Have you ever felt like you were working twice as hard as everyone else — just to cope? If you've ever been told you're "too sensitive," struggled with overwhelm, burnout, or that nagging sense of being different without knowing why — this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Midlife Awakening, Odilia sits down with Isobel Lepist — ADHD coach, neuro-inclusion consultant, and founder of At the Millpond — who built an extraordinary international career across the UK, Angola, Berlin, and The Hague, while privately exhausted and masked.

At 52, Isobel received a dual diagnosis of ADHD and Autism — a moment she describes as equal parts relief and grief. Relief, because her life finally made sense. Grief, for the decades spent blaming herself for neurological differences.

In this episode:

•        Why high-achieving women are so frequently missed in ADHD and autism diagnosis

•        What masking really is — and what it costs you over decades

•        How burnout is an access issue, not a character flaw

•        The link between ADHD, dopamine, impulsivity, and relationship vulnerability

•        Why "functioning" does not mean thriving

•        Practical strategies for nervous system regulation, executive function, and building a life that works with your brain

Whether you suspect you may be neurodivergent, are in burnout recovery, or simply feel like you've never quite been able to keep up the way others seem to — this conversation will leave you feeling deeply seen.

🌐 Connect with Isobel Lepist:

Website: www.atthemillpond.co.uk

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isobel-lepist-a0b72a43

Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583383604976

Novel (The Event by I.G. Lepist): Available on Amazon

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

Are your symptoms trying to tell you something? If you've been dealing with anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep, brain fog, or digestive issues in your 40s — this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Midlife Awakening, host Odilia sits down with Kate Driver — naturopath with over 25 years of clinical experience and founder of The PeriMenopause Practitioner. Kate has personally navigated perimenopause twice, overcoming nervous system dysregulation, histamine intolerance, thyroid dysfunction, and burnout. She now helps women around the world understand the root causes of their midlife symptoms — and heal naturally.

 🌐 Connect with Kate Driver:

Website: https://theperimenopausepractitioner.com/

Free Masterclass: https://kate-driver-naturopath.newzenler.com/f/the-midlife-fatigue-fix-5-day-workshop-may

Facebook Community (Perimenopause & Menopause Holistic Support): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659127120790375

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katedriver8874

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-driver-65a062bb/

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and a suicide attempt. Please take care of yourself. Support resources are listed below.

What if the darkest moment of your life became the thing that saved another mother? In this deeply honest episode of The Midlife Awakening, host Odilia sits down with Stef — mum of two, survivor of severe postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, and co-founder of perinatal wellbeing campaign Brighter Skies — for one of the most important conversations this podcast has ever had.

Stef's story begins with the traumatic induction birth of her son Harlan. Within weeks she was battling an unrelenting mental health crisis that would lead to a suicide attempt, an inpatient stay at a mother and baby unit she didn't know existed, and ultimately a mission to ensure no other family faces what hers did — alone and uninformed. She has since navigated postnatal depression a second time, and she is here to make sure no mother has to find her way through the dark on her own.

Support Resources:

• PANDAS Foundation (postnatal mental health): pandasfoundation.org.uk | Free helpline: 0808 1961 776
• Samaritans: samaritans.org | 116 123 (free, 24/7)
• MIND: mind.org.uk
• NHS Perinatal Mental Health: nhs.uk
• In immediate crisis: call 999 or go to your nearest A&E
• Brighter Skies - https://www.brighterskies.org.uk/
• Justgiving page - 

Disclaimer: The Midlife Awakening Podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only. Nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical, psychological, or clinical advice. We are not qualified healthcare professionals. Please seek support from your GP, midwife, or a qualified mental health professional if you are struggling.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

What if everything you’ve been taught about manifesting is only half the story?

In this episode of The Midlife Awakening Podcast with Odilia, I sit down with the legendary Colette Baron-Reid — intuitive, bestselling author, oracle card creator, and one of the most respected voices in the manifestation space — to talk about her brand new book, The Art of Manifesting. Colette has been practising and teaching manifestation for nearly 40 years, and what she brings to this conversation goes far beyond vision boards and positive thinking. We explore the neuroscience of why these practices actually work, what’s really blocking most women from manifesting the life they want, and why midlife might be the most powerful time to start.

In this episode we cover:

• Why “Uber Eats manifesting” doesn’t work — and what to do instead
• The difference between manifesting what you want vs. what you are
• How the nervous system is the missing piece in most manifestation practices
• The role of surrender, divine timing, and non-attachment
• Why creative practices like drawing and doodling are scientifically linked to rewiring your brain
• Colette’s extraordinary personal story — from addiction recovery and a failed music career to becoming a global spiritual teacher
• Real-life manifestation stories (including one of my own that happened 24 hours after doing an exercise from the book!)
• What women in midlife need to know about reclaiming their power and taking up space

About Colette Baron-Reid: Colette Baron-Reid is an internationally acclaimed oracle card creator, intuitive counsellor, and author of 19 oracle card decks and 8 books, including The Art of Manifesting. She has spent four decades at the intersection of spirituality, neuroscience, and personal transformation, and her work has reached millions of people worldwide.

Links & Resources:

• 🌐 Colette’s website: colettebaronreid.com
• 📲 Follow Colette on Instagram: @colettebaronreid
• 💌 Join the Midlife Awakening community on Substack: [link]

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

Dream expert and imagery therapist Bonnie Buckner — author of The Secret Mind — reveals why our nightly dreams are one of the most powerful, freely available tools for navigating midlife change. Drawing on neuroscience and ancient wisdom traditions, she shows how the brain's imagination network is more active during dreaming than during everyday tasks, and how reading your dreams can illuminate what your waking mind is too busy to hear. If you're navigating a career pivot, questioning old patterns, or craving a deeper connection to your inner knowing, the answers you're searching for may already be speaking to you every night.

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Your creativity crisis started in childhood. Researchers call it the "fourth grade slump" — when social norms kick in and imagination contracts. A dream practice rebuilds that creative muscle nightly.
• Dreaming is a workout for your brain. The imagination network is more cognitively active than the task-focused executive network. Bonnie calls it "going to the gym for our brains."
• Technology is stealing your dreams. Scrolling before bed floods your nervous system — and shows up as nightmares. Create a tech-free buffer ritual before sleep to protect your dream life.
• Dreams are an early warning system. One client dreamed of a car speeding toward a gaping hole — a perfect mirror of her unsustainable workload. The dream gave her the clarity to stop.
• The feeling is the message. Don't Google it. Stay with the emotional residue a dream leaves behind — you can talk yourself out of anything logically, but not out of something you've genuinely felt.

Links & Resources

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

What happens when the life you built no longer feels like you?

In this episode of The Midlife Awakening Podcast, I sit down with Oneika Mays, author of Sit With Me, to explore what it really means to reconnect with yourself in midlife—especially when identity, career, and relationships begin to shift.

Oneika shares her powerful journey from living a life that looked confident and successful on the outside, to confronting the anxiety, grief, and disconnection she felt within. Through mindfulness, meditation, and her work teaching inside Rikers Island, she discovered that true healing begins when we stop running—and start sitting with ourselves.

We talk about why so many of us feel more comfortable in chaos than stillness, how meditation actually works (and why it’s not about emptying your mind), and how lovingkindness can be a practical tool for anxiety, self-worth, and forgiveness.

This is an honest and deeply relatable conversation about letting go of old identities, navigating midlife change, and learning how to feel safe within yourself.

✨ In this episode, we explore:

•  Why midlife can trigger an identity crisis 
•  The hidden comfort of chaos—and how to break the cycle 
•  What meditation really is (and common misconceptions) 
•  How to manage anxiety without fighting it 
•  The power of lovingkindness (Metta) in everyday life 
•  Why safety is something you build within yourself 
•  Letting go of fear, perfectionism, and “getting it right” 

📖 About Oneika Mays:

Oneika Mays is the author of Sit With Me and a mindfulness and meditation teacher. Her work focuses on helping people manage stress, build self-worth, and cultivate compassion. She has taught in a wide range of spaces—including Rikers Island—bringing mindfulness to those often left out of wellness conversations.

🔗 Resources:

•  Website: About | Oneika Mays - Book available now.
•  Follow Oneika: Instagram

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

In this powerful episode of The Midlife Awakening Podcast, I’m joined by author and guide Meg Calvin to explore what it really means to reconnect with yourself after years of conditioning, people-pleasing, and living from obligation.

We dive into her novel There, He Holds Her, a deeply moving story that explores generational trauma, mother-daughter dynamics, and the tension between control and desire. Through storytelling, Meg shares how fiction can become a powerful tool for healing—helping women see themselves more clearly and begin to rewrite their own narratives. If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you were told to be and who you truly are, this conversation will speak directly to you.

To pre-order the Book (US listeners) : There, He holds her

For listeners outside the U.S. 🌍 If you’re tuning in from the UK or anywhere beyond the States, you can still claim the exclusive pre-order bonuses for There, He Holds Her. Here’s how it works:

1. Head to the pre-order bonus page: 👉There, He holds her
2. Choose the number of copies you plan to order, then click the “Confirm My Pre-Order” button listed under that specific tier.
3. Enter your details to lock in your bonuses and get instant access right away.

Because Barnes & Noble pre-orders are U.S.-only, this works on an honor system. You’ll receive all your bonuses right now, today, as a gesture of good faith, and simply commit to completing your book purchase on June 9th when your Amazon link arrives. No money changes hands today, just your word that you’ll grab your copy when the time comes.

On June 9th, you will receive an email with a direct link to order your copy through Amazon, available internationally.

Socials & Website
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Tik tok
Amazon

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

Have you ever felt like you just can’t keep up anymore?

Like the way you used to function — at work, at home, in life — just doesn’t work anymore… and you don’t understand why?

In this episode, I sit down with career development practitioner Narelle Vigor to unpack what’s really going on for women in midlife — and why so many of us end up blaming ourselves.

We talk about burnout, ADHD, perimenopause, and the pressure of trying to “do it all”… and why the real issue might not be you — but the system you’ve been trying to fit into.

This is an honest, validating, and at times confronting conversation about what it really means to navigate midlife as a woman today.

🔑 What We Cover

•  Why so many women experience burnout in midlife
•  The difference between capacity vs capability (this is a big one) 
•  Late diagnosis of ADHD in women
•  How perimenopause impacts your ability to function and work 
•  Why traditional career paths don’t work for women 
•  The pressure of being the first generation expected to “have it all” 
•  Why women blame themselves when they can’t keep up 
•  The importance of community and support in this season 
•  How to start rebuilding your life in a way that actually works for you 

🌿 Connect with Narelle

Narelle Vigor is a career development practitioner who supports women in midlife to rebuild their careers and lives in a way that honours their capacity, wellbeing, and values.

•  Website: www.soulcompass.life
  
  
•  Free resource: Flow – Reclaiming You (ebook) 
•  Instagram: @soulcompasscareers 
•  LinkedIn: Narelle Wallace 
• Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/soulcompasscareers/

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

In this episode, Odilia walks you through the astrology of Aries season — from the Spring Equinox on March 20th through to April 20th 2026. Whether you're new to astrology or a seasoned follower of the stars, this episode breaks down the key planetary movements in an accessible, practical way and gives you real tools to work with the energy of the month.

Astrology isn't about prediction — it's a self-development tool that helps us understand the season we're in, when to act, when to pause, and what lessons are available to us. Think of this as your monthly cosmic roadmap.

What We Cover in This Episode

•       What the Spring Equinox is and why it matters energetically

•       Why Aries season — not January 1st — is the true astrological New Year

•       How to use this energy to finally make those intentions stick

•       Venus activating Chiron: healing wounds around self-worth and money (March 26th)

•       Venus entering Taurus: pleasure, beauty, romance and financial opportunity (March 30th – April 19th)

•       Saturn in Aries: how to use discipline to ground your boldest impulses

•       Neptune in Aries: dreaming bigger and getting creative

•       Mercury going direct on March 20th — and what that means for communication

•       The Full Moon in Libra on April 2nd: releasing what no longer serves you

•       Mars entering Aries on April 9th: big energy, bigger watch-outs

•       Mercury entering Aries on April 15th: speaking up and sharing your ideas

•       The Libra New Moon on April 17th: coming back to balance and setting fresh intentions

 Connect With Odilia
Subscribe to the Newsletter & Join the Book Club on Substack

Rate & review the podcast — it helps more women find this community ♥

 This episode's closing blessing:

“May you be well. May you be happy. May you awaken with your heart and soul to your authentic self.”

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]

How do you rebuild your life after unimaginable loss?

In this episode of The Midlife Awakening Podcast, I sit down with Betsy Ronel, real estate broker, podcast host of Heavens to Betsy, and an inspiring example of resilience.

At just 40 years old, Betsy lost her husband while pregnant and suddenly found herself raising her children alone while navigating overwhelming grief. Over the next decade, she slowly rebuilt her life, faced the realities of grief head-on, and eventually started a brand-new career at 48.

But Betsy’s story isn’t just about loss. It’s about reinvention, humour, courage, and the unexpected freedom that comes with midlife.

In this deeply honest and often hilarious conversation, Betsy shares how she learned to move forward while carrying grief, why midlife is actually an awakening, and what women need to know about rebuilding their lives after trauma.

In this episode we discuss:

• Navigating grief after losing a spouse
• The truth about living with long-term grief
• Raising children as a single parent after loss
• Starting a new career in your late 40s
• Dating and relationships in midlife
• Why midlife is not a crisis but an awakening
• Healing trauma through breathwork and somatic work
• Manifestation, energy and rebuilding confidence
• The surprising freedom of your 50s

Key Takeaway

Grief doesn’t disappear. But with time, courage, and support, it can become part of your story rather than the end of it.

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PMXIxecFO3oH7yFQvmyWV

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/betsyronellifeandrealestate/?hl=en

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/midlife

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/

Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/

The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe

To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : [email protected]