In this engaging conversation, Liz Gillie and Marie discuss the transformative journey of motherhood, self-discovery, and embracing the empty nest phase. Marie shares her experiences of navigating relationships, personal growth, and the joy of new hobbies. They explore the impact of pets on life, the importance of quality friendships, and the wisdom that comes with aging. Marie offers heartfelt advice for women transitioning into new life phases, emphasizing the significance of joy and self-acceptance.

Follow Marie on Instagram @simplymarieiris

Welcome to Besties Unfiltered, the podcast where real women share real stories. I'm Liz, and each week we dive into the authentic conversations that help women connect, build community, and feel empowered. Whether it's overcoming challenges, celebrating wins, or simply sharing the ups and downs of life, we're here to support one another, no filter needed. Grab a seat, grab your bestie, and let's get to it.

Today I'm chatting with Marie, a vibrant, funny, and seriously inspiring woman who is living proof that the next chapter can be your best one. From the quiet of an empty nest to full on thriving, Marie is showing up as herself in ways that feel joyful, bold, and beautifully free. I cannot wait for you guys to get to know Marie. Be sure to follow her on Instagram. You won't regret it. She is just funny and inspiring. Seriously,

I walked away and was like, I cannot wait to get older. So without further ado, let's jump into it.

Marie, tell us a little bit about you.

Hi! Well, I am a 51-year-old woman, mom, wife, grandma, dog mom in Texas just trying every day not to act my age.

I love it. Yes.

⁓ What did life look like before this chapter?

gosh, you know, before I became an empty nester, I was a mom raising three kids, just focusing on them. And as many moms do, you know, we put our needs, goals, dreams aside because we're so busy in mom mode and we forget who we are. So that's, that was me before empty nesting. And, ⁓ you know, I was.

in a marriage that I wasn't happy in. ⁓ I was a terrible wife at that time. you know, we learn, we learn. That's right. So I was like figuring myself out, figuring out how to be a mom and figuring out this relationship. So that was a whole crazy adventure.

We live and learn. Yeah.

Wow.

It makes me think of this quote. I can't remember if I heard it somewhere or read it in like a self-help book, but they were talking about relationships with our parents and when they're difficult, sometimes we obviously we don't excuse bad behavior, but taking a step back and recognizing that everybody is living their life for the first time. gosh, yeah, just I keep thinking about that as you were kind of talking about.

Yes.

life before now and we're all just living our lives for the first time and trying to figure it out the best we can.

We're like raising

our kids and ourselves.

Yes, yes.

my gosh, especially our poor, oldest children. Sometimes I'm like, I don't know what I'm doing, buddy. I'm sorry.

⁓

And you know what,

I'm good for you for saying that to him. And cause I've said that to my oldest and even as an older, you know, person and a mom, I had, I had that conversation with him where I said, you know what, I'm really sorry. was, I was terrible mom then. And, we, he's, we learned.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

I

yes, exactly. And I'm finding that my third born is the one giving me a run for my money. And parenting him is a whole new ball game where I'm like, I feel like I don't know what I'm doing all over again. And figuring it out all over again with him.

Ha

Ha ha ha!

That's right, that's right. But do you also feel like you let some things go with the youngest one?

my gosh,

he's so spoiled. He absolutely is. And as an oldest child, I'm like, I knew it. I knew those younger kids were spoiled and I'm doing it too. I don't know why, it's just a thing. It is, it is. ⁓ So with transitioning to being an empty nester, how was that? How did it feel?

Yes.

But you can't help it.

You know, for me, it was really exciting because I saw it as, wow, I have done my part for these humans. And now I get to step back and watch their stories as adults unfold. get to watch all of their experiences, good and bad, and just

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

see them make their decisions and how it all plays out.

Yeah. that's beautiful.

I

had, and I have to tell you this quick story, before all of my kids had moved out. I mean, I have three kids. The two oldest ones had gone way before Jillian, you know, my youngest. So it, for the longest time, probably about 10 years, she, it was just her and I, no other kids in the house. But I had been on a flight somewhere, can't even remember, but I remember this woman and her husband on this flight and the

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

woman was sobbing uncontrollably, wailing and just unashamed in the sadness. And I'm like, man, what is going on with this woman? Come to find out they had just dropped off their child to college and were flying back home without him. And she was just so distraught. And I remember thinking, I'm not going to do that. That's so selfish.

Yeah.

Yeah.

you know, not to sound judgy.

But to take it from a different perspective and say, is beautiful experience for my child, and I kind of get to have a new experience too.

Right.

That's right. And I felt so terrible for her. I felt so heartbroken for her at the same time. But then I'm thinking, I'm not doing that. I'm not doing that to myself. I'm not doing that to my children. Like, let them go and you go do your thing.

Yeah.

Yeah, well, and I think when we're, you know, little kids, we think, ⁓ 50, that's so old. And then you get there and you're like, wait a minute. No, I still have so much life ahead of me. And I get to do so much with it. So it really truly is like the second, I don't know, the second part of your life is beginning and you get to do whatever you want. And you do get to be selfish and just live your best life. It's beautiful.

That's right.

⁓ for sure.

And it's exciting.

Yes,

yes, I love it. Do you feel like, do you think there was something that really helped you lean into this new phase or was it something you were always looking forward to? I kind of relate it, this is dumb, I kind of relate it to my 30s because like a lot of people I was like, oh 30s, oh gross, I'm going to be in my 30s someday. And I have an aunt.

Well... Go ahead.

No.

And you actually remind me a lot of her. My Aunt Amy, ⁓ always my entire life, she's been like, my gosh, my 30s were so great. She's like, I loved my 30s. You're gonna love your 30s. And then my sister-in-law that's a little bit older than me got into her 30s and she's like, my gosh, my 30s are amazing. So by the time I was like 27, I'm like, yeah, my 30s are gonna be great. This is gonna be amazing. And I really looked forward to it. And now that I'm in my mid 30s, I love it. It's amazing. And...

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Now I'm hearing people be like, my gosh, my 40s. And my grandma will swear she's like, every decade's amazing. She's like, each one just gets better and better. And I feel like that's kind of what I'm hearing from you in relation to all of this. Like, yes, being a young mom is great. Having your kids is beautiful and wonderful and all the things. And this next phase is also really, really fantastic.

it's so true. remember being like 13 and thinking of like my parents, like in their thirties and ⁓ that's so old. When I'm 30, I'm going to be dead because that's just so ancient, right? But for me, you know, leaning into this new phase, it was really just realizing that the world wasn't just opening up to my kids as young adults, but the world was also opening up to me in a whole new way with

fresh eyes as someone coming off of raising kids and helping guide them through life and teaching them how to make certain decisions. Well, I wasn't just teaching them, I was teaching myself. And so I got to step into this new life in my 50s with fresh eyes, making these different decisions and just seeing the world and other people in a whole different way and giving people more grace.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

So you really have less stress

in what's happening around you and you just take it all in. So it's really just like a, it's a whole adventure and I felt, not felt, I still feel like I have so much life left and I feel so young and curious about everything. So it's just a whole other adventure. It's like Marie 2.0.

I love it.

Right? get to do things differently and with more excitement.

Yeah.

Yeah. Do you feel like there was a personality shift, not like your root personality, but maybe just the way you show up? Did you feel like there was a shift in transitioning to being an empty nester?

I think yes,

because as a mom, I think we kind of reserve ourselves a little bit because we want to show ourselves in a proper light, I guess, so that your kids aren't that embarrassed of you and you're playing that role model role. But then as I got older and the kids moved out, it's like, who cares?

Yeah. Yeah.

Who

cares? I'm just gonna be full on 110 % me, like it or not.

Yes, I love that. ⁓ Do you feel like there were any moments like just that stick out in your mind is like those aha moments or where you look at it you're like, that right there was a turning point for how I show up fully as myself.

absolutely. I have, I had a friend and she passed away a few years ago. We had gone to school together, so we were at the same age. And then when I found out she had passed away, that was like, what? We're still babies. You know, we're still young. She still had young kids. And it was that, that was when I realized even more so that

Yeah.

life really is so short. And so that's when I was just like, you know what, I'm, just going to throw caution to the wind. I'm going to, I'm going to be who I am every single day. Um, do what I want to do. The things that scare me, you know, just even at 50, at 60, at whatever, a hundred, I'm like, I'm going to live every day being this

you

version of me 1 % better every single day.

I love that. There's this quote from back in my Mormon days that says, try a little harder to be a little better every day. And that's one that I actually really love. Because it does give that room for grace that we're all just doing the best we can, but we can also be intentional about how we're going up. Yeah.

Absolutely.

Absolutely. And also, you know, when at the end of our days, whatever you think was a big deal is not. And I want to, I want to make sure that I look back on things and go, yeah, I did everything that I wanted to do in my own way. And I would love to be remembered as like, damn, she was so freaking wild.

Mm-hmm.

Yes, yes. Well, you are one of those people that like when you pop up on my social media and like it brings such a smile to my face because you are so fun and it just you're even on social media you exude that and it's also so genuine which I think is a hard combination to find sometimes on on socials. Yes, definitely.

Thank you.

⁓ So now that we've kind of talked a little bit about this next phase and why it is so great, have you picked up any new hobbies or routines or indulgences, things that you just really find a lot of joy in right now?

gosh, afternoon naps.

Yes.

Afternoon naps while listening to an audiobook. I also have been indulged. Oh gosh, you know, I, this is going to sound so not like me, but I stumbled upon this book series by CJ Box and it is about Joe Pickett. He is a game warden who happens upon murders.

That sounds amazing.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Okay.

and figures them out out on the mountain in the wilderness on his horse with his dog by his side. It is like, I don't know what it is that drew me in, but I just imagine being out on a mountain being a game warden. And maybe in my next life, I'm ⁓ supposed to be a game warden, but I'm like 20 plus books into this series and I'm hooked.

Yeah.

and love us.

There you go.

Okay,

are they like nitty gritty or more like a cozy mystery?

Other pretty nitty gritty, you know, it's from a man's point of view. And I love it. I love it. And CJ Box is an incredible author. you know, just he describes it like I'm really there. And I mean, any good author will get you there, you know. Man, I just love it. So every time there's a new, new series coming out of this book with ⁓ Joe Pickett, I'm all over it. Yes.

Okay.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Yeah. Like I need it immediately. I

love that. ⁓ I feel like I cut you off before I asked about books too. You're talking about afternoon naps and listening to audiobooks.

gosh, I don't even remember what I was gonna say.

yes. Also, my daughter and I have been on this ⁓ oysters on a half shell thing. So we go out and discover different restaurants that serve oysters on a half shell. And we try all these different oysters from all over the East Coast and, you know, the Gulf of Mexico. you know, it's, it's an adventure.

Okay.

That is so cute. It's just fun

though. Like, I love that. Okay. And then you originally are not from Texas. You're from the East coast, correct? I know. I miss that.

It is fun.

No, no, no. I grew up here in Texas. ⁓

Yeah, I grew up here in Texas and then, you know, decided to move up to Maine.

Okay. Yep. We know how that goes.

because of a man.

So I collected my last paycheck, know, filled the car with whatever we could and we drove to Maine. I lived there for 17 years, raised my kids there and then decided, you know what, it is just too cold for me here. ⁓ It was time to go back. My parents weren't getting any older. My brothers were having kids of their own. It was time to come home and, you know, be with them and experience life.

Yeah, time to go back.

as an auntie and as my nieces and nephews call me as haunty with an H. So we, Jillian and I moved back here ⁓ about 11 years ago and just, it's just been so wonderful.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah. And then you got remarried a couple years ago? Okay.

Yes, it'll be

three years this year. So that's been a great thing too.

Yeah, I love seeing people find happiness not in their 20s, but later on. mean, obviously, yes, find happiness in your 20s, but that we can continue to find that happiness and find good relationships later in life too.

Yes.

Absolutely, and it's amazing what a really good relationship gives you as far as freedom of self, support, love, encouragement, and like that somebody believes in you 100%. ⁓ I feel like I can conquer the world.

Do you feel like

yes, I was just talking to someone about this yesterday that love from like a good man can give so much confidence in every aspect of my life. Like the way my husband loves me has made me a more confident person when I go out and

Mm-hmm.

Absolutely.

I definitely am the kind of girl that's like, I don't need a man, I'm fine. But then I'm like, ooh, okay, he actually has helped me a lot. But I think it truly is just a healthy love does that for us.

⁓ yes!

Absolutely, and even, you from your good friends and your kids and just ⁓ the pure love from people that want to see you thrive really lifts you up to different levels of things.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I love that. ⁓ Okay, kind of shifting gears a little bit, but we have to talk about Tito. You're cute, you're cute little guy. ⁓ Okay, so you are a dog mom. And do you feel like he has played a role in this season of your life?

Mm-hmm.

Absolutely. This dog, everything revolves around this dog now. So he turned one in December. And what's really great is my employer let me bring him to work, which was very important to me. ⁓ so he, at seven weeks old, this dog was coming to the office with me. And let me tell you, he has taught me patience.

I love.

Yeah.

⁓ the gift of consistency and what comes of that. Did I say patience? Because patience again.

Right? ⁓

yeah.

He has been an incredible gift to not just me, but my family. man, this dog, just, every time he sees me, he just gets so excited. My daughter, she gets so mad because she's like that. He is so spoiled. But I feel like dogs live such a short lifespan and there are so many dogs out there that, ⁓ God, looking for homes.

Yeah.

I'm just at his buff side.

You just have to spoil them.

Yeah, yeah, you only get them for so long so make the most of it Yeah Well, I have to admit I'm not typically a dog person but I am obsessed with your dog and I'm like I don't know what that says about me but anytime you post him I'm like he is so cute like he really really truly is like a cute dog and Is he so he's a chihuahua, right?

God, I love this dang dog.

He is a chowinny. ⁓ Yes, he is a big chihuahua. He's about 20 pounds, but he's mixed with, ⁓ like his mom was like a dachshund terrier, but we did like this whole DNA thing on him. So he's also part poodle, part Australian cattle dog.

Okay, that might be it because I'm he's cuter than most chihuahuas I've seen ⁓

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

a little bit of Pitbull. mean, he is a little bit of everything awesome.

He's just a hard dog.

Yeah. Well, it worked out for him. He's, he's growing it well. Yeah. Yes, exactly. I'm still trying to talk Jimmy into just a cat at this point. It's not going well for me, but I'm eventually going to wear him down someday.

Yes, we got the right dog for us. ⁓

Oh, yeah, a dog,

it's too hard to do a dog when your kids are little and you're running around. But now I think, you know, because I have no kids to raise anymore, it's the perfect time.

Yeah.

Yep, I love it. ⁓ Okay, so kind of shifting gears yet again. What is something you wish you could tell your younger self about growing older or starting fresh?

Oh, don't take it so seriously. Don't take things so seriously. And to celebrate every single birthday and stop focusing on the number. Oh gosh. think when I was younger, um, I was just, I was not a nice person and I was so high strung I didn't really enjoy.

Mm. Mm-hmm.

my days. You know, I just wanted, I focused on perfection. And at some point you really need to let go of that. And so I would remind my younger self, let it all go. Just have fun. It's okay. Yeah. And also we get hotter at 51. Oh yeah. Yeah. It's magic.

Yeah.

⁓ Yeah.

It's amazing what some sleep can do for you too, huh?

Right. Do you feel like you navigate relationships and friendships differently now?

yes, as I've gotten older, I think I am more about...

quality of someone's soul, ⁓ not so much of, I just want them to like me. You know, now it's like, do I like them? And do I want that energy in my life? And if it's yes, then I really cultivate that. You know, I'm texting, sending funny memes, voice messages.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

even some random chapel room memes, you know.

Right. I was going to say that we were okay, probably not even my day, my

week to get like happy mail. I'm like, I never get mail. That's fun. This is so exciting. Yeah.

yeah. And

the people that I have connected with, I really want to stay connected with them. Even if it's like two weeks, a month out, every other month, just something and letting them know that I'm thinking of them.

Yeah, well, I think that speaks to the quality piece. I know that I have been terrible at maintaining friendships over the last year of navigating a whole bunch of things. And yet I also know that there are several people I could text today and be like, hey, sorry I haven't messaged you in four months. I'm alive. Are you alive? Are you OK? What's new? And it would be OK. And that speaks to real quality of friendships.

Mm-hmm.

That's right.

That's

right, because those people get it. Because they're also like, ⁓ yeah, I've been busy too, or things have been happening for me too, and it's okay.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. So what would you say has surprised you most about this season of life?

how easily I can say this isn't for me and just move on or if someone gives me bad vibes it's a no it's a no for me and I'm gonna gonna move on you know I'm not gonna invest any emotional energy to that yeah and I'm I'm good with it

Mm.

Yeah, ⁓ I hired that. Yeah, that's, that

is a tough one where I'm like, ⁓ I love this for you. And I love it for me. And I need to work on this. ⁓ I'm definitely still in the little bit of a perfectionist stage of my life. ⁓

And I think that's something, as I was listening to you talk earlier, you said, I just have so much more grace for people now. And then as you were saying, I tell myself, just nobody cares that much. It doesn't have to be perfect. That I think when we really truly start to love ourselves, we have a higher capacity to love others and love those around us. And I feel like I can see that in your story as you're sharing these little tidbits about

Mm-hmm.

about yourself and the way you go out into the world, like you really truly treat yourself with so much love and respect. And I think that's why people, even though like we haven't spent, you know, we've, we've never gone out for coffee together. Like we don't live near each other, but I can feel that from you even virtually. And I think it just speaks to, I guess just that growth and development that comes with.

No.

experiences in life and time.

yeah, and we all get there. You'll get there. Everybody gets there. And once you do reach that point, you feel like this huge weight has been lifted from you. And you just really don't care. You just want to have fun and be able to laugh and keep it going. And if I can...

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yeah.

put that energy out into the world, I firmly believe what you put out, you get back. And if one person feels that same positive, joyful energy and can do the same thing, how powerful is that? I have goosebumps just thinking about it.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I just, I'm thinking about the word impact to be able to make an impact even on one person's life is a beautiful thing.

Mm-hmm. Yes, that

I've done something. I've done something great.

Yeah,

yes. I love that. What advice would you give to women who are maybe on the cusp of transitioning from kind of into that empty nester phase of life? guess high school graduation is around the corner. We have a lot of people who are going to be entering this new stage and maybe are apprehensive.

I would say to think of it all as an adventure. You know, you're an explorer in this life and you have reached another mountain to climb and there is something amazing along the path to get to the top of this one. And how exciting. So I really think people should look at the next phase of life as a whole.

whole other journey and how fun, right? What am I going to get myself into?

Yeah, and just the freedom to be able to make those kinds of choices.

That's

right. And how big of a blessing is it that you've made it to that point of your life? You know, we, have this long journey from one end to the other and how great to make it to that point. And what are you going to do with it now?

Yeah. Yeah. It is. It is. I

It's exciting.

was just sitting here doing the math. I'm like, how old will I be when my youngest graduates high school? And I'll be 45. So I'm like, oh, that's not actually that far away. And also, I'm still going to be so young, and I'm going to be able to do so many fun things. So I feel like you've got me excited for this next phase, even though I've got to hold out a little bit longer.

That's right.

It's exciting.

Yes. And you know, you can think of all of these things that you get to experience with your adult children. ⁓ so fun.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I love that. ⁓ One thing that I am really excited about doing with our guests on the podcast is just rapid fire questions that are just kind of random, but help us get to know you. You Game? All right. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl. All right. I am an early bird. So we are not the same. ⁓ What is your favorite way to unwind?

Sure.

Night Owl.

taking off my bra.

my gosh. Yes. Is there anything better at the end of the day when you're like freedom? Absolutely. Get it off. I am such a fan of the bodysuit trend because there's usually like just enough spandex that I'm like, I can kind of get away without a bra on this one. And I like, I don't have to deal with a bra or underwear. I just wear a bodysuit. Amazing. Right.

you

Yeah, let them all out. Let it out.

Yes! Me too!

You're winning. You are winning at life.

⁓ What is your go-to coffee order?

⁓ chai latte, hot.

Yum. I love it. Those are so good. All right. Do you, are you like a Starbucks girl? Do you like a small mom-and-pop place? What's your favorite coffee shop?

⁓ I love a small mom and pop place. I try to support local businesses as much as possible.

Yeah, I could see that from you and I love that. ⁓ It is and it's just every time you go somewhere new it's unique, it's cute, they have different things to try. I love it. ⁓ What is one thing you could not live without right now? Yeah, yeah, he's so sweet. ⁓ What is something that makes you feel powerful or beautiful?

Yeah, it's fun.

Yes, me too.

My dog.

my smile and my husband. Thanks. It's very powerful.

my gosh, yes, you do have a great smile. I don't know your husband,

he, I mean, he, he bagged a baddie. So I'm like, he's got to be somewhat decent.

That's what I say and God bless

him because you know, it ain't easy to be married to a baddie.

I saw this meme the other day, let me see if I can find it and I sent it to Jimmy because I was like, thanks for putting up with me. it says damn girl, are you a fitted sheet? Because you're complicated as hell and hard to manage, but I definitely want you on my mattress. ⁓ I'm like, sorry. Right? My husband is so like laid back and easygoing, very passive and I'm like, why?

So true! It's always the complicated ones. Worth it, worth it.

We are not the same. Why did you choose this? And he was like, I don't know, but you take care of things that I don't want to. And I'm like, oh yeah, I guess you do.

That's so

funny that you say that because I had the same conversation with my husband and he's the same way. He's very passive, very calm. And yesterday I said, you know, are you making, are you questioning your whole life choice with me right now? But I think how boring their lives would be without us.

Yeah.

All right.

Yes,

yes, I think it's all about that balance, right? And I'm like, we just balance each other. It's perfect. ⁓ I love it. Okay, so I only have one more question left, but before I ask that, is there any part of your story, part of your life that you're like, you know, I would love to share that?

Yes.

Yes!

Yeah. So, you know, I was married once before and, and, you know, I had kind of mentioned this earlier that I was a terrible wife. And I think a lot of it was like, I was young, I was still figuring myself out and I was unhappy. And I know that the person I was married to at that time wasn't happy. Um, and so I decided it was, it was just time to move on. And I think sometimes as women,

It's hard for us to make that decision to move on. But I want people to know that your happiness is so important. And if it means packing up your car, renting out your house, driving across country with your 10 year old kid. ⁓

Scared as heck That you're doing this. It's okay it's okay because you're you are meant to do big things big scary things and if it means leaving your life and starting over How incredible that you are deciding to be brave? You know, I I moved Took us four days to drive from Maine to Texas

Yeah.

And I was so scared, you know, like I'm really, I'm really doing this by myself. But there was something in the universe calling me, telling me that this is what I'm supposed to do. And thank goodness I took that step. And

just where I am now, thinking of that person before, had I stayed in that unhappy part of my life, I don't, I really don't know. You wouldn't be talking to this Marie right now, that's for sure. You know, but, and, I think it was the best decision that I ever made.

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, I think divorce can get such a bad reputation. And there's a lot of people who would argue that people need to try harder, they need to do all the things. And I've heard so many of these. But as the child of two people who got a divorce later in their marriage, I was 30 years old when my parents separated. I

Mm-hmm.

spent most of my childhood wishing they would get a divorce and seeing that unhappiness. And now kind of it's weird being

an adult but still being their child, seeing how even in the last few years how much happier they both are individually and being so happy for them to have that experience and listening to you, it gives me a lot of hope for them and what's to come for them. ⁓ I guess I just want to validate that like divorce is a really good thing sometimes and it doesn't matter, you know, and maybe some of it is a religious upbringing.

Mm-hmm.

⁓ yeah.

But you know, we'll hear, unless there's abuse or unless there's, but I'm sorry, I will die on the hill that divorce is a good thing, even if it's two good people who just aren't happy together. Nobody deserves to their life that way. Yeah.

Absolutely. And your kids know it.

Yeah, the kids know it. The people that say, we're saying together for the kids. Why? Because your kids know that you all aren't happy together.

more

Right and all that's going to do is cause more heartache and generational trauma.

Exactly. do you really want your kids to see that as, okay, I get it. You know, like, yeah, they love each other enough, or they loved us enough to stay together. But do really want your kids to live that kind of life as adults to stay somewhere they're not happy? That is the thing.

Right. Right.

Yes. ⁓ I love this conversation. I feel like maybe that was a hot take, but I think there's so many people I know that are listening to this podcast that will find so much validation in your story and what you've shared. Yeah. Do you have any advice that you would give to women who are like me, a couple decades behind you?

Ugh, I hope so.

and maybe lacking some of the confidence and wisdom that has come with your time and your life experiences.

⁓ the big thing I think women need to remember, Liz, you don't have to have it all figured out. We put so much pressure on ourselves to like get it all right and that there's the whole world on your shoulders. It's okay. You know, you don't have to have it all figured out and everything works out in the end how it's supposed to.

You don't have to control every single thing. It's already written out basically how your life, your kid's lives, how it's all going to go. So you don't need to figure it out. It's already figured out. You just live with joy as the focus and everything fits itself together.

Yeah, I think that was the therapy I just needed for the day. ⁓ That was so perfect. just, I feel like that sums you up so well too. And how you approach the world and the light that you bring to the table. So thank you for sharing that.

⁓ thank you.

Yeah,

where can people follow you if they need a little more Marie Iris in their life?

⁓ Instagram, Simply Marie Iris. Let's be friends, everybody.

Perfect. Yes, I will link

it in the show notes so people can find you. ⁓ I'm so excited for everyone to get to know you a little bit better. Definitely follow Marie. She is just a good time. She really truly is with like a dose of encouragement.

Awesome!

Thank

you so much!

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Besties Unfiltered. I hope today's conversation left you feeling inspired and connected. Remember, we're all in this together and there's power in sharing our stories. If you loved today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your besties. And as always, keep being real, keep being you, and I'll catch you next time. No filter, just friendship.