Thrivve: Retirement Reinvented

THRIVVE

Thrivve is the podcast for people over 50 who want to feel better, live richer, and grow stronger in the next chapter of life. Hosted by Riëtte, Thrivve explores the real challenges and opportunities of life after 50 — from retirement and identity shifts to health, purpose, finances, relationships, and personal growth. Whether you're starting over, caring for ageing parents, rebuilding confidence, or rediscovering your purpose. New episodes every Monday. Follow the podcast and join a growing community of people who refuse to fade — and choose to thrive.

  1. 2d ago

    Are We Becoming Too Comfortable With Our Lives After 50

    Is there something you’d love to do—but keep putting off? After 50, a quieter life can be deeply satisfying. But sometimes there’s something we miss: a friendship, an interest, or the chance to try something new. How do we recognise what we actually want—and what’s standing in the way? In this episode, I share what starting Thrivve after retirement has taught me about being a beginner, feeling disappointed and trying again. We also talk honestly about caregiving, money, uncertainty and why practical support can matter more than encouragement alone. Together, we explore:• Enjoying your routine while making room for something you miss.• Reconnecting with someone after a long silence.• Giving yourself permission to learn—and change your mind.• Taking one manageable step that fits the life you actually have. You don’t owe anyone a dramatic new chapter. Your next step might be arranging a cup of tea with an old friend, asking for help—or allowing yourself some rest. 💚 What’s something you’d like to do, and what makes it difficult? Follow Thrivve for warm, honest conversations about living well after 50. Share this episode with someone who might welcome the conversation. Watch on YouTubeExplore Thrivve Season 5, Episode 8 | Are We Becoming Too Comfortable With Our Lives After 50? Feel better • Live richer • Grow stronger

  2. Oct 26

    Keeping the Peace—But Who Pays the Price? | Thrivve Season 5, Episode 7

    Have you ever stayed silent at a family gathering because speaking up might upset someone? Smiled at a hurtful joke? Or agreed to something you didn't really want to do, simply to keep everyone happy? We often say, "Let's keep the peace." But whose peace are we protecting — and at what cost? In this heartfelt episode of Thrivve, Riëtte explores the quiet expectations and unspoken feelings that can complicate family relationships, particularly after 50. From being the dependable family member who always says yes, to navigating relationships with adult children, caring for ageing parents, and feeling taken for granted in retirement, these are situations many of us will recognise. We also explore something equally important: Could we sometimes be the person who needs to listen differently? Riëtte shares a personal reflection about something her eldest son once said after a traumatic experience — words that reminded her how easily families can overlook the conversations that matter most. This isn't about blaming our families or turning every disagreement into a confrontation. It's about learning to communicate with kindness, recognise each other's needs, and create relationships where everyone has a voice. 💚 Because genuine family harmony isn't simply the absence of conflict. It's making room for understanding, respect, and honest conversations. 🌿 A question for you: Have you ever kept the peace at the expense of your own feelings? Join the Thrivve community as we continue exploring wellness, finance, personal growth, and meaningful relationships after 50. 🎧 Follow Thrivve on Spotify so you never miss an episode, and share this conversation with someone who might appreciate it. 🌐 Visit us at https://www.thrivve60.com Thrivve — Feel better • Live richer • Grow stronger Until next time — keep loving gently, keep growing bravely, and keep thriving. 🌿

  3. Oct 22 ·  Bonus

    Bladder health after 50 - By Dr Bruce Crawford

    Bladder leakage can affect everyday confidence, but it doesn’t have to be a conversation we avoid. In this video, Dr Bruce Crawford, a urogynecologist and reconstructive pelvic surgeon, introduces PfilAtes™, his movement-based approach to pelvic-floor training. He shares the experiences that inspired the programme and explains how it combines movement with deliberate pelvic-floor contractions. Join Thrivve for a conversation about pelvic-floor health after 50, staying active and finding support that suits your needs. Read the accompanying article for a closer look at the research and practical next steps. Learn more about PfilAtes™: http://pfilates.com This video provides general information and does not replace individual medical advice. Speak to a qualified healthcare professional about your symptoms and whether pelvic-floor training is appropriate for you.

  4. Oct 19

    Setting Boundaries With People You Love

    Have you ever said yes to someone you love, then wished you had paused before answering? You want to help—but your time, energy and needs matter too. In Season 5, Episode 6 of Thrivve, Riëtte van der Merwe explores setting boundaries with people you love, with a warm, practical conversation about family, friendship and life after 50. From helping with grandchildren to lending money or answering lengthy evening calls, everyday expectations can gradually become more than we can manage. How do we explain our limits while staying considerate of the people who rely on us? In this episode, we explore: • Giving yourself time before agreeing to a request.• Finding kind, clear words to explain what you can realistically offer.• Responding to disappointment without immediately changing your answer.• Reflecting on guilt and recognising when something needs repair.• Respecting other people’s limits alongside your own.• Choosing one small change to practise this week. There is room for generosity, responsibility and your own life in the same conversation. 🌿 What small change would make your week easier? Share your thoughts if comments are available—you can keep personal family details private. Follow Thrivve on Spotify for more honest conversations about wellness, finance and personal growth after 50. If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who might appreciate it. Explore more at https://www.thrivve60.com Feel better • Live richer • Grow stronger Until next time—keep loving gently, keep growing bravely, and keep thriving. 🌿

  5. Oct 12

    Second Marriages After 50: When New Love Divides a Family

    You have found love again—but your family is struggling toaccept it. How do you nurture your new relationship without losing closenesswith your children? In Season 5, Episode 5 of Thrivve, Riëtte explores whysecond marriages can stir grief, loyalty conflicts, and fears aboutbelonging—even when children are grown. We talk about reassuring your children without allowingdisrespect, helping a new partner feel welcome, making room for old traditionsand new beginnings, and having honest conversations about money and futurecare. Whether you are remarrying, joining a blended family, oradjusting to a parent’s new relationship, this episode offers compassionateperspectives and practical steps towards trust. Respect can be expected. Love needs time to grow. 🌿 Follow Thrivve for morehonest conversations about wellness, finance, personal growth, and life after50. Share this episode with someone who may find comfort in it. Explore more: https://www.thrivve60.com/ https://youtu.be/T6umWfpK7is Until next time — keep loving gently, keep growing bravely,and keep thriving 🌿

  6. Oct 5

    When brothers and sisters become strangers

    How does someone who shared your childhood become a stranger? In Season 5, Episode 4 of Thrivve, Riëtte explores the quiet grief of growing apart from a brother or sister. Siblings can remember the same childhood differently, carry old family roles into adulthood, and find that caregiving or the loss of a parent brings buried hurt to the surface. We talk about when a gentle first step towards reconnection may help, why rebuilding trust takes time and effort from both people, and how to find peace when distance is necessary. If this episode touches something tender, listen gently. You do not have to resolve your whole family history today. 🎧 When Brothers and Sisters Become Strangers | Thrivve, Season 5, Episode 4 Follow Thrivve for honest, compassionate conversations about family, wellbeing and life after 50. 🌿

  7. Sep 28

    When Adult Children Drift Away

    When an adult child pulls away, the pain can feel like grief without a funeral—especially when grandchildren and other family members are caught in the middle. In Season 5, Episode 3 of Thrivve, we explore why adult children sometimes distance themselves, why parents and children may remember the same family very differently, and what can help make reconciliation possible. This is not about blaming parents or assuming adult children are always right. Every family story is different. Sometimes distance is used as punishment; sometimes it becomes a necessary boundary after years of feeling criticised, controlled or unheard. In this episode, we talk honestly about: 🌿 Why the final argument may not be the whole story🌿 The difference between loving intentions and painful impact🌿 Respecting an adult child’s authority as a parent🌿 Why “I’m sorry you feel that way” is not a meaningful apology🌿 What parents should avoid when an adult child asks for space🌿 How to remain connected without forcing a spouse to choose sides🌿 Rebuilding trust through listening, accountability and changed behaviour🌿 Finding peace when reconciliation does not happen An apology cannot guarantee reconciliation or automatically restore access to grandchildren. But sincere accountability can help a relationship feel safer. You cannot force another person to return. You can make sure that, if they ever do, they meet someone who has listened, reflected and grown. Sometimes the first bridge back to another person must be built inside ourselves. 💬 If it feels safe to share, what do you believe helps families reconnect—listening, accountability, time or something else? Please subscribe to Thrivve for compassionate, honest conversations about relationships, wellbeing, personal growth and the realities of life after 50. Please note: If your family situation involves abuse, threats or serious emotional harm, reconciliation may not be safe or appropriate. Consider seeking guidance from a qualified mental-health professional. Until next time—keep loving gently, keep growing bravely, and keep thriving. 🌿 #AdultChildren #FamilyEstrangement #FamilyRelationships #EstrangedParents #Grandparents #FamilyHealing #HealthyBoundaries #Reconciliation #LifeAfter50 #Thrivve

  8. Sep 21

    When a Marriage Ends Later in Life

    What happens when the future you carefully planned suddenly disappears? In Season 5, Episode 2 of Thrivve, Riëtte explores the emotional, financial and deeply personal reality of divorce after 60. Drawing on her own experience of divorce, she speaks honestly about loneliness, guilt and the fifteen years it took her to forgive herself. She also explains why starting over later in life can feel especially frightening: retirement plans may change, finances may be divided, the family home may be sold, adult children may struggle, and the identity of “we” suddenly becomes “I.” This episode does not suggest staying in an abusive, controlling or unsafe relationship. Safety must always come first. But where a relationship is safe and respect remains, it asks an important question: Is the marriage truly over, or have two people simply stopped reaching for each other? And if your marriage has already ended, remember this: The future you imagined may have disappeared, but your future has not—and neither have you. Listen for an honest, compassionate conversation about grief, forgiveness, financial preparation, rebuilding your identity and finding hope after 60. If this episode speaks to you, follow Thrivve and share it with someone who may need encouragement today. You are not starting from nothing. You are starting with experience, wisdom, lessons and life. We are not finished.

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Thrivve is the podcast for people over 50 who want to feel better, live richer, and grow stronger in the next chapter of life. Hosted by Riëtte, Thrivve explores the real challenges and opportunities of life after 50 — from retirement and identity shifts to health, purpose, finances, relationships, and personal growth. Whether you're starting over, caring for ageing parents, rebuilding confidence, or rediscovering your purpose. New episodes every Monday. Follow the podcast and join a growing community of people who refuse to fade — and choose to thrive.

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