Midlife Unfiltered: The Season Of Me

Just last week Erica declared something that was NOT very Erica to me. That with so much on her plate, she wasn’t striving for an A in her assignment, she was going for a pass. WHAAAT? And then there was Jennifer at Midlife Anticrisis - ‘Being Mediocre’, post we both read (and loved). We felt the universe was sending a message and that we simply had to go there, on the podcast, this week. Perplexi...

“When I feel ‘styled’ I don’t feel like me”. A recent trip to the hairdressers left Erica feeling like her new hair cut doesn’t really feel like her. Even questioning does that even matter? It may seem frivalous at first, but thinking about why and talking it through…well…turns out it’s faaar from frivalous. Join us as we talk it through on the podcast. Feeling Like ME. “I’ve never really found my...

“Thank goodness you said I have dementia and not Alzeheimer’s.” These were words I heard on a Hammondcare’s Dementia podcast when Prof Cunningham was relaying a story. Having been on a dementia journey with my family and Dad, I am rather familiar with this misconception about dementia. It’s why we need to have many, many, many conversations about it. To broaden understanding about what dementia is...

Identity Shifts in Midlife. It hits hard in this swirling mass of change. For many of us, the impact it can have, we will not see coming nor recognise it. Transitioning. Discovering. Unraveling. In this very honest and open conversations Alex and Cat join Eric and Anita to talk about Identity in midlife. Unfiltered. What we do Vs Who we are because they are not the same thing. But how to you know...

We often remember our firsts. First love, first pet, first home when you left home, first car. Remembering, often bringing a smile. What if we could continue creating and treasuring firsts as we age? How would that impact how we thought about aging, did our aging? In this episode we take a path off the road of curiosity and explore the Beginner’s Mindset. Exploring new with little (if any) expecta...

When she broke 17 bones, Anita’s friend said it was the greatest gift she’d received. Sure, an unexpected response. The gift came in the extended forced pause. To quiet, to listen. To seek honest answers from herself to big questions ‘what do I want?’ and to question what mattered most now in midlife and beyond (as well as how to do I heal my body :) ). But they don’t have to be big, or forced. We...

Connection: The energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derice sustenance and strength from the relationship. Connection is in our neurobiology. (Brene Brown - Atlas of the Heart). A large meta analysis studies show that social isolation increases the risk of all-cause mortality by 26-32% even after al...

What would it be like to have an end of life doula by your side as you faced your own mortality? Yep … we’re going deeper into our conversation around death. Welcome to this episode of Midlife Unfiltered - a podcast about unapologetically embracing the Season of Me. In this episode, join co hosts Anita McLachlan and Erica Webb as they chat with their guest, Jaqui Williams, an end of life doula. Yo...

Our Blood Vessel health matters and it changes as we age. Do you know your blood vessel health? If you don't, you're not alone. It's something that's not often specifically talked about even with our health team members unless we are in the advanced stages of related disease like Cardio Vascular Disease - the #1 cause of death of women in the US and in Australia #2, second to Dementia, which is al...

“Regrets, I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to remember.” (My Way). Anita thought that was true for her life too. But upon reading about Regret in Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown, she did a complete back flip. There is so much more to this emotion than a meets the eye. Of course she’s lived a life with regrets. We all do. That’s being human. Join Erica and Anita as they talk about the gift...

Hello! Thanks for being here. Let’s cultivate a little Joy together. In this chat you’ll hear (and see) Erica & I talk about JOY from various perspectives: The importance of cultivating & acknowledging JOY regardless of what else is going on. In the context of our individual lives and beyond, across the global landscape. Holding grief and JOY together. Brenee Brown - Atlas of the Heart: The concep...

What if we changed the language we used to talk about Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause. Away from a medicalised framework to one more aligned with how we feel and in those phases of life? Because after all, we are human and they are phases, not a disease. Dr Louann Brizendine is ushering us to do just that, to instead call these phases of life The Transition & The Upgrade. Just saying th...

At 51 Anita was diagnosed with osteoporosis. She’s now almost 58 and post-menopausal. Determined to turn this around, she formulated her bone health plan and is making it happen. The results have been brilliant and very encouraging. Giving her the confirmation that she’s on the right track and the confidence to keep going. In this chat Anita shares the one signifcant thing that has reversed her os...

We're on a mission to empower women to live a brilliant midlife and beyond. A major influence on how that plays out for us as we age, is our Bone Health. Brodee found out the hard way that she had osteoporosis when she broke her ankle whilst jogging. Though because of her age (she was 55 at the time), she considers it her lucky break. Osteoporosis had revealed itself to her and her GP. Otherwise f...

We’re all about busting stereotypes. This open and honest conversation might bust your preconceived notion of what it means to be ADHD and Autistic. It has mine. As Erica talks about what it means to be diagnosed ADHD and Autistic in midlife, the questions it has raised for her and how she plans to move forward. Her decision point: To accept the label and let it define her. Or permit herself to us...

She’s back! Kirstin is a gun. She’s back to talk with us, this time about a topic that is close to our hearts - ADHD in midlife. Erica is currently being assessed for ADHD and Autism and…informally, a psychiatrist has made comment that she thinks Anita is too. Personally we know of quite a few women with recent ADHD diagnoses in midlife so we are super curious. Why is it on the rise for midlife wo...

In midlife emotions are new, varied and can cut deeply. Beyond sad, mad and glad - the ones most of us can confidently identify. But there are more. Loads more. Atlas of the Heart by the brilliant Brene Brown explores 87 emotions and experiences helping us to identify them with greater clarity, helping us to assign meaning; for greater connection to ourselves and each other. The more specific we c...

Do you know your bone health status? Do you know if you have poor bone health? I’m almost 58 and have osteoporosis. Diagnosed about 7 years ago after one of my parathyroid glands grew a benign tumour, causing it to be grossly over-active - a condition called hyperparathyroidism. So bone health is a topic close to my heart. With 67% of Australians over the age of 50 (both men and women) estimated t...

Thoughts about a book. A book that has influenced us greatly. Literally changed our lives. Thanks James Nestor. We highly recommend it to you as we do for others. A must read. How did it change our lives? What did we learn? How have we joined the dots with breathing and other aspects of our lives and knowledge? * Breathing has direct access to our nervous system - the power of the long exhale. 3 b...

We do it when we need to pee, we listen to that cue, that message our body is sending us and we act. Why don’t we do that for other messages our body is sending us like when we are tensing our shoulders, our jaw? What is my body trying to tell me? In a society that prides itself of productivity, we are taught it a sign of strength to push through, push that feeling down and get on with it…it’s be...

What does 90 year old you need to live well? Strong bones and muscles are essential. For movement and with that, independence. The ability to do all the things she wants to. Anita has osteoporosis. Diagnosed 6 years ago. She’s now 57. The bone disease that puts us at greater risk for fracture and with that, the ability to live life well…to the fullest. FEAR of fracture is what holds you back when...

ADHD diagnosis in midlife is thankfully getting more air time as we talk more openly about the huge changes we all feel in this time of life. Erica speaks of how freeing this journey has been as she shed’s the masks she’s been wearing most of her adolescent and adult life, to cover up the differences she felt. Maybe you can relate to her experience. That’s why we have these chats. To bring awarene...

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in this week's in real life 'fireside chat' Erica and I are talking about Beauty. Why we do what we do and is it different now in midlife? Join us for this open and honest talk about how we have felt and now feel about many things 'Beauty'. If it's in the eye of the beholder, what are we saying to ourselves when we look in the mirror? We also make reference to a podcast chat that really opened Ani...

With an open heart and mind, Anita wanted to soak it all in. The challenges and beauty. Spiritual experiences and personal growth. Having lost her Dad in February then experiencing a cyclone and Covid before she went, India offered healing, anchoring her in shared values whilst away and upon returning home. Perceptions and Perspectives are explored. We’re curious. What are your pre-conceived ideas...