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

Jody Brooks Life Coach
  • 4.8 (6)
  • 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    1h 5m
  3. Midlife Anxiety and Overwhelm: What Self-Awareness Is Really Telling You

    Episode 3

    Midlife Anxiety and Overwhelm: What Self-Awareness Is Really Telling You

    Connect With Jody Midlife Anxiety and Overwhelm: What Self-Awareness Is Really Telling You S1 EP3 Midlife anxiety and overwhelm can feel like failure, but they may actually be signs that your life is asking for attention. In this episode of Messy Midlife, Jody Brooks explores self-awareness as the first Principle of Authentic Living and the place where real change begins. If you’re 35 to 65 and feeling exhausted, disconnected, stuck on autopilot, or quietly wondering, “Is this it?”, this conversation is for you. Jody shares why awareness is not about blowing up your life — it’s about noticing what’s true, recognising the patterns keeping you trapped, and listening to the messages you’ve been ignoring for too long. You’ll hear how awareness connects to values and alignment, why shame keeps us hidden while curiosity opens the door, and how small practices like pausing before you answer, journaling what you notice, and checking whether your yes is a true yes can shift everything. This episode is for anyone ready to move through anxiety, overwhelm, and emotional exhaustion by coming home to themselves. If this resonates, subscribe to Messy Midlife and visit authenticcoaching.me for show notes and resources. 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    19 min
  4. Midlife Awareness: Navigating Disconnection to Connection

    Episode 4

    Midlife Awareness: Navigating Disconnection to Connection

    Connect With Jody Midlife Awareness: Navigating Disconnection to Connection S1 EP4 Something is off, and you can't quite put your finger on it. You're functioning, you're keeping it together, but underneath it all, you feel numb, irritable, exhausted, and a little lost. Sound familiar? You're not falling apart. You're waking up. In this episode of Messy Midlife, Jody gets honest about what happened after episode three, because the toilet cubicle breakdown wasn't the end of the story; it was the turning point. She shares what it really took to move from resilience to courage, and why asking for help is one of the bravest things you can do. Together, we explore: Why disconnection is a messenger, not a failureThe slow drift into autopilot — and the signs you've lost your sense of selfThe fraying ropes of midlife: the pressures from all sides that leave you feeling unmooredHow the Nine Principles of Authentic Living offer a way back to yourselfA powerful reflection question to audit your own life: Where am I on autopilot — and what is it costing me?Midlife isn't a crisis. It's a calling to connect — with yourself, your truth, and the life that's waiting for you on the other side of awareness. 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    15 min
  5. Why Midlife Anxiety and Overwhelm Make Habits So Hard to Stick To

    Episode 5 ·  Video

    Why Midlife Anxiety and Overwhelm Make Habits So Hard to Stick To

    Connect With Jody Why Midlife Anxiety and Overwhelm Make Habits So Hard to Stick To S1 EP5 If you’ve been struggling with midlife anxiety, overwhelm, low motivation, or the feeling that you keep trying and failing at change, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Jody Brooks speaks with Roger Webb about why habits are so hard to stick to, why willpower and discipline are often overrated, and how the real block is usually deeper than behaviour alone. Roger shares his own messy middle moment — a season of depression, identity loss, and burnout that left him feeling disconnected from himself and questioning everything. What followed was an unexpected reset: a new job in a pizza restaurant, a fresh sense of identity, and eventually a nomadic life that forced him to surrender, trust, and rebuild from the inside out. Along the way, he began creating Random Habit, an app designed to help people make change feel easier, kinder, and more human. This episode explores the pain points so many midlifers know well: people pleasing, self-sabotage, emotional exhaustion, shame after “failing” again, and the frustration of doing all the right things without lasting results. Jody and Roger unpack how random reinforcement, small wins, and self-compassion can support real transformation — not by pushing harder, but by helping you show up for yourself differently. If this conversation resonates, subscribe to Messy Midlife and visit authenticcoaching.me for show notes and resources. Connect with Roger: https://randomhabitapp.com/ 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    1h 9m
  6. Awareness In Action: Four Questions To Stop Midlife Drift

    Episode 6

    Awareness In Action: Four Questions To Stop Midlife Drift

    Connect With Jody Midlife Awareness: Navigating Disconnection to Connection Something is off, and you can't quite put your finger on it. You're functioning, you're keeping it together, but underneath it all, you feel numb, irritable, exhausted, and a little lost. Sound familiar? You're not falling apart. You're waking up. In this episode of Messy Midlife, Jody gets honest about what happened after episode three, because the toilet cubicle breakdown wasn't the end of the story; it was the turning point. She shares what it really took to move from resilience to courage, and why asking for help is one of the bravest things you can do. Together, we explore: Why disconnection is a messenger, not a failureThe slow drift into autopilot — and the signs you've lost your sense of selfThe fraying ropes of midlife: the pressures from all sides that leave you feeling unmooredHow the Nine Principles of Authentic Living offer a way back to yourselfA powerful reflection question to audit your own life: Where am I on autopilot — and what is it costing me?Midlife isn't a crisis. It's a calling to connect — with yourself, your truth, and the life that's waiting for you on the other side of awareness. 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    16 min
  7. Start Your Day Without Losing Yourself: The Morning Awareness Practice

    Episode 7

    Start Your Day Without Losing Yourself: The Morning Awareness Practice

    Connect With Jody How to Start Your Day Without Losing Yourself: The Morning Awareness Practice Quick question: what does your Morning actually look like?Not the aspirational version. The real one. The alarm, the scroll, the rush, the commute. Before you've had a single chance to hear your own voice, the world has already taken over. In this episode, Jody explores why the Morning is one of the most powerful and underused moments of your day, and how a simple awareness practice can bring you back to yourself before the noise gets too loud. This is not monk-on-a-mountain Meditation. Not a two-hour silent retreat. It's three breaths. A quiet corner. A moment that belongs only to you. Jody shares the real reason mornings matter so much in Midlife, what happens in the nervous system when you pause before the day begins, and the practice she built for herself starting with nothing but a chair and a willingness to stop. You'll come away with something you can actually use today, whether that's five minutes in a chair, three breaths in bed, or one quiet minute by the kettle. This episode covers: ·         Why mornings have become launches, not beginnings ·         The real reason morning matters in Midlife ·         Meditation without the mysticism — what it actually is ·         How awareness interrupts autopilot ·         Jody's own practice — starting with a chair and a willingness to stop ·         A real, doable morning practice you can begin today ·         The body speaks first — learning to listen ·         The three-breath method ·         Closing reflection and invitation 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    20 min
  8. How Words Saved Me: Christoph Morrow on Addiction, Divorce and Finding Purpose

    Episode 8 ·  Video

    How Words Saved Me: Christoph Morrow on Addiction, Divorce and Finding Purpose

    Connect With Jody In this Midweek Deep Dive, Jody Brooks sits down with author and former US Navy veteran Kristof Morrow to explore how awareness, trauma and creativity intertwine in messy midlife. Kristof’s journey spans childhood abuse, violent addiction in the family, his own alcoholism, Tourette's, chronic illness, immigration, divorce and a long period of despair. He shares how a single phone call in Canada,  telling him no one would hire him because of his condition, led him to pick up the pen again and begin a rebirth through writing.    Together, Jody and Kristof talk about what a midlife ‘crisis’ really is, the difference between trying to fit in and finding your place in the world, and why he believes our greatest virtue as humans is the desire to understand and be understood. You’ll hear powerful reflections on surrender, sobriety, kindness as a weapon of compassion, and the discipline of writing 1,000 words a day to stay connected to self.   Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

    1h 12m

  9. 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.Join the Authentic Life Community: https://authenticcoaching.me/messy-midlife-podcast 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

4.8
out of 5
6 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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