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Yogi Host and founder of SHARE YOGA, MJ Waddell, explores staying youthful in mind and body after 50. An E-RYT 500 yoga teacher, practitioner and educator for over 25 years, she advocates for movement, creativity and not missing the best years ahead. Real conversations with wellness pros and older yogis who still Down-Dog and dig it!
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62 Episodes
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Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Are you a yoga teacher who feels hesitant to bring philosophy into your classes? If so, you’re not alone. Even after more than 30 years of practice and over 20 years of teaching, I’ve often stayed in the “safe zone” of poses and breath. Not because the deeper teachings of yoga aren’t important—but because I didn’t always know how to share them without sounding like I was giving a philosophy lecture. In this episode, I share how I’...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! What can the Olympics teach us about yoga, aging, and everyday resilience? In this episode of The Youthful Older Yogi, I reflect on watching the Games — from childhood memories of dreaming big in front of a grainy TV to witnessing the triumphs and heartbreaks of today’s athletes. Behind every podium moment is dedication, rebuilding, disappointment, courage, and the willingness to show up again. And that spirit? It’s not reserved f...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! In this episode, I explore the balance between strength and flexibility and why strength becomes increasingly important for maintaining mobility, balance, and confidence in everyday life as we get older. I share simple, accessible ways to build strength in key areas that support independence, including: Feet and ankles (for balance and gait)Legs and hips (for standing, sitting, and moving with ease)Core muscles (for posture, stabi...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! In this episode of The Youthful Older Yogi, MJ is joined by Trish Wager for a real, honest conversation about navigating menopause—complete with unexpected twists, emotional whiplash, and moments where all you can do is laugh because… what else are you going to do? Trish generously shares her personal menopause journey—one that hasn’t been easy and is still ebbing and flowing—and reflects on what it feels like when even familiar s...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! How you begin a yoga class is often how you begin everything else—a new year, a new day, or a new chapter in life. In this episode, MJ reflects on why beginnings matter and how the first moments of a yoga class can set the tone for presence, safety, curiosity, and ease. Drawing from years of teaching experience, she explores how time of day, energy in the room, and nervous system awareness all shape the way we begin. You’ll also h...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! As the year comes to a close, this episode is a reflection on what 2025 offered—through learning, unlearning, healing, and showing up again and again. Endings don’t feel like endings here; they feel like space being made for what’s next. Unlearning as a Practice After decades of yoga, unlearning has become just as important as learning. Letting go of absolutes, expectations, and old stories creates room for curiosity, choice, and...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! In this episode, I sit down with Julie Domaratz — Mayor of Fairport, NY, fellow yogi, and proud owner of two titanium hips. Nine years ago, Julie underwent the exact procedure I’m about to have: a double anterior hip replacement. And let me tell you — her story is a masterclass in self-advocacy, resilience, and hope. Julie shares: 🦴 The first signs something wasn’t quite right 😨 The fears and hesitation around getting...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! 🎙️In this keep-it-real episode of The Hip Chronicles, I sit down with my friend and hip hero Wendy Lopez-Swiatek, who just recently had her hip replaced. Wendy is no stranger to putting her body to work—she was a competitive swimmer and field hockey player, and she spent 36 years as a USPS mail carrier. Yep, this woman’s hips have seriously earned their retirement package. We talk about the real stuff no one warns you about: The s...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Episode 1: Before the New Hip – Hopes, Fears, and Weird Reactions Welcome to the very first episode of The Hip Chronicles — where I’m documenting my journey through hip replacement surgery with honesty, humor, and a whole lot of curiosity. In this episode, I’m sharing: Why I decided to start this series (hint: it’s not just about the hip)What it feels like to face major surgery for the first timeMy biggest hopes and my very real f...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Ever had a student quietly confess something right before class—“I just had surgery”… “I’ve never done yoga before”… “I can’t get up and down from the floor”… or list off a medical condition you’ve never even heard of? Cue internal freak-out. 😳 In this episode, I share real fears yoga teachers face—especially when we worry we don’t know enough to support our students safely. I'll share some personal stories, practical tools, and t...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Ever felt like you're not yoga-ing hard enough? Like maybe you should be practicing more, eating differently, meditating daily, or have read the entire Yoga Sutras by now? Yeah… me too. In this episode, I get real about the sneaky little voice of yoga guilt—the one that whispers “you should…” whenever life pulls you in a different direction. I share some personal stories, including a time I had zero interest in rolling out my mat,...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Send a voicemail with your question or thought, it might be part of a future episode: https://www.speakpipe.com/Shareyogawithmj In this episode MJ shares research on habits, ambitions and desire to make a change and stick with it. MJ dives into the data of why 92% of people abandon their resolutions within two weeks. She shares the meaning of Samskara, the sanskrit word for habit, and how she is working with one of her own....the...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! 🎙️ Let’s Not Do This Solo In this episode, MJ shares why companionship and accountability are so powerful, especially as we move into a new year of caring for our bodies, minds, and hearts. You’ll also hear a few of her stories from teaching yoga and meditation in community — and how even solo practices can create deep bonds when shared with others. So much of what we do for our health — yoga, meditation, exercise — can feel like ...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! In this episode: MJ explores what it means to stay true to yourself as a yoga teacher (and as a human being) in times that can feel divided, uncertain, and sometimes just plain loud. You’ll hear about: The challenge of balancing authenticity with sensitivity in the yoga roomNavigating faith, spirituality, and language around the divine in classHow to bring the yamas, niyamas, and deeper teachings of yoga into modern practice with...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! In this episode of The Youthful Older Yogi, MJ dives deep into what it really means to age well — not just in years, but in purpose, vitality, and joy. She shares the latest science on healthy aging, what researchers look for when predicting long-term wellness, and how optimism can help you live not just longer, but better longer. You’ll hear about: 🧘♀️ Why it’s never too late to start yoga — and how simple movements can ...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! When it comes to yoga, sharing what we practice, what we learn, and even what we wrestle with creates a ripple effect far beyond the mat. In this episode of The Youthful Older Yogi, MJ shares the story of how ShareYoga began, the importance of generosity in teaching, and the wisdom she continues to learn from her own practice, her students, and other teachers. Sharing, after all, is serving—and it’s one of the most powerful...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Yoga Teaching After 50: The Tech, the Truth, and Why I Keep Going Description: Back in the 80s, I was teaching aerobics in the Jane Fonda era—yes, leotards and leg warmers included. By the mid-90s, I fell in love with yoga and soon began teaching. Fast forward to 2025, and yoga teaching looks very different. Studios want numbers, social media wants constant content, and if you’re over 50, it can feel like you’re being left b...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Breathing—it’s something we do all day, every day, without thinking. But what happens when we do think about it? Turns out, the benefits are anything but boring. In this episode of The Youthful Older Yogi, MJ explores and shares the surprising science of conscious breathing. You’ll hear: 🌬️ Fun facts about your amazing respiratory system🏥 MJ’s post-surgery story and why doctors gave her a spirometer📊 Research comparing conscious b...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! Have you ever stepped away from your yoga practice—or any passion or routine—because of injury, illness, or just… life? Me too. After living with advanced arthritis and undergoing a double hip replacement (yes, both hips!), I’m experiencing yoga like it’s brand new—because in many ways, it is. In this episode, I share my story of how my asana practice changed, how I leaned into other limbs of yoga like breath and meditation,...
Send a text and share your thoughts. We want to hear from you! 🎙️ In this episode, MJ invites you to hit pause on your go-go-go life and say yes to something deeply restorative: the Nurture & Nourish Retreat, happening this September on beautiful Bald Head Island, NC. You’ll hear all the details about this “Only If You Want To” kind of retreat—laid-back, low-key, and lovingly curated for women who crave rest, reconnection, and really good food. MJ and Terri share the science behind why ti...
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