Magnificent Midlife

A solo catchup episode with Rachel. I talk about: Adapting to a Covid world Visiting my mum Staying as healthy as possible Some of the recent podcast highlights The impact of the Black Lives Matter movement My BLM podcasts What I have learnt about being anti-racist Understanding what white privilege is Tone policing and white fragility How white silence is racism Layers of prejudice and how the focus on BLM may also help fight ageism Making the most of our heart beats Expanding our mental and emotional world despite the restrictions on our physical world 2020 – the year to reassess everything Looking inside for our inner sense of strength and knowledge Morning pages and how powerful that can be Taking time to think about what you want going forward Making the most of our power and making our voices heard Stepping into our feminine power to make a better world And more! Resources Books mentioned in this episode: Me And White Supremacy Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race (Race in the UK) List

Meet Claire Hodgson MBE, one of the stars of the fabulous play Mid Life which had a sell-out run at the Barbican in London. She’s the founder of Diverse City, the Bristol theater company behind this production and the co-founder of Extraordinary Bodies, the UK’s leading professional integrated circus company. In this inspiring and empowering interview, we talk about: Claire’s passion for diversity in the performing arts and theater in particular Institutional and systematic racism in our society and hoping that we are at a time of real transformation How it’s time for white people to do something about racism because black people are exhausted and broken How often big moments of change in social justice come very quickly and white people need to act now How it’s important to have everyone’s story told and for everyone to be represented in life to validate our identity and experience The good things that can happen for us when we just say yes The importance of intersectionality and levels of prejudice depende

An interview with Angela Counsel, naturopath, kinesiologist and mindset coach working particularly with women in midlife. Like me, she’s on a mission to spread the word that menopause doesn’t have to be a tough time in life, in fact it can be a time of stepping into your wisdom and falling in love with yourself and your life. Today we’re talking about menopause, hormonal balance and supporting our immune systems particularly in response to Covid-19. We talk about: How our jobs can impact our health How a miscarriage led Angela to study naturopathy The impact of stress on women’s bodies and how it can cause early menopause The importance of hormonal balance at all stages of our lives How it’s not normal to experience lots of symptoms around the time of menopause, if we do that means there are issues that need to be dealt with The many unnatural products in our lives that can impact our health The impact of stress on our immune systems and immune -related health issues If you struggle to get over a minor illne

An interview with Julie Owen Moylan, a writer whose short stories and articles have appeared in the Welsh Review, Horizon Literary Review and The Voice of Women in Wales Anthology. She’s also won awards for her films and has a massive following on Twitter! We talk all things writing, inspiration and finding one’s authentic voice. There’s lots of laughter here. We talk about: How Julie came to be writing her first novel at nearly 60 Following her dream of becoming a writer Her midlife excavation process How she got started writing seriously Finding the motivation to keep going The excitement of being spotted by a literary agent Making the most of our precious heartbeats Becoming more creative as we age How Julie writes and developed the story for the book The magic on days when the story just flows Julie’s belief that somewhere in the ether the book exists and her job is to transmit it The importance of just turning up to write and getting in the right mood Finding ways to take the pressure to perform off one

An incredibly powerful interview with Kimberly McCormick talking about understanding, acknowledging and taking action concerning the Black Lives Matter movement. Kimberly works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta Georgia, is a singer/songwriter, and runs a growing community supporting diabetics. We met in a marketing group on Facebook where I found her to be an enormously inspiring speaker with a powerful way of getting past white defensiveness about our complicity in anti-black racism. So I asked her to come and talk to me so I could share her clarity, wisdom and powerful message. We talk about: The sadness in the Black community and the roller-coaster of emotions at the moment The impact of 400 years of oppression today The relief that finally people are paying attention Trying to understand the weight of the emotion, both sadness and anger within the black community Being able to accept when Black people don’t want to talk about what’s going on Moving through White fragility and no

2020 is turning out to be a momentous year in more ways than half a dozen! The Black Lives Matter movement took off again in a huge way after the murder of George Floyd. I felt it was something I had to discuss on the podcast. So I turned to a magnificent midlife woman, Kwavi Agbeyegbe, who was an early guest in Season 1, to talk to and teach me about it. We need to discuss this and white people in particular need to get educated and learn. Kwavi has a unique perspective on the situation. My hope is that this episode will in some small way help that education process.  If you find it helpful please share this. We talk about: Hoping that major change is finally in the works Kwavi living in three different countries and how that has affected her perceptions of racism Experiencing racism in church in Boston The Jim Crow laws of racial segregation in the US Having to use separate water fountains and toilet facilities  The slave trade and the implications of that Learning about anti-Black racism in the US Kwavi em

I was so excited to interview the very inspiring sailor Tracy Edwards MBE, who captained the first all-female yacht crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989, coming second in their class. She’s now also a social activist, running The Maiden Factor Foundation to raise awareness and improve education for girls around the world.  We talk about: How Tracy has maintained momentum through her life after such a massive achievement when she were still relatively so young What’s it like being a midlife woman now after so much success in her youth What it was like sailing round the world How Tracy’s life has evolved What lessons she has to pass on about dealing with adversity and starting again The impact of misogyny when she sailed round the world and what it’s like now The importance of protecting the environment All about Tracy's current mission with her boat, Maiden What Tracy has learnt from doing what she’s done and how she has changed since she sailed round the world Acceptance of natural hair color as

An extremely helpful and empowering interview with Nicola Foster, relationship and intimacy therapist and coach. Nicola has created a Relationship Survival Guide for Lovers in Lockdown. I thought here was a woman I just had to get on the podcast! Even the best of relationships have been under strain in the crazy condition of the pandemic. There is lots of great advice here and you’ll find a link to the guide below. It's also my personal therapy session! We talk about: The biggest issues Nicola’s been seeing recently that prompted her to create the guide The relationship resilience pyramid The importance of looking after ourselves The importance of laughter and having fun The rise of TikTok The big mistakes we can make in our relationships especially when under stress How to avoid flash points of irritation when you’re together a lot with little space to escape How we can all get better at communication Giving your partner space and not needing to fix their issues Looking for the positive and appreciating you

A moving, thought-provoking interview with Coach Christine, the Empty Nest Coach who helps women adapt and make the very most of their lives when their children leave home. This was recorded before the world went crazy! But there are a lot of universal truths here, especially about finding ourselves in midlife, and dealing with change and difficult emotions. Christine is a whole lot of fun! We talk about: Feeling the pain when children are no longer at home Making the most of an empty nest Becoming a coach for women in midlife Being a podcaster and the joy of sharing stories Getting energy from working through obstacles to move women forward Being in the simmer working out what to do next Being willing to pivot when things don’t work out as we hoped FAIL – first attempt in learning Peeling back the layers to find out who we really are Feeling the fear from going through the discovery process The power that comes from finding our true essence when we strip away everything we’ve built up over the years Question

An interview with midlife entrepreneur coach Colleen Kochannek on how to start a business in midlife and beyond. Colleen also very bravely opens up about coping with becoming a widow at 50. We talk about: Moving on from redundancy Insidious ageism in the workplace The difficulty of finding work in midlife and beyond Starting a business instead of getting a new job Older women make great entrepreneurs The skills we have that make us great business creators Identifying your unique skills – many that have come with age Not being afraid of technology Not making those digital dinosaur excuses Being a digital immigrant The joy of working out how to do something technical How working online can actually be reasonably easy nowadays The many places online where you can find affordable help Focus on your own zone of genius – hire out the rest Working out what your business could be when you have no idea Looking at the things you love, are good at and what people ask you to do Working out what you do not want to do Valu

A solo episode with Rachel in contemplative mood pondering the implications of the Covid19 pandemic now, soon and when this nightmare is finally over. She ponders: Life under lockdown How adaptable we actually are The stages of processing the new reality Grieving for the change to all our lives Finding purpose and fulfillment through picking up rubbish! Dog poo bags – a personal rant Doing Facetime with my mum and virtual Sunday lunch Appreciating those who look after us Reversing the racism that has come about from Brexit Protecting the vulnerable long term Imagining a new ‘normal’ Weakening the buying muscle Shifting priorities when big shit happens How acquiring stuff becomes less important Working from home now works so it should continue Getting excited about the possibilities for change We can take swift action to change the world when we need to The positive changes that have come from lockdown We’ve proved that we can live differently Being aware of how Covid19 will affect poor countries Seizing the o

An interview with Nicole Christina, a psychotherapist and host of the Zestful Aging Podcast which is listened to in more than 85 countries! Nicole is an utter delight and we had such a laugh together. She is also very wise. We talk about: The joy of podcasting and why it means so much. How Nicole’s podcast has provided a balance to the negativity associated with aging. What zestful aging means to Nicole. Coping with loss and the negative aspects of ageing while fully appreciating the delightful things. The magic of technology for learning things and staying in touch How the pandemic has brought ageism to the fore How shocking it is to hear leaders dismissing the impact of corona because it ‘only’ affects the old and vulnerable The way society dismisses the experience and wisdom of older people because of the way they look Putting a monetary value on people’s lives The ugliness of the political environment in the US and the UK Big centres in New York and the UK that are being turned into hospitals Justifying

I was so honoured to interview Dr Kathryn Mannix who has devoted her life to the palliative care of the dying. She has written a remarkable book called With The End In Mind which everyone should read! It was such a pleasure to talk to her about death! This is a much longer interview than usual but I thought the topic deserved it. Coronavirus has made it even more important that we start having conversations about death before it’s too late. This was recorded before the pandemic. We talk about: • Why Kathryn was inspired to write her book, With The End In Mind • Opening up conversations about death • How our experience of death is much improved by honest communication • Denial is one way of coping which works for some people but isn’t ideal • Thinking about to accommodate immobile older relatives • Sometimes being practical is better than sacrifice when it comes to caring • What normal dying actually looks and feels like – it is very gentle • Why it’s important for people to understand the stages of death • Wh

I talk to Dr Orlena Kerek, a pediatric doctor turned weight loss and health coach. She lives in Spain with her 4 kids, currently under lockdown. She knows a lot about managing anxiety and healthy nutrition. Life under lockdown in Spain Coping with children at home How best to stay sane under lockdown Coping with uncertainty Acknowledging our needs as well as everyone else’s Letting things go Accepting life as it is now How oxygen may be all that many people need when they are in hospital with coronavirus Working with the information we have on the evolution of the disease How children are considered super-spreaders Working out what to do in a new relationship under quarantine The benefits of a strict lockdown Maintaining a healthy diet at this time Going easy on yourself if you’re not always eating healthily Celebrate the nice things every day Try to plan your meals but don’t overdo it – work with what you have Managing anxiety in this new normal The importance of movement for mental health Getting outside i

In this laughter-filled and very inspiring interview with the lovely Christie Glascoe, author, editor, screenwriter, creative coach, and professional life-lesson-learner, we talk and giggle about: Life under lockdown How people are approaching social distancing The speed at which things are changing Getting news from all over the world Day to day life in Atlanta Printing out permits to go outside in Paris The need to cooperate to make isolation last less time How isolation is easier for folks who usually work from home Dressing up from the waist up But it’s not so easy to work from home Changes that will hopefully become permanent after coronavirus The possibilities of this sucky experiment How the possibilities of reinventing next chapters are now being thrown at us How the environment is improving because we are staying home Does Mother Nature have a grand plan to keep us at home? How the earth is cleansing and we have the chance to do that to Rethinking everything as creativity blooms How we can all be cr

An inspiring and uplifting interview with Helen Wills, a lifestyle blogger and midlife mum of teenagers. She originally started a blog in the voices of her children but as they grew older she’s found her own voice including just starting a podcast! She’s usually to be found wearing yellow or pink and is a whole lot of fun. We recorded this interview a week before the full coronavirus lockdown in the UK. We talk about: Looking after a child with diabetes under the coronavirus lockdown Coping with teenagers at home during lockdown when they want to go out Struggling with setting boundaries during lockdown Working from home when there are kids around Taking it all one day at a time and being gentle In time lockdown will just be a blip on the landscape How to harness your anxiety as a family to enable coping strategies Doing what we need to do to protect the vulnerable including those with invisible vulnerabilities Dealing with the uncertainty of diabetes and other diseases Tips for working from home Our modern

A return visit from the amazing Jo Moseley. Since we spoke in Season 1, Jo has completed a North of England coast to coast stand-up paddle board challenge, becoming the only woman ever to have done this at the tender age of 54. I’m so inspired by this woman and I know you’ll love catching up with her adventures. We talk about: How Jo doesn’t consider herself a sporty person but loves to move How she set herself the challenge of stand-up paddle-boarding from Liverpool to Goole, 162 miles across the country How she ended up paddle-boarding at the Chelsea Flower Show and the fun she had there The importance of not taking yourself too seriously Being open to possibility Feeling the fear and doing it anyway Living a simple but brave life Envisaging a future version of ourselves and wondering what they would do or say How Jo trained for such a big challenge How she used visualization and self talk to inspire herself to keep going The importance of believing in yourself How telling everyone what she was going to do

Nadine Kelly was a medical doctor for many years but gave it up to be a yoga instructor.  She has a fascinating story to tell about why she did that and how she lives her life now.  In this inspiring and moving interview we talk about: Why Nadine moved from being a medical doctor to teaching yoga Building a different kind of life after leaving the system when medicine became more of a business How Nadine is driven by respect for elders and what they have brought to her life Taking a holistic approach to health and wellness rather than just focusing on curing illness Why Nadine now focuses her work on older people Combining medical knowledge with yoga practice to provide a well-rounded experience What Nadine liked about pathology Adapting a yoga practice to make it accessible for all bodies Slowing things down in all aspects of our lives Breaking the myths associated with doing yoga No pain no gain is nonsense, but no strain no gain makes sense The passion and importance of life-long learning Moving beyond li

Buckle up for a fabulous interview with Janine Queenin and Nicole Markel, hosts of the Messy Middle Roadtrip Podcast. In this fascinating and very wide-ranging interview we talk about almost everything under the sun from perimenopause to travel, from toxic products to being a ninja warrior! And all things midlife in between.  We cover How Janine and Nicole came up with the concept and the name for their podcast, Messy Middle RoadTrip Getting beyond the invisibility of getting older and the embarrassment of menopause Changing society’s narratives around our worship of youth How midlife women are a huge untapped sector of society How we can sometimes make ourselves invisible by our poor self-talk Fighting against the urge to step back Starting new businesses in midlife Disconnecting through travel Eliminating toxicity from the products we use everyday Finding inspiration for a business in illness Defeating psoriatic arthritis and improving psoriasis through eating clean, using clean products and lifestyle chan

This is a special New Year's Day episode solo with Rachel. She's in contemplative mood, after a decade in review exercise and looks back at the last year, sharing three big things from 2019: The podcast itself  A year of not buying any new clothing Christmas spent caring for the homeless with charity Crisis at Christmas She talks about how we may all want to move forward into the new decade, finding our purpose either with a small or a capital P, but certainly feeling more fulfilled.  She encourages us all to dream big!  Marie Forleo's Decade in Review My Year Not Buying New Clothes Crisis If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and maybe leave a review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening. Find out how to leave a review here: bit.ly/leavepodcastreview You can find out more information and get the show notes to every episode at magnificentmidlife.com. That’s also where you’ll find strategies, support and resources to help make your midlife magnificent. There’s a midlife wellness program, c