In a world where ambition and personal fulfillment often seem at odds, Beth Morris has found a way to lead a life she loves while staying true to her values and priorities. As a woman in leadership, she’s navigated the challenges of balancing family, health, and career—constantly reevaluating her approach to living fully. In this interview, Beth shares insights on how she maintains boundaries, empowers herself and others, and embraces the journey toward better well-being and leadership.
Finding Balance: Leading a Life You Love
What does leading a life you love look like for you, and how do you balance ambition with personal fulfillment?
This is something I think about a lot, especially post-40. It’s about saying no to things and setting firm boundaries—a word that might feel overused, but it’s essential. It’s about knowing where to spend your time. For example, today there’s an event at Penn Charter, but my husband and I have plans all weekend. We decided, No, we’re not going. We’ll come home after family night, have pizza, and enjoy our time together. Both of us have commitments tomorrow that pull us away from family, so this is about prioritizing.
I’ve drastically reduced my social time. In Chicago, I had a large circle of friends and was very social. Now, I’ve realized I don’t need or have time for that. I have a few close friends and many acquaintances, and that’s okay for this stage of life. I’m at peace with it.
I also have strict phone boundaries. I only get notifications for text messages, and my phone goes dark at 8:30 PM. I love reading and try to read for half an hour before bed. I aim to be in bed by 9 or 9:15 PM. This routine centers me and sets me up for the next day. Alongside this, I maintain healthy diet and exercise habits, which I’ve been focusing on through a program I’m part of. These habits—like turning off my phone at 8:30 PM—are non-negotiable. Sometimes I override it, but it takes effort. I ask myself, Do I really need to be on this website right now? Do I really need to research this thing?
Movement is also huge for me. I try to walk a couple of times a week and do 30-minute daily workouts through our fast-track program. This helps regulate everything and keeps me centered, so I can make clear decisions and maintain my boundaries.
The Role of Community in Empowerment and Leadership
What role has the community played in your journey toward empowerment and leadership?
Community is everything in my hormone business. I see myself in so many of my clients and fellow coaches. Everything is digital—we’re on an app and spread across the world—but we have a text thread where we share our experiences. Today, we talked about how our triceps hurt after an upper-body workout. One woman said, I wasn’t going to work out today, but now I’m motivated because of the triceps discussion. Yesterday, we shared our favorite chocolate protein powders. When someone said, I haven’t worked out in two months, and I’m not motivated, everyone chimed in with support: We’ve all been there. It’s about being vulnerable and sharing our journeys because that’s what makes it normal.
At Wharton, the community is equally important. Everyone is striving to do better and hold themselves accountable to a high standard. It’s inspiring, but it also makes it hard to build a team because not everyone can meet those expectations. We interview people who are lovely, but I know they might not thrive in this environment. The community pushes us to continually learn from each other and grow.
Habits for Connection to Purpose and Passion
You’ve shared some habits that keep you connected to your purpose and passion. Are there any others that come to mind?
It all comes back to why I’m doing this—my why. I’m doing this for energy, for my family. When I wasn’t sleeping or eating enough, I wasn’t the best version of myself. Have you heard the phrase, Pick your hard? Which hard do you want: feeling terrible all day or putting in the effort to prep meals and work out? I’ve chosen the habits that are hard but make me feel better. For example, I eat 115 grams of protein a day, which requires a lot of prep. Sometimes I get tired of it, but I feel so much better when I stick to it.
I’m a more patient mom and wife when I’m taking care of myself. Now that I’m in this zone, I don’t want to go back. I have bad weeks, but for the most part, I feel strong and energized. I started this program wanting to lose five pounds, but I ended up losing fat and gaining muscle. I’ve been skinny my whole life, but now I want to be strong. I want healthy bones so I don’t fall when I’m 70. My best friend’s mother died at 72 because she wasn’t healthy. That’s a cautionary tale for me. It’s all about the why.
Helping Women Step into Their Power and Lead with Confidence
What do you believe is the key to helping more women step into their power and lead with confidence?
It’s about showing them what’s possible and undoing the toxic narratives from the ’90s and 2000s about body image—eat less, work out more. Once women start feeling good in their bodies, it affects every part of their lives. When I started sleeping well, I woke up thinking, I don’t want to settle for less than this. That mindset spills into everything.
Success doesn’t have to look one way. It’s not about being a CEO or climbing the corporate ladder. After 40, success to me is a calm nervous system, good sleep, and time with my son. It’s about rewriting what success means and saying no to things that don’t align with that. There’s power in that.
Rewriting the Rules for Women in Leadership
If you could rewrite the rules for women in leadership, what would you change or add?
I’d eliminate the double standard where successful women are labeled as harsh, bitchy, or annoying. I wish they could be seen as the powerful leaders they are.
I don’t want to get too political, but we need to keep chipping away at these norms. In my circle, there’s more partnership between men and women, but it’s still not equal. Growing up, it was 90/10; now it’s more like 60/40 or 70/30. We’re making progress.
For example, in my neighborhood, most of the doctors are women. My boy recently asked me, Can men be doctors, Mom? I said, Yes, they can. But all the doctors he knows are women. It’s a slow, generational change. Politically, it feels like we’re taking a step back, but I hope this is the last gasp of the patriarchy. They’re scared, and fear drives their actions. We just need to keep showing up as the world we want to see.
Your Legacy as a Leader
What legacy do you hope to leave as a leader?
I want people to feel better in their bodies. If I can teach someone how to eat better, sleep better, and feel calmer, they’ll have more energy for their families and the confidence to go after opportunities they didn’t think they were qualified for. It all starts with your body. When you feel good in your body, you’re 90% there. It’s like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—once you have the foundation, you can do anything.
For me, feeling good in my body has been transformative. I’m a high-strung person, and this has helped me so much. When I feel good, the clouds part, and everything becomes clearer.
More about Beth Morris: As we age, the techniques we use to feel good need updating. Beth helps women 40+ feel better in their bodies during perimenopause and menopause. She teaches science-based strategies to feel great, sleep better, and, yes, lose weight. Learn more about Beth and her work here.
