Midrising Conversations

About Midrising Conversations

Midrising Conversations is a podcast for women navigating midlife — identity shifts, changing priorities, and the work of deciding what matters now. Hosted by Gill Townsend and Barbara Scalzi, this is direct conversation for grown-ups. No hype, no hustle, no new-you energy.

Publisher

Gill Townsend & Barbara Scalzi

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Feb 2026

Latest episode

22 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Brain Fog, Broken Gates & Saying No | Midlife This Week

   Midlife this week? Brain fog, broken gates, drinking less, saying no more often — and apparently blaming absolutely everything on menopause. Gill and Barbara catch up on what’s actually happening in their lives right now: why late nights have lost their appeal, how their relationship with alcohol has changed, the revolving door of perimenopause symptoms, forgetting conversations that may or may not have happened, and getting much better at saying no. There’s also a broken gate, an Aldi sofa-cover incident, a Bengal cat with strong opinions and one important family debate: Can you really blame everything on menopause? We think you’ll be surprised. 😂 Midrising Conversations is about what life really looks like in your 40s, 50s and beyond — careers, relationships, families, money, health, getting older, starting again and everything nobody really prepares you for. Midlife. No filter.

2. 

   14 Sept 2026

   The 25 Rule: Life, Freedom & What’s Next | Jaqui Lane

   What if life really does unfold in chapters of roughly 25 years? In this episode of Midrising Conversations, Gill is joined by publisher and corporate historian Jaqui Lane to explore her idea of The 25 Rule. The first 25 years are about growing up, learning and becoming independent. The next 25 can become a blur of careers, relationships, children, caring responsibilities and keeping everything moving. And then something can shift. Jaqui talks about reaching her 50s and feeling some of the energy and freedom she remembered from being 25 — this time with decades of experience, confidence and perspective behind her. Gill and Jaqui talk about: What shapes us during our first 25 years Why 25–50 can carry such an enormous load Careers, children and the “club sandwich” generation Why “buy help” was some of the best advice Jaqui received How life changes as children become more independent Why women can become braver and less impressionable with age Feeling the energy of 25 again, with decades more wisdom Choosing whether your next chapter becomes bigger, simpler — or both Why taking time to work out what you actually want matters The question at the heart of the episode: What do you actually want from your next 25 years? Midrising Conversations is the podcast for women in the middle of everything — real conversations about midlife, work, health, relationships, identity, reinvention and what comes next. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xZ51k7B5Rik (https://youtu.be/xZ51k7B5Rik) Midrising: https://midrising.com.au

3. 

   31 Aug 2026

   Ep. 13 - Your Head Is Too Full: 5 Questions to Clear the Noise

   Your head is full. Work. Kids. Parents. Relationships. Health. Life admin. What comes next. And probably another ten things you’ve just remembered. In this solo episode of Midrising Conversations, Gill works through five questions designed to help clear some of that noise and get clearer about what actually deserves your energy now: What’s taking up the most space in your head right now? What doesn’t need your energy right now? What feels harder than it should? What are you ready to stop carrying? What do you actually want now? Along the way, Gill talks about building a company at 50, the difference between being busy and feeling drained, quitting vaping, changing friendships, ageing family and a conversation with an old school friend who wants something very different from this stage of life: fewer responsibilities, more travel and a simpler life. You might want to build something enormous. You might want your world to become quieter. You might still be working it out. The five questions explored in this episode come from Clear Your Head, part of the Stabilise stage of the Midrising framework. Free 5-Step Reset: https://www.midrising.com.au/pages/the-5-step-reset (https://www.midrising.com.au/pages/the-5-step-reset) If You Feel Restless, Start Here – free guide: https://www.midrising.com.au/products/if-you-feel-restless-start-here (https://www.midrising.com.au/products/if-you-feel-restless-start-here) Explore Stabilise: https://www.midrising.com.au/pages/stabilise (https://www.midrising.com.au/pages/stabilise) Watch Midrising Conversations on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CPXrI8oDkyA (https://youtu.be/CPXrI8oDkyA)

4. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Ep 12 - Do We Really Need to Optimise the Sh*t Out of Midlife?

   When did being healthy become another full-time job? Midlife seems to arrive with an ever-growing checklist: eat more protein, lift weights, walk your steps, take your supplements, remember your hormones, look after your cholesterol, improve your mobility, do some cardio, sleep properly... and somehow fit all of that around an actual life. In this episode of Midrising Conversations, Gill and Barbara ask whether we really need to optimise the sh*t out of midlife. We talk protein obsession, the mythical 10,000 steps, strength training, cardio, frozen shoulders, supplements, changing bodies and the strange shift from exercising because you want to look good to exercising because you want to be strong, mobile and independent at 70, 80 and beyond. But we also get into the other side of wellness culture: what happens when looking after yourself becomes yet another list of things you feel like you’re failing at? There’s plenty of talk about perfectionism, self-compassion, longevity, tearing up the to-do list and accepting that sometimes showing up and doing something is more than enough. Because maybe midlife isn’t about becoming the most optimised version of yourself. Maybe it’s about looking after yourself well enough to actually enjoy it. This episode shares our personal experiences and opinions and isn’t intended as medical or nutritional advice.

5. 

   10 Aug 2026

   Episode 11: Midlife Is When You Stop Performing

   At some point in midlife, you stop wanting to audition for your own life. For years, we play the roles expected of us: the capable one, the successful one, the good mother, the dependable friend, the easygoing partner, the woman who always has everything under control. Then something shifts. In this episode, Gill Townsend and Barbara Scalzi talk about what happens when you start caring less about being liked, saying yes because you “should”, making yourself smaller at work, or chasing things you’re not even sure you want anymore. We talk about friendship shake-ups, FOMO, being told you’re too direct, too passionate or simply “too much”, the mental load of being the person who remembers everything, and what happens when you become so good at playing a role that you lose sight of yourself inside it. Maybe one of the greatest gifts of midlife isn’t wisdom or confidence. Maybe it’s permission. Permission to stop proving. Stop pleasing. Stop performing. And just be who you are.

6. 

   2 Aug 2026

   Ep. 10 Building Your Second Career in Your Third Chapter

   What does a career look like when you no longer feel the need to prove yourself? In Episode 10 of Midrising Conversations, Barbara puts Gill in the hot seat to talk about stepping away from a highly paid corporate role, building something of her own and redefining success in midlife. They discuss how financial independence shaped their careers, why moving sideways can be just as valuable as climbing upwards, and how decades of experience can become the foundation for an entirely new chapter. This episode explores: leaving career survival mode using transferable skills to build something new starting a business in midlife redefining ambition, success and financial independence imposter syndrome after decades of experience why starting again does not mean starting from nothing knowing when to climb another wall — and when to knock it down This conversation is for anyone questioning what they want from the next stage of their career, considering a change of direction or wondering whether it is too late to begin again. Hosted by Gill Townsend and Barbara Scalzi. Midrising Conversations is honest conversation about midlife, work, identity and everything in between.

7. 

   7 Jun 2026

   Ep 9 - Why Younger Women Are Playing a Different Game

   Why do younger women seem to be approaching life, work and success so differently? In this episode, Gill and Barbara explore what midlife women can learn from the generations coming through behind us. From boundaries and confidence to entrepreneurship, career progression and family choices, younger women appear to be playing by a different set of rules. Many aren't waiting for permission. They're backing themselves earlier, setting expectations more clearly, and creating opportunities on their own terms. But experience still matters. Gill and Barbara discuss what years of navigating careers, workplaces, relationships and life transitions have taught them, and why both generations have something valuable to learn from each other. A conversation about confidence, courage, change and the evolving role of women at work and in life.

8. 

   25 Apr 2026

   Ep 8 - You Can’t DeclutterThis With a Bin Bag

   "You can declutter your house and still feel completely overwhelmed." Because the real clutter isn't on your shelves. It's in your head. Episode 8 of Midrising Conversations. Gill and Barbara talk about the mental load women carry — the constant to-do lists, the decisions that never get made, and the invisible weight that builds up over time. This isn't about tidying up your home. It's about clearing space in your life. What we cover:• The difference between physical clutter and mental clutter• Why decision fatigue is the real exhaustion• The 46 tabs nobody talks about• What "putting it down" actually looks like• Why decluttering tools alone don't fix this Not a productivity hack. Not a tidying guide. Just two women working through what's actually weighing women down in midlife. Topics: mental load, midlife exhaustion, the middle shift, women in their 40s and 50s, decision fatigue.

9. 

   25 Apr 2026

   Ep 7 - Are You Living on Autopilot Without Realising It?

   "At some point, you realise you didn't consciously choose this life. You just ended up here." Episode 7 of Midrising Conversations. What it means to live on autopilot — and what happens when something finally wakes you up. Gill and Barbara talk about the moments that force change, the pressure to keep going when something feels off, and the real difficulty of living intentionally when life keeps moving. This isn't about having it all figured out. It's about noticing, adjusting, and asking better questions. Because maybe the real question isn't "what should I do next?" It's: am I actually happy? Timestamps:00:00 — Intro02:10 — When you realise you're on autopilot05:00 — What actually wakes you up08:30 — Losing your sparkle (and getting it back)11:00 — Trying to live intentionally (in real life)15:30 — The one question to come back to Topics: midlife autopilot, living intentionally, the middle shift, women in their 40s and 50s, identity in midlife.

10. 

    25 Apr 2026

    Ep 6 - Is This Perimenopause… or Am I Just Losing It?

    "Is this perimenopause… or just life?" Episode 6 of Midrising Conversations. One of the most confusing and least talked-about phases of midlife. Barbara shares her experience of perimenopause — brain fog, memory lapses, mood swings, hormonal shifts. Gill sits on the other side wondering why she's not feeling any of this. Two women, same phase of life, completely different experiences. That's not a contradiction — it's the truth of perimenopause that nobody talks about. What we cover:• The early signs of perimenopause (and how easy they are to miss)• Brain fog, memory loss, and the "am I losing my mind?" moment• Mood changes, irritability, and emotional shifts• Why this phase can last years, not months• The pressure to "fix" it — and why that's not always the answer• Whether this is hormones, or just part of becoming who we are now Not medical advice. Just two women working through what midlife actually feels like in their bodies — and what it doesn't. Topics: perimenopause, midlife, hormones, women in their 40s and 50s, the middle shift.

11. 

    25 Apr 2026

    Ep 5 - Losing Control - When The Old Blueprint Stops Fitting

    "Sometimes losing control isn't the crisis we fear. Sometimes it's the moment we start seeing things more clearly." Episode 5 of Midrising Conversations. Gill and Barbara talk about something most of us spend our lives trying to avoid — losing control. We build plans. Careers. Routines. Identities. All designed to make life feel predictable and stable. But at some point, life reminds us that control might have been an illusion all along. In this episode:• The moment Gill realised parenting comes with very little control• Navigating corporate restructures and job insecurity• Why career identity can become a crutch• The illusion of control in leadership and project management• Why everyone should have something outside their career• Letting go of friendships and long-held identities• How losing control can open the door to growth Not a how-to guide. Not five steps. Just two women working through what most of midlife actually feels like. Topics: midlife, control, identity shift, the middle shift, women in their 40s and 50s.

12. 

    8 Mar 2026

    Ep. 4 You Don’t Want a New Life — You Want to Feel Awake in This One

    You don’t want a new life. You want to feel awake in the one you already have. In this episode of Midrising: Real Talk, Gill and Barbara talk about the moment many women experience in midlife — when something quietly shifts and you realise the life you built doesn’t quite fit the person you’ve become. They explore: • the moment you stop recognising yourself • why many women tie their value to what they do • the courage it takes to start something new • why it’s never too late to change direction Midlife isn’t the end of the story. It might just be the start of Midrising. Topics: midlife, midrising, identity shift, women over 40, women over 50, reinvention, personal growth

13. 

    25 Feb 2026

    Ep. 3 - It’s Not Too Late: Reinventing Yourself in Midlife

    When does midlife actually begin? And who decided it means slowing down? Episode 3 of Midrising Conversations. Barbara Scalzi and Gill Townsend talk about the "it's not too late" mindset — and what real change in midlife actually looks like, beyond the reinvention narrative. This isn't about dramatic change or crisis. It's about agency. What we talk about:• The difference between midlife as a label and Midrising as a decision• Why "burning it all down" is rarely the answer — and what is• How letting go of the "safe" version of yourself can be harder than starting something new• How your body often knows before your mind catches up• What courage looks like when you're building in real time If you've ever wondered whether you missed your window — this is for you. Topics: midlife reinvention, identity in your 40s and 50s, the middle shift, agency in midlife.

14. 

    12 Feb 2026

    Ep. 2 — Identity: It’s Not a Crisis, It’s a Shift

    "I don't know who I am anymore." Episode 2 of Midrising Conversations. Gill (Australia) and Barbara (Thailand) talk about what loss of identity actually feels like in midlife — not as breakdown, but as the slow, quiet work of transition. What we cover:• When that feeling first shows up• How identity erodes through roles and expectations• The grief and relief that arrive together• Whether we're trying to get back to who we were — or starting to understand who we are now Not a five-step plan. Not a fix. Just two women working through the in-between, where most of midlife actually happens. Topics: midlife identity, the middle shift, women in their 40s and 50s, identity erosion.

15. 

    11 Feb 2026

    Ep. 1 — How We Got Here: The Start of Midrising

    Welcome to Midrising Conversations. Two women in our 50s. Two time zones — Australia and Thailand. One honest conversation about identity, the middle shift, and that quiet moment when you realise something isn't working the way it used to. This isn't a how-to episode. There are no five steps. No quick fixes. It's the beginning — how we met, what shifted, and why Midrising needed to exist now. If you've ever felt the nudge that something in your life is ready to change — even if you can't name it yet — this is where we start. Topics: midlife identity, the middle shift, women in their 40s and 50s, the slow work of becoming.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings