Do Not Disturb: The Inside Story
Tova Leigh on Midlife, Freedom and Why Women Become More Powerful
Tova Leigh joins Simona Deifta for a filmed long-form conversation about midlife, motherhood, freedom and the moment women stop fitting themselves into old expectations.
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In this episode
Simona and Tova talk about what changes in midlife: identity, desire, family, visibility, anger, humour and the freedom that can arrive when women stop performing the version of themselves others expect.
Themes in this conversation
- Midlife as a turning point rather than a crisis
- Women, power and self-definition
- Motherhood, identity and visibility
- Letting go of old expectations
- Humour as a way to tell the truth
- The freedom to become less apologetic
About Tova Leigh
Tova Leigh is an author, performer and creator known for honest, funny and direct conversations about women, motherhood and midlife. Her conversation on Do Not Disturb explores the freedom and power that can come from refusing old scripts.
About Do Not Disturb
Do Not Disturb: The Inside Story is a filmed long-form podcast hosted by Simona Deifta about modern female life beneath public success: motherhood, ambition, identity, relationships, money, fertility, burnout, emotional resilience and reinvention.
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Do Not Disturb · A podcast about motherhood
Tova Leigh:
You do not need permission for your next chapter
Tova on midlife, motherhood and the things women keep waiting to be allowed to do.
The Do Not Disturb edit
Three things to take with you.
Three ideas from the conversation, in our words.
Do
Revisit a family rule when what you learn changes.
Not
Wait for somebody else’s permission to enjoy your own life.
Disturb
The expectation that being a good mother means staying a good girl.
Whose permission are you waiting for?
Tova and Simona discuss the expectations attached to being a good mother and a good girl. They talk about what happens when those expectations no longer fit the life you want.
Tova also reflects on changing her mind and revisiting family rules when she learns something new.
What comes up
- Midlife and changing expectations
- Motherhood and personal freedom
- Being willing to reconsider a rule
Keep the conversation going
Mimi Ikonn ↗
For a woman choosing a new life beyond an old public identity.
Gillian Orr ↗
For permission to build a family that fits your own choices.
More from Simona: get Simona’s Cultural Edit on Mondays →