The Courage to Evolve: Dr. Kathleen Riley on Meaningful Success in Midlife
Wed Jan 28 2026
What happens when you have done everything “right,” followed your gifts, built a respected career, and still feel called toward something more? For many women, the encore years are not about starting over but about listening more closely to what wants to emerge next.
In this episode of Embrace the Encore, Marie Wallace sits down with Dr. Kathleen Riley, a woman whose life has been marked by talent, discipline, and early achievement. From a young age, Kathleen’s path was shaped by capability and opportunity, yet her story challenges the idea that excellence means arriving at a final destination. Instead, she offers a thoughtful perspective on growth as a lifelong practice rather than a single milestone.
Marie and Kathleen explore what reinvention looks like when success is not absent, but abundant. They talk about curiosity as a guiding force, the willingness to question even well-built identities, and how purpose continues to evolve when you give yourself permission to stay open. Kathleen reflects on the internal shifts that matter as much as external accomplishments, including discernment, humility, and the courage to keep learning long after mastery has been achieved.
Tune in to episode 20 of Embrace the Encore to hear how embracing change is not about rejecting who you have been, but about honoring your capacity to keep becoming.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How lifelong achievement can still leave room for meaningful evolution (5:00)Why reinvention is not only for women who feel stuck or dissatisfied (10:00)How curiosity becomes more important than ambition in later chapters (16:00)What it means to release fixed identities without losing your sense of self (22:00)Why staying open to growth is a form of self-respect rather than restlessness (28:00)How early talent can quietly shape expectations and limit perceived options later in life (34:00)The difference between external success and internal alignment as life unfolds (39:00)Why discernment matters more than momentum in the encore years (45:00)How women can redefine contribution without needing to prove their worth again (51:00)What embracing the encore means when growth is intentional, not reactive (56:00)
Connect with Dr. Kathleen Riley:
WebsiteLinkedInYouTubeFacebookX
Let's connect!
WebsiteLinkedInEmail: marie@embracetheencore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What happens when you have done everything “right,” followed your gifts, built a respected career, and still feel called toward something more? For many women, the encore years are not about starting over but about listening more closely to what wants to emerge next. In this episode of Embrace the Encore, Marie Wallace sits down with Dr. Kathleen Riley, a woman whose life has been marked by talent, discipline, and early achievement. From a young age, Kathleen’s path was shaped by capability and opportunity, yet her story challenges the idea that excellence means arriving at a final destination. Instead, she offers a thoughtful perspective on growth as a lifelong practice rather than a single milestone. Marie and Kathleen explore what reinvention looks like when success is not absent, but abundant. They talk about curiosity as a guiding force, the willingness to question even well-built identities, and how purpose continues to evolve when you give yourself permission to stay open. Kathleen reflects on the internal shifts that matter as much as external accomplishments, including discernment, humility, and the courage to keep learning long after mastery has been achieved. Tune in to episode 20 of Embrace the Encore to hear how embracing change is not about rejecting who you have been, but about honoring your capacity to keep becoming. In This Episode, You Will Learn: How lifelong achievement can still leave room for meaningful evolution (5:00)Why reinvention is not only for women who feel stuck or dissatisfied (10:00)How curiosity becomes more important than ambition in later chapters (16:00)What it means to release fixed identities without losing your sense of self (22:00)Why staying open to growth is a form of self-respect rather than restlessness (28:00)How early talent can quietly shape expectations and limit perceived options later in life (34:00)The difference between external success and internal alignment as life unfolds (39:00)Why discernment matters more than momentum in the encore years (45:00)How women can redefine contribution without needing to prove their worth again (51:00)What embracing the encore means when growth is intentional, not reactive (56:00) Connect with Dr. Kathleen Riley: WebsiteLinkedInYouTubeFacebookX Let's connect! WebsiteLinkedInEmail: marie@embracetheencore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.