After our spa holiday at Ixtapan de la Sal in February 2026, Mary Lou updated her recently-published book to reflect on the impact of her experience. 

Let’s be honest: how many books for women over fifty truly feel like they were written for us? Not just about us — but for us, with full awareness of the invisible burdens we’ve carried for decades? The Art of Being a Badass Woman: Breaking the Hold on Good Girl Conditioning is one of those rare, electrifying exceptions. It doesn’t just empower — it awakens you.

The book begins with a spark that will make every woman over fifty nod in recognition: a dismissive comment dismissing the author as “an old white woman.” Instead of accepting the insult, she ignites it and hands you the match. What follows is partly memoir, partly manifesto, and partly practical playbook — written by a woman who has undergone the transformation she’s encouraging you to pursue. As a certified transformation coach and international motorcycle adventurer (yes, really), she provides a voice that is equally wise and fearless, the kind of friend you've always wished you had by your side.

What sets this book apart from the crowded shelf of self-help titles is its refusal to be abstract. The tools here are real and immediately usable. The Wheel of Misfortune reframes setbacks as the very fuel for growth — a concept that will resonate deeply with anyone who has watched a disappointment quietly become a turning point. The Three Power Phrases give you actual language to use when someone dismisses you, talks over you, or treats your age as a flaw. And the exploration of Thought Field Therapy® as an approach to emotional healing adds a dimension rarely seen in this genre — honoring the truth that reclaiming yourself is both a mental and a physical journey.

The stories of women throughout the book are where the true magic lies. Woman after woman shares her moment of awakening — the conversation she finally refused to remain silent in, the boundary she finally upheld, the life she finally decided was worth fighting for. These are not stories of perfect people having perfect revelations. They are honest, sometimes painful, and entirely believable. You will see yourself on nearly every page.

Mary Lou is a lifestyle coach and public speaker; see her biography.