Midlife with Brooke

In today’s deeply thoughtful episode of Midlife with Brooke, Brooke Oniki sits down with her son-in-law Eli for an honest, heart-centered conversation about joining a new family, navigating faith differences, and learning how to meet in the middle with patience, curiosity, and love.

Eli shares what it felt like to join a close-knit family, how he and Megan have blended their different backgrounds, and why creating safety—not sameness—is what builds real connection. Together, Brooke and Eli talk about balancing traditions, respecting individual perspectives, and strengthening family relationships through genuine admiration and openness.

This is a meaningful conversation for any mom who wants to better understand her adult children and their spouses, soften old expectations, and cultivate warmth and trust across generations.

You’ll hear:

• What helps a new in-law feel welcomed and included
• Why being interested is more powerful than being impressive
• How to talk about faith differences without pressure or fear
• How to balance old traditions with new dynamics
• What helps adult children and their spouses feel respected and safe
• Why curiosity builds connection and expectation breaks it

Reflection Prompts:

• Where can I soften expectations and lean more into curiosity?
• How can I show admiration for the unique gifts my child’s spouse brings into our family?
• What assumptions about faith or family culture might I need to release?

The Holiday Bundle 2025 is officially LIVE!

Brooke created 18 short, powerful videos (2–8 minutes each) to help you not just plan the holidays—but feel better during them. These videos are divided into three supportive sections:

Planning: gift giving, routines, and letting go of past expectations

Thought Work: managing your emotions, letting others own theirs, working through disappointment

Nervous System Support: tools to help your body and mind stay regulated when emotions run high

There’s no class to attend and no long time commitment—just clear, practical support you can listen to anywhere, anytime.

👉 Get the Holiday Bundle here:

https://subscribepage.io/HolidayBundle

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The holidays are meant to be joyful—but for many midlife women, they can also bring stress, pressure, and emotional overwhelm. In this thoughtful and practical episode of Midlife with Brooke, Brooke Oniki shares one simple mindset shift that can transform how you experience family gatherings, unmet expectations, and tricky moments with adult children or in-laws.

Brooke introduces the powerful tool “This Is the Part Where…”—a phrase that helps you move from reactivity to calm, drop resistance, and step into acceptance with compassion. You’ll learn how to use it in real time to stay grounded when people, plans, or emotions don’t behave the way you hoped.

You’ll learn:

• How to interrupt the thought “This shouldn’t be happening”
• Why naming a moment (“This is the part where…”) pulls you out of emotional spiraling
• How to navigate family patterns without taking things personally
• Simple examples you can apply immediately during the holidays
• Why most holiday tension comes from our expectations, not from the people we love

Brooke teaches how letting go of the inner fight creates more peace, presence, and genuine connection—so you can enjoy the moments you work so hard to create.

Brooke has created 18 short videos (2–8 minutes each) to help you not just plan the holidays—but feel better during them. These videos are divided into three sections:

Planning: gift giving, routines, and letting go of past expectations

Thought Work: managing your emotions, letting others own theirs, working through disappointment

Nervous System Support: tools to help your body and mind stay regulated when emotions run high

There’s no class to attend and no long commitment—just clear, practical support you can listen to anytime, anywhere.

Want to be the first to know when the bundle goes live this Wednesday?

👉 Join the Newsletter and you’ll get the latest updates:

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/f7o6w8

Explore coaching, podcast resources, and upcoming workshops:

www.brookeoniki.com

Get two private bonus podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife
• 👉 https://www.subscribepage.com/summitadd

Schedule your free one-on-one coaching session with Brooke:

👉 https://calendly.com/brookeoniki/life-coaching-session-with-brooke-oniki

What if you stopped waiting for permission to rest, celebrate, or do what lights you up—and simply started giving yourself that permission every day?

In this soulful solo episode of Midlife with Brooke, Brooke Oniki shares the origin story of Brooke Fest—a playful birthday-week tradition that became a way of living with intention. Through warm storytelling and faith-centered reflection, Brooke invites midlife women to honor their needs, create rhythms of joy, and live from emotional and spiritual abundance.

You’ll hear:

• The heartwarming story behind Brooke Fest
• How to move from guilt and obligation to joy and intentionality
• The difference between healthy desire and fear-based craving
• Simple ways to fill your days with what truly lights you up
• Why giving yourself permission creates more peace, connection, and fun

Reflection Prompts:

• What simple things fill me up or make me feel most alive?
• Where am I waiting for permission that I could offer myself today?
• How can I bring more lightness and celebration into ordinary days?

✨ Stay Connected with Brooke

Get weekly encouragement, emotional wellness tools, and podcast extras:

👉 Join the Newsletter

🌐 Learn More

Coaching, workshops, and resources: www.brookeoniki.com

✨ Bonus for Listeners

Two private bonus podcast episodes for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained (with NP Gretchen Fors)
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife (with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill)

👉 Get Access: https://www.subscribepage.com/summitadd

✨ Want personalized support?

Book a free one-on-one coaching session:

👉 Schedule Your Call

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship can be one of the most tender—and sometimes tricky—connections to navigate. In this heartfelt and honest conversation, Brooke Oniki sits down with her daughter-in-law to talk openly about what they’ve both learned in seven years of sharing family, faith, and life together.

Mallory, the creator behind the popular food blog The Palatable Life and author of Cookie Club: 80 Creative Cookies to Make, Swap, and Share, shares her perspective on joining a close-knit family, learning new traditions, and finding her place as both a daughter-in-law and now a mother herself. Together, she and Brooke explore what has made their relationship grow stronger over time—honesty, patience, and a lot of grace.

You’ll hear:

• What helped Mallory feel loved and included when she first joined the family
• How Brooke learned to let go of fear and comparison as a new mother-in-law
• Real talk about boundaries, assumptions, and unspoken expectations
• Why humility and curiosity on both sides make relationships thrive
• Tips for building healthy, lasting connections between in-laws and extended family

This episode is a beautiful reminder that every family relationship—especially new ones—takes time, intention, and a willingness to see each other with compassion instead of judgment.

Reflection Prompts:

• How can I create more safety and openness in my in-law relationships?
• Where might I need to release assumptions or expectations?
• What would it look like to show curiosity instead of control?

✨ Explore More from Mallory:

• Follow her on Instagram → @thepalatablelife
• Order her cookbook → The Palatable Life Cookbook

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Get instant access here → Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want one-on-one support from Brooke Oniki?

Schedule a consult call here: Book Your Call

Every parent wonders when (and how) to give advice to their adult kids—and when to stay quiet. In this heartfelt episode of Midlife with Brooke, Brooke Oniki sits down with her daughter Megan for an honest, funny, and deeply insightful conversation about what it’s really like on both sides of that question.

Megan, age 24, shares her experiences navigating early adulthood—marriage, moving across the country, starting a career—and what’s actually helpful (and not so helpful) when parents offer advice. Together, she and Brooke unpack the unspoken dynamics between parents and grown children, including the emotional balance between wanting to help and needing to let go.

You’ll learn:

• When advice feels supportive—and when it feels controlling
• Why timing and tone matter more than the “perfect” words
• The difference between fixing and listening
• How parents can show love and confidence without overstepping
• Real-life examples of what actually builds trust and connection

This is a must-listen episode for any mom learning to navigate her changing role in midlife and wanting to keep strong, lasting bonds with her adult children.

Reflection Prompts:

• Do I give advice to ease my discomfort, or because my child asked for it?
• What would it look like to listen longer and advise less?
• How can I show confidence in my child’s ability to figure things out?

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Access them here → Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want personal support from Brooke Oniki?

Schedule a conversation with Brooke to learn ways you could work together: Book Your Call

Every missionary has a story—but few tell it with as much honesty, humor, and heart as Brooke Oniki’s youngest daughter, Kaitlyn. In this moving and insightful conversation, Brooke and Kaitlyn sit down to talk about what missionary life is really like: the highs, the heartbreaks, and everything in between.

From the day she opened her mission call to her final transfer home, Kaitlyn shares what she learned about faith, obedience, emotional resilience, and love. Together, she and Brooke explore how parents can better understand and support their missionaries—without pressure, guilt, or unrealistic expectations.

You’ll hear:

• The real emotions behind opening a mission call and adjusting expectations
• How to support missionaries who struggle—with honesty, not pressure
• Why obedience isn’t about rule-following, but about love and intention
• What companionships, loneliness, and growth actually look like in the field
• How Kaitlyn learned to love the people she served—and herself—in deeper ways

This is a candid, grace-filled conversation for parents, returned missionaries, and anyone preparing to send a loved one into the mission field. You’ll come away with a better understanding of how to walk beside, not ahead of, your missionary—and how to let love, not fear, guide the journey.

Reflection Prompts:

• How can I better support my missionary without trying to control their experience?
• What pressure or expectations might I unknowingly place on them?
• How can I keep our connection strong while honoring their independence?

✨ Free Workshop for Parents of Adult Children:

Join Brooke for her free class, Bridges, Not Walls: Building Stronger Bonds with Your Adult Children.

Learn how to communicate with more peace, reduce tension, and stay close—even when you don’t always agree.

👉 Save Your Spot Here

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Get instant access here → Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want to talk with Brooke one-on-one?

Schedule your free coaching session here: Book Your Call

When someone you love starts to question their faith, it can stir up deep emotion—sadness, confusion, fear, and sometimes even guilt. In this tender follow-up to her heartfelt conversation with her daughter, Allie, Brooke Oniki shares what she’s learning about faith, love, and agency as a mother walking that road with grace.

Brooke opens up about the real, human process of holding two truths at once: feeling sadness when things look different than she expected, while also feeling peace and hope in God’s timing. Through scripture, reflection, and personal experience, she shares how she’s learning to model her heart after the Father in the parable of the prodigal son—honoring agency, keeping her heart soft, and trusting that love always leads the way.

You’ll hear:

• The difference between clean pain and dirty pain—and why understanding both brings healing
• What it looks like to love your child without trying to control their spiritual path
• How to keep “the waters warm” and the bridge intact when connection feels uncertain
• Insights from the parable of the prodigal son and how it models divine, unconditional love
• Why agency isn’t a problem to fix—it’s a sacred part of God’s plan

Brooke reminds us that while we can’t choose our children’s paths, we can always choose the state of our own hearts. Loving like the Father means staying soft, open, and ready to run toward connection whenever it comes.

Reflection Prompts:

• What emotions come up for me when my loved one’s faith looks different from mine?
• How can I honor their agency while still staying connected?
• Am I holding space for love—or clinging to fear and control?

✨ Free Workshop for Parents of Adult Children:

Join Brooke for her free class: Bridges, Not Walls: Building Stronger Bonds with Your Adult Children.

Learn how to communicate with more peace, reduce tension, and stay close even when you don’t always agree.

👉 Save Your Spot Here

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Get access here → Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want help navigating faith and family transitions?

Schedule a free one-on-one coaching session with Brooke here: Book Your Call

What do you do when someone you love starts to question their faith? How do you stay connected, curious, and loving when your beliefs—and even your choices—don’t line up anymore?

In one of the most honest and heartfelt episodes yet, Brooke Oniki sits down with her daughter, Allie, for a vulnerable conversation about faith transitions, parenting adult children, and learning to lead with curiosity instead of fear.

Together, they share their real-time experiences navigating faith differences with grace, humility, and compassion. There are no scripts, no easy answers—just love, honesty, and the desire to understand each other more deeply.

You’ll hear:

• Allie’s candid faith journey—from “the good girl” to finding her own spiritual voice
• What helped her feel safe talking about questions and doubts
• How fear can shut down connection—and what curiosity opens up instead
• Why validation and listening matter more than fixing or preaching
• How Brooke is learning to love and stay close, even when beliefs differ
• What it looks like to build trust and talk about faith without pressure, guilt, or panic

This conversation is a raw, real look at what it means to love your adult children through faith transitions and big life questions. It’s an invitation to sit in the discomfort, stay open, and trust that love really is stronger than fear.

Reflection Prompts:

• Where am I responding to my child or loved one from fear instead of curiosity?
• What would change if I truly believed they want a relationship with me?
• How can I make space for hard conversations without trying to fix or convince?

✨ For Parents Navigating Faith and Family:

Brooke’s coaching helps midlife women strengthen emotional resilience, deepen faith, and rebuild connection with their adult children. Schedule a free one-on-one session here: Book Your Call

Or email your questions or comments to me at [email protected].

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Want to hear more honest conversations for women in midlife?

Get Brooke’s two private bonus podcast episodes:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Access them here → Get the Bonus Episodes

Parenting doesn’t end when your kids become adults—but the rules change. In this heartfelt episode of Midlife with Brooke, certified life coach Brooke Oniki shares her personal journey of learning to parent adult children with love, respect, and faith.

Interviewed by fellow coach Sara Payne, Brooke opens up about her own transition into the empty nest years, the pain of letting go, and the joy of creating new, healthy connections with her grown children. She shares five powerful secrets that will help you strengthen your bond with your adult kids without control, guilt, or fear.

You’ll learn:

• Why having “your own stuff” (purpose, passions, interests) matters for healthy connection
• How to check in with your motivations before reaching out
• The difference between listening to fix and listening to understand
• How to receive feedback from your kids with curiosity instead of defensiveness
• Why believing in your children’s ability to figure life out is one of the greatest gifts you can give them

Brooke also shares personal stories of moments when she wanted to push her agenda—but instead chose trust, listening, and respect, leading to deeper connection and mutual confidence.

Reflection Prompts:

• Do I have passions, projects, or callings outside of my kids that bring me fulfillment?
• When I reach out, am I motivated by love or by insecurity?
• How do I respond when my kids share feedback that stings?
• Where can I show more belief in my adult child’s capacity to grow?

✨ Free Resource from Brooke Oniki:

Watch Brooke’s free video workshop on How to Stop Having a Manual for Your Kids—a step-by-step guide to letting go of rigid expectations and creating more peace in your relationships. Available at www.brookeoniki.com

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two bonus private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Get instant access here: Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want personal support?

Schedule a free one-on-one coaching session with Brooke here: Book Your Call

When the kids leave home—or even as they grow more independent—it’s common for women in midlife to ask: What now? After decades of pouring energy into raising families, many women feel both excited and unsure about the next chapter.

In this empowering episode of Midlife with Brooke, Brooke Oniki talks with Bonnie Wiscombe, online business coach and certified life coach, about how women can rediscover themselves, step into new callings, and create meaningful impact in the “mission phase” of life.

Bonnie shares her own story of raising ten children while building businesses online, and how she now helps women explore what lights them up in midlife—whether it’s starting a business, launching a nonprofit, or simply reconnecting with passions they’ve put on hold.

You’ll learn:

• Why midlife isn’t the end of your story—it’s the beginning of a new chapter
• How to reframe “empty nest” as a mission phase full of opportunity
• Practical steps to rediscover who you are and what you love
• Why it’s okay (and even necessary) to look foolish and try new things
• How to balance education, work, and rest in every phase of life
• The importance of entertaining new dreams, even if you never thought they were possible

Reflection Prompts:

• What did I love as a child that I might explore again now?
• If I couldn’t fail, what would I love to try?
• Where am I holding myself back out of fear of “getting it wrong”?

✨ Free Resource from Bonnie Wiscombe:

Bonnie offers a free mini-course, Start an Online Business, to help you explore different types of businesses and service opportunities that could fit your next chapter. (Link in the show notes.)

✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two deeply personal conversations just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

These bonus podcast episodes are not available publicly—you can get them delivered straight to your inbox here: Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want one-on-one support for your midlife transition?

Schedule a free coaching session with Brooke here: Book Your Call