Your 2nd Act

Send us Fan Mail A replay of an episode where Michelle had the mic turned on her as a guest on Monique van Tulder’s podcast, How To Run Away (& Other Handy Hints for Your Next Bit). What if midlife isn’t the beginning of the end, but the start of your 2nd act? In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique sits down with Michelle Parsonage, host of the Your 2nd Act podcast and...

Send us Fan Mail ARE YOU LIVING A RICH LIFE IN MIDLIFE? In this episode, Michelle sits down with financial wellness expert Betsy Westcott to unpack why so many women in midlife feel disconnected from their finances, unsure of what they really want, and overwhelmed by the idea of taking control of their future. Together, they discuss redefining success, financial confidence, societal conditioning a...

Send us Fan Mail MICHELLE CELEBRATES 3 YEARS OF THE PODCAST WITH HER VERY FIRST GUEST! To celebrate three years of Your 2nd Act, Michelle sits down with her very first podcast guest and one of her oldest friends, Glor, to reflect on just how much life can change in three years. As Michelle and Glor revisit where life was three years ago, they open up about the unexpected emotional shifts that come...

Send us Fan Mail Stuck in midlife? Start here! Are you sick of doing what you’ve always been doing, but deep down craving something more? Maybe you know you want change, but you have absolutely no idea where to start, and honestly? That’s where so many women get stuck. In this episode, Michelle sits down with empowerment coach Maddie Ireland for a powerful and practical conversation about how to s...

Send us Fan Mail STOP OVERTHINKING IT. JUST GO FOR IT. How many times have you had an idea… and overthought it to the point where you did nothing? You go around in circles….. Where do I start? What if it fails? Am I too old for this? and before you know it, the moment passes. And the idea…. it stays exactly where it started… in your head. In this episode, Michelle is joined by Jackie Baron, who af...

Send us Fan Mail WHY I PREFER DATING YOUNGER MEN IN MIDLIFE Dating in midlife can feel like stepping into a completely different world. What happens when the way you’ve always approached relationships no longer feels right? What if trying something different opens your eyes to a new kind of connection? In this episode, Michelle sits down with Cassandra, who in her forties found herself drawn to da...

Send us Fan Mail MIDLIFE DIVORCE: MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS. Separation in midlife is something many women don’t see coming… until they’re in it. Julie knows that feeling all too well. After going through a difficult divorce, Julie found herself navigating not only the emotional side of separation but also the financial decisions that come with it, at a time when everything already feels overwhel...

Send us Fan Mail My Women’s Event Sold Out! What This Month Taught Me About Growth & Showing Up! In this solo episode, Michelle reflects on a month that made her stop and take it all in. Three years ago, this was just an idea. Now she has hosted a sold out women’s event, something she never imagined would be possible, and it has shifted how she sees herself and what she is capable of. She shar...

Send us Fan Mail STARTING OVER AT 55: THE CAMINO, SOLO TRAVEL AND FINDING LOVE At 55, Jennifer decided to start over by travelling solo and walking the Camino de Santiago, a decision that would eventually lead her to fall in love and build a completely new life in Spain. How many of us daydream about what life might look like if we took a chance on ourselves? With her children grown and life feeli...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when life forces you to stop, listen, and truly trust yourself? In this episode, Michelle chats with Sophie Bretag, whose life took a dramatic turn after a cancer diagnosis and lifesaving surgery. Sophie shares how learning to trust her intuition became central to her healing, her decision-making, and how she now lives her life. From turning 40 and questioning old exp...

Send us Fan Mail THE YEAR I CHOSE ME: WHY SELFISH IS THE NEW FREEDOM If you're a woman over 50 feeling stuck, invisible, or exhausted from putting everyone else first, this episode is for you.  Today we explore midlife reinvention, starting over at 50, and why choosing yourself isn’t selfish,  it’s freedom. In this episode of Your 2nd Act, Valerie shares how a bold “Selfish Year” at 51 transf...

Send us Fan Mail Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT… why does it all still feel so confusing? Even when you’re living it. In this episode, Michelle Parsonage admits what so many women are quietly thinking: she’s listened to the experts, read the articles, followed the conversations, and still finds herself wondering what perimenopause, menopause and HRT actually mean for her now. So instead of adding t...

Send us Fan Mail Your 2nd Act & AIO Wellness present - THE REBOOT This year, Michelle has made ‘collaboration’ a key focus, working alongside like-minded women to create meaningful conversations and experiences. In today’s episode, she’s joined by Rebecca Kaye from AIO Wellness, with whom she’s co-hosting a women’s event called The Reboot in Sydney, Australia. Michelle and Rebecca share why th...

Send us Fan Mail FROM SCHOOL PICK-UP TO SUPER YACHTS: THE MIDLIFE DJ DUO School mums by day, DJ duo by night… In this episode, Michelle chat’s with Bri and Sarah from BSide DJs, two friends who decided midlife was the perfect moment to revive a dream they left behind in their 20s. Between running their marketing agency and raising kids, they’ve carved out a whole new creative chapter, one that now...

Send us Fan Mail My 2025 Year in Review In this reflective solo episode, Michelle looks back on a year that quietly changed everything. She shares what 2025 taught her about midlife, identity, and learning to let go when life doesn’t look the way you expected. Michelle reflects on the moments that shaped the year, including her daughter leaving home, stepping away from the family business, downsiz...

Send us Fan Mail Midlife From Both Sides with Matt Elliott & Susan Pearse In this episode, Michelle sits down with former NRL coach Matt Elliott and award-winning author Susan Pearse for a powerful and honest conversation about midlife seen through both a male and female lens. Together, they unpack how differently men and women experience this stage of life, the challenges that often go unspok...

Send us Fan Mail I Gave Away All My Money…and Instantly Regretted It! Let’s be real, money talk isn’t exactly sexy. But ignoring it can lead to stress, missed opportunities, and even financial struggles, especially in midlife. Many women feel lost or overwhelmed with finances and some rely on partners to manage the complicated stuff, but that doesn’t have to be the case. In this episode, Michelle...

Send us Fan Mail My Midlife Job Reset: Finding the Courage to Try Something New! What do you do when you get tired of doing what you’ve always done and start feeling that quiet nudge to try something new?  In this week’s solo episode, Michelle shares her story of stepping away from the family business after years of familiarity, comfort, and routine and deciding to start again in a completely diff...

Send us Fan Mail We’re Starting a Women’s Circle and You’re Invited! As we move through midlife, many of us start to crave deeper connection - real, honest conversations with women who truly understand what we’re going through. In this heartfelt episode, Michelle is joined by her long-time friend Jo to talk about the power of female connection and why they’ve come together to create a new Women’s...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Season 4 of Your 2nd Act ! Michelle kicks things off with a personal solo episode, sharing the big changes she is navigating right now. From her daughter moving overseas to the decision to sell the family home, Michelle opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of letting go, embracing the unknown, and finding strength in the small daily joys that keep her grounde...

Send us Fan Mail Why are so many women being diagnosed with ADHD in midlife? and what does menopause have to do with it? In this episode, Michelle chats with Women’s Psychologist Leanne Mulheron about the rising awareness of ADHD in midlife women, and how it often overlaps with menopause. As more women begin to wonder if their symptoms are more than just hormonal changes, there’s a growing underst...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine reaching midlife and deciding to take a gap year, on your own, without your family, and without all the usual responsibilities. How many times have you thought, "I wish I could just do that," but for some reason, you don’t because you’re scared of change and the unknown? Well, today’s guest is anything but scared of having a go. Monique van Tulder took the leap....

Send us Fan Mail So many women in midlife find themselves thinking, “What happened to my sex drive?” Whether it feels like it’s gone on a long holiday or disappeared completely, it’s something that’s often joked about, but rarely talked about honestly. In this episode, I chat with Amy Campbell, a clinical psychologist, sex therapist, and author of The Mindful Sex Guide , about the very real challe...

Send us Fan Mail Instead of the kids moving out, you pack up and leave, giving them the family home while you and your partner start fresh somewhere new. That’s exactly what Sara and her husband did, and in this conversation, Sara shares how this bold move transformed her life, relationships, and business. She opens up about the unexpected benefits, from watching her son’s step into independence,...

Send us Fan Mail As we move through midlife, we often focus on the changes we’re experiencing, but what about the men in our lives? Our husbands, partners, brothers, and friends are navigating their own challenges, often in silence. In this deeply relatable conversation, Michelle speaks with Tim Hewson, founder of Mongrels Men , a groundbreaking charity supporting men’s mental health. Tim shares h...