Julie Waas – Charting your Next Chapter

Hi and welcome to the You World Order Showcase podcast. Today we are speaking with Julie Waas, who is a high performance coach helping midlife women get set for a best second-half of their lives. And Julie is like the living inspiration for us to follow because she is doing just.

That she is. She's a multifaceted not.

Entrepreneur. But she's just a multifaceted woman. She's got her hand in a couple of different things that are really interesting.

And and so diverse welcome, Julie. It's so nice to have you with us today.

Nice to be here. Thank you for.

Inviting me.

So tell us your story. I know you're an attorney and you're a professional artist. Is that your piece?

In the background.

No, it's not actually. Move away from my computer so that I won't be distracted by the computer. No, it's it's actually somebody else's wonderful piece. So I I actually.

Put up on the walls of my house. That that's better mine. I have some paintings that I just, you know, finished, that are sitting on the floor. But. But no, that's not my piece. But my story is is.

It's kind of crazy, but I I'd like to think it's inspirational. I've been an attorney for 37 1/2 years, actually 37 years. What am I saying? 37 1/2 and I have three adult sons. My oldest son is autistic and he's in a program in Kentucky. So I went to law school.

I wanted to do something. It wasn't that I had a passion for being a lawyer, although I have had a fabulous career, I I have no complaints about that and I really do enjoy my job. I'm lucky enough to be in house counsel for a large hospital system and work with wonderful people, but it's never been my real passion on the side.

For my whole life, I've been drawing every time I had a pen in my hand, you know, I'd just be mindlessly drawing abstract designs, and I used to call them.

Doodles and during the pandemic I began working from home.

And I'm still working from home in my law job, I'm still practicing full time.

And so I did that and I made a few pieces and showed my husband and he suggested that I start selling them. And, you know, at first I thought, well, that's crazy. I have no training as an artist. My 6th grade teacher told me I had no talent. So after that, I never took another art.

Class and but I.

I've been invited and have exhibited in two different galleries, three times in New York, the Gallery in London, Madrid, Innsbrook.

Three times in Miami and it's been an incredible journey. I love doing it. It's the other side of my brain and I've even now branched out to start painting, which has been a lot of fun and I never thought I could paint, but I'm doing abstract paintings as well. So the other side of me.

Not that I don't have enough to do in my life, is I've

Right.

For helping women in midlife.

The story really began with my childhood and my mother when I was 15 years old, my older sister went to college and my mother went to bed for six weeks, like literally did not move for six weeks, and it was very scary for me. Obviously I was, you know, I was the younger sister and my mother.

Was a stay at home Mom. Brilliant Woman, college educated, but never allowed by my father or her father to.

And this was back in the, you know, the 70s. So it was a different.

Time, but it was a very powerful lesson to me to watch her go through this horrific depression to the point where she wouldn't even talk to me for some few days and I was only I was in high school.

And I decided then that I was never going to be.

Like her, I was going to, you know, always work. Always have something to do. Always have a job. Never let a man tell me that I couldn't do anything.

And so I've always wanted to help women at that empty nest stage, that sort of midlife. I don't want to say crisis, but the time when you start back. Yeah. And and thinking about, well, what do I really want to do with my life? What have I put aside for my kids? Maybe I've. I've been in a profession that's really not my passion.

It is.

And and so I sort of feel like this is now dedicated to my mother, honestly, that I want to write the ship, so to speak. You know, in in honor of her. And so I became certified as a high performance coach AF U months ago through Brendon Burchard's program.

And so now I have a great curriculum to use, and I've gone through the high performance coaching myself as a client, so I know how it works, but I want to use it as a tool to help women in mid life. You know, get get clear on, you know, on themselves their purpose.

UM.

Get the courage to start something new to figure out sort of. What's their thing. I was talking with a client last night and we were talking about what she wants to do with the rest of her life and talking about how.

You know you can say, oh, I want to do this, or I want to do that. But you've never done it before. But then sitting back and thinking, well, what is, what is your real thing? What drives you, what have what would be fun for you? What would be exciting and and really digging deep and finding that out. And it was really interesting with her.

Because she had thought at the beginning when we started working together, that something was something she wanted to do. But in going through it, she realized no, there's something else that really excites me and this is what I'm going to do now. And so that's why I decided to, in addition to my art, in addition to my.

Law job help women through this coaching program.

That's that's really an amazing story and I can see how it's helped you in that art was just something that was always a part of you, but now it is. It's a larger part of of your life and it's it.

Are just such an expressive thing, and it's so personal.

It's kind of like.

Coaching in some ways where it's.

It too is really personal for you and that you're helping other women, probably professional women, I would assume.

Be able to.

Take a step back and and really move forward in the direction that lights them up because.

You know, we reached this point in our lives where we've raised our kids and we've done all the things and we've had careers and.

And now what you know.

Exactly. And and you know, definitely not sitting on the couch just waiting for the end to come. And, you know, I really feel very personally that, you know, we have one life.

And it's a great gift. And why not maximize it? Nobody knows how much time they're given. Nobody knows how long it's going to be, but the key is to decide. OK, I'm. I'm going to make the most of it. I'm going to, you know, the gift I've been given of having a.

If I'm going to make use of it, the best way I can. And so yeah, I think.

I think it's good to be able to, you know, hopefully at the end say.

I did the things that I really wanted to do and I followed my intuition. I followed my gut and.

You know, not maybe it's not always going to work out, but you know, having the courage to try.

We're all gifted with something.

And and we're sent here to share it. And I think there's an awakening happening among women primarily, but some guys too, but.

Where they're just like.

We're reaching our later years and and realizing, hey.

I wasn't born to be an attorney. I wasn't born to sell real estate. I was really born to do this and and in my doing this, whatever this is.

I contribute to making the whole world.

Right it it's usually a small way it it doesn't have to be really big.

But it's a key piece.

To to bring in the rest of the world back into alignment and and making it better for all of us, we've gone along with this agenda that's been out there. It's mostly masculine and women. We're just supposed to go along with it and raise the kids and stay home. And by the time you were 40, you were done.

Your life was pretty much over.

You could go beyond the social committee of whatever.

Thing your husband was doing.

And he was pretty much done with.

You too. I mean that.

It's like the sad truth of most relationships, at least back in the 70s and 80s, that's when divorces were like so rampant it was usually women in their 40s were losing their husbands in droves. And these women had no clue what to do next.

And no.

Money usually too.

Yep, Yep, it was awful.

Yeah. I'm sorry, just like that. That bothers me a lot. That it happened, but it did happen. And women, now you know, you you.

Hit 40 and.

50 and it's like I'm I'm just hitting my stride.

I'm waking up. I know what I want to do and.

It's it's really exciting. I'm 63 and I feel like.

I feel like a kid again, it's like.

There's so much.

Potential and and so many great things.

Happening and it's fun to be part of it.

Yeah, I'm 62. So I'm right there with you. And and I think your your comment about bringing the world into alignment is is so apt because I really believe that.

There is a purpose for us to be here and that is sort of we. Like I said, we've been given this gift of life and I think part of it is to figure out what it is. What can we leave behind and, you know, and I think for women in particular, I have son.

And they're watching and they're my one of my sons is married. His wife is watching. If you have daughters, they're watching too.

And if they see that, first of all, mom's fine after they leave the nest. Not that we don't miss our kids. I I love.

My kids and you know, yeah.

Stipend with them, but that your whole life isn't just wrapped up in them and that they see that you.

Have so much more to give in your life and so much more to do.

And are really excited to do it.

And there's there's options. Women have options now that they have never had.

Right.

I have a daughter who's 41 and a daughter who's 19. The 19 year old man. Should I be 19 again at this time?

It's just like.

Yeah, yeah.

She can do anything and she doesn't have to be locked into when our.

Moms were young.

They had to go to college to find.

A husband that.

Was the only reason women went to college.

Very few of them went to actually have a career because most of them didn't have careers, but they found husbands and then now most people that go to college are women. Guys, I'm going to college.

Right.

Right now.

I'm sorry.

No, you're absolutely right. That's it. It the, the, the there's been a huge shift.

For women.

And and the career.

Possibilities are endless. I I really admire you that you are an attorney because in that day and age when you became.

It was pretty rare.

And in terms of the perception that you were going to go, if you're a marriage, you're going to go and have babies, you're you're going to be put on a totally different career track. And and I actually had a very interesting experience as a lawyer because I started my career as a prosecutor. And then when my.

Oldest son was born and diagnosed with autism.

I I could not work full time because I had to take them to therapy and I was lucky enough to work for Janet Reno, who was the then the state attorney in Miami.

And she offered me a part time position, which was unheard of for attorneys.

And later on and I I worked there and I ended up in few years later in a law firm that also I went for the interview for a full time position. It was a national law firm.

And I said, I'm sorry I can't work full time. I have to take my son to therapy in the afternoon. I need to leave, like, at 3:00 to go pick him up and take him.

And they hired me. Not only did they hire me, but I became the 1st.

Part time partner in the history of the firm, which was really an amazing experience. That said more about the firm frankly, than it did about me, but.

I feel like you know, those were the days that doors started to open for women. Opportunities start to open. You could still have a career even if you had to be part time, you could still be a lawyer. You could still do things and and write your path along the way. So we're in. We're in exciting Times Now for that.

I couldn't agree with you more and that's really amazing that those doors opened for you and that you were kind of a.

Pioneered the opportunities and I think the whole coming home for COVID thing that just made.

It really transformed the work world in a way that I don't think we'll fully recognize for a few more years yet.

But I know a lot of professional women who used to have to get up and go to work and sit in the office and then come home and then have a life.

At home.

Are now.

They they work from home and when you work from home it gives you so much more ability to integrate your work and your life together because you're not having.

Commute and.

I think Zoom has been a great.

Thing for that.

Zoom is amazing. Zoom is absolutely amazing on so many levels. I mean, not just work wise. And it's true, you're right because you spend time in the car that if you want to do something else, then when you're done with your work day, you can just, you know, close that computer, close that book and go do like.

For me, when I'm done at the end of the day, I might go sit at my art table and start working on art because I have a, you know, takes me 10 seconds to get from my work desk to my art.

Yes. So yes, it opened up huge opportunities and huge opportunities just for connection in general and opportunities to network with people and see people and communicate where you're not just talking on the phone where you actually see the person and what an amazing, amazing, amazing.

Technology that came just in time with COVID.

Yeah, I'd been.

Using zoom a little bit before COVID, but it was like COVID.

NIT and everybody knew how to use zoom.

So as far as your coaching goes.

Because really, that's what we're talking about.

I know that you offer a.

It's called the five key areas.

For a best second-half to maximize the second-half of your life you want.

To talk about that a little bit.

Well, it's really just a guide for people who might be interested in the coaching to to look at and and, you know, look at the areas on there and sort of take a look at their life and go through it and see if it's something that maybe resonates with them so that they might be interested in.

You know, in further going further with the coaching.

Very good, very good. And where can they find that?

Well, actually I'm in the process of creating my website, so if anyone is interested in it, they just need to send me an e-mail to Julie at Julie Waas. JULIE WAAS, as in S in Sam, dot com and it's two A’s, one S. everybody messes that up, including me.

But yeah, Julie Waas dot com just send me an e-mail saying I'd like the guide and I'd be happy to send it to them. I'm hoping in the next couple of weeks to have my website up and running where it'll be easier for folks to to get a hold of it, but that's the the best place to find it.

Because this isn't going to actually air until December.

I would presume your.

Website will be up. Do you know what the domain name is going to be already?

Going to be www.juliewass.com.

OK. So we'll be sure.

To put that in the show notes too.

And when?

Perfect. Yeah.

Your website and.

The podcast episode will drop all at the same.

Time. That's. That. Sounds fabulous. Because yes, it it'll be ready by then. I'm hoping in the next late month, it'll be all ready to go and they'll be.

How are you?

Nation, then in the on the web.

Right.

How are you working with people? Is it one-on-one? Are you thinking you're going to do group coaching?

Yes, actually I.

I originally thought I would just do one-on-one, but and I love the one-on-one, but it doesn't necessarily make a lot of sense time wise. I do have a one-on-one program. It's 14 weeks and it's, you know, once a week, 60 minutes.

It includes, you know, the the one-on-one with me the whole time. I also provide my clients with the journal because I I'm think journaling every day is extremely important. It's amazing what turns up when you start writing every single day and you know, for folks who've never done it before, you know, I can provide them with journal.

Comps also some guided Meditations I think also and I also focus on affirmations every day and gratitude every day. So that's what the coaching program involves. Aside from the curriculum that I.

Have, but I'm also going to start in January group coaching. What I'd like to do is have a couple of groups of women. I don't want it any larger than six so that everybody can really dig in and get to know each other and have an opportunity to contribute. I think when groups get too big, you know, especially if you're someone that might be.

Reticent to?

You know, speak up. You're going to just sit there and maybe not necessarily get the most out of it.

So the the.

Group Coaching program is going to be similar. It'll also be 14 weeks. It'll be 12 weeks of group and then everybody would get a two sessions with me, one-on-one for 60 minutes and then the group coaching.

Would probably be. I'm planning it to be 75 minutes so that we really have an opportunity for everybody to contribute because the method of the coaching is I don't tell anybody what to do. It's through the right type of questions to dig.

The information dig out was really in your heart and what your feelings and you know to get that clarity. So it's a wonderful opportunity for everybody to do that. So that's why I'm going to do both the one-on-one and the group coaching.

I think that's amazing. I know from personal experience that the magic really does happen in groups.

OK.

There's some dynamic that when you're in a group of women, if and small cohorts are really great for this.

That you just.

You meet lifelong friends and you have new partners that you can collaborate with and we're really moving into a time where it's less about competition and more about competition, which to me is women are their.

Very best you compete with yourself to be your the best you can be at and show up.

Right.

Authentic to yourself and the best you can be, and so you.

Can push your sisters up.

Because they're coming too. They're bringing what they have their special gift. And as we all come together, we can lift each other up. And that is what makes the.

World a better place.

Oh, I couldn't agree more. And.

I think you're right about the group because.

The dynamic is such that you know when some when one person starts opening up, you feel more comfortable opening up yourself that you might feel intimidated in the one-on-one situation and I failed to mention that it was going to be on zoom. So everybody, thank God, thank goodness for zoom, you know it does.

Where they are in the world, we can all come together and either locally or, you know, whatever. But on zoom and that way everybody gets to see each other and develop those relationships. And I think when you're in a situation where you're being vulnerable.

It's a great opportunity to make those connections, make those friendships, you know, have somebody that you can turn to who's been with you as you were crying and talking about whatever that came up.

And when you have more than one person, then it's not like so much about.

Teaching as about collaborating and you know you never know who's going to come up with the next great idea, and somebody might have a, an answer to something or have has been through something that's similar and they have an experience that they can share that.

Might impact this other person in a way that.

If it was just one-on-one, you didn't have that experience, so.

You couldn't share and.

Yeah, I've. I've seen it happen so many times.

That you're right and it's even to the point where somebody might say, well, I'm interested in doing acts.

And it may have been something like, Oh my gosh, you know the other person's thinking. Wow. That's something I'd like to do, too. And it goes back to sort of like, what's your thing and what? What is something that's gonna drive you and maybe you get inspired because some people don't even know.

They're they might be.

Like I was talking to someone, the.

Day, who was saying. Yeah, when I retire, maybe I'll volunteer. Maybe I'll work at the soup kitchen and I said it actually was a gentleman. He wanted to talk to me about his mid life experience and you know, and I said, well, is that something you've ever done? And he said no. And I said, well, is it something that.

Are you just saying it because it sounds good that when you retire, you'll suddenly volunteer and that'll become a passion. And he's like, wow, I never thought about that. I said maybe you should think.

About what is it that you really want to do that that's really in your heart that you've not had time to do and said because you're more likely to stick with it?

If it's something that's you're feeling more passionate about, if it's something that becomes just another job well, is that really?

What you want to do so?

It's a lot of lot of you know, so hearing other people talk about it in a group setting can provide people with just some ideas and that they might not have ever thought of.

When you're talking about people going and volunteering at the soup kitchen, gentlemen, it kind of reminded me of.

My dad who?

He's a retired naval officer and he had a career in.

The aerospace industry and a couple of other industries, and he.

He does volunteer sometimes at the soup kitchen around the holidays, but he he's an artist. He decided. Yeah, and he he's exhibited his art.

Oh really?

It was in the Phoenix airport for a while.

Unusually enough, but yeah, it was like something totally different for him too.

And that's the beauty of it. If even doing something totally different can just reenergize you.

And give you, you know, excite you to now move in a direction that you.

May not have thought of.

In circles, that of people that you might not have been introduced to.

Right, right. You know, I do believe.

That there's no coincidence.

We meet people along the way. Who?

Maybe send us in One Direction or suggest things or introduce us to things, or introduce us to other people. And that is all part of a greater plan. It's not that. Ohh I. Wow. What a coincidence. I ran into you. Now I don't think so, I think.

I think very clearly that's why you know, I want to make sure that I help other women.

Go down that path and not just ignore the sign, so to speak.

Yeah, and it's easy to ignore the signs.

But you don't have to anymore.

Right.

Right.

So, Julie, what's the one thing you want to leave the audience with today?

Want to leave the audience with the just the notion that?

Women life is not over when you're in your 40s, fifties, 60s or beyond that you have a whole life to live, that you have a purpose to being here and that you want to, you know, you should maximize every second of this life and that I am here to help you.

Find your thing.

Find your courage. Find your purpose, get clear and have just an amazing rocking second-half.

Amen to that, sister. Thanks so much for joining me, Julie.

Well, thank you for inviting me on.