What happens when you’re exhausted, starving, far from home… and suddenly locked in an emotional standoff with a late‑night pizza?

Holly takes you through a hilarious midlife moment that starts with a Monster Truck show and ends with a full hour of scrolling delivery apps in a hotel room. Beneath the humor is a gentle reminder that midlife eating choices are harder, the consequences are louder, and staying committed to our health often looks far less glamorous than we imagine.

A warm, honest episode for anyone trying to take better care of themselves — even when the pizza almost wins.

A week into the new year, the sparkle has faded, the decorations are packed away, and real life is officially back. In this solo episode, Holly shares her hilariously humbling start to 2026 (including missing midnight by two minutes and a leg workout that nearly took her out) and reflects on what momentum really looks like once the magic is gone. If you’re feeling hopeful, tired, wobbly, or wonderfully steady, this gentle check‑in will meet you right where you are — and remind you that you don’t have to sprint into the new year. Forward is forward, even if your legs are shaking.

Holly and her friend, Wendy, ring in the new year with an honest, funny, and grounding conversation about Anchor Words, gentle growth, and why steady became the word that actually fits this season of life.

There’s laughter, midlife truth‑telling, and even a nod to that Rock Steady energy — the kind of rhythm you can actually keep.

If you’re entering the new year in sequins, sweatpants, or something in between, this episode is your invitation to choose a pace that feels like you and a rhythm that won’t knock you over.

In this Christmas Eve episode, Holly shares a midlife remix of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas — a playful, tender retelling for anyone navigating the beautiful contradictions of this season. With humor, honesty, and a few candlelit reflections, she invites listeners to pause, breathe, and find wonder in the messy, magical middle years.

The episode closes with a blessing for the night:

And as the candles glow softly, I whisper good cheer, I’m sending you love as this Christmas draws near.

A moment of warmth, a breath of peace, and a soft place to land as Christmas settles in.

Music: “Whispers of Snow” by AethericLicensed for use via FreeToUse MusicSource: https://freetouse.com/music

A gentle reminder that the best gifts aren’t wrapped. In this episode, we slow down long enough to notice the everyday gifts already woven into our lives — the people, moments, and memories quietly holding us together. If you’re craving a softer pace this season, this reflection will meet you right where you are.

In this week’s episode of This Middle Life, Holly reflects on the beautiful contradictions of December — the joy and the chaos, the magic and the mess. A plot twist with her dad pulls her into the heart of midlife caregiving, reminding her what really matters. Through stories of Christmas lights, imperfect timelines, and the quiet wisdom tucked into ordinary moments, she explores how small shifts in attention can soften an entire day.

This episode invites you to notice the magic already around you, to set down the pressure to keep up, and to pick up a little more peace as you move through this season.

In this first episode of This Middle Life, Dr. Holly Rusher invites you into a gentle, honest conversation about why December so often feels both magical and overwhelming. From the quiet weight of expectations to the tender ache of changing traditions, Holly explores how this season becomes a mirror for the fullness — and the fatigue — of midlife.

With warmth, humor, and grounded faith, she reflects on the invisible load so many women carry, the pressure to create a “perfect” holiday, and the real-life moments that matter far more than flawless plans. There’s even a lighthearted nod to Christmas Vacation — because sometimes December feels like that, too.

This episode also shares the heart behind the podcast: a space for women navigating midlife transitions, identity shifts, caregiving, grief, joy, and the sacred in-between places where we’re still becoming.

If December feels like too much — or if you’re stepping into something new with a shaky but hopeful voice — you’re not alone. Start here. Breathe here. You belong here.

This short trailer introduces This Middle Life, a warm, honest, faith-touched podcast hosted by Dr. Holly Rusher - educator, mom, wife and Gigi. Rooted in the experiences of women in midlife but welcoming to anyone navigating a full, complicated season of life. This podcast offers encouragement, clarity, humor, and connection. Holly shares the heart behind the show and invites Iisteners into a space where life feels a little lighter when we share it.