Women in the Middle®: Loving Life After 50 - Midlife Coach Podcast

It's my birthday month and I'm turning 63. And instead of dreading it, I'm genuinely grateful for it. In this episode, I'm sharing three gifts of getting older that don't get talked about enough. I don't mean the greeting card version; I'm talking about the real ones. The kind you can only notice when you've actually lived long enough to see them. If you're a woman in your 50s or 60s who's startin...

Today's episode is about midlife shifts and ultimately saying goodbye an animal rescue in midlife. My guest is Amy Castro. Amy is a professional speaker, communication expert, and proud U.S. Air Force veteran who served during the Gulf War. For more than 25 years, she's helped people communicate with confidence, set healthy boundaries, and speak up without backing down. But her most powerful reinv...

You don't need a reason to want what you want. You don't need to earn it, justify it, or prove that it solves a problem or serves someone else. You are allowed to want something just because it makes you happy, just because it brings you joy, just because it's yours. That sounds simple. But after more than a decade of coaching midlife women, Suzy knows it's one of the hardest things to actually pr...

Most of us know what a fork in the road feels like. You've got a heavy decision to make. There are at least two possible paths. And when you're at the fork, you know it's time to choose which way to go and that you will have to live with your choice. What can be so surprising is how often fear has been driving the decision-making over the years. Not us. Fear. Dressed up as reason, responsibility,...

Did you know you can use envy for good? Envy is one of those emotions most of us were taught to push down, feel ashamed of, and definitely not admit to out loud. But what if envy is actually one of the most useful tools you have access to right now, especially in your 50s and 60s, especially when you're trying to figure out what you actually want? In this episode, I'm making the case for "Envy for...

This episode is about how a family crisis can lead to an "empty nest joyride" and insights into your passion to be a writer. Sometimes you can be surprised by the amount of insight gained from a difficult period in your life. Your empty nest phase can be surprisingly mighty. My guest today is Linda Hanstra. Linda is someone who went from being a working mother with four busy kids who felt like she...

Over five years ago, I introduced a concept that has been at the heart of the Women in the Middle show ever since: being the Queen of Your Brain Domain. For women over 50 who want to stop living on autopilot and start living with more intention, that original episode was about learning to watch your thoughts, think on purpose, and take responsibility for your feelings and results. That foundation...

Are you ready to discover how you can use your past to inspire your customized retirement? The pre-retirement phase of your life often takes years. Join us today to be a fly on the wall for a conversation about starting to think about what you want your retired life to look like. My guest is Suzanne Albanese. Suzanne came from a large family in rural Virginia. She went to college at Virginia Tech,...

This episode is about when you feel stuck in midlife even though everything looks fine. If you've been feeling stuck, unclear, or just slightly off lately…today's show will help you understand why. Feeling this way at this time in your life is common. But, what many women don't realize, especially when you're over 50 is this: It's probably not a clarity problem.  Learn more HERE

Midlife transitions can be challenging. Have you ever felt like your life looks fine… but something feels off? If so, you're not alone. In this episode, we're talking about what a midlife transition after 50 really is and why it often shows up in subtle, confusing ways. For many women, this stage isn't about a dramatic crisis. It's about a quiet shift in awareness. You start noticing how you feel,...

Today you'll discover insight into how writing a book can instigate insight into your own reinvention, especially when it's about midlife women. My guest today is Jennifer Oko. Jennifer Oko is the author of four books of fiction and nonfiction. Her memoir Lying Together: My Russian Affair was twice named an "Editor's Choice" by The New York Times Book Review. Her novels include Gloss, a satire of...

Am I too old to get out of a kayak? This was the question I asked when getting out of a kayak suddenly became difficult; it sparked an unexpected realization about aging, mindset, and decision-making. Ask yourself, what happens for you when something you always loved suddenly gets harder? Do you give it up or do you typically get curious about how to make it work? After an awkward (and hilarious)...

Today you'll discover an intergenerational friendship between two women 76 and 105 years old, that got better with age. Walking and talking with your 100+ year old friend is not something you might think was even possible.  But it's their reality and my guest wrote a book about it. My guest is Merilyn Simonds.  She's the younger half of this intergenerational friendship.   Merilyn is also an inter...

What you'll learn in this episode about how to balance your hormones in menopause and beyond. Today the show's focus is on how to balance hormones in menopause and beyond with Sarah Haas. It's probably no surprise that we're also diving into weight loss, sleep, balance, stress  and more. Menopause can be a confusing time. My guest, Sarah Haas, is a Women's Weight Release & Body Love Coach, Integra...

What if nothing is technically wrong in midlife … but something still feels off? In this episode, we explore a common but often hard-to-explain midlife experience: when your life looks good on paper, yet feels slightly out of alignment. You're capable, responsible, and productive. Everything works. And yet… something doesn't quite feel right. Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-453-w...

ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder) in midlife is becoming more common. A diagnosis as an adult can feel like a relief. My guest today is ADHD Coach and Professional Organizer, Robynne Pendariès. Robynne received her degree in Child Psychology from Tufts University in Boston, and then moved to Paris in 1989. She worked for 10 years as a fashion buyer in Paris, and subsequently raised h...

Wildlife rehabilitation is the focus for this special Podcasthon episode. Podcasthon is when hosts around the world feature charities simultaneously during the same week. Born and raised in Argyle, Nova Scotia, Hope Swinimer spent most of her time outdoors as a child enjoying everything the natural world had to offer. She knew that she wanted to work with animals in some capacity, and after missin...

Are you ready to stop running on default? Ask yourself, what does "living on autopilot" really mean in midlife? If you're in midlife and feeling slightly unsettled, even though your life looks fine on the outside, this episode is for you. Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-450-living-on-autopilot-in-midlife-what-i-see-differently-now/

Discover how an art journal became a sneak attack on autopilot. In this episode, I share how something I once dismissed as "a waste of time" (art journaling) became a quiet but profound practice in staying present. Ask yourself…What if the most powerful shift in midlife didn't require a big decision… but a simple pen? Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-449-the-sneak-attack-on-autopi...

Overcoming fear in midlife can be challenging. My guest, Louisa Swaden, is living proof that the second half of life can be the start of something extraordinary.  After turning 50, Louisa began saying yes to things that once felt impossible — setting land speed records on sand, racing at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats, and riding across Namibia as part of a conservation effort with Rally for...

Discover why downsizing with purpose, learning how to keep what matters, and letting go of the rest is a useful direction in midlife. Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-447-downsizing-with-purpose-how-to-keep-what-matters-and-let-go-of-the-rest/

In this episode, Suzy reflects on what a recent Costa Rica retreat revealed about slowing down, presence, and the importance of awe and wonder in midlife. Many midlife women are highly capable, productive, and constantly managing full lives, yet feel restless, rushed, and disconnected. This conversation explores why awe doesn't arrive through effort or productivity, but through attention and notic...

In today's episode, I'm introducing something new I've created called the Midlife Doodle-Think Club . It's a gentle, low-pressure Zentangle®-based practice space designed to help midlife women slow down, be present, and create space to think. Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-445-midlife-doodle-think-club-slow-down-create-a-space-to-think-with-the-zentangle-method-mindful-doodling/

Today's episode is about becoming an accidental Olympics journalist in midlife with Alison Brown. Alison Brown is the co-host and co-producer of Keep the Flame Alive, the smart and fun podcast for fans of the Olympics and Paralympics. The podcast has been accredited by the USOPC for Beijing 2022, Paris 2024, and Milano-Cortina 2026. Learn more: https://suzyrosenstein.com/podcast/ep-444-becoming-an...

Today's episode is about managing fear of change and a midlife career transition from finance to interior design with Darlene Malaney. I originally interviewed Darlene on my sister's podcast, Women in the Middle® Entrepreneurs. Today I'm sharing this episode here on the Women in the Middle® Show because Darlene was also a client in the Women in the Middle Academy; she also shares her midlife caree...