Susan Ruth: Filmmaker and Podcaster on Human Connection — Staying Fully Human at Midlife and Beyond

What does it mean to stay human — really, vulnerably human — when AI, algorithms, and an endless scroll are designed to do our connecting for us? Episode 150 of The Uplifters features Susan Ruth, a filmmaker, songwriter, painter, and host of the nearly 500-episode Hey Human Podcast, in a conversation about the most courageous thing women over 40 can do right now: choose presence. For women navigating midlife reinvention, menopause life changes, and the kind of perimenopause-era identity shifts that make you question everything, Susan's story is a powerful reminder that human-to-human sameness is still our most radical resource.

In this episode, you'll learn why starting over at 40 or 50 often begins not with a plan but with a single act of connection — and how midlife women are uniquely positioned to lead that charge. Susan's journey from despair in a grocery store parking lot to nearly 500 conversations about what makes us human is a masterclass in turning pain into purpose, staying brave when it would be easier to go numb, and building a second act that refuses to look away.

What You'll Learn:

How to stay connected in midlife

Why perimenopause and midlife reinvention are uniquely vulnerable to digital sedation — and how to resist it

How women over 40 can build courage capital through creative expression and community rather than isolation

The midlife mindset shift from consuming to making — and why it changes everything

Why starting over at 40+ often begins with one small human moment, not a master plan

How women in their second half of life can use proximity and presence as antidotes to despair — and fuel for meaningful change

Key Timestamps:

0:00 — Introduction and 150-episode celebration

~3:00 — The grocery store moment that launched Hey Human Podcast

~8:30 — On seeing sameness before difference: "Evening, sister"

~13:30 — Nearly 500 episodes and what they've taught her about humans

~16:45 — On knowing who you are and why it protects you from the machine

~18:30 — The TikTok spiral: recognizing the sedative for what it is

~20:30 — Midlife fatalism vs. radical presence

~23:00 — Art as defiance: making things when the world gets heavy

~26:00 — Starting in your own backyard

~32:30 — Nominating Julia Crico

Key Takeaways:

For women over 40 navigating loneliness: Human connection is still your most renewable resource — and it often starts with showing up for one person close to home.

For midlife women in perimenopause or transition: When everything feels out of control, making something — anything — is an act of agency and defiance.

For second-act career changers and midlife entrepreneurs: You don't need expertise to start. Susan knew nothing about podcasting. She just knew she couldn't stop asking her question. Nearly 500 episodes later, she's glad she began.

"Joy is a form of rebellion. Do not be afraid of your own happiness. Be joyful — that's the gift you give to the world."

— Susan Ruth

Resources & Links:

Susan Ruth on all platforms: @susanruthism (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube)

Susan's music: Search "Susan Ruth" on Apple Music and all major streaming platforms

Hey Human Podcast: Available wherever you get podcasts

Related episodes: Susan McPherson (Ep. 85) | Mara Richards Bim (Ep. 31)

About Susan Ruth:

Susan Ruth is a filmmaker, songwriter, visual artist, and podcaster based in Los Angeles. She is the creator and host of Hey Human Podcast, a nearly 500-episode exploration of what makes us human — and what keeps us from fully becoming so. A fierce advocate for independent art and live performance, Susan has spent her career making work that insists on human connection as an act of both courage and rebellion. Find her @susanruthism across all platforms.

About Your Host:

Aransas Savas is a wellbeing and leadership coach specializing in helping women over 40 navigate midlife transitions, career changes, and second-act reinvention. With 20+ years of behavioral research experience partnering with companies like Disney, Weight Watchers, and Best Buy, she hosts The Uplifters Podcast, featuring women doing transformative work in the second half of their lives. Aransas brings both research rigor and personal experience to conversations about courage capital, midlife transformation, and building meaningful second acts.

Connect with Aransas:

Instagram: @aransas_savas | @the_uplifters_podcast

TikTok: @theuplifterspodcast

Website: theuplifterspodcast.com

YouTube: @theuplifterspodcast

LinkedIn: Aransas Savas

Facebook: Aransas Savas | Substack: theuplifterspodcast.com

Keywords:

perimenopause career change, women over 40, midlife reinvention, menopause second act, starting over at 40, women changing careers 40s, midlife transition women, second half of life, courage capital, midlife transformation, women entrepreneurs over 40, perimenopause motivation, midlife purpose women, second act career women, midlife dreams women, perimenopause fresh start, human connection midlife, midlife loneliness women, women over 40 success stories, midlife glow up, 40+ women entrepreneurs, midlife awakening women, inspiring women over 40, growth mindset women over 40, AI and human connection, staying human midlife

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