The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40

What happens when you reach the top—and realize it’s not what you wanted? Angela Hwang had the résumé, the accolades, and the paycheck, but behind the scenes, her health was deteriorating and her happiness was nowhere to be found. In this honest and eye-opening episode, Angela shares how a health scare, motherhood, and burnout collided to spark a total life reset. If you’ve ever wondered whether t...

Among the many strange and funny things that can happen as you reach midlife is this: just when everything feels like it’s falling apart, something creative starts to stir. In this bonus episode, Stephanie explores the idea of a midlife creative awakening —inspired by past guests who picked up paint brushes, pens, instruments, and more in the messy middle of their lives. Creativity often shows up...

When Jenn Kacmar and Rose Planer met at an engagement party, they had no idea their friendship would become the anchor that carried them through midlife chaos. With a decade between them, different careers, and wildly different life stages, their bond became a lifeline—especially during the isolating early days of the pandemic. In this heartfelt and humorous episode, they share how they supported...

In this short bonus episode, Steph unpacks the deeper themes from her conversation with Elizabeth Makepeace—no listening homework required. Through Elizabeth’s story, Steph explores how unconscious patterns from childhood shape our adult relationships, often without us realizing it. She dives into what it means to break the caretaker cycle, how to recognize when care turns into codependency, and w...

When Elizabeth Makepeace fell for a younger, free-spirited musician, she thought she’d found the love foretold in a dream. But what began as a spiritual connection turned into a controlling, emotionally draining marriage that forced her to confront an old pattern she thought she’d outgrown: the compulsion to care for others at the cost of herself. In this deeply honest conversation, Elizabeth shar...

At age 39, Francesca Montillo had a thriving healthcare career at a prestigious Boston hospital—but her heart was in Italy, dreaming of pasta, wine, and sun-soaked adventures. In this episode, she shares how she slowly and strategically built a food and travel business on the side, eventually trading her secure 9-to-5 for a life she once thought was too good to be true. From pandemic pivots to cul...

What if your “successful” life started to feel like a slow, quiet heartbreak? In this episode, Steve Vincent shares how he went from burned-out high school vice principal to thriving freelance copywriter—by finally listening to the voice he’d been pushing down for years. He opens up about the emotional weight of staying in a life that looks good on paper but feels wrong in your soul—and how a coup...

When Amita Sharma hit her 40s, her body started betraying her—crippling fatigue, brain fog, and relentless hot flashes—but doctors told her she was "fine." Frustrated and desperate for answers, she turned to holistic medicine, unknowingly setting herself on a path to revolutionize women's health. Amita shares her eye-opening journey through perimenopause, the shocking gaps in medical knowledge, an...

Naomi Kreske thought she had built the perfect life—marriage, kids, and the white picket fence dream. But when her marriage crumbled, she found herself stuck in survival mode, barely holding it all together. For years, she unknowingly repeated the same patterns—ignoring her needs, attracting unhealthy relationships, and staying in a job that drained her. Everything changed when she realized the pr...

In this bonus episode of the Big Four Oh Podcast, Steph delves deeper into themes discussed with Shā Sparks, focusing on the concepts of releasing the need for understanding to heal, and the importance of positive self-talk. Steph shares additional stories from previous guests, Julie Hutsell Starling (episode 99) and Jeff Glauser (episode 96), to illustrate these powerful transformation tools. Exp...

Shā Sparks’ midlife transformation was about breaking free—from toxic relationships, self-doubt, and the need for closure. After years in an abusive relationship, she realized she didn’t need answers or closure to heal—she just needed to walk away. Letting go of the “why” allowed her to move forward and build a life rooted in self-worth rather than past wounds. A big part of that journey was chang...

In this episode, Stephanie talks to Marcy Langlois, who shares her extraordinary story of resilience and recovery. Born with a cleft lip and palate requiring multiple surgeries, Marcy grew up in a chaotic household and struggled with addiction following a life-altering car accident. Her story explores the impact of trauma on physical health, including her struggles with mast cell activation syndro...

Steph delves into Emily Hall's emotional story, where she reveals how she tied her self-worth to societal milestones like marriage and having kids, leading to an identity crisis fueled by low self-esteem. Through self-reflection and a pivotal conversation with a friend, Emily began to reshape her internal dialogue, shifting her belief system to value her resilience and inner strength. Steph elabor...

In this episode of The Big Four Oh Podcast, Stephanie talks to Emily Hall, who shares her remarkable journey through tumultuous life experiences, including a toxic childhood, substance abuse, near-death experiences, and codependent relationships. Emily opens up about her emotional breakdown on her 40th birthday and the pivotal moment she realized she needed to change her life. Through intense self...

Today, Philip Blackett reflects on his upbringing in the South, growing up with a single mother, and the pivotal roles his grandparents played in shaping his values. As he navigates midlife, Philip reveals how his faith has become his core anchor following the deaths of his grandparents. He shares the challenges of running a business that closed during the pandemic and how this impacted his identi...

After 115 episodes, Forty Drinks is relaunching as The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40. The podcast maintains the same mission and focus, but will move forward under a new name with the goal of reaching a wider audience with the message of transition at midlife.  This podcast is about transitions, and specifically the ones that we go through sometime around age 40, those internal sh...

In this episode, Stephanie talks to Marc Scheff about the midlife transitions experienced around the age of 40. They discuss Mark’s journey, including incidents that led him to take up jiu jitsu, his shifting dreams, and his struggles with toxic work environments. The conversation highlights the importance of introspection, updating old dreams, listening to inner voices, and having the courage to...

Gabby Gilliam shares her experience of navigating through multiple losses, career transitions, moves, and personal growth from her early 30s to her early 40s. She talks about her late start in becoming a parent, the numerous moves her family made, and the struggles she encountered in finding a job after relocating. Gabby delves into the profound impact of her father's rapid decline and passing, fo...

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie interviews Meredith and Craig Bennett, her first dual interview guests, about their shared midlife transition. The couple discusses their background, how perfectionism and societal expectations shaped their early lives, and how a pivotal moment led them to make significant life changes during the pandemic. They delve into their journey of pers...

Today, Laurie-Ann Murabito shares her midlife transition journey, beginning in her early 30s working in healthcare; meeting and losing her husband Bob to cancer after being married less than a year; and the profound personal growth that followed. She tells us about her experience as a leadership speaker, the challenges she faced, and how a crucial text message redirected her professional path towa...

Dr. Mort Orman discusses his personal journey with anger management. Despite being a successful physician, Mort struggled with deep-seated anger issues that began in his college years. Through personal development and significant breakthroughs, Mort discovered the internal filters driving his anger and devised methods to control it. He emphasizes the importance of understanding our unconscious hab...

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Fran Caudron opens up about her upbringing in a strict Catholic family, her early marriage to an addict, and the subsequent emotional turmoil. She discusses how her deep dive into different spiritual paths, including evangelical Christianity and a transformative retreat, helped her rediscover hope and strength. Fran also highlights the importance of com...

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie welcomes Anjel Hartwell to explore her profound spiritual awakening and transformation that began at the age of 38. The conversation explores Anjel's tumultuous upbringing in New Hampshire, her successful career in real estate, and the series of life-altering events that led to her awakening. Anjel shares vivid accounts of supernatural experie...

Marina Theron-Monnery opens up about her journey from growing up during apartheid in South Africa, through challenging romantic relationships that reflected the toxicity of her childhood home, to the eventual embrace of self-love after an aha moment in the bath. Marina details her escape from an abusive family, the struggles of adjusting to a new country with young children after divorce, and her...

In the first episode of season six of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie McLaughlin delves into the concept of the 'Ick,' a common feeling of discomfort experienced around the age of 40. Unlike the stereotypical midlife crisis, the Ick is characterized by a low-grade unease and a desire for change. Stephanie shares insights from her guests, highlighting seven recurring themes: self-discovery and...