.

Debbie Golden [00:09:47]:
All those things. So when you're coming from that, it's all about the energy that you're bringing to the table.

Amber Stitt [00:09:52]:
So that's gotta be healthy for you to dial into that. And then it's easier if you allow yourself to have that.

Debbie Golden [00:10:01]:
Yeah, and I think so many people have these big ideas of what they want to build a business for, and then building the business coming from a place of truly helping people is a different ball game. Because it's personal.

Amber Stitt [00:10:15]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:10:16]:
And it can be deep, especially a lot of people in these books, you are affecting people's lives.

Amber Stitt [00:10:22]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:10:22]:
And that's not something that you can take very lightly because it takes vulnerability both on my side, as well as theirs, if they really want to move into a life of joy, abundance, faith, all of those things. So, yeah, it's the journey.

Amber Stitt [00:10:38]:
So that's where you're creating a new space for women. Let's talk about that, because I know that you're on Instagram, but when it comes to a new space, I want people to know how to find you, obviously, through the books. But what does a new space mean to you? What have you done for yourself to have this be a thing for others?

Debbie Golden [00:10:56]:
Yeah, like I said, I am like the queen of, shall we say, pivot, as I've gotten in this online journey. Because starting anything on social media online, where you're the face, it is changing constantly. And I also think it's personal development on crack.

Debbie Golden [00:11:13]:
It just exposes every single one of your insecurities, weaknesses.

Amber Stitt [00:11:19]:
Oh, you're saying being a creative is like, let's go teach ourselves. Well, teach tech. But you have to be online and be present, all the things. I mean, it's a lot.

Amber Stitt [00:11:29]:
And you're doing it, girl.

Debbie Golden [00:11:30]:
And as a business you start comparing yourself to others. And it's just all of these things, negative mindsets happen. But the community, in and of itself, that's evolved and it's going to continue to evolve. So as you said, a lot of midlife women relate to me because I'm right in the middle of it. I did the corporate America ladder thing. I've been an entrepreneur. I'm empty nesting in real time since January 17th. I'm an empty nester.

Amber Stitt [00:11:54]:
We'll call you empty beaching, or something. You're on the beach now.

Debbie Golden [00:11:58]:
Totally. You know, so all the things. My parents are getting older.

Amber Stitt [00:12:02]:
Are you guys close to them?

Amber Stitt [00:12:04]:
Are they back home?

Debbie Golden [00:12:04]:
They're in Wisconsin.

Amber Stitt [00:12:05]:
So you have to go back and

Amber Stitt [00:12:07]:
forth and get your winter time, too.

Debbie Golden [00:12:08]:
Yeah, all the things. So I'm right in it, women can relate to me. The menopause thing is huge. So I wanted to create a place for women, first of all, that they can resonate with other women. This is a time where not a lot of conversations have happened. I mean, recently Oprah had a special about menopause.

Debbie Golden [00:12:26]:
And there's so many women that are now Gen X. Women that are finally like, "Okay, this isn't normal. We need to talk."

Amber Stitt [00:12:33]:
Yes.

Debbie Golden [00:12:34]:
We don't have honestly...

Amber Stitt [00:12:36]:
You need some resources and community to feel somewhat normal.

Debbie Golden [00:12:39]:
They feel like crap. There are things that we can do that we can live a healthy, happy life.

Amber Stitt [00:12:44]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:12:44]:
So anyways, all of these subjects, just a place for women to feel not alone. But what I've realized in this community is that I bring in speakers, I have all the things. But you know, the one thing that is missing that I'm working on now and where my work is taking me is to that individual that even though now I have that community of women that resonate and we're all like, "Okay, we're all going through the same shit."

Amber Stitt [00:13:09]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:13:09]:
Like, all of it. And it's all at once and it's a lot and no one knows how to navigate it. We're all there and we're clinking our wine glasses together. Get it, get it, get it. But it's really that gap of, "What's next for me. How do I find my purpose now?"

Amber Stitt [00:13:25]:
Yep.

Debbie Golden [00:13:26]:
And it's in that gap is really where my work is now starting again. And it's going to be very personal, individualized, sensitive. And because I've realized that it does get to the point of, "What are we carrying that we probably have been carrying since childhood?" Or our life experiences a lot of this heavy, icky stuff that we need to let go of before we move into your purpose, your joy, your love.

Amber Stitt [00:13:57]:
Not clean slate it, still respect it, but let it go.

Amber Stitt [00:14:01]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:14:01]:
So I'm calling these big things "our holding rocks." And my personal rock comes from some childhood stuff of needing to perform. And I have to earn love and I have to get attention to get that love, which comes from childhood. I have to carry all this and I have to do it all on my own. And if it's not working, I have to work harder and I have to work harder. And I've learned that that's really not healthy for me.

Amber Stitt [00:14:27]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:14:27]:
And I need to drop it.

Amber Stitt [00:14:28]:
Yeah.

Amber Stitt [00:14:29]:
You're listening to Pathways with Amber Stitt. For more episodes like this, plus so much more, check out the podcast page at: AmberStitt.com Let's take action together! Now, let's get back to our episode.

Amber Stitt [00:14:43]:
I circled, I don't want to forget because sometimes when I'm talking faith, hope, and freedom, I feel like that's what you're giving yourself and that's what you're building for

Amber Stitt [00:14:50]:
your community, your clients.

Debbie Golden [00:14:52]:
Yeah, and it's almost like I'm walking the same journey and I want to teach women the same thing that I'm learning as I'm going along, too. Because if you truly want to be free and you truly want to have that joy, that freedom...these rocks are heavy.

Debbie Golden [00:15:09]:
And also so much of our focus goes to these rocks.

Amber Stitt [00:15:12]:
They're not good to carry. You can strength train with them here and there, but they're not good long-term.

Debbie Golden [00:15:17]:
And they also hinder your ability to see clearly your main purpose.

Amber Stitt [00:15:22]:
Yeah.

Debbie Golden [00:15:23]:
And so my work is getting women to look up from all of these burdens that they've been carrying for so long. It's not easy.

Amber Stitt [00:15:31]:
There is a process.

Debbie Golden [00:15:32]:
It's "The Rocks Method". I'm not ready to launch it, yet. But in that method, it's not as easy as letting it go, and it's not as easy as this is a one time thing.

Debbie Golden [00:15:41]:
It's feeling safe to let it go. That being in an environment that you feel love, that you are loved.

Amber Stitt [00:15:47]:
So before that happens, people can learn about it through the books.

Debbie Golden [00:15:52]:
They can. So, "The Rocks Method", this has happened since the book. But what is really great about the book, the book, in and of itself, "Unleashed." The one that's coming out is a lot of my, shall I say that personal development of starting some online business and going through like my journey and the authentic piece of it, because I started, not authentic.

Amber Stitt [00:16:14]:
But, okay, it didn't look like that to me. Really?

Amber Stitt [00:16:19]:
No.

Debbie Golden [00:16:19]:
Oh, my God. But inside I was dying.

Amber Stitt [00:16:21]:
But you learn as you go. And I mean, I guess I could go back and look at YouTube 3 years ago and not love those either, but we have to grow from it. So you're still putting yourself out there, and that's more than most can say.

Debbie Golden [00:16:33]:
Plus, I was doing something like I was reselling these courses, and none of my heart was in it. I was coming from a place of, "I just want to make a bunch of money." And so what I was talking about, that place of lack and desperation and that energy. I did sell enough, shall we say, but the purpose wasn't behind it there. It wasn't good.

Debbie Golden [00:16:54]:
My mindset and oh, my gosh, I was looking at how many views I was getting, how many followers. You're so...

Amber Stitt [00:16:59]:
Well, because in business, you're supposed to run the analytics and audit some of that. But I think that even...and this is where the stories are so important. We started with Derrick Hatch, who's...now he's the storyteller. And he's going to be potentially better because he's been living that storytelling. That's what he does. But all of us evolve through sharing.

Amber Stitt [00:17:18]:
And that's where, I'm not an author, but I love books. I've always loved books, but I wasn't a natural author. But then to write some chapters really helped me convey how do I want to help other people.

Amber Stitt [00:17:28]:
And then you put it out there, and then there's this evolution. And so that's why the books, the community are so important. So I really want us to motivate people to question, whether does it matter, the demographic, or the age? What do you want to do? Because we're going to help you nudge us to get to that point. There are experiences, too.

Debbie Golden [00:17:47]:
Yep, it's all about the pivot. Like I said, I've changed since I've written this book...this chapter in this book.

Amber Stitt [00:17:54]:
Yep.

Debbie Golden [00:17:54]:
And so as you grow and evolve your business, you as a person grow and evolve. So that's why I pivoted probably more times than I can count. I'm feeling like this is home to me where I'm at now.

Debbie Golden [00:18:10]:
I can feel it. All my years of coming up till this point feel like this is where I'm meant to be.

Amber Stitt [00:18:17]:
That's good.

Amber Stitt [00:18:18]:
It's fun to be part of that in a small little way. But seeing that and then be able to celebrate it. And we're going to celebrate it this week even further.

Debbie Golden [00:18:25]:
So fun. Yes.

Amber Stitt [00:18:26]:
But how can people find you? Oh, outside of Instagram, I know that you have IG, but just in case, I'll put it in the show notes.

Debbie Golden [00:18:31]:
The midlife community that I have is, it's free and it's actually a link on my Instagram, on my TikTok. All over and it's free to the community.

Amber Stitt [00:18:39]:
OK, I don't want to forget. People can find you, connect with you, and then on the Owwll Network, too. We will be on there if you want to connect with us after this week. So awesome.

Debbie Golden [00:18:47]:
Thank you, Amber.

Amber Stitt [00:18:48]:
Thanks!

Amber Stitt [00:18:51]:
Thank you for joining us for this special edition of Pathways Unleashed, recorded at Owwll headquarters here in Delray Beach, Florida. Join us for more powerful conversations with real people who dare to design life on their own terms. Until next time, keep taking action on your unique path!