Use New Year’s and Dating Sunday to clean up bad habits, heal old relationships and build the self-love you need to date bravely

Dating over 50 is hard enough without your own insecurities quietly hijacking the process. In this episode of Love at Any Age, Laurie Gerber goes beyond body image and dives into five more self-love “hot spots” that can block you from finding healthy, lasting love in midlife: bad habits, flirting and sex, family relationships, exes, and deep unresolved hauntings.

If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe it’s the apps,” “Maybe it’s men,” or “Maybe it’s just my age,” Laurie gently but firmly makes the case that the real opportunity is inside your relationship with yourself—and that’s the part you can actually change. In honor of New Year’s and Dating Sunday (January 4th, the biggest day of the year for joining dating sites), she walks you through how to turn vague resolutions into concrete promises that actually move your love life forward.

In this episode, Laurie covers: ✅ Why you can’t imagine someone loving you well if you don’t yet love yourself that way ✅ The hidden cost of “harmless” bad habits (drinking, sugar, screens, porn, spending, overworking) on your confidence and intimacy ✅ A kinder, more effective way to change habits ✅ Why flirting, sex, and “being good in bed” are learnable skills at any age (and how to start practicing) ✅ How adult children, aging parents, money, and inheritance worries quietly sabotage dating ✅ What to clean up with exes so the “job opening” for your future partner is truly available ✅ How unresolved hauntings from childhood or past relationships haunt dating ✅ Simple first steps for getting support so you’re not carrying it all alone ✅ Exactly how to design your action steps so you don’t abandon your goals by March

Laurie will challenge you to stop beating yourself up and instead build true self-esteem by making a plan that honors your dream of lasting, healthy love in midlife.

Timestamps 00:00 → 02:32 – Welcome back + why self-love is non-negotiable for dating over 50 (and recap of episode 9 on body image) 02:32 → 07:11 – Bad habits: from “annoying” to addiction, how they drain confidence and intimacy, and why this New Year is your moment 07:11 → 11:12 – Flirting and sex: why nobody is “just bad at it,” how practice and communication build sexy confidence at any age 11:12 → 16:52 – Family relationships: adult children, aging parents, inheritance, and how unspoken expectations quietly block your love life 16:52 → 19:29 – Exes: when past relationships still occupy the “love of your life” slot and why you may need a full detox 19:29 → 24:15 – Unresolved hauntings: apologies, amends, and designing personal rituals to clear old emotional slime 24:15 → 29:03 – New Year, Dating Sunday, and why promises with consequences work better than vague resolutions 29:03 → 31:20 – Recap, encouragement, and teaser for next week’s episode: making the case for online dating in midlife

Links & Resources 📺 Watch Past Episodes: https://lauriegerber.com/love-at-any-age Episodes Laurie mentions in this conversation: ✅ Episode 2 – Detoxing Past Relationships Before You Date Again (how to do a full “love detox”) ✅ Episode 5 – How to Design Difficult Conversations in Dating Over 50 (Laurie’s 8-step script) ✅ Episode 8 – How to Handle Rejection When You’re Dating Over 50 (why handling “no” is a superpower) ✅ Episode 9 – Self-Love & Body Image in Midlife Dating (start here if body image is your biggest insecurity)

✅Stay connected with Laurie: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lauriegerbercoach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriegerber_coach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriegerberdatingcoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriegerber Podbean: https://lauriegerbercoach.podbean.com/

✅ Coaching & consults: email LaurieGerberCoach@gmail.com for private coaching or referrals

If one of these insecurities hit home, or if Laurie missed yours, share it in the YouTube comments so she can speak directly to it in a future episode.

Laurie Gerber breaks down the six insecurities sabotaging love

In this episode of Love at Any Age, Laurie Gerber digs into one of the biggest challenges women over 50 face in dating: not liking themselves enough to enjoy dating. If you hear “be yourself” and think, “bad idea” this episode is your roadmap.

Laurie introduces the six major insecurities that sabotage women’s self-worth, and explains why “I’m not enough” is actually a cover story, and then goes deep into the most common issue of all—body image.

She shares her personal turning point, the 3 choices you have about your body, and why personal integrity is the fastest shortcut to real confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why self-love is essential for attracting and maintaining healthy relationships ✅ The six areas that most undermine self-worth for women in midlife ✅ Why low self-esteem is a symptom, not the actual cause ✅ How cultural and personal “excuses” slow down the self-worth game ✅ The 3real choices you have around your body image ✅ Why personal integrity is the fastest path to confidence and dating success ✅ Coaching homework to choose your “first domino” and create one new promise

Timestamps 00:00–02:29 — Why self-love determines your dating results Laurie explains why “being yourself” is impossible without self-love and introduces the six insecurities that block confidence. 02:29–07:32 — “I’m not enough” as a cover story Why low self-worth is a symptom of deeper issues and how common excuses prolong the struggle. 07:32–11:12 — You are lovable exactly as you are Laurie reframes self-worth as a spiritual truth and explains how treatable “liabilities” shape your dating pool. 11:12–16:51 — The six categories that undermine self-love A breakdown of body image, bad habits, flirting and sexual confidence, family relationships, exes, and unresolved hauntings. 16:51–24:48 — Deep dive into body image + the three choices Laurie shares her personal story, normalizes body-image struggles, and teaches the three options.: 24:48–27:37 — Personal integrity & the shortcut to self-worth How aligning your actions with your highest ideals builds confidence, plus coaching homework for New Year intentions.

📺 Watch Past Episodes: https://lauriegerber.com/love-at-any-age Free Webinar: 3 Secrets to Finding and Maintaining Healthy Love (without repeated disappointments) https://www.lauriegerber.com/webinar

RESOURCES: My Favorite Way to Recover from Holidays and Get Lots of Protein: 11 Day Reset Plant-Based https://www.isagenix.com/rc/4LDRCTX

Concepts Featured: The Handel Method The 3H Framework (Head, Heart, Hoo-Ha/Heat) Personal Integrity

Follow Laurie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriegerber_coach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriegerberdatingcoach YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lauriegerbercoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriegerber Podbean: https://lauriegerbercoach.podbean.com/

Does the thought of being rejected make you want to quit dating altogether? In this episode of Love at Any Age, dating coach Laurie Gerber helps women over 50 handle rejection—both receiving it and giving it—without losing hope, dignity, or self-worth. If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t handle one more no,” this conversation is your emotional Band-Aid.

Laurie breaks down why rejection is an unavoidable part of finding healthy, lasting love and compares dating to running a marathon: you need preparation, pacing, and a little protection from chafing. You’ll learn why ghosting happens (and what it really means), how to keep a pipeline of conversations so one person’s disappearance doesn’t knock you out, and how to adopt the shopper mindset so you stop treating every no as a verdict on your value. She also shares a powerful client story about Kim, who went from being terrified of ghosting to meeting her partner once she stopped taking every rejection personally.

Then Laurie turns to the other side of the equation—how to say “no thank you” without guilt, overthinking, or putting yourself at risk. You’ll get her exact rejection scripts, the “grace and wisdom sandwich,” and practical safety tips: when to meet in public, why to stay in the app, why not to drink on early dates, and why staying “friends” with romantic non-matches usually backfires. By the end, you’ll have clear homework to open your pipeline, write your own gentle rejection text, and update your 3H chart so you can keep dating with your head, heart, and hoo-ha fully on your side.

You’ll learn: - Why rejection and “failure” are baked into the path to healthy, lasting love - How to keep a dating pipeline so one ghost or no doesn’t knock you out emotionally - Why having multiple early conversations actually makes you kinder and less reactive - How to use the “shopper mindset” so you evaluate fit instead of your worth - Why your one wants you—and what it means when someone disappears or pulls away - How to protect your mood of self-worth so you don’t spiral into self-criticism - A real-life story of a woman who moved through ghosting fear and found her partner - How to respond with grace when someone rejects you (and why it’s good karma) - Laurie’s exact scripts for saying “no thank you” kindly and clearly - Safety and clarity tips for early dates: public places, exits, staying in-app, and not drinking - Why staying friends with romantic non-matches usually hurts more than it helps - Homework to open your pipeline, craft your rejection script, and revisit your 3H chart

Timestamps 0:00 to 2:04 – Intro: fear of rejection and why this episode matters 2:04 to 5:23 – Rejection as part of success: Churchill quote, marathon mindset, and prep work 5:23 to 8:34 – Tip #1: Always have a pipeline (dating is a numbers game and ghosting happens) 8:34 to 12:07 – Tip #2: The shopper mindset and “your one wants you” 12:07 to 15:04 – Mood of self-worth, self-criticism traps, and Kim’s story about ghosting 15:04 to 18:24 – Being accepting and kind when someone rejects you (karma, allies, and connection) 18:24 to 22:07 – How to give rejection kindly: early elimination, 3H criteria, and the grace-and-wisdom sandwich 22:07 to 26:32 – Reducing awkwardness: spark vs no spark, public dates, exit plans, and why not to drink 26:32 to 30:24 – Safety and boundaries: staying in the app, blocking, and why not to “stay friends” with romantic non-matches 30:24 to 33:14 – Homework: open your pipeline, write your no-thank-you script, and revisit your 3H chart 33:14 to 36:18 – YouTube community love, next week’s self-love & body image series, and webinar invitation

Links & Resources 📺 Watch Past Episodes: https://lauriegerber.com/love-at-any-age 💕 Free Training: 3 Secrets to Finding and Maintaining Healthy Love Without Repeated Disappointments Watch it here: https://lauriegerber.com/webinar 📘 Learn more about the 3H Method and the 3-Date Strategy inside the free webinar.

Follow Laurie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriegerber_coach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriegerberdatingcoach YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lauriegerbercoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriegerber Podbean: https://lauriegerbercoach.podbean.com/

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