The Midlife Movement

Julia Doherty is a serial Entrepreneur whose most recent venture, Adventure Geek, came about because of her passion for hiking. In this episode, we talk about The Camino Di Santiago, goal setting, accountability, finding creative ideas and her 2023 challenge - a 2,500 mile walk along the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada Buy Julia’s Book: Once Upon The Camino de Santiago: 21 Life Lessons I Learnt from a Hike Across Spain Buy Julia’s recommendation: Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want Support Julia’s plans to hike the PCT by clicking on this link

Business woman, Kathryn came to talk to us as part of the “Life Stories” series. From having a racehorse named after her to travelling when poste restante was de riguer, pre-internet and mobile phones, to coming to terms with not having a family, join us to reminisce and be inspired. Connect with Kathryn via her website: https://www.ignitesuccess.co.uk/ If you're female, 45 plus & keen to grasp the opportunity midlife brings, this is for you. If you love someone who fits that description, this is for you too!  I'm Jo Blackwell and this podcast is part of my business, The Midlife Movement. We make the midlife transition easier through support, community & fabulous courses & resources. Our aim is to help women step into a starring role in their own lives - whatever that means to you.  email jo@themidlifemovement.com to take part. 

Introducing your host, Jo Blackwell, Writer, Photographer and the Founder of The Midlife Movement. In this solo episode, Jo recounts her personal journey through the midlife transition and how she became interested in helping other women to find their voice. You can find out more about Jo’s work via her websites: www.themidlifemovement.com and www.joblackwell.co.uk (Writing and Photography) Note: The lines by Henry David Thoreau that Jo (mis)quotes are: “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still inside them.” This is, in fact, a misquote itself, though has passed into common usage. If you're female, 45 plus & keen to grasp the opportunity midlife brings, this is for you. If you love someone who fits that description, this is for you too!  I'm Jo Blackwell and this podcast is part of my business, The Midlife Movement. We make the midlife transition easier through support, community & fabulous courses & resources. Our aim is to help women step into a starring role in their own lives - whatever that means to you.  email jo@themidlifemovement.com to take part. 

Is the nature of midlife changing as "Generation X" hits 50? Our guest this week thinks it is! Jeremi Karnell is the CEO of Truelytics, a leading business intelligence SAAS platform in the Wealth Management sector. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife Cindy, his daughter, 9-year-old Aviana, his 8-year-old son Grayson, and his 5-year-old English Bulldog Mickey. Connect with Jeremi here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremikarnell/ If you're female, 45 plus & keen to grasp the opportunity midlife brings, this is for you. If you love someone who fits that description, this is for you too!  I'm Jo Blackwell and this podcast is part of my business, The Midlife Movement. We make the midlife transition easier through support, community & fabulous courses & resources. Our aim is to help women step into a starring role in their own lives - whatever that means to you.  email jo@themidlifemovement.com to take part. 

My guest, Samantha Sutherland, describes herself as an "Abundance Activator", using tools such as numerology, EFT and biogentics.  "It’s time to let go of fear. It’s time to stop being mediocre. It’s time to unleash your potential. Using my kick ass spiritual approach to feminine empowerment I help you to unveil who you truly are." https://www.samanthasutherland.online If you're female, 45 plus & keen to grasp the opportunity midlife brings, this is for you. If you love someone who fits that description, this is for you too!  I'm Jo Blackwell and this podcast is part of my business, The Midlife Movement. We make the midlife transition easier through support, community & fabulous courses & resources. Our aim is to help women step into a starring role in their own lives - whatever that means to you.  email jo@themidlifemovement.com to take part. 

What can we, as “emerging elders”, offer during these uncertain times? I believe strongly that we all have a part to play, and that the changes we can make start with us. This episode - the first in Season 2 of the Midlife Movement Podcast - outlines 8 suggestions for how we as “emerging elders” can step up in the face of calamity, both personal and global. 1.  MODEL RESILIENCE 2. REVIEW YOUR BELIEFS 3. VARY YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION 4. SEEK OUT THOSE WHOSE EXPERIENCE OF LIFE DIFFERS FROM YOURS 5. LISTEN WITHOUT THINKING OF A REPLY 6. LET GO OF THE NEED TO BE RIGHT 7. CHECK YOUR THOUGHTS 8. KNOW BETTER, BE BETTER The transcript can be read on the blog  If you're female, 45 plus & keen to grasp the opportunity midlife brings, this is for you. If you love someone who fits that description, this is for you too!  I'm Jo Blackwell and this podcast is part of my business, The Midlife Movement. We make the midlife transition easier through support, community & fabulous courses & resources. Our aim is to help women step into a starring role in their own lives - whatever that means to you.  email jo@themidlifemovement.com to take part. 

Psychologist, Nicole Christina, has seen an increase in eating disorders in midlife women. We talk here about some of the reasons, and the forms this takes. WE talk about the pressures we face and the myth of the 10k steps goal. Nicole is also the creator and host of Zestful Aging, a lively and hugely successful podcast. Enthusiasm and passion create joy and I loved talking to Nicole about podcasting. This is the last episode of the first series of The Midlife Movement Podcast and I wanted to end on a high. We will be back in September 2020 with more engaging interviews with interesting people.  If you would like to put yourself forward or suggest someone else for an interview, please email me, jo@themidlifemovement.com

Julie Colan is on a mission to raise awareness of the importance of the pelvic floor nationally, starting from school age. Stress incontinence is something that can affect young athletes and gymnasts as well as runners of all ages. She started her company, Secret Whispers, to help women train their muscles using kegel weights, in a proven program that helps to maintain pelvic floor strength at all ages. Find out more on the Secret Whispers website  and use the code: MIDLIFEMOVEMENT for 10% off your purchase. Affiliate Disclaimer: If you buy from Secret Whispers using my affiliate link, I will receive a small payment at no extra cost to you.

Over 50s relationships specialist, Sue Plumtree, talked to me about finding her soul mate in her seventies and how she has draws on her. own experience in her coaching practice. Sue's latest book:  Open Your Heart: The 7 secrets of strong and loving relationships is available on Amazon You can buy Sue's Autobiography,  Dancing with the Mask: learning to love and be loved on her website: www.sueplumtree.com

In this episode, Jane McCourt, of "The McCourt Method" describes how serious illness and a desire to avoid surgery drove her to find alternative ways to heal, through diet. Find out more about Jane and her Clean up your Life Programme  NB: The sound quality in this recording is not as good as normal. I believe that it is "listenable to" so I've gone ahead as Jane's story is fascinating. Thank you for your tolerance!

In this episode, Emma Soos of The Women's Health clinic describes some of the problem women can experience at various life stages and how NuV Vaginal Non-surgical Laser treatment can help.

Coach Jo Thackwray talks with me about the value of coaching, and how she is enjoying spreading positivity as a host on Inspire Radio.

It was seeing her mum not know where to turn when looking after her grandpa that prompted Jessica to do something about it. She joined forces with her friend, Nancy, and together they started ElWell, an online hub dedicated to supporting people as they look after their ageing parents. They're passionate about improving quality of life as people get older, and their topics include independent living and staying active. You can check out ElWell and contact Jessica at www.el-well.com.

Sam Palmer of Midlife Makeover joins me to talk about thickening waistlines, sugar cravings and her 60 day online health and fitness transformational program, Move over Menopause! I have taken Sam's course and can whole-heartedly recommend it - and Sam - to help you get on track with health and fitness as you move through the peri-menopause years. I am delighted that she has agreed to join The Midlife Movement as a coach - Members can access her "Meno Belly" series and a new Masterclass on Movement, coming soon. You can join here: www.themidlifemovement.com/membership

A Midlife Movement Podcast first - our first male interviewee, Musician, Filmmaker and Producer, Dan Blackwell is Jo's son. They met on the family sofa to discuss how Vision, Planning, Visualisation and Self Belief drove Dan to take his 4bar Collective project to Kabul and Jerusalem - solo. And how his exploits. provided the inspiration for the creation of The Midlife Movement, Find out more about Dan and his projects on the 4barCollective Facebook page. More music - including free meditation music - can be found on the 4barCollective YouTube Channel.

Hypnotherapist and Mindfulness Teacher, Judith Hanson, has been a supporter of the Midlife Movement from the start so I was delighted when she accepted my invitation to talk about her new STOP SMOKING NOW course which goes live this month. If you have been thinking of giving up to reduce your risk of complications if you catch coronavirus, this is a great way to get help. We also talked about role models, "pivoting" in life and business and midlife challenges.  To access the FREE meditations we mention,  go to Judith's Facebook page.

My Guest this week is Performance Poet, Kezzabelle Ambler. Kezzabelle's latest book & cd are called 'Permission To Speak' available from www.kezzabelle.co.uk Her 'Weaving Words' creative writing workshops can be booked for festivals or events. Contact Kezzabelle. by email:  info@kezzabelle.co.uk or via her website.

IT Consultant, Trainer and. Coder, Georgina, is passionate. about encouraging other women. to. consider a career in technology. Checkout her club, Girls Code for would-be coders which has recently been taken online -  a move that was promoted by the current pandemic but which has had the fortuitous result off enabling more women, no matter where they are in the world, to explore what a career as a web developer can offer them. We also talked about Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, UK, where large numbers of women worked as code breakers. during World War 2.  You can contact Georgina via the Girls Code Website.

The Midlife Movement, in conjunction with Founder, Portrait Photographer Jo Blackwell, recently completed a project where women 40 plus were photographed without their make-up. On International Women's Day, 2020, at the resultant Exhibition and Book launch, we released a film featuring the 52 women who had taken part.  In it, we asked them the question: "How do you feel about growing older?" You can watch the film on the Midlife Movement website The Midlife Movement is an online resource and community for midlife women. Members enjoy courses by specialist coaches, exclusive discounts to Midlife Movement Events and monthly online community meetings - come and see what we're all about! The Midlife Movement - helping midlife women craft the life they want.

Friends, Philippa and Anu, travelled together to take part in the Face it, Own it! Portrait Project. I asked them to chat with me about their experience beyond menopause. If you'd like to find out more about bio-hacking, take a look at Philippa's website.

Graphic Designer, Trudie, took the leap into self employment when she realised that, whilst she had successfully climbed the Corporate ladder, it was propped against the wrong wall! Trudie helps businesses define their values and create clear branding messages. She has just launched an DIY Branding online course for start ups called "Brand on a Shoestring". www.brandonashoestring.com

Carol and I talk about body confidence, the fruitlessness of diets and how to empower ourselves in midlife. Find out more about Carol and her body positivity programmes.

Designer, Writer and Wellness devotee, Shiree Segerstrom shares her love of home design and her tips for creating space for self care. Find out more about Shiree's work on her website and her "Joy of Nesting" blog.

There are many reasons for chronic exhaustion. Dr Green talks to me about how we can support the function of our adrenal glands. Dr Green can be contacted by email: drsgreenrx@outlook.com The book she mentions, by Dr James Wilson, can be purchased on Amazon

Jane Lewis campaigns to educate and inform about women's vaginal health post-menopause, a hugely important subject that needs to lose its taboo status. In this episode, Jane explains the importance of knowing what is normal and what to do if you notice changes - including repeated urinary tract infections. Essential Buy: Jane's book on Amazon here. You can follow Jane on Instagram

Philippa talks about the role of oxidation in the ageing process and how we can "bio hack" our bodies with nutrigenomics.

Clair is a Weight Loss Mindset Coach - helping women get to the root cause of over eating. In this episode, Clair shares her own story with us and sheds a little light on why we overeat.  "I help women in midlife learn how to love their relationship with themselves and find freedom around food so that they can end emotional eating and lose weight for good." You can find out more about Clair's work on her website.  Join her Facebook Group here.

In this episode, Laurel O'Sullivan shares with us how she uses astrology to help her clients navigate change. A former Lawyer, Laurel calls herself a "soulful pragmatist". You can find out more about her work here: www.laurelosullivancoaching.com

For this week-before-Christmas podcast, I asked my sisters, Sally and Caroline, to chat with me about memories of our childhood Christmases in the sixties and seventies.  Wishing you the kind of Christmas that makes your heart happy. x 

Elizabeth tells us how she recovered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome step by small, consistent step. By putting self care first,  she is able to manage her condition and live a life more aligned to her values, something she now tea he's other women as the Female Success Coach. You can read Elizabeth's story, together with many others, in the book "Believe you can Live a Life you Love at 50 plus"

Consulting Pharmacist, Dr Green and I talk frankly about the fluctuations in sex drive we can all experience, and what can be done to help when our libido leaves the building. I must confess, I come from a background where we didn't even have proper names for our intimate areas, so I hope you can forgive my irreverence when I fumble around for my words! I hope this chat helps anyone listening who is mourning the loss of their libido. Dr Green can be contacted by email: drsgreenrx@outlook.com Click heere to find out more about Fabuvag, which can be bought online.

Author, Broadcaster and Blogger, Suzi Grant is embracing the third age of her life and living it to the full! In this broadcast, Suzi describes how, after a successful and glamourous TV career, retirement was never really on the cards - she has too much to do!  Suzi Grant is an Author, Broadcaster & Founder of Alternative Ageing: a successful blog for the Over50s.  After a career in TV, Radio and writing health books, Suzi retired at 60. By 65 she had started the blog to help spread her positive ageing message, on a mission to inspire women to grow older looking good and feeling great and to never feel invisible or irrelevant. Her blog, YouTube channel and social media platform are a mixture of fashion & style, health & ageing, with plenty of travel & lifestyle thrown in. She regularly appears in the media, podcasts and major brand campaigns to represent this important demographic. There are few 69-year-olds who could claim to be so successful on social media, with over 23 thousand followers on Instagram alone (half of whom are under 40!).  You can follow Suzi's vibrant instagram feed, her weekly YouTube vlog and the Alternative Ageing Blog. Buy her book, Alternative Ageing, on Amazon or on her website.

Retired doctor, Jane Durston shares her own experience of workplace stress and depression and how she now helps others recognise and recover from burnout.  Find out more about Jane and the services she offers on her website: www.yourlifebalancedoctor.com

Jan describes how she has navigated losing her husband, David, to Motor Neurone Disease. She now works as a Trustee for the Motor Neurone Association, using her knowledge and experience to help others going through the same ordeal.

Like many midlife women, Anne has turned what might have been a crisis into a huge opportunity. Redundancy has given her the chance to develop the work she loves - helping busy owners to "master the digital maze"! www.masterthedigitalmaze.co.uk

Author, Speaker and Healer, Caroline Palmy, talks to Jo about her emotional journey to self acceptance, and how learning to love and care for ourselves can free us to live our most fulfilled life yet. You can find out more about Caroline and her work on her website Buy Caroline's books on Amazon: "Conversations With Me: How going through a divorce has helped me reconnect with myself again" 

The Back to 60 Campaign recently took the UK Government to court over the decision to raise the pension age for women born in the 50s and 60s. At the time of this conversation, the case was in judicial review. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled for the Government. as the aim is to bring women's pension age in line with men's. The campaign's argument regarding the fairness of the speed of the changes does not seem to have been addressed. Campaigner, Carol May, explains what is happening, and why women should take control of their own finances at whatever age or stage they are at.

Psychotherapist, Vanessa Wallace, introduces the course she has put into The Mid-life Movement Membership called "From Worrier to Warrior". Find out more about Vanessa's Anxiety and Depression Recovery Retreats.

Have you ever considered self employment? After being made redundant at 48, Colleen leapt into entrepreneurship and onto the roller coaster of self employment. Realising that what she learned could help other women, she launched "Scrappy Frontier" where she guides women 50+ to get their first business off the ground. www.scrappyfrontier.com The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

On 24th September, The Midlife Movement was featured on The BBC Regional Evening News. Specifically, the. Portrait Project, Face it, Own it! was the subject of the segment. This Project aims to show the natural beauty of women 40 plus - without make-up.  Of course, this meant that I had to appear on National TV without make-up myself, which threw up a lot of issues for me around visibility, worthiness and fear of judgement.  In this episode, the two Midlife Movement members I invited to take part in the segment, Lucy Boulter and Jane McCourt, chat with me about the day, how it felt to be exposed to the glare of the camera and how they feel about their appearance in midlife.  If you are a woman 40+ who would like to take part, you can upload your no make-up selfie. quickly, easily and securely on the website: www.themidlifemovement.com/face-it-own-it

Teacher, Sara Austin, talks about how her teenage daughter's growing interest in skincare and make up inspired her to start researching into the effects of toxic products on ourselves and the environment.  Sara can be contacted via her Tropic website. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Health Expert, Sam Palmer explains why, in Midlife, Exercise is less about gaining flat belly and more about mortality. Sam has just opened the doors to her new, 6 month programme,  "Midlife Makeover" - check it out here: www.midlifemakeover.co.uk The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Midlife Movement Member, Julie Winzar, talked to me about how she dealt with her son leaving home for University and how she is starting to re-feather to her empty nest. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

In this conversation which took place during The Midlife Movement Membership launch week, I ask Sarah, what is style? Plus she tells us about her "Wardrobe Wow" - a course created especially for The Midlife Movement. www.sarahgrayimage.co.uk To find out more about the affordable Midlife Movement Membership, take a look at www.themidlifemovement.com/membership-page

This short story is dedicated to all my midlife sisters who feel unheard. Enjoy! If you are a reader rather than a listener, you can read this story on the blog. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Helen Blaby on BBC Radio Northampton was lovely and an excellent host. She's going through the dreaded flushes herself at the moment so she was keen to talk about peri-menopause. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

A quick, tongue-in-cheek round up for the life lessons I learned at 50. What did you realise for the first time at 50? This article originally appeared in Female First on 2nd July 2019. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Coach and Bestselling author, Chinmayi Dore, talks to us about emotional and binge eating and how she helps women find freedom from the destructive cycle of yo-yo dieting through her "Body Magic" Programs. Chinmayi's "Beat the Binge" course will soon be live in the membership. In the meantime, you can find out more about her work on her website. You can buy Chinmayi's Book, "Body MAGIC - a Blissful End to Emotional Eating" here. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

A 5 minute listen, no guest, just. me reading a letter I wrote to my younger self. What would you write? You can find this and other letters in my book, Oh Crap - I'm 50! A Journey from Fearful to Fabulous (Sometimes) Available on Amazon The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Kerry Sheldon-Jones is the Director of The Equilibrium Clinic in Shropshire, a private practice offering Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). In this episode, she describes some of the more troublesome side effects of the peri-menopause and explains both what is happening in the body, and how BHRT can help. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Julie Dennis is a Menopause at work Trainer, delivering workshops and training solutions to women, managers and the workforce as a whole. www.juliedennis.net Symptoms of the Peri-Menopause such as brain fog, causing difficulties with concentration and memory, impaired word retrieval, anxiety, hot flushes and sleeplessness can severely impact on a woman's confidence in the workplace. Half of the British workforce are female, 3.5 million of those women are aged 50 and over. Studies shown that 75% experience symptoms that are attributable to the perimenopause, 50% feel those symptoms have adversely affected their performance at work with 25% actively considering leaving their roles as a result. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Dawn talks to Jo about how working with our breath can help us to feel less anxious and more alive.  At 10.36 she takes us through a quick and simple breathing exercise that can be used at any time to help regain calm. (Don't listen whilst driving!) www.dawnwrightyoga.co.uk The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Susan Royle moved away from her successful career in the city after a gradual realisation that life in the corporate world was no longer fulfilling for her. In this episode, Sue describes how she made the leap into self employment and why she is now experiencing more happiness despite having a lower income. Find out more about Sue's Retreats here: Harmonisation Retreats The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Singer and Singing Coach, Sophie Garner, popped along to share her philosophy on the therapeutic value of singing. Talking about her work with brain injury and her Masters Degree studies, she explains why we should sing with our loved ones if they have dementia. www.sophiegarner.com The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Listen as I beard the lionesses den on the Badass Women's Hour on TalkRADIO! I was thrown at the start when they announced that I'd written "the definitive book on coping with a modern midlife crisis" - I haven't, though now I feel I ought to! And I was discombobulated when the 38 year old host talked about having a midlife crisis at 29... did I hold my own? You be the judge... This interviewed aired on 22nd June 2019 on The Badass Women's Hour The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Introducing the Contributors - Transformational Mindset Coach, Vivienne Joy. www.she-enjoys.co.uk Vivienne is a Motivational Influencer, helping stuck or start-up Business Owners, Executives & Teams to get ‘un-stuck’. She provides mentoring, public speaking, workshops & laser breakthrough Coaching for both businesses and individuals. A Master Connector with a passion for business networking, she simply loves building relationships, making change happen and inspiring others to achieve success. In this interview from Launch week, Vivienne talks about the course she has created for The Midlife Movement: 7 Steps to Stress Less. The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Style Coach, Lisa Newport, talks to Jo about why fashion is fleeting, but style is ageless, and about her approach to “comfydence”! You can find out more about Lisa and her services on her website: Lisa Newport The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com

Jojo is celebrating her 6th year of sobriety. She had a wake-up call at 53 after suffering a stroke but remained in denial about her dependency on alcohol. Being reunited with her sister after 34 years was a life changing intervention. She finally acknowledged the dysfunctional relationship she had with alcohol and set out on her path to recovery. She is now a transformational coach, author and motivational speaker who has transformed her world of, in her words, shame and pain into one of purpose and joy. You can buy Jojo's book, Happy and Sober on Amazon:  https://amzn.to/30Q2yVo Read more about Jojo's story and her coaching plans here: Silverbird Sobriety: https://linktr.ee/JojoBailey The Midlife Movement helps women figure out what's next in midlife. Join us in the membership for courses by world class coaches, inspiration and community: www.themidlifemovement.com