Magnificent Midlife

Meet Sam Walker, host of the fabulous Sam Walker's Desert Diaries podcast, which she started to document her move from Manchester, UK to Phoenix, Arizona. Sam is a master storyteller, an award-winning radio and TV broadcaster, a multiple podcast producer and presenter, a writer with a book being published next year and a woman who's encountered coyotes, snakes and scorpions in the desert. Since we...

An interview with Lisa Weldon, a writer who's created a fascinating life for herself in her next chapter, by walking cities! This was recorded pre lockdown when travel was still normal but seems super relevant now that walking is a much more comfortable option than public transport! We talk about: How and why Lisa started walking cities How she decides where she's going to walk Why she chose to go...

An interview with Laurie Mucha, the charming founder of the Feminista Film Festival. This interview was recorded as coronavirus was kicking off in the UK, but before lockdown. My, how things changed quickly after that! Laurie shares all about how she came to set up her own film festival and the lessons she has learnt. We talk about: The need to learn on the job Creating a vehicle to share great st...

An intimate chat with Canadian singer songwriter Linda McLean, opening up about life, music, writing and what makes her tick as an older woman. This interview includes a reading from Linda's forthcoming book all about making yourself the most important person in your life. We talk about: Learning to prioritize ourselves and speak our truth The emotional power of music and words Going on new creati...

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 fo...

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...

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...

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 w...

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...

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 i...

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...

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 t...

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 tal...

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 entreprene...

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 Facetim...

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...

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 con...

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 Accep...

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...

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 t...

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 s...

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...

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...

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, findi...

I interview Jennifer Louden, a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the concept of self-care with her first best-selling book  The Woman's Comfort Book . Brené Brown has this to say about Jennifer: " Jennifer shows you how to live with more courage and greater intention and how to embrace the truth that you are enough right now."  In this insightful episode we talk about: Being a self care pi...