In this episode:
midlife changes, major life transition, starting over at 40, career change in midlife, relationship shift, rediscovering self, big life decisions

Episode Summary:

Sometimes the biggest changes in life don’t look like breakdowns—they look like breakthroughs in disguise.

In this replay episode, I’m sharing the messy, honest, and deeply human side of navigating big change in midlife. Whether it’s a new career, a relationship ending, kids growing up, or just waking up and realizing the life you’ve built no longer fits… this episode will remind you that you’re not broken. You’re just being remade.

We talk about the pull to keep going and keep achieving—even when something deep down says, “This isn’t it.” I open up about what it felt like to walk away from a career I built my identity around, what it took to listen to my intuition (after years of ignoring it), and why midlife is exactly the right time to get honest about what you really want.

If you’re facing a change—or feeling like you need one—this episode is your permission slip to stop asking for permission.

In this episode:

• Why “starting over” in midlife doesn’t mean you’ve failed
• The cost of staying in a life that no longer fits
• How to tell the difference between fear and intuition
• The stories we carry about who we’re supposed to be
• What happens when you stop living for others and start living for yourself

Ready to make your next chapter your best chapter?
Spots are still open for the Best Life Retreat in October. Come join a group of high-achieving, soul-searching women as we rewrite the rules of midlife—together. [Link to retreat page]

Loved this episode?
Share it with a friend who’s staring down a big change and needs a reminder: It’s never too late to become the woman you were always meant to be.

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In this episode:
midlife burnout, high achievers, success trap, midlife coaching, feeling unfulfilled, chasing success, overachiever exhaustion, redefining success in midlife

Episode Summary:

Do you ever feel like no matter how much you achieve, it’s never quite enough? Like you’ve ticked every box, reached every goal, done all the things “right”… and still find yourself wondering why it doesn’t feel better?

In this replay episode of The School of Midlife Podcast, we’re getting honest about the real root of that nagging feeling that you’re running out of time or still not doing enough. Spoiler: It has nothing to do with what you’ve accomplished—and everything to do with why you’re chasing it.

I’ll take you behind the scenes of my own pattern of perpetual achievement (and exhaustion), and share the insight that helped me break free: “Success without fulfillment isn’t success—it’s burnout with a nicer resume.”

If you’re a high-achieving woman who feels like she’s always in pursuit of the next big thing, this one’s for you.

In this episode:

• Why so many high achievers feel perpetually unsatisfied—even after big wins
• How the “what’s next?” reflex keeps us stuck on the hamster wheel of proving
• The difference between ambition and addiction to achievement
• What it really means to define your version of success
• How to know when you’ve hit your enough—and stop moving the goalpost

Ready to live your best life in midlife (without burning out to get there)?
Join me this October for the Best Life Retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho. Together, we’ll rewrite the rules and build your version of a deeply fulfilling life. Click here for more information!

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 Forget “New Year, New Me.” In this episode of The School of Midlife podcast, Laurie makes the case for why August (or early September) is actually the best time to reset your habits, routines, and priorities—way better than January’s cold, dark, post-holiday slump. She unpacks the natural cycles of rest, planting, growth, pruning, and harvest, and shows you how to use this season’s momentum to reflect, realign, and make intentional changes. You’ll learn why working with nature’s rhythm makes change easier to sustain, how to identify what’s thriving in your life (and what needs pruning), and how to plant one meaningful seed that will be rooted before the holiday chaos hits.

Whether you’re sipping iced tea on the porch or getting kids ready for school, this is your invitation to start your “new year” now—while the light is golden, the energy is high, and the possibilities are ripe for picking.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why January is the worst time for big life changes
• The natural rhythm of seasons—and how they apply to your goals
• The power of pruning: letting go of what’s draining you
• How to define your own “harvest” in midlife
• One small, intentional step to start right now

Links & Resources:

• Connect with Laurie on Instagram: @SchoolofMidlife
• Learn more about the Best Life Retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho

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This week, I'm sharing one of the most-loved episodes of the School of Midlife Podcast—because it’s just that important. And, because life is lifing (hello, packing chaos and writing deadlines), I’m walking my talk and letting this replay stand in its power.

We’re diving into the concept of Adult Dreams—and why so many of us in midlife wake up realizing we’ve been living the life our fifth-grade self dreamed up. Or worse, the one someone else dreamed for us. It served us for a while… until it didn’t.

In this episode, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my own wake-up call—the moment I walked away from the law (and a partnership at a prestigious firm) because I finally admitted: I was living a dream that wasn’t mine anymore.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “Is this it?”
• “I should be happy, so why do I feel stuck?”
• “What do I really want now?”

Then this episode is your permission slip to pause, reflect, and start dreaming again—from where you are now, not where you started.

Inside this episode:

• The story of my fifth-grade courtroom debut (and wardrobe priorities)
• Why high-achieving women so often feel stuck in midlife
• What it means to dream an “adult dream”—and why it’s not too late to start
• How to start rewriting your success story in midlife (without burning your life down)

Mentioned in this episode:
🎟️ The Best Life Retreat (October in Sun Valley!) – come spend a weekend creating your own next chapter. Space is very limited.

📔 Best Life Planner – home of the daily 5-10-5 practice I swear by

Let’s connect:
If this episode resonated with you, let me know! Screenshot your favorite moment, tag me on Instagram, or slide into my DMs with what you are dreaming now.

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In This Episode: midlife burnout, high-achieving women, self-worth, chasing success, how to feel fulfilled, midlife contentment

Episode Summary

You know that feeling after you’ve finished something big—landed the promotion, crossed the finish line, or completed a huge goal—and almost instantly your brain goes: “What’s next?”

For decades, that was Laurie Reynoldson’s default. Achieve something. Celebrate for a hot minute. Then immediately start chasing the next bigger, harder, shinier thing.

But in this episode of The School of Midlife podcast, Laurie shares what happened after she finished the 29029 TRAIL Challenge—and didn’t feel the need to do that for the first time. Instead, she felt grounded. Relaxed. Proud. Content.

She explains why high-achieving women get stuck in the “What’s Next?” loop, why it never works, and how you can finally break free.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The real reason we keep chasing the next thing (and why it’s never enough)
• How ambition can become avoidance
• Why no amount of gold stars or blue ribbons will fill the void
• The three simple steps Laurie uses to break the “What’s Next?” cycle
• How to start feeling good about your life now—not someday

Big Takeaway

Resources & Links

• Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of Laurie’s 29029 TRAIL Challenge recap:
  • Ep. 125: The Mountain That Changed Me: A Midlife Woman's 3-Day Trail Challenge | Part 1 of the 29029 TRAIL Challenge
  • Ep. 124: You Didn't Come This Far to Only Come This Far: Lessons From the Final Climb | Part 2 of the 29029 TRAIL Challenge
• Grap your spot at the Best Life Retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho

Share This Episode

Know a friend who is always chasing the next big thing? Share this episode with her. It just might help her step off the hamster wheel.

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In This Episode:

midlife podcast, midlife transformation, women over 40, endurance events, personal growth, 29029 trail, everesting challenge, finding purpose in midlife, grief and growth, self-discovery journey

🎙️ Show Notes:

What happens when you voluntarily climb the equivalent of three mountain marathons in three days? You cry, curse, question your life choices… and maybe, just maybe, find out what you’re really made of.

In this episode of The School of Midlife podcast, Laurie takes us on the trail with her at the 29029 TRAIL Challenge in Park City, Utah. From a 4:45 a.m. wake-up call to a literal emotional breakdown when she realizes it’s her late father’s birthday, Laurie brings you with her—every painful, beautiful, sweaty, soul-expanding step of the way.

You’ll hear:

• How training for six months changed her body and her brain
• The emotional gut punch of racing on the anniversary of her father's retirement… the day he never got to enjoy
• The unexpected power of community on the trail (hello, Team LFG!)
• Why doing hard things on purpose is a non-negotiable part of midlife growth

This is not just a story about hiking. It’s a story about healing, honoring, and showing up for the life you say you want—even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Resources & Mentions:

• Ep. 123: The Real Midlife Crisis? Thinking You Have More Time
• Best Life Retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho

Takeaways:

• "Preparation is the event. What happens before the start line is where the real transformation begins."
• "You don’t need to be the fastest—you just need to keep going."
• "Midlife isn’t too late. It’s the exact moment you start climbing your own mountain."

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In This Episode:

midlife women podcast, 29029 event, endurance events in midlife, personal growth in your 40s and 50s, finding strength in midlife, midlife transformation, women who hike, overcoming limits

🎙️ Show Notes:

You’ve trained. You’ve climbed. You’ve cried. And you still have another mountain day ahead of you.

In this powerful conclusion to Laurie’s 29029 Trail Challenge recap, she brings us into Day 3 — the longest, hottest, most grueling stretch of the entire event. And yet… it’s also the most meaningful.

From GI issues (real talk: diarrhea at elevation is not glamorous) to the final unexpected hill before the finish line, Laurie shares every honest, gritty, and hilarious detail of how she kept moving. More importantly, she unpacks the life lessons that only show up when you push your body and soul to the limit — and still choose to keep going.

You’ll learn:

• Why you can train alone, but you finish with a team
• The truth about fear in midlife — and how to stop mistaking it for a stop sign
• Why recovery is just as important as effort (yes, even for high-achievers)
• How to stop waiting for “someday” and start living the life you say you want now

If you're in midlife and wondering what’s next — or if you're simply trying to remember who you are outside of your job, your to-do list, and your roles — this episode will move you, motivate you, and make you laugh-snort at least once.

👟 Plus: Cheese quesadillas. Porta-potties. And why trusting a fart on Day 3 is never a good idea.

Resources Mentioned:

• Part 1: The 29029 Trail Challenge Recap – Start Here
• Best Life Retreat in Sun Valley

Quotes to Share:

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Topics Covered: Midlife crisis, running out of time in midlife, living your best life now, midlife women coaching, Top 100 list

Episode Summary:

You know that insatiable urgency you feel in your 40s and 50s — the sense that you’re running out of time and need to do all the things before it’s “too late”? You’re not imagining it. But here’s what host Laurie Reynoldson wants you to know:

In this raw and honest episode, Laurie shares the story that cracked her wide open — losing her dad at 66, just five months into his retirement — and the wake-up call that made her realize someday isn’t a strategy.

You’ll learn:

• Why so many high-achieving midlife women keep waiting for “someday”
• How deferring your dreams until the kids are grown or the mortgage is paid is the real crisis
• Why the passage of time hits different in midlife — and what to do with that clarity
• How Laurie’s Top 100 List is not a bucket list, but a living blueprint for your best life
• How adding physical challenges (like her three mountain marathons in three days!) helps her live her best life, not just dream about it
• Why putting in the reps now means you won’t wake up at 65 asking, “Who am I?”

One Big Takeaway:

Your Challenge This Week:

Write down one thing you’d put on your Top 100 — not a “bucket list” thing to do before you die, but a life list thing to do while you’re alive and becoming the woman you were always meant to be.

DM Laurie your Top 100 item — she wants to hear it!

Links & Resources:

✨ Join the waitlist for the next Gap Year cohort
✨ DM “GAP YEAR” or “TOP 100” to Laurie on Instagram: @schoolofmidlife
 

Share This Episode:

Know a woman who keeps postponing her life for “someday”? Send this episode to her. We’re done waiting. Now is the time.

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🎙️ Show Notes

It’s Independence Day week — but we’re not just talking about parades, bunting, and flag cakes here. In this episode, we’re flipping the script on “freedom” and asking: What does independence mean for YOU right now in midlife?

Because let’s be honest — the world feels heavy right now. Freedoms and rights feel under threat. And while we can’t control every headline, we can take radical responsibility for what we’re no longer available for in our own lives.

In this bold, heartfelt episode, Laurie gets real about:

• The messy state of freedom in America right now (no, you’re not imagining it)
• Why midlife is the moment to declare independence from roles, rules, and work that no longer fit
• How you can break free from people-pleasing, old identities, burnout, and that exhausting “someday” lie
• The 4 biggest areas midlife women need to reclaim freedom — starting now

You’ll walk away feeling inspired, clear, and ready to ask: What do I need to declare independence from this year?

What You’ll Learn

• Why “performing success” leaves you feeling empty — and what to do instead
• The invisible roles (Fixer, Overachiever, Peacekeeper, Julie McCoy) that keep you stuck
• How to release guilt for wanting more
• The difference between “freedom from” and “freedom to”
• How living your best life boldly gives other women permission to do the same

Links & Resources

• DM “INDEPENDENCE” to @schoolofmidlife or email Laurie here to share what you’re declaring freedom from this year
• Want to join the Best Life Retreat and step away to get clear on your next chapter? Grab your spot here (only 8 spots available!)
• Share this episode with another midlife woman who’s done tolerating and ready to become more herself than ever before

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In this episode: midlife identity shift, feeling stuck, women over 40, personal reinvention, high-achieving women

✨ Show Notes:

You’ve unraveled the roles. You’ve let go of the hustle. You’ve stopped performing.

Now what?

In this raw, grounding episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie Reynoldson explores the space after the unraveling—when you’ve done the work to let go of who you’re not, but haven’t yet figured out who you really are.

If you’ve stopped being the overachiever, the people-pleaser, the approval-seeker—but feel lost in the in-between—this episode is for you.

💡 In This Episode:

• Why the midlife in-between space is wildly uncomfortable—and wildly necessary
• The myth of reinvention and why it can become just another performance
• What to do instead: a softer, sustainable way to reconnect with your real self
• The 3 most important questions to ask in midlife:
   ➤ What do you want?
   ➤ What does success mean to you?
   ➤ What does your best life actually look like?
• Why it’s OK (and necessary) to stay in the question before rushing to the answer
• A light intro to Human Design as a future tool to support identity alignment

🧭 Journal Prompts:

• What lights you up—even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else?
• What drains you—mentally, physically, spiritually?
• What are you curious about—not good at, not known for, just curious?
• When did I first learn that being high-achieving made me valuable?
• What would I do differently if I trusted who I was becoming?

🔗 Links & Resources:

• 📩 DM “BECOMING” on Instagram or email with the same subject to explore coaching
• 🧳 Join the Best Life Retreat in Sun Valley (only 8 spots available!)
• 🎧 Listen to the two previous episodes in the “I Want to Feel Like Myself Again” series:
  • 120. Feeling "Off" in Midlife? Maybe You Were Never "That Woman" to Begin With
  • 119. Midlife Feels Off? It's Not Your Hormones--It's Something Deeper

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