Look Back. Leap Forward!
#193 – Look Back & Leap Forward with Chris and Jill
As 2025 comes to a close, Chris and Jill slow things down for a thoughtful end-of-year conversation. Instead of a highlight reel or checklist of accomplishments, this episode focuses on reflection, intention, and what it really means to age strong — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
They also share an important announcement: for the first time in eight years, the podcast will be taking a January hiatus, returning refreshed in February 2026.
We discuss:
Reflection Over Perfection
- Why Chris and Jill chose reflection instead of a traditional year-end recap
- Aging with intention rather than chasing perfection
- Why rest and reflection are essential parts of strength — especially after 50
What actually mattered to you this year — not what you planned to do, but what you really did?
Goals, Drift, and Letting Go of Perfection
- Jill reflects on what happens when you don’t set a clear goal — and how drift shows up differently after 50
- Why intention becomes more important as time and energy feel more precious
- Jill’s strength goal of bench pressing 100 pounds — and what stalling at 95 taught her
- Reframing success and recognizing progress even when goals aren’t fully met
- Progress doesn’t have to be perfect to count
Is there a goal you didn’t fully reach this year, but still moved closer to? What would change if that was enough?
Chris’s Three Words — Stand, Sleep, Strength
- Why Chris chooses three words each year instead of resolutions
- The danger of borrowing goals — and words — that don’t fit your life
- Strength as a return, not a restart: kettlebell swings, functional training, and building back gradually
- Why patience matters more than intensity after 50
- Sleep as a major win — and the impact of consistent rest
- “Standing” both literally and metaphorically — and noticing what’s still unresolved
- Mindful aging doesn’t mean clarity — it means awareness
If you had to choose just one word for the coming year, what would it be — and why does it fit your life right now?
Creativity, Walking, and Seasonal Adaptation
- Jill’s exploration of creative strength through writing, crocheting, and her “emotional support chicken”
- Creativity as a grounding and often overlooked form of strength
- Chris’s daily walking routine — and how winter weather forced a shift
- Why adapting to seasons isn’t failure, it’s wisdom
- Noticing nature, weather, and rhythm as part of staying well
- Letting go of a routine doesn’t mean giving up — it means adjusting to reality
What routine might you need to adapt — or release — without telling yourself a negative story about it?
January Hiatus & What’s Next
- Why Chris and Jill are taking January off for the first time in eight years
- Using the break to rethink the podcast, website, and Becoming Elli community
- Staying true to the heart of the show while allowing it to evolve
- Inviting listener input for 2026 topics and direction, please contact us via
e-mail: chris @becomingelli.com or jill @becomingelli.com (no space between the name and @ symbol) or leave a comment at our website: becomingelli.com - Some of our favorite episodes from 2025:
- Bone Health with Dr. Lisa Moore (Episode 187 Brick House Bones)
- Metabolic health and CGMs with Dr. Paul Kolodzik (Episode 178 continuous glucose monitors)
- Wellness Wednesdays with Sally Duplantier (Episode 175 healthspan vs lifespan)
- Why episodes featuring everyday women doing extraordinary things remain the most inspiring
- Gratitude for eight years of listeners, community, and shared stories
- Why rest is part of strength
- Choosing what matters now — and letting go of perfection
- The podcast returns in February 2026
Please Subscribe to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast: Apple Podcasts (iTunes) | YouTube | Pandora | Stitcher | Player FM | Castbox | Tunein | Spotify | RSS | Amazon Podcasts | iHeartRadio |
Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.
Partner Podcast Recommendation
Wellness Wednesdays with Sally Duplantier
If you enjoy listening to our podcast, you’re sure to enjoy Wellness Wednesdays, a free monthly online program focused on healthy aging hosted by Sally DuPlantier, an award-winning gerontologist, health educator and researcher. You may remember Sally from podcast episode 175 Better Choices for Better Healthspan.
Guest speakers on Wellness Wednesdays include healthcare professionals, researchers, thought leaders and authors on topics related livestyle choices, mental well-being; pain management, and reframing aging.
The programs are an hour in length and include about 15 minutes of live Q&A. They are free and recorded. Visit Sally’s website at MyZingLife.com for more information.
