The Midlife Rebel Podcast

Host - Nadine Shaw - Midlife Rebel, Astrologer, Gene Keys Guide, Human Design Enthusiast

How do you know if you're a Midlife Rebel? Maybe it starts with a feeling. A growing sense of discomfort that something isn't quite right. The life you've been living might look perfectly fine from the outside, but something inside you is asking for change. Maybe some of the rules and expectations you've lived by simply don't fit anymore. That's where rebellion begins. Being a Midlife Rebel isn't about breaking rules for the sake of it. It's about questioning the rules, stories and expectations that have shaped the life you've been living — and deciding for yourself what stays, what goes and what comes next. Because rebellion can lead to personal revolution. And personal revolution creates freedom: the freedom to change your mind, rewrite your story, experiment, begin again and create a life that fits who you are now. I'm Nadine, and each week I sit down with experts, teachers, authors, coaches, researchers, wisdom keepers and ordinary people with extraordinary stories to explore the many ways our lives can change in midlife. We talk about identity, health and ageing, menopause, relationships, purpose, spirituality, psychology, courage, reinvention and the experiences that make us question the status quo. These conversations bring together different perspectives, lived experiences, ideas and practical wisdom so that you feel supported as you navigate your own midlife journey — and a little less alone as you figure out what comes next. Because there's a little bit of rebel in all of us. Contact Nadine: https://midliferebelpodcast.com/contact

  1. 13h ago

    Menopause Metabolism: Why What Used to Work Suddenly Doesn’t

    Send us Fan Mail If there's one thing I've learned from all the menopause experts I've interviewed, it's this: so many of the symptoms women experience in midlife are dismissed as "just getting older." But what if they aren't? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Christina Enzmann, a certified menopause practitioner who combines conventional medicine with a functional medicine approach to help women better understand what's really happening in their bodies during perimenopause and menopause. One of the things I loved most about this conversation was how practical it was. Rather than chasing quick fixes, Dr Christina explains why menopause often magnifies underlying issues that may have been quietly building for years. As oestrogen and progesterone decline, our ability to buffer stress changes, meaning the same lifestyle that once felt manageable can suddenly leave us exhausted, struggling to sleep, gaining weight, experiencing brain fog, digestive issues, or feeling like we've completely lost ourselves. We explore the hidden drivers that can make menopause symptoms worse, including chronic stress, insulin resistance, blood sugar imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, mould exposure and under-fuelling. Dr Christina explains these concepts in a way that's easy to understand and offers practical strategies that women can begin implementing straight away. Of course, we also talk about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Dr Christina shares a balanced perspective on where HRT can make a significant difference, where it has its limitations, and why supporting your overall metabolic health remains just as important. We also discuss vaginal oestrogen, genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and why so many women are suffering unnecessarily with symptoms that are both common and treatable. One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation was that menopause doesn't suddenly create a broken body. More often, it shines a light on the areas of our health that have been asking for our attention all along. If you're navigating perimenopause or menopause, feeling frustrated by symptoms that don't seem to make sense, or simply looking for practical, evidence-based ways to support your health, I think you'll find this conversation incredibly reassuring. Because menopause isn't just something to get through. It can also be an opportunity to build a healthier foundation for the decades ahead. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    Menopause Metabolism: Why What Used to Work Suddenly Doesn’t
  2. 2d ago

    Getting Fired Changed My Life

    Send us Fan Mail What would you do if you were fired at 63? For many people, it would feel like the end of the road. After decades of building a career, losing your job can shake your confidence, your identity, and your belief that there's still time to start again. That's exactly where David Nassief found himself. Instead of seeing himself as a victim, David made a decision that completely changed the trajectory of his life. He rebuilt with purpose, created financial freedom, and discovered that sometimes life's biggest setbacks become the doorway to something even better. In this conversation, we explore what it really means to navigate a major life transition in midlife. We talk about identity, resilience, family expectations, faith, and the courage it takes to let go of the life you thought you were supposed to live. David shares why he believes retirement isn't about stopping work, but about graduating into your next adventure. We discuss purpose after your career, owning your time, and why true wealth is about far more than money alone. Of course, we also get practical. David introduces his simple one-page Wealth Compass, a framework for building long-term financial security through sensible home ownership, managing debt wisely, and investing in low-cost index funds. He also challenges some common financial advice, including whether you really need a fully funded emergency account before you start investing, and explains how a long-term mindset can help you navigate market ups and downs with confidence. If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to reinvent yourself, been forced into an unexpected career change, or you're thinking about what you want the next chapter of your life to look like, I think you'll find this conversation both inspiring and incredibly practical. Because getting fired wasn't the end of David's story. It was the moment he finally began writing a better one. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    Getting Fired Changed My Life
  3. Sep 10

    Menopause, Sex & Self-Love - Tanya Kazeminy

    Send us Fan Mail Menopause has been sold to women as something to survive. A slow decline. A loss of youth, beauty, sexuality and relevance. But what if we've simply been told the wrong story? When I sat down with Tanya Kazeminy, it felt less like an interview and more like a conversation with a dear friend who had so much wisdom to share. Tanya is passionate about helping women embrace this stage of life with confidence, reconnect with their bodies, understand their hormones, heal their relationship with sexuality, and step into what she believes can be one of the most empowering chapters of our lives. We talked about why self-love isn't selfish, how comparison keeps women disconnected from themselves, and why learning to regulate our nervous system can change the way we experience everyday life. Tanya also shares simple practices to quiet the inner critic and approach ourselves with more compassion, especially during the enormous changes of perimenopause and menopause. Of course, we also explored some of the topics many women are actively searching for. We discuss perimenopause symptoms, menopause, postmenopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the lingering fear created by the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study, and why finding accurate, up-to-date information is so important when making decisions about your own health. One of my favourite parts of our conversation was Tanya's openness around sexuality. We spoke about desire, intimacy, boundaries, sexual wellbeing and why pleasure deserves to be part of the conversation, not something women leave behind as they get older. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by menopause, questioning the changes happening in your body, or wondering whether this stage of life could hold something more than you've been led to believe, I think you'll find this conversation both reassuring and empowering. Because menopause isn't the end of your story. It may just be the beginning of your most authentic chapter yet. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    Menopause, Sex & Self-Love - Tanya Kazeminy
  4. Sep 8

    What To Do After You Retire - Finding Purpose & Peace of Mind

    Send us Fan Mail Retirement is something most of us spend years planning financially. But how many of us ever stop to think about what we're actually retiring to? That was one of the things I loved most about my conversation with Chris Maduri. Chris has spent nearly twenty years helping people prepare for retirement, but what struck me was that our conversation wasn't really about money. It was about purpose, identity, and what happens when the career you've built no longer provides the structure and meaning it once did. For many people, retirement sounds like freedom. More time. Fewer responsibilities. The chance to finally do all the things you've been putting off. But Chris shared something I'd never really considered before: the people who thrive in retirement aren't simply the ones who've saved enough money. They're the ones who've thought about the kind of life they actually want to wake up to. Who will you be when your job title disappears? How will you spend your days? What gives your life meaning when work is no longer the centre of it? These questions felt surprisingly relevant, even if retirement is still years away. Of course, we also talked about the financial side of retirement. Chris explains why the risks change once you stop earning an income and begin drawing on your savings, why protecting your income becomes just as important as growing your wealth, and why planning ahead can bring enormous peace of mind. But what I appreciated most was his holistic approach. We spoke about health, movement, strength, relationships and maintaining a sense of curiosity as we grow older. Because what's the point of spending decades building financial security if you don't also invest in the health and wellbeing that allows you to enjoy it? One analogy Chris shared has really stayed with me. He compares retirement to climbing a mountain. Most of us spend years focused on reaching the summit; building our careers, paying off the mortgage, raising a family and accumulating wealth. Yet very few people prepare for the descent, even though that's where the terrain becomes more uncertain and the consequences of poor planning become greater. It was such a powerful way of thinking about this next chapter of life. Whether retirement is just around the corner or still decades away, I think this conversation is really about something much bigger. It's about living intentionally. It's about recognising that purpose doesn't end when work does. And perhaps the best retirement plan isn't just about building enough assets. It's about building a life you'll still be excited to wake up to long after your working years are behind you. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    What To Do After You Retire - Finding Purpose & Peace of Mind
  5. Sep 3

    How to Set Boundaries Without Feeling Guilty

    Send us Fan Mail Do you ever find yourself asking, "Is this really how I want to keep living?" I think it's a question many women eventually ask themselves in midlife. Not because life has necessarily fallen apart, but because somewhere along the way we've become so busy looking after everyone else, meeting expectations and keeping all the plates spinning, that we've stopped asking what we actually want. That was one of the things I loved most about my conversation with Sandra Wood. Sandra's own wake-up call came with a breast cancer diagnosis at just 40 years old. Like so many life-changing moments, it forced her to stop and ask some difficult questions about the roles she'd been playing, the expectations she'd been carrying, and the life she actually wanted to create moving forward. Our conversation explores what happens after that moment. How do you begin trusting yourself again? How do you set boundaries when you've spent a lifetime keeping the peace? How do you stop feeling responsible for everyone else's emotions? These are questions so many women wrestle with, particularly in midlife, when the old ways of coping simply stop working. One of the things I appreciated most was how practical Sandra's advice is. We talked about conflict, people-pleasing, over-functioning and why so many capable women end up exhausted from carrying more than was ever theirs to hold. One of my favourite moments was when Sandra shared a simple reframe for perfectionists: sometimes it's okay to do a "C-grade job." It sounds almost ridiculous at first, until you realise how much energy many of us spend trying to excel at absolutely everything. We also explored Human Design and how understanding your own energetic blueprint can help explain why burnout looks different for different people. Rather than another personality label, Sandra sees it as a tool for making decisions that feel more aligned with who you really are. There was another phrase she shared that has stayed with me ever since: "I have no business with that." Such a simple sentence, yet so powerful. It's a reminder that not everything is ours to fix, solve or carry. If you've been feeling burnt out, questioning your career, navigating changes in your relationship, or simply sensing that the life you've been living no longer quite fits, I think you'll find something valuable in this conversation. Because midlife isn't asking us to become someone new. It's asking us to come home to the person we've always been, underneath everyone else's expectations. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    How to Set Boundaries Without Feeling Guilty
  6. Sep 1

    Ageing Without Apology - Jo Blackwell

    Send us Fan Mail Ageing isn't the problem. The stories we've been told about ageing are. In this episode of The Midlife Rebel Podcast, I'm joined by Jo Blackwell, host of the Midlife & Beyond podcast and a passionate advocate for positive ageing. I loved this conversation with Jo because we explore something that affects every one of us, yet so rarely gets spoken about honestly: what it really means to grow older in a culture that's obsessed with youth. From retirement home brochures arriving on your 50th birthday to comments reminding women they're no longer considered "relevant", we unpack the subtle (and not so subtle) ways ageism shows up in everyday life. Jo shares how listening to thousands of women's stories revealed just how deeply many of us have internalised these messages, often without even realising it. We also talk about the real-world impact of ageism, from medical gaslighting and being dismissed by healthcare professionals, to the importance of advocating for yourself and staying informed about your own health. As someone with a background in the fitness industry, I especially loved our conversation around strength training, movement, muscle, bone health, and why ageing well isn't about trying to look younger, but about maintaining the freedom and independence to keep living life on your own terms. And, of course, we couldn't talk about midlife without talking about identity. When children leave home, careers change, hormones fluctuate, and long-held roles begin to fall away, many women find themselves asking, Who am I now? Jo offers a refreshing perspective, suggesting that midlife isn't about reinventing yourself so much as reclaiming the parts of yourself that have been waiting patiently beneath the expectations of everyone else. If you've ever worried about getting older, questioned your place in the world, or felt like society has already decided your best years are behind you, I think you'll really enjoy this conversation. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    Ageing Without Apology - Jo Blackwell
  7. Aug 27

    The Story of Amelia Earhart - A Woman With The Courage To Follow Her Dreams

    Send us Fan Mail Who was Amelia Earhart before she became one of history's greatest mysteries? In this episode of The Midlife Rebel Podcast, I'm joined by journalist and author Rachel Hartigan to explore the remarkable life of Amelia Earhart, the enduring mystery surrounding her disappearance, and why her story continues to inspire women nearly 90 years later. Rachel's new book, Lost, follows Amelia's life, her final flight, and the decades-long search to uncover what really happened. Rachel also shares her own extraordinary experience joining two National Geographic expeditions in the Pacific Ocean, searching for answers in one of the most remote places on Earth. Together we explore: • Who Amelia Earhart really was beyond the headlines • The three leading theories surrounding her disappearance • Why the mystery continues to capture the world's imagination • The challenges women faced in aviation and still face today • Rachel's own journey from journalist to author • What it was like joining a real search expedition • Following your curiosity, even when there's no guarantee of answers • Why adventure and purpose don't have an age limit This conversation is about far more than solving a mystery. It's about courage, curiosity, resilience and having the confidence to pursue the things that call to you, whether that's writing a book, changing direction in midlife, or following a dream that refuses to let go. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    The Story of Amelia Earhart - A Woman With The Courage To Follow Her Dreams
  8. Aug 20

    Learn To Listen To Your Body | Melanie Smithson

    Send us Fan Mail Your body has been speaking to you your whole life. The question is, have you been taught to listen? In this episode of The Midlife Rebel Podcast, I’m joined by somatic psychotherapist, spiritual integration hypnotherapist and author Melanie Smithson to explore the incredible wisdom of the body. Melanie has spent her life helping people understand the connection between movement, emotions and healing, and her new book, Shake Yourself Free: 81 Somatic Practices to Use Your Body's Wisdom to Support You in Letting Go, is full of simple ways to reconnect with yourself. We talk about why so many women, particularly in midlife, have become disconnected from what they're feeling, and how stress, anxiety, grief and trauma can become held in the body when emotions don't have the chance to move. Melanie explains why your body isn't something to control or fix, but one of your greatest sources of guidance and self-trust. This conversation is both deeply practical and deeply spiritual. We explore the relationship between intuition and the nervous system, and how conscious movement can become a powerful doorway into healing. Melanie also shares simple practices you can begin today; shaking, swaying, breathing, sounding and even gentle movement while sitting at your desk, to help regulate your nervous system and release stored tension. We also talk about parenting emotionally aware children, the stories we carry in our bodies, and why healing doesn't always require years of talking. Sometimes it begins by allowing the body to finish what it has been trying to do all along. If you've been feeling stuck in your head, overwhelmed by stress, or curious about somatic healing, nervous system regulation, emotional wellbeing or reconnecting with your intuition, I think you're going to love this conversation. If you enjoy this episode, please follow The Midlife Rebel Podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that their body isn't working against them; it's trying to guide them. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast

    Learn To Listen To Your Body | Melanie Smithson
5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

How do you know if you're a Midlife Rebel? Maybe it starts with a feeling. A growing sense of discomfort that something isn't quite right. The life you've been living might look perfectly fine from the outside, but something inside you is asking for change. Maybe some of the rules and expectations you've lived by simply don't fit anymore. That's where rebellion begins. Being a Midlife Rebel isn't about breaking rules for the sake of it. It's about questioning the rules, stories and expectations that have shaped the life you've been living — and deciding for yourself what stays, what goes and what comes next. Because rebellion can lead to personal revolution. And personal revolution creates freedom: the freedom to change your mind, rewrite your story, experiment, begin again and create a life that fits who you are now. I'm Nadine, and each week I sit down with experts, teachers, authors, coaches, researchers, wisdom keepers and ordinary people with extraordinary stories to explore the many ways our lives can change in midlife. We talk about identity, health and ageing, menopause, relationships, purpose, spirituality, psychology, courage, reinvention and the experiences that make us question the status quo. These conversations bring together different perspectives, lived experiences, ideas and practical wisdom so that you feel supported as you navigate your own midlife journey — and a little less alone as you figure out what comes next. Because there's a little bit of rebel in all of us. Contact Nadine: https://midliferebelpodcast.com/contact

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