What if the life you built looks right on the outside… but doesn’t feel right on the inside?

In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Dovey, artist and creator of The Naked Man Project, to talk about what it really means to reclaim yourself… especially in midlife.

Michelle shares her deeply personal journey through divorce, identity shifts, and learning to give herself permission to explore the parts of herself she had been taught to hide. What started as an artistic project became something much bigger… a path back to her voice, her desires, and her sense of aliveness.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level change. It’s about questioning the roles we’ve accepted, the rules we’ve followed, and the quiet ways we disconnect from ourselves over time.

We talk about how to start listening to what you actually want, how to rebuild self-trust, and why the things that feel “taboo” or uncomfortable might actually be the doorway to freedom.

If you’ve ever felt like something is missing, even when everything looks fine… this episode will hit home.

00:02:30 – Introduction to Michelle and her story

00:03:30 – Early experiences with art and hidden conditioning

00:05:00 – The moment that sparked The Naked Man Project

00:05:30 – Facing discomfort, resistance, and stepping into power

00:07:00 – Learning to ask for what you actually want

00:08:30 – Exploring taboo, freedom, and personal liberation

00:09:30 – Body shame in men vs. women

00:12:30 – Power dynamics, boundaries, and being seen

00:16:30 – Losing your voice in relationships

00:19:30 – Handling judgment and outside opinions

00:22:00 – Art as a form of healing and expression

00:24:00 – The “good girl” conditioning and internal voice

00:27:30 – Exploring the forbidden and creative expansion

00:30:00 – Trusting your desires as guidance

00:31:30 – Setting boundaries in everyday life

00:34:00 – Recognizing when you’ve crossed your own boundaries

00:36:30 – Quieting the inner critic

00:39:30 – Where to connect with Michelle

✨Connect with Michelle Dovey:

Website: https://www.michelledovey.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelledoveyartis

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.dovey.10

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
LinkedIn: Michele Simms
Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

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Ep. 149 Why Having It All Still Isn't Enough with Michelle Dovey