EXPANDED Podcast by To Be Magnetic™
Ep. 375 – Libby DeLana on Why Age is Just a Number and How to Manifest Joy Over 50
October 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, host Jessica Gill sits down with Libby DeLana, TBM Wise Process member, author, model, podcast host, and cold water enthusiast. The conversation explores how Libby has manifested profound joy, a new career, and deep friendships after the age of 50. She shares her rituals for staying aligned with her authentic self, details her unique approach to manifesting, and breaks down the life-changing benefits of “cold joy.” The episode is a testament to expanding your self-permission at any age, dismantling limiting beliefs, and creating abundance and connection through simple, grounded rituals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Manifesting Joy in the "Third Act" of Life

• Libby's Journey of Expansion (07:15)

  • Libby reflects on becoming "more myself than I ever have been" at age 63.

  • Her recent years have seen an explosion of new opportunities: co-hosting a podcast, outdoor partnerships, modeling for Clinique, and writing her second book, Cold Joy.

    “I am more myself than I ever have been. How did that happen? I think it comes from alignment with, honestly, who I am and with the universe…aging is really about living.”
    — Libby DeLana [07:30]

• The Power of Aligned Action

  • Libby's story underscores the importance of attuning to moments of magnetism—when you feel lit up by possibility—and taking consistent, incremental action towards them.

  • She debunks the myth of overnight transformation; her journey is one of persistent small steps.

    “Each step is small. It’s not huge. As a result of taking those individual steps, I’ve ended up in some really wonderful places.”
    — Libby DeLana [13:10]

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs & Building Trust

• Naming Your Inner Critic (11:44)

  • Libby personifies her inner critic as "Ruby Dubina," a protective but often loud presence. By acknowledging this part of herself and choosing to take action regardless, she’s strengthened her self-trust.

    “When she shows up, I often, literally, will say out loud, ‘I see you, Ruby, and I know the reason you’ve shown up is to protect me.’ ... and yet on I go.”
    — Libby DeLana [12:00]

• Incremental Confidence

  • She addresses the fear and imposter syndrome that arises when stepping into new roles, like modeling and authorship, and how practice and self-acknowledgment build genuine confidence.

Manifesting Rituals & Practices

• Dream Bigger Document (15:58)

  • Every month, Libby maintains a private digital document covering six categories of life. She dreams big and lists desires without overthinking the “how.” Over years, she’s frequently surprised and grateful looking back at how many have manifested.

    “My dad growing up…used to say, dream bigger. Go ahead, dream bigger…There are categories where I just keep dreaming bigger. And what does bigger mean? For me, it means wholeness.”
    — Libby DeLana [16:35]

• Monthly Reflection Letter

  • She writes herself a short note about what she learned last month, what was joyful or challenging. This “fidelity to the practice” provides gentle, consistent self-awareness and integration.

    “It is the cumulative attention to who you are that’s meaningful…The sort of concept of fidelity is really powerful. When you remind the universe that I am going to be faithful to me…”
    — Libby DeLana [23:01]

• Daily Walking Practice

  • Libby has walked every morning for nearly 14 years—a meditative, grounding ritual that helps her process emotions and connect to self. Jessica shares how this practice has also transformed her own mental health and creativity.

• Season of Experimentation (Beta Season)

  • Libby gives herself permission to try new things each summer, from making natural inks to failing and learning—cultivating joy through exploration.

Expanding the Definition of Friendship & Community

• Forming Intimate Bonds in Adulthood (32:06)

  • Libby shares that most of her newer friendships have developed around collective experiences like cold plunging in natural waters with other women. The shared challenge and vulnerability foster deep connection and joy.

    “There’s a level of intimacy that comes with…doing something with people that’s a little hard…knowing that it’s hard immediately means you hold the other person with tenderness and care.”
    — Libby DeLana [33:30]

The Feminine Approach to Cold Plunging ("Cold Joy")

• Reframing the Narrative (39:04)

  • Contrasting the hyper-competitive, time-focused, “masculine” energy around cold plunges, Libby describes her “mermaids” community’s approach: gentle, intuitive, and focused on listening to the body and feeling held by water.

    “You’re not better or stronger because you stayed in longer…The fact that you’re even here is pretty amazing. We all know…each of our thresholds is unique and different.”
    — Libby DeLana [39:35]

• Changing Limiting Self-Identities

  • Originally someone who “hated the cold,” Libby used cold water immersion as a way to experiment with releasing rigid self-definitions—opening herself up to transformation in many areas.

    “The way that we define ourselves can be changed. Some of it is exploring those definitions. Some of them is letting them be softening around the edges.”
    — Libby DeLana [41:09]

• For Beginners: Guidance on Cold Exposure (44:49)

  • Libby emphasizes safety, listening to your body, and the spiritual/alchemical benefits of wild water (“the water holds the earth’s story”).

  • She references researcher Dr. Susanna Soberg (roughly 11 minutes per week below 60°F); but reiterates, “don’t make it competitive, just listen.”

    “The water doesn’t negotiate with ego, it invites you into your truth.”
    — Jessica Gill [49:56]

Hidden Lessons & Abundance

• Trusting Your Body & Presence (53:59)

  • Cold plunges demand complete presence and attention, functioning like meditation. Libby notes how this has helped her trust her body after years of disconnection.

• Abundance as Energy, Time, and Love (56:03)

  • Libby reflects on how nature and friendship, especially through these practices, have shifted her understanding of abundance beyond the merely financial.

    “One could argue, I guess at age 63, I would argue the most valuable currency…is our own personal energy level and time…To have energy, abundant energy—woo, so valuable!”
    — Libby DeLana [56:53]

On Aging, Authenticity, & Life After 50

• Joyful Aging (59:53)

  • Libby redefines aging as a process of living, not dying; each year brings her closer to her authentic self. She encourages seeing aging as an opportunity to start anew at any moment:

    “I don’t view [aging] as sad…My friends and I…we say to each other, we’ve got—if we’re lucky—30 summers left. And you better believe I am going to do my best to honor my energy, my time…I feel so fortunate…”
    — Libby DeLana [59:53]

• Reverence for Elders

  • She laments Western culture’s obsession with youth, presenting the alternative of embracing one’s years as a badge of deeper wisdom, patience, and authenticity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Aging is simply living…This may—I don’t know, I don’t view this as sad—but my friends and I, we say to each other, if we’re lucky we have 30 summers left. And you better believe I am going to do my best to honor my energy, my time…”
  — Libby DeLana [59:53]

• “The way that we define ourselves can be changed. Aging is really about living.”
  — Libby DeLana [41:09]

• “When you remind yourself, when you remind the universe, that I am going to be faithful to me and going for a walk, that’s what that looks like…fidelity is to me and to what matters.”
  — Libby DeLana [23:01]

• “Find a place with a group that you overlap, that has a shared interest, with some regularity…and if it’s a little bit hard, there’s a level of tenderness and trust that arises.”
  — Libby DeLana [33:30]

• “The things that actually move the needle in my life are not sitting down and doing this elaborate project…it’s the little, tiny things that get my energy in alignment.”
  — Jessica Gill [21:24]

Resources & Next Steps

• Libby DeLana’s New Book: Cold Joy (releasing mid-October)
• Find Libby Online:
  • Instagram: @parkhere
  • Website: thiscoldjoy.com and thismorningwalk.com
• TBM Resources:
  • Recommended Deep Imaginings: Dream Life DI, Future Self DI, and Abundant Life DI.

Episode Timestamps

• 07:15 – Libby’s journey since her first book and deepening into her authentic path after 60
• 11:44 – Naming and working with the inner critic, “Ruby Dubina”
• 15:58 – The monthly “Dream Bigger” manifesting document and reflection rituals
• 23:01 – Daily walking practice and “fidelity” to self-anchoring rituals
• 32:06 – Making deep friendships as an adult through wild swimming
• 39:04 – Feminine approach to cold plunging and redefining self-identity
• 44:49 – Wisdom on how to start (and sustain) a cold water practice safely
• 53:59 – Presence, trusting the body, and water as a spiritual teacher
• 56:03 – Nature, abundance, and reframing “currency” in later life
• 59:53 – Aging as living, advice to those fearing getting older
• 61:57 – Reverence for elders and rethinking the purpose of each life stage

Final Takeaway

Libby DeLana is living proof that the third act of life can be the most magnetic, authentic, and expansive—if you remain open to dreaming bigger, taking small aligned steps, and honoring the rituals that ground you daily. With wisdom, humility, and joy, she invites us all to let go of limiting narratives and pursue presence, connection, and transformation at any age.

For those seeking expansion, inspiration, or a model of radiant aging and authenticity, this episode is a must-listen—or a must-read.