Have you ever thought it was too late to start over? That you missed your window? That the life you want is reserved for people younger, braver, or luckier than you?
Maybe you've been playing it safe for years. Maybe you've convinced yourself that dreams have expiration dates. Maybe you've looked at your life and thought, Well, this is just how it is now.
This week's conversation is for anyone who's ever felt that way. For anyone who thinks they're too old to go back to school, too stuck to change careers, or too far from where they thought they'd be. For anyone who's finally ready to ask themselves the question that changes everything: What if I just started?
We sat down with Zulma Williams, a therapist who moved countries, survived cancer, and at 60, packed her life and moved to Panama to live by the oceanโbecause life doesn't wait for you to be ready.
This episode is about the radical act of reinvention at any age. The courage it takes to be vulnerable. And what happens when you finally give yourself permission to live authentically.
๐ This episode drops Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 3 AM ET โZulma on Trauma, Therapy, and Why You're Not Broken
๐ธ Grab Your Free $20 Wellness Credit from Maavee
We've partnered with Maavee, a wellness platform doing amazing things in mental health.
How to claim:โ 1๏ธโฃ Click โ https://lnk.gomaavee.com/inourheadsโ 2๏ธโฃ Use activation code โ STG20 (required to unlock the credit) 3๏ธโฃ Download the app and explore
๐ What's Up with G-Rex & Dirty Skittles
G-Rex here, reporting live from the arctic tundra, also known as Upstate NY. Apparently, this is the coldest winter in 47 years, and honestly? At this point, I'm just laughing at the audacity of Mother Nature. January felt like it was 87 days long, and the sub-zero temps have turned me into a hermit who's had full conversations with the cats. (They're excellent listeners, by the way. Very supportive. Never judge.)
Turns out cabin fever is a real thing โ who knew? Most of last week, I was in such a bitchy mood that I had to put myself in time out. After some Googling, I discovered that being stuck inside for days on end is basically psychological torture, which explains why I was ready to fight the weather app on my phone.
The highlight of my week was escaping to teach my beginner's AI class at the library on Saturday. Actual human interaction! People asking questions! It was glorious. I'm going to be offering these free classes online soon, and as soon as I have the landing page set up, I'll announce it here.
Meanwhile, I'm feeling super bad for those in the South โ they are not prepared for the weather that descended upon them, and that includes Dirty Skittles. Although we did have some good laughs about it (because what else can you do?), seriously, I hope everyone is staying warm and safe. Dirty Skittles is handling it like a champ, but let's be real, the South doesn't stock snow shovels for a reason.
We're recording again on Saturday the 7th and have some really awesome guests coming. Dirty Skittles and I make it a point to check on each other every day, even if we miss our morning calls, because you know, life and work sometimes get in the way.
Real talk though โ anyone have suggestions on how to get out of a funk when you're dealing with cabin fever? I would really appreciate it because even the grounding mat and the S.A.D. lamps are not helping much. Send help. Or memes. Preferably both.
๐ฅ Special Shout-Out to a Previous Guest
๐ Michael Cortina, LCSW, LCAC
One of our Season 15 guests, Michael Cortina, is doing something incredible, and we want to make sure you know about it.
Michael is giving a live webinar sponsored by PESIโone of the largest and most well-known providers of mental health education. This is a big deal, and the content is ๐ฅ.
In the webinar, Michael will cover:
Practical, brain-based tools you can use immediatelyโreset phrases, body-based techniques, and neuroscience-informed strategies you can apply the very next day
A fresh, compassionate lens for working with trauma without re-traumatizingโespecially helpful if traditional approaches haven't worked for you
Live demonstrations and real examplesโyou'll see the techniques in action and get guided experiential practice
๐ When: February 16, 2026 โOptions: Sign up for the live online webinar or grab the recorded replay to watch later
๐ฐ Investment: Normally $169.99, but when you use Michael's exclusive link and coupon code CORTINA at checkout, you can get it for just $49.99.
(You'll need to create a PESI account unless you already have one.)
Contact Michael:โ Michael Cortina, LCSW, LCAC CEO/President - The Cortina Method, LLC Founder & Creator โ The Cortina Method โoptimize@michaelcortina.comโ
If you've been looking for a trauma-informed approach that honors your nervous system and doesn't require you to relive your painโthis is it.
๐ก Mental Health Quote of the Week
"If you woke up today, that means your mission in life is not complete. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you're going to come out on the other side of the challenge you're currently facing." โ Zulma Williams, LCSW
Use this worksheet to explore what it means to start over at any age, how authenticity becomes your superpower, and why being yourself is the greatest gift you can give the world.
๐ค Episode Spotlight:
Zulma Williams doesn't wait for permission. At 42, she left accounting to become a therapist. At 50, she started her master's degree after surviving cancer. At 60, she moved to Panama to live by the ocean. Because when you've learned that life is finite, you stop asking "what if" and start asking "why not?"
This conversation is about the radical act of choosing yourself at any age. Zulma teaches us that you don't have to burn your life down to rebuild it. You can work in accounting while going to school for social work. You can survive cancer and still chase your dreams. You can be 60 and decide the next chapter should be lived by the water.
Zulma's approach to therapy is as direct as her approach to life. She curses. She tells the truth. She doesn't pretend anxiety is rational or that vulnerability comes easy. As The Swearing Therapist, she specializes in working with adults navigating anxiety, depression, and trauma, using Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) to help people reprogram how their brains store pain.
But this episode goes beyond therapy techniques. It's about what happens when you finally tell yourself, "Baby girl, you deserve better." It's about learning that anxiety is just your brain trying to control a future that doesn't exist yet. It's about discovering that authenticity isn't something you achieve, it's something you give yourself permission to practice.
This conversation is for anyone who thinks they're too old, too late, or too far from where they thought they'd be. It's for anyone who's been playing small to make others comfortable. And it's for anyone who needs to hear that being yourself, unapologetically, is the greatest gift you can give the world.
Because Zulma's story proves one thing: it's never too late to start living the life you actually want.
๐งฉ From the Conversation
๐ฌ The heartbeat of this episode
At the heart of this conversation is a truth many of us forget: you don't have to have it all figured out to start moving forward. Zulma didn't know how her life would unfold when she started her bachelor's degree at 42, or when she faced cancer at 46, or when she moved to Panama at 60. She just knew that staying stuck wasn't an option.
This episode reframes reinvention as something you can do at any age, in any season. Zulma teaches us that you can build a new life in parallel with your current one. You don't have to quit your job to go back to school. You don't have to have all the answers before you take the first step. And you definitely don't have to wait until you're "healed" to start living.
Zulma also names something most of us carry in silence: the fear that being ourselves will be too much for other people. She gives us permission to stop shrinking. To curse if we need to. To be direct. To take up space. Because authenticity isn't about being perfect. It's about being real.
๐ซ A quote that stuck with us
"We are strong by being vulnerable. We are not weak by being vulnerable. It takes a lot of guts to be vulnerable and to show the world that you're not doing well." โ Zulma Williams
๐๏ธ Real Talk from Us
"When Zulma said she told her 26-year-old self, 'Baby girl, you deserve better,' I felt that in my soul. How many years did I waste thinking I wasn't enough? This conversation reminded me that self-love isn't selfish. It's survival." โ G-Rex
"The part that hit me was when Zulma talked about building her life in parallel. I've been so afraid to start something new because I thought I had to burn everything down first. Hearing her say you can do both? That changed something for me." โ Dirty Skittles
๐ Reflection Prompts to Sit With
What dream have you put on hold because you think it's "too late"?
Where in your life are you shrinking to make others comfortable?
What would you tell your younger self if you could go back?
What would change if you believed that being yourself is the greatest gift you can give the world?
๐ฑ Gentle Reminder
You don't have to wait until you're healed to start living. You don't have to have it all figured out before you take the first step. And you definitely don't have to apologize for taking up space or being exactly who you are. Your life is happening right now. Not when you're ready. Not when you're perfect. Now.
โ
๐ Meet Our Guest:
Zulma Williams, LCSW, ACSW, CTMH
Zulma Williams is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Master ARTยฎ Practitioner, and the founder of Dragonfly Therapy Services. Known as The Swearing Therapist, Zulma brings a direct, no-BS approach to mental health that makes therapy feel real, raw, and refreshingly honest.
Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Zulma moved to the United States and reinvented her life from accountant to therapist, earning her Bachelor of Social Work at 46 and her Master's at 51. She specializes in working with adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, using evidence-based techniques like ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), Parts & Memory Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Zulma's approach is solution-focused and trauma-informed, helping clients reprogram how their brains store traumatic memories and move from self-criticism to self-trust. She's also a breast cancer survivor who understands firsthand what it means to rebuild your life from the ground up.
Recently, Zulma followed her heart to Panama to live by the ocean, proving that it's never too late to chase your dreams.
Her message to the world:โ "I survived cancer, abusive relationships, depression, and suicidal ideation, but I never considered myself a victim. No matter what people are going through in life, I hope my message will help the audience discover and honor their own internal hero!"
Zulma is licensed in Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Texas.
๐ Key Takeaways
You don't have to destroy where you are now to build something new
Starting over at 42, 50, or 60 is not only possible โ it's powerful
Vulnerability is strength, not weakness
Authenticity is the best gift you can give the world
Anxiety is just your brain trying to control a future that doesn't exist yet
Life is too short to live someone else's version of your story
๐ช Actionable Steps
Ask yourself: What would I do if I had nothing to lose?
Build in parallel: You don't have to quit your job to start your dream โ do both until you can transition
Practice vulnerability: Share one real thing with someone you trust this week
Let go of "what ifs": Take one small risk toward something you've been putting off
Make self-care non-negotiable: Schedule one thing this week that's just for you (massage, yoga, reading, a walk by water)
Be yourself unapologetically: Stop shrinking to make others comfortable
๐ฌ Listener Engagement
What part of Zulma's story made you think, "Maybe I can do this too"?
Reply to this email or tag us on Instagram @grex_and_dirtyskittles with your reflections. We read every single message โ always.
โญ Subscribe, Rate & Review
If Zulma's story reminded you that it's never too late to start living the life you actually want, please subscribe, rate, and review on Apple or Spotify.
Your words help others find the courage they didn't know they were looking for.
If you're reading this and thinking, "It's too late for me," we need you to hear this:
Zulma started her bachelor's degree at 42. She survived cancer at 46. She became a therapist at 53. At 60, she moved to Panama to live by the ocean.
It's never too late. You're never too old. You're never too far gone.
The life you want is still possible โ even if it looks nothing like the one you thought you'd have.
Wherever you are right now, whatever chapter you're in, we're cheering for you. For the risks you're taking. For the dreams you're still holding. For the courage it takes to keep showing up.
We're so damn glad you're here.
With so much love, โG-Rex & Dirty Skittlesโ โChanging the way we talk about mental health, one real convo at a time.
โ
โ
โ
G-Rex & Dirty Skittles
It's ok to be not ok, just make sure you're talking to someone
โ