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Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play
The debut book from hit podcaster and life coach Wendy Valentine is a rallying cry, inspirational memoir, and practical guidebook for the millions of Gen X women discovering midlife as the perfect time to craft the life they’ve always dreamed of
Like millions of other Gen X women, Wendy Valentine entered midlife plagued with a host of seemingly insurmountable unemployment, divorce, anxiety, a mountain of debt, the death of her brother, and chronic illness. Looking around and wondering if a window to new possibilities was closing, she held on to a vision of opening a new door instead, a dream of herself driving across the country cool, collected, happy, and singing along with the tunes blasting from her Bluetooth. Unrealistic? Maybe. Still, it worked.
In Women Waking Up, Valentine redefines midlife for women based on her own experience of following her vision, buying an RV, and traveling cross-country seeking new adventures. On the back roads of America, she found herself and identified seven steps any woman can follow on their own road to satisfaction and fulfillment. She lays out this step-by-step process of getting from point A of angst to point B of bliss in the F.R.E.E.D.O.M. method, walking readers through their own midlife makeover process.
Valentine guides readers to explore the eight areas that form a “wheel” of life, or in this case love, career, friends, family, finance, personal growth, health, and leisure. Along the way, she also reminds readers that they have something they didn’t knowledge and experience. Women Waking Up shows how all women armed with these two superpowers of midlife plus Valentine’s foolproof method can find balance, harmony, satisfaction, and the lives they’ve always wanted.
Like millions of other Gen X women, Wendy Valentine entered midlife plagued with a host of seemingly insurmountable unemployment, divorce, anxiety, a mountain of debt, the death of her brother, and chronic illness. Looking around and wondering if a window to new possibilities was closing, she held on to a vision of opening a new door instead, a dream of herself driving across the country cool, collected, happy, and singing along with the tunes blasting from her Bluetooth. Unrealistic? Maybe. Still, it worked.
In Women Waking Up, Valentine redefines midlife for women based on her own experience of following her vision, buying an RV, and traveling cross-country seeking new adventures. On the back roads of America, she found herself and identified seven steps any woman can follow on their own road to satisfaction and fulfillment. She lays out this step-by-step process of getting from point A of angst to point B of bliss in the F.R.E.E.D.O.M. method, walking readers through their own midlife makeover process.
Valentine guides readers to explore the eight areas that form a “wheel” of life, or in this case love, career, friends, family, finance, personal growth, health, and leisure. Along the way, she also reminds readers that they have something they didn’t knowledge and experience. Women Waking Up shows how all women armed with these two superpowers of midlife plus Valentine’s foolproof method can find balance, harmony, satisfaction, and the lives they’ve always wanted.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
272 pages, Paperback
Published September 9, 2025
16 people are currently reading
2281 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Valentine
1 book13 followersWendy Valentine is a reinvention expert, empowerment coach, and the author of Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play. She’s also the creator and host of The Midlife Makeover Show, the #1 podcast inspiring women worldwide to embrace midlife as a powerful new beginning.
After navigating divorce, menopause, job loss, debt, and an empty nest—all at once—Wendy stopped living on autopilot and started designing a life that finally felt like her own. Her journey from breakdown to breakthrough fuels everything she does.
Today, Wendy helps women kick fear to the curb, reconnect with their purpose, and create bold, joy-fueled lives through her book, her FREEDOM coaching method, and her transformational programs. Whether she’s leading a group of women through guided meditations or road-tripping the U.S. in her motorhome, Wendy is on a mission to prove that it’s never too late to wake up to what’s possible.
She currently splits her time between Portugal and wherever the road takes her, living proof that life gets better—not smaller—with age.
After navigating divorce, menopause, job loss, debt, and an empty nest—all at once—Wendy stopped living on autopilot and started designing a life that finally felt like her own. Her journey from breakdown to breakthrough fuels everything she does.
Today, Wendy helps women kick fear to the curb, reconnect with their purpose, and create bold, joy-fueled lives through her book, her FREEDOM coaching method, and her transformational programs. Whether she’s leading a group of women through guided meditations or road-tripping the U.S. in her motorhome, Wendy is on a mission to prove that it’s never too late to wake up to what’s possible.
She currently splits her time between Portugal and wherever the road takes her, living proof that life gets better—not smaller—with age.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 30, 2025
Reading this book is So helpful! Very informative and interesting! I definitely wrote some notes! Definitely recommending this!
December 28, 2025
This is a great self help book for women but don’t expect to just read through it quickly and be done with it. It’s not going to help to just read the book. You have to DO the exercises. It was because of this that it did take me a long time to get through the book. Not because it’s long, not because it’s boring but because I had to DO the work. There are parts of the book where you can find a printable form of the work to do on the website.
The book also comes with a Spotify playlist which I love. I’ve added it to my fav lists and I listen to it DAILY. It’s well curated.
The book starts off with a task I’ve seen elsewhere basically but after you do that it has tons of information and help that is new to me and I read a lot of self help. So the first thing you do is use the worksheet and questions to pin point where you are at in the different areas of your life. Then you choose one area you want to work on first. I chose health.
As you go through the book you will come up with ways to improve that area, and figure out which ones to work on first. The author also gives real life stories to help you learn important truths about women in midlife. Honestly some of these points are relevant to any woman. However midlife is when we tend to reevaluate where our life is.
The book also comes with a Spotify playlist which I love. I’ve added it to my fav lists and I listen to it DAILY. It’s well curated.
The book starts off with a task I’ve seen elsewhere basically but after you do that it has tons of information and help that is new to me and I read a lot of self help. So the first thing you do is use the worksheet and questions to pin point where you are at in the different areas of your life. Then you choose one area you want to work on first. I chose health.
As you go through the book you will come up with ways to improve that area, and figure out which ones to work on first. The author also gives real life stories to help you learn important truths about women in midlife. Honestly some of these points are relevant to any woman. However midlife is when we tend to reevaluate where our life is.
September 9, 2025
This book is a great pep talk—super helpful, inspiring, and packed with practical tools. Broken into seven steps, it guides you through everything from resetting your life and envisioning a new future to embracing your badass self (my favorite part!). I especially loved the spontaneity spark method and the release control section, offering simple ways to shift your mindset and handle triggers. In all honesty, every step has profound thought thought-provoking insight. Whether you’re looking to break free from old patterns, set healthy boundaries, or just reignite your passion for life, this book is a powerful, uplifting read that makes midlife feel like the best chapter yet.
September 11, 2025
I enjoyed reading this book and learnt a lot from it. It is well written, easy to read and follow. It made a lot of sense to some of my midlife problems.
In this book you can find, the Wheel of Midlife, your Superpower, become your own BFF, reset your life, a new Future, and exercises to help you with each section. 7 Great chapters to read and learn from.
Well done, I loved it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In this book you can find, the Wheel of Midlife, your Superpower, become your own BFF, reset your life, a new Future, and exercises to help you with each section. 7 Great chapters to read and learn from.
Well done, I loved it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 19, 2025
Valentine is a whirlwind of inspiration. Good way to shake middle-agers up...
December 27, 2025
Appreciated the positivity. Did not agree with several things stated.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews