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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