What if you didn’t need to reinvent your life to make it better?

My guests this week are Ann and Sal, hosts of the 1% Happier and Healthier podcast, and their philosophy is wonderfully simple: instead of setting enormous goals that quickly become overwhelming, make small, achievable changes – just 1% at a time.

And they know it works because they’ve done it themselves.

After meeting as neighbours 25 years ago, Ann and Sal eventually found themselves training together at the gym. Eighteen months of gradual progress took them from small beginnings to completing a Hyrox doubles event – something Ann initially thought was completely beyond her.

But their 1% philosophy reaches far beyond exercise.

We talk about changing our relationship with alcohol as we get older, creating healthier boundaries around work, taking five minutes to stop and breathe, putting ourselves back onto our own priority list and recognising that sometimes the smallest pleasures – even drinking your morning tea from a favourite mug – can make everyday life feel a little better.

Ann also talks candidly about the transition away from a business that had been central to her identity for many years, and the question so many of us encounter in midlife: if the roles that once defined me are changing, who am I now?

We also discuss “preferment” rather than retirement, the importance of continuing to stretch ourselves as we age, and Ann and Sal’s own unexpected adventure into podcasting.

It’s a warm conversation about making change feel possible – without believing we have to change everything at once.

Because perhaps the question isn’t “How do I transform my life?”

Perhaps it’s simply: “What could I make 1% better?”

Find Ann & Sal and the 1% Happier and Healthier podcast via their social channels, and on Apple Podcasts.

And if you’re navigating your own next chapter, my book Ageing Wonderfully Well is an honest, hopeful guide to midlife and growing older:

https://geni.us/AgeingWonderfullyWell

Do you ever wake up regretting how much you drank the night before—even though, from the outside, your drinking looks perfectly “normal”?

My guest, Kate Bee, is the founder of The Sober School, an online community helping women change their relationship with alcohol without shame, labels or a lifetime declaration that they will never drink again.

Kate describes her own experience of feeling lost somewhere between “normal” drinking and the stereotypes associated with alcoholism. We explore grey-area drinking, the way alcohol has been woven into female friendship and empowerment, and why it can begin to affect us differently during perimenopause and beyond.

We also discuss:

* How to recognise when alcohol is no longer working for you

* Why moderation rules can become exhausting

* The connection between alcohol, anxiety, sleep and menopause

* Whether you need to identify as an alcoholic before choosing to stop

* Why Kate recommends a meaningful alcohol-free experiment rather than focusing on “forever”

* The unmet needs that can lie beneath the urge to drink

* Socialising and celebrating without alcohol

* How sobriety helped Kate understand her personality, values and the life she genuinely wanted

This is a warm, non-judgemental conversation for anyone who has privately wondered: Is this becoming too much?

Find Kate Bee

The Sober School: https://thesoberschool.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesoberschool/

Kate offers free guides, videos and other resources through The Sober School website.

Find Jo

My book, Ageing Wonderfully Well: https://geni.us/AgeingWonderfullyWell

Midlife & Beyond: https://joblackwell.co.uk

Important: This conversation is for general information and support, not medical advice. If you may be physically dependent on alcohol, do not stop suddenly without medical guidance, as withdrawal can be dangerous. NHS alcohol support and guidance.

Have you ever felt that something was missing—and wondered whether changing direction would finally make you happy?

Ulrika Torquato left a career in medicine to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. But even after making that enormous change, the happiness she expected didn’t arrive. What changed her life was a much quieter realisation: while she was caught up in her thoughts, she was missing the beauty already present around her.

In this warm and thoughtful conversation, Ulrika and I talk about slowing down, becoming more present and learning to notice the small moments that can easily pass us by – a bird in flight, a cup of coffee or time spent with someone we love.

Ulrika also introduces Joyering, the simple practice and web-based app she created to help us actively collect these moments. It’s a lovely, playful way to look away from other people’s lives and reconnect with our own.

We discuss:

* Why a dramatic life change doesn’t necessarily bring happiness

* The difference between experiencing a moment and merely recording it

* How our phones can disconnect us from the people beside us

* Why small moments reveal what truly matters to us

* Joyering as a gentle practice for anxiety and difficult times

* Why the small things are often the big things after all

Find Ulrika and try Joyering:

https://joyering.com

https://ulrikatorquato.com

Find more from Jo:

Book: https://geni.us/AgeingWonderfullyWell

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoBlackwell-MidlifeAndBeyondWebsite: https://www.joblackwell.co.uk

Season 8 of the Midlife & Beyond Podcast begins on Tuesday 11 August, bringing you warm, honest and sometimes moving conversations with women who have lived.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore everything from sobriety, strength and pelvic-floor health to late-diagnosed ADHD and autism, broken hearts, grandparenthood and wild new adventures.

In this short preview, I share a taste of what’s coming—along with news of a brand-new YouTube channel where you can watch the conversations and discover highlights from the podcast archive.

Put the kettle on, pull up a chair and join me for Season 8.

Neil Taylor helps families capture the stories, memories, and voices of their parents before it’s too late. After losing his own father to dementia, Neil realised how many stories had gone unrecorded – and how quickly voices and memories can fade.

In this conversation, we talk about ageing, grief, family connection, regret, memory, and why older people so often feel unseen. We also explore how understanding our parents’ lives more deeply can help us better understand ourselves.

A thoughtful and emotional conversation about storytelling, midlife, family history, and preserving the voices we love.You can find Neil and download his free question guides here:

Me and My Old Man

Why are women over 50 being overlooked at work? In this episode, Jo Blackwell and Celine Egan explore ageism, menopause, confidence, and why “second half women” may be among the most valuable hires.

Midlife parenting, letting go, and confidence. A thoughtful conversation on supporting adult children without holding them back, and rediscovering your own life beyond motherhood.You can find Randi here:https://www.randicrawfordcoaching.com/

And if this conversation resonates, my book Ageing Wonderfully Well: The Good News About Midlife and Growing Older explores many of these themes around identity, change, and what comes next:https://mybook.to/BOZjz

Menopause, hormones, and women’s health are often misunderstood. In this episode, I’m joined by Kate Magic, author of The Empowered Woman. We talk about perimenopause, post-menopause, the limits of modern wellness advice, and why this stage of life can be a powerful turning point for women over 50.

Why diets fail women over 50 and what actually works instead. A practical, empowering conversation about food, energy, inflammation, and sustainable health in midlife.Connect with Sue Ellar here: https://sueellar.com/

Planning for ageing, dementia, and independence. A practical, honest conversation about caring for parents, early warning signs, and preparing for later life.Connect with Vicki on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AgingOnYourTerms