Messy Midlife: It’s Not A Crisis, It’s A Calling to Connect

Jody Brooks Life Coach
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Mental Health
  • Weekly series

You’ve followed the rules, collected the job titles, relationships, and responsibilities… and somehow ended up in the messy middle thinking, “Hang on, who am I and when did my life start running me?” Welcome to Messy Midlife: It’s Not A Crisis, It’s A Calling to Connect – The Nine Principles of Authentic Living. This podcast is for humans roughly 35–65 who look “sorted” from the outside but feel lost, burnt out, overwhelmed, or one passive-aggressive email away from screaming into a pillow. I’m Jody – midlife coach, former corporate burnout, child of chaos, and someone who has done the full midlife plot twist: breakdown, identity crisis, six-stone weight loss, and putting type 2 diabetes into remission while rebuilding a life that actually fits. I created the Nine Principles of Authentic Living – Awareness, Understanding, Trust, Honesty, Empowerment, Nurture, Transformation, Integrity, and Compassion – and this show is where we apply them to real, messy lives, not perfectly curated Instagram squares. Each episode blends honest solo story-time from the “beautiful disaster” chapters of my own life with raw, funny, no-BS conversations with guests who are navigating midlife reinventions: careers, relationships, addiction, health, identity, and that quiet “Surely there’s more than this?” voice you keep trying to ignore. We’re not here for fluffy “think positive” platitudes; we’re here to name the hard stuff, laugh (sometimes inappropriately), and then actually do something about it. If you’re ready to swap midlife crisis for midlife calling, reconnect with who you really are, and write a next chapter you don’t need to escape from, this is your invitation to connect, not perform. Listen on your walk, in the car, or hiding in the loo from your responsibilities – no judgement, just real talk, practical tools, and a whole lot of compassion for the glorious mess of being human in the middle.

Season 1

  1. The Moment I Knew Something Had To Change From Midlife Breakdown To New You Awareness

    Episode 1

    The Moment I Knew Something Had To Change From Midlife Breakdown To New You Awareness

    Connect With Jody The Moment I Knew Something Had To Change: Why Midlife Isn't A Crisis  S1 EP1 Messy Midlife: It's Not A Crisis, It's  A Calling To Connect Midlife upheaval doesn’t have to be a crisis — it can be the moment you finally wake up. In this first episode of Messy Midlife, Jody Brooks shares the story of the “toilet cubicle breakdown” that changed everything and begins the conversation about awareness, honesty, and coming home to yourself. If you’re between 35 and 65 and feeling the weight of identity loss, burnout, anxiety, shame, or the sense that the life you built no longer fits, you are not alone. Jody explores how years of pushing through, people pleasing, and ignoring the messages from within led to a breaking point — and how journaling, reflection, and the Nine Principles of Authentic Living began to create a different path. This episode introduces the heart of Messy Midlife: that what looks like a crisis may actually be a calling to reconnect. You’ll hear about the first principle, Awareness, the power of asking better questions, and why external success is never the same as inner alignment. Jody also previews the show’s weekly rhythm and the conversation with guest Hannah Kerman in Episode 2. If this resonates, subscribe to Messy Midlife and visit authenticcoaching.me for show notes and resources. Book Jody As A Guest On Your ShowYou can book Jody on your show through PodMatch Be A Guest On The ShowIf you have a story you want to share on the Messy Mildlife, get in touch through PodMatch Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.www.authenticcoaching.me  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_authenticcoach/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577431237858 Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMbKkuAqAtXkv0NTI2KcWA Threads https://www.threads.com/@the_authenticcoach

    35 min
  2. Midlife Burnout and the Nervous System: Learning to Lead Differently

    Episode 2 ·  Video

    Midlife Burnout and the Nervous System: Learning to Lead Differently

    Connect With Jody Midlife Burnout and the Nervous System: Learning to Lead Differently S1 EP2 Midlife burnout can change everything — your energy, memory, relationships, leadership, and the way you show up at home. In this episode of Messy Midlife, Jody Brooks speaks with Hannah Kerman, founder of Brain Shift, about what it means to operate with your nervous system, not your ego. Hannah shares how years of overwork, busyness, and trying to belong led to burnout, how stress showed up in her body and family life, and why psychological safety has to be more than a shiny poster on the wall. She also explains her brain-based coaching approach, including presence under pressure, spotting triggers, and aligning values with culture and strategy. Midlife burnout doesn’t just affect your job — it can affect your body, your memory, your relationships, and the way you lead. In this episode of Messy Midlife, host Jody Brooks speaks with Hannah Kerman, founder of Brain Shift, about what happens when you stop operating from ego and start listening to your nervous system. Hannah shares the winding path that led her to burnout: a non-linear career, years of overwork, a deep drive to belong, and a life that looked successful on the outside but felt unsustainable beneath the surface. She talks openly about how burnout showed up physically, how family crisis reshaped her priorities, and why recovery became a turning point in both her personal life and her leadership approach. Together, Jody and Hannah explore brain-based coaching, psychological safety, presence under pressure, triggers, and the importance of aligning values with the way we live and work. They also look at how leaders can create cultures that are more human, more honest, and more grounded in real safety rather than surface-level slogans. If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, reactive, or disconnected from yourself, this conversation offers a grounded way to think about recovery, leadership, and midlife change. Subscribe to Messy Midlife and visit authenticcoaching.me for more resources. Connect with Hanna Curman https://hannacurman.se/ Be A Guest On The ShowIf you have a story you want to share on the Messy Mildlife, get in touch through PodMatch Book Jody As A Guest On Your ShowYou can book Jody on your show through PodMatch Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.www.authenticcoaching.me  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_authenticcoach/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577431237858 Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMbKkuAqAtXkv0NTI2KcWA Threads https://www.threads.com/@the_authenticcoach

    1hr 5min

  3. Season 1 Trailer

    Welcome to Messy Midlife: It’s Not a Crisis, It’s a Calling to Connect Official Trailer

    Connect With Jody Step into the messy middle of midlife and discover why it’s not a crisis, it’s a calling to connect. In this short trailer, you’ll hear what Messy Midlife is all about, who it’s for, and how it can support you if you’re feeling lost, overwhelmed, or unsure what’s next. I’m Jody, a midlife coach and fellow messy human, and in each episode I’ll share real stories, honest conversations, and practical tools to help you reconnect with your values, rebuild your confidence, and create a life that feels like yours again. If you’re 35–65 and secretly wondering “Is this it?” hit follow, and let this be your permission slip to turn your so‑called crisis into a powerful calling to connect—with yourself, with others, and with what truly matters. Be A Guest On The ShowIf you have a story you want to share on the Messy Mildlife, get in touch through PodMatch Book Jody As A Guest On Your ShowYou can book Jody on your show through PodMatch Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.www.authenticcoaching.me  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_authenticcoach/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577431237858 Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMbKkuAqAtXkv0NTI2KcWA Threads https://www.threads.com/@the_authenticcoach

    5 min

Trailer

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

You’ve followed the rules, collected the job titles, relationships, and responsibilities… and somehow ended up in the messy middle thinking, “Hang on, who am I and when did my life start running me?” Welcome to Messy Midlife: It’s Not A Crisis, It’s A Calling to Connect – The Nine Principles of Authentic Living. This podcast is for humans roughly 35–65 who look “sorted” from the outside but feel lost, burnt out, overwhelmed, or one passive-aggressive email away from screaming into a pillow. I’m Jody – midlife coach, former corporate burnout, child of chaos, and someone who has done the full midlife plot twist: breakdown, identity crisis, six-stone weight loss, and putting type 2 diabetes into remission while rebuilding a life that actually fits. I created the Nine Principles of Authentic Living – Awareness, Understanding, Trust, Honesty, Empowerment, Nurture, Transformation, Integrity, and Compassion – and this show is where we apply them to real, messy lives, not perfectly curated Instagram squares. Each episode blends honest solo story-time from the “beautiful disaster” chapters of my own life with raw, funny, no-BS conversations with guests who are navigating midlife reinventions: careers, relationships, addiction, health, identity, and that quiet “Surely there’s more than this?” voice you keep trying to ignore. We’re not here for fluffy “think positive” platitudes; we’re here to name the hard stuff, laugh (sometimes inappropriately), and then actually do something about it. If you’re ready to swap midlife crisis for midlife calling, reconnect with who you really are, and write a next chapter you don’t need to escape from, this is your invitation to connect, not perform. Listen on your walk, in the car, or hiding in the loo from your responsibilities – no judgement, just real talk, practical tools, and a whole lot of compassion for the glorious mess of being human in the middle.

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