You’ve recently launched a new podcast all about women in midlife. This topic seems to be popping up everywhere. What do you think is happening in the market?

Frankly, I think women are just sick and tired of seeing headlines like “5 ways to hide your wrinkles” or “40 is the new 20!”. We are so done with the toxic obsession of keeping women eternally youthful.

We’re in a new era, one where the women going through menopause don’t feel the need to hide it—let alone be ashamed about it. We are finally breaking free from the suffocating expectations that dictate how women should feel about themselves as they age.

I truly believe midlife can be an extraordinary thing. Yes, there are parts of it that just suck (see historically underfunded women’s health research). But there are also moments of joy, learning, and growth that I never even knew were possible.

When we look at this segment what are the areas where there are biggest information gaps and why is this a problem?

Midlife — the years between 35 and 65 — is the least researched period of our lifespan.

In our culture, a tremendous amount of focus is given to the health and wellbeing of the very young and the elderly. For those of us in the middle, we’re left to figure it out on our own. And that’s a real problem, especially for women who experience cataclysmic physical, psychological, and professional transformations during these years.

Take menopause, for example. Before I entered perimenopause, I could not tell you much at all about the process. I had no idea when it was going to happen, or what symptoms to look out for. That’s because we have never, in any venue, talked openly about the “M word.” How is it that we – women and men – made it this far in our lives without a proper education on an issue that will impact all of us?

What inspired you to start your podcast and what change do you hope it creates in the world?

I’ve dedicated my life to helping women and girls find power and happiness by challenging the narratives and structures that hold us back. As I entered my 40s – leading a successful non-profit, married to a great guy, mom to two sweet boys and a cute dog, I was still somehow asking, “Is this it?” I had a realization: Women have been conned about midlife.

We’re told the best is behind us, and it’s all downhill from here. The same culture that praises men for aging like fine wine tells us that we can’t keep our beauty, our worth, or our ambition as we mature. At work, our pay gap widens and promotions slow. Our bodies change, our caregiving responsibilities increase, and our desires shift.

There’s no playbook for navigating this period, and no real community or resources that resonate. Worst of all, we’re made to believe it’s our fault.

I'm on a mission with this show to prove all of that wrong. I want listeners to know that midlife can be the best years of our lives.

Through conversations with friends like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Cheryl Strayed, and Ilana Glazer, as well as therapists, authors, and experts, we’re going to figure out how women can stop trying to just get through this time of life... and actually start living it.

What’s next?

I’m so excited to keep reaching more women through My So-Called Midlife. I know how hungry we are for these conversations, so I look forward to building this community.

We have some incredible episodes about to drop, and while I won’t give anything away, I will suggest you bring some tissues. I’ve walked away from these interviews feeling fired up and ready to show up for myself in a brand new way. I hope you will, too.

You can join us by listening each week, wherever you get your podcasts.

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