Top Down Heart Open
"Top Down Heart Open" is a podcast community focused on empowering women through authentic conversations. Your go to community for connection, inspiration, and stories that enrich lives. Our mission is to build a community that feels seen, supported, and inspired to live boldly in the the next chapter.
Like riding with the top down and your heart wide open. If you’re wondering what’s next in your life, this podcast is the ride you didn’t know you needed.
Buckle up, the next chapter is waiting!
Top Down Heart Open
Episode 4: Embracing Life Changes after 40: The Reality of Work and Health Struggles, Making Tough Choices, and Taking a Leap of Faith
Show Summary
In this heartfelt episode of “Top Down Heart Open,” host Kimberly Maturin opens up about her recent health challenges and the tough decision to resign from her job. She announces the exciting and daunting move to an RV lifestyle, sharing the realities of RV buying and dealership practices. Kimberly reflects on the emotional process of decluttering her home, particularly parting with sentimental items and her 'one day clothes.' She invites listeners to join her on this journey of acceptance, healing, and rediscovering joy, while seeking their advice and sharing her own experiences. With her husband's support and many more adventures ahead, Kimberly emphasizes the importance of embracing the present and living life on your own terms.
Episode Outline
· Introduction and Purpose - 00:14
· Personal Update and Health Challenges - 01:18
· Big Life Decisions and Changes - 04:15
· Decluttering and Emotional Hurdles - 04:59
· RV’s and Salesmanship: A Humorous Detour - 07:26
· Looking Ahead and Final Thoughts - 09:59
Connect & Participate:
Email: topdownheartopen@gmail.com
*Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, Acknowledgements & Credits, and Copyright
Episode 4
Embracing Life Changes after 40: The Reality of Work and Health Struggles, Making Tough Choices, and Taking a Leap of Faith
Show Summary
In this heartfelt episode of “Top Down Heart Open,” host Kimberly Maturin opens up about her recent health challenges and the tough decision to resign from her job. She announces the exciting and daunting move to an RV lifestyle, sharing the realities of RV buying and dealership practices. Kimberly reflects on the emotional process of decluttering her home, particularly parting with sentimental items and her 'one day clothes.' She invites listeners to join her on this journey of acceptance, healing, and rediscovering joy, while seeking their advice and sharing her own experiences. With her husband's support and many more adventures ahead, Kimberly emphasizes the importance of embracing the present and living life on your own terms.
Episode Outline
· Introduction and Purpose - 00:14
· Personal Update and Health Challenges - 01:18
· Big Life Decisions and Changes - 04:15
· Decluttering and Emotional Hurdles - 04:59
· RV’s and Salesmanship: A Humorous Detour - 07:26
· Looking Ahead and Final Thoughts - 09:59
Transcript
Introduction and Purpose
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: Welcome to Top Down Heart Open, a podcast for women in the magic middle, navigating what is next with the wind in their hair and their hearts wide open. Here we talk about starting over, rediscovering ourselves, new adventures and living life on our own terms. It's about finding your voice and living fully, even when it's uncomfortable. No filters, no perfection, just honest conversations. I'm your host, Kimberly Maturin, and I'm on a journey to rediscover life, love, freedom, and joy. I'm not a celebrity, nor am I an expert.
I'm a woman navigating this magic middle one step at a time. One open road at a time. If you are ready for real [00:01:00] talk, fresh starts and learning how to dream again, you're in the right place because life isn't over. It's just changing, and so are we. I'm so glad you're here. Buckle up. The next chapter's waiting.
Personal Update and Health Challenges
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: Hey y'all. It's been a minute, hasn't it? I want to start by saying I'm sorry. I've been a little absent. Life got busy, and to be honest, I've been dealing with a couple things. Some health things, a small surgery, a lot of testing, and some life changes as a woman that I'm still figuring out. The good news is my doctors have been amazing. They've taken my concerns seriously. They've been thorough with my labs, and I've felt really blessed to have such good care. But as I've been navigating all of this, I realized this is exactly the type of thing we need to talk about.
So [00:02:00] today, let's have a real conversation about what happens when your health forces you to pause when work and life collide when you're not 100%. And why? I made a huge decision. That's going to change everything, including where I live. One of the hardest things about this season of life is that we still have responsibilities, work, bills, kids, even when our bodies are screaming for us to slow down.
I used up all my PTO then FMLA kicked in. But what happens when your diagnosis still isn't clear? By the time that runs out. What if you're still tired and your doctor is advising against a return until the diagnosis is clear? Then what do you go against? Medical advice? My company was incredible. [00:03:00] They even offered me accommodations to help me ease back in, but my role was client facing. I managed a branch, did onsite risk assessments, worked with customers, and you can't do that halfway. I had to ask myself; do I keep pushing and keep the company waiting, or do I make a decision that honors both them and me and y'all?
That decision just wasn't easy. A lot of prayer and soul searching goes into that. Inevitably, I resigned from my position and not because I wanted to, but because I knew my team needed someone who could be fully present and right now that just isn't me. This brought up something important that I think many women faces.
The financial and emotional weight of stepping away from work. [00:04:00] Not everyone can resign. Some don't have savings. Some are single moms; some have no other income. That pressure is heavy and it's real. And the fatigue on top of that, it's a lot.
Big Life Decisions and Changes
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: So, here's the big news. We are packing up our house, putting it on the market.
We're buying an RV. And I'm going to join my husband on his next work assignment. This next job is taking him away from home for several years, and instead of sitting alone in this big house, I'm going to take this as an opportunity. I'll do the podcast from the road. I'll get my health back on track. I might even do some remote consulting work.
Who knows? Maybe I'll love the RV life, maybe I'll hate it. But what I know for sure is that I will not miss the yard work, and I know my health is not going to take a backseat anymore.
Decluttering and Emotional Hurdles
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: As I've been [00:05:00] packing up my house and going through all the things we keep in closets. I've hit a moment that I think so many of us face.
The clothes, you know, the ones, the jeans we swear we will fit into again, the dresses we keep in the very back of the closet for some day. And the ones that make us sigh when we see them because they remind us of a version of ourselves that just maybe doesn't exist anymore.
And honestly, it's overwhelming at this stage in life. We're already facing so much hormonal shifts weight gain that seems impossible to fight. The lack of insurance coverage for medications that could actually help. It feels like there are barriers everywhere.
So, as I'm standing there surrounded by piles of clothes, I'm asking myself, do I hold onto these as hope or do I finally let them go and embrace who I am? Right [00:06:00] now it feels like more than just a closet clean out. It feels like letting go of a past version of me, and that's hard. Maybe you feel that way too. I'm learning that this process isn't just about decluttering, it's about accepting the woman I am in this moment. So, here's my question to you.
What did you do with your one-day clothes? Did you keep them? Do you donate them? Have a ritual to let them go. I would love to share your stories and maybe we can all figure out together how to make peace with our closets and ultimately peace with ourselves
As I pack, I come face to face with another emotional hurdle. Something else I've been putting off my kids' things. The toy box from when my daughter was little, my son's scout gear, the spider craft my daughter made in daycare. It's been in the attic for years [00:07:00] and now I'm staring at it thinking, what do I do with this?
Do I put it in storage again? Pass it on to them. Or is it okay to keep a little piece of it just for me? This is where I want your help, my podcast family. If you've gone through this, how do you do it? How do you part with those little things that hold so many memories?
So, for now I'm packing.
I am learning all about RVs. Oh, and speaking of RVs. So, you think dealing with a car salesman is tough, will buckle up. Because if you've ever thought buying a car at a car dealership was frustrating, try walking into an RV dealership.
No offense to the salesman. It's not the individual guys; it's the business practice. We live near Louisiana, Mississippi line, so naturally we're looking in both states, like most people do before a big [00:08:00] purchase. We got our finance and secured upfront, smart move, right?
You know your budget, you've got the best possible rate, and you walk in, it's basically a cash offer. But here's the kicker. When we told a dealer in Mississippi, we were paying cash. The price went up by $2,000. Yes. You heard it right? $2,000 more just because we weren't using their financing.
Why? Because they admitted straight up that they get kickbacks from the bank. If they lock people into those terrible long-term RV loans and RVs. They depreciate faster than cars. The second you pull off the lot. Now in Louisiana, apparently that practice is illegal. So, they get around it with fees, freight fees, documentation fees, add it all up.
You add it all up, you're still looking [00:09:00] at 1500 to $1,700 tacked on. Different name, same game. And here's what's crazy. These RVs are sitting on these lots, some of them for like a year or more often without maintenance. You walk past some of them, and you can see the mildew, the leaks, the streaks.
So, when they put this shiny MSRP sticker on the side, what are you really paying for? I don't know about you, but it left me wondering how this is even allowed. Why should being a prepared serious buyer almost feel like a bad thing in a dealership? So RVers, I got to ask.
What's been your experience? Are these shady add-ons and loopholes just the name of the game, or do you think buyers should push back harder?
Because right now it feels like RV buying makes car buying look like a walk in the [00:10:00] park.
Looking Ahead and Final Thoughts
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: so that's where I've been and where I'm going. This is a leap of faith, and I'd love for you to come with me on this journey
You know, life has a way of shifting all at once. For us, it's been RV shopping, which comes with its own shady sales practices, while also facing health challenges. It's been a lot.
But here's the thing I'm starting to realize. Maybe it's not about trying to hold on to the old or chasing the next version of who we think we should be. Maybe it's time we start accepting who we are, because whether it's buying an RV, navigating our health,
Are just deciding which sweater to keep. It all comes back to the same lessons’ acceptance.
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: As we support each other in this journey. Let's keep the conversation going. Right now, I'm taking things slow. I'm not rushing to buy a new house or make any big decisions about what's next. It's about [00:11:00] healing, prioritizing my health, simplifying and finding joy in this next chapter, and you better believe there will be plenty of RV failures, wins and Jeep Beach trips along the way.
And as we move forward and navigate this next stage of life,
Kimberly Poirier-Maturin: what do you think could make the biggest difference for women navigating the life changes of this magic middle and for everyone asking? Yes. My husband will be joining me on the podcast very soon. Work has been keeping him incredibly busy, and he's been such a rock for me these past few months even helping me with all my appointments and this crazy schedule.
We are planning to sit around the kitchen table soon and have a real conversation about life, marriage, raising, kids’ grief, and this next stage of life, it's going to be so much fun and probably a little emotional, so stay tuned. [00:12:00] Follow me on Instagram, YouTube at top down, hard, open for updates, pictures, and maybe even some RV cooking fails or wins.
Please send any advice about letting go of the kids’ things. I know I'm not the only one going through this. Until next time, take care of yourselves. Take care of your health, and don't be afraid to take the leap when life calls for it.
So, wherever you are today, take a deep breath and remember it's never too late to rediscover yourself, to dream your dreams and to live the life you are meant for. Take a deep breath, roll those windows down and keep your heart open. You are exactly where you are meant to be. This is our road now and we don't have to drive it alone.
Thank you so much for listening today. Until next [00:13:00] time.
Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, Acknowledgements & Credits, Copyright Information:
Host & Show Info
· Host Name: Kimberly Poirier-Maturin
· About the Host: I’m deeply rooted in my Cajun heritage and cherish any chance to celebrate our culture, food, and traditions. A Jeep enthusiast, and empty nester, I’m embracing the joy of watching my children step into their next stages of life. I enjoy spending meaningful time with family, and I’m launching my next passion project: a podcast focused on storytelling, personal growth, and life’s twists and turns.
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