I Used to Be Fun

Annmarie Boyle
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Personal Journals

A warm, humorous, honest podcast for midlife women who feel like they’ve lost their creative spark and forgotten how to play somewhere between responsibility and real life. 

Episodes

  1. Jun 3

    Ep 6: Play Date with Dr. J (a.k.a. my husband)

    You've heard a lot from me about reclaiming your right to play. But what does it look like from the other side — from the person in your corner who makes that space possible? Today I'm welcoming my husband of 26-plus years, known around here as Dr. J, to his very first Play Date. Paul (as people call him IRL) is a professor, an eternally optimistic human, a lover of the outdoors, and the person who has quietly — and not so quietly — been one of the biggest reasons I've been able to keep creativity and play at the center of my life. We talk about what it actually means to protect your partner's right to play, how to find the Venn diagram overlap where both of your cups get filled, and why play doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing, 78 RPM kind of commitment. (Sometimes 33 is exactly right.) Paul also answers the question I've been dying to ask on mic: what does it look like when I haven't had enough play in my life? Spoiler: he's very kind about it. And I am... less kind about myself. If you've ever wondered how to ask for more play in your relationship — or how to be the person who shows up for someone you love — this one's for you. In this episode: Why Paul defines play as a feeling and attitude before it's ever an actionHow Lego, yarn arts, and five-gallon buckets of nostalgia are doing a lot of heavy lifting in our marriageThe "kidney question" we use to de-escalate way-too-serious momentsWhy invitations (not demands) are the secret to protecting play in a partnershipWhat to ask your partner if they can't easily access joy — and how to come at it from the sideAlso in the episode, the link to grab The Wonder Project: www.annmarieboyle.com/thewonderproject www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    45 min

  2. May 27

    Ep 5: [NUDGE] Your to-do list lied. Rest is not a reward.

    When was the last time you genuinely felt sharp? Not caffeinated sharp — actually sharp? In this Nudge episode, Annmarie digs into why rest is not an earned reward, but a vital input -- and why play might be the most underrated form of rest there is. Show links: https://annmarieboyle.com/the-wonder-project/ www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    10 min

  3. May 21

    EP 4: Play Date with Kristen Tate

    Kristen Tate is my book editor, a self-described introvert, and someone who has intentionally built play back into her life more than once. Which means this conversation felt a little like sitting down with someone who understands how easy it is to forget fun isn’t supposed to require a permission slip. We talk about why live music might secretly be the perfect introvert activity, how camping dramatically lowers your expectations in the best possible way, and the oddly liberating experience of going alone to the things you love. We also chat about the blurry line between work and play, how to recognize when something you once loved has quietly turned into another obligation, and why Kristen spent part of COVID writing a historical mystery longhand… only to deliberately tuck it away in a drawer afterward. Plus: Kristen shares how she’s able to still read for fun when books are literally her profession and a few low-cost ways to add a little more play to your own life this week. Find out more about Kristen at: https://www.thebluegarret.com/ Find the show notes at: https://annmarieboyle.com/i-used-to-be-fun-podcast/ Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    51 min

  4. May 13

    Ep 3: Turns Out, I Need My Own Podcast

    I built a podcast called I Used to Be Fun about reclaiming creativity, play, and joy. So you'd think I'd be great at actually choosing joy. You'd be wrong. In this episode, I get honest about the gap between knowing something and living it — and why "the responsible thing" is sometimes just fear wearing a sensible cardigan. usic from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    11 min

  5. May 6

    Ep 2: Play Date with Kim Turcotte

    For the first Play Date episode of I Used to Be Fun, I brought in one of my besties (made it a little less scary that way!)— Kim Turcotte. Kim helps women reconnect with themselves through cyclical wisdom and intentional practice, which sounds like she has everything figured out. Spoiler: she doesn't. (Her words, not mine.) We talked about play, creativity, and what it actually means to reclaim joy when you're still in the middle of figuring it out yourself. Oh, and roller skating, we talked about that too. Mentioned in the episode: Grab The Wonder Project HERE. Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    48 min

  6. Apr 29

    Ep. 1: What if she isn't lost?

    What if you didn't lose the fun, playful version of yourself? What if you actually just got really good at editing her out? In this first episode, we explore the difference between something being lost vs. being tucked away, and make a case for why the weird, creative, slightly-too-much version of you might have been here all along. Plus: a five-minute challenge that might just crack something open. www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    12 min

  7. Mar 31

    Trailer

    www.annmarieboyle.com Music from Uppbeat (https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/to-the-top), License code BC9SEN3G6PMABOA

    5 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

A warm, humorous, honest podcast for midlife women who feel like they’ve lost their creative spark and forgotten how to play somewhere between responsibility and real life. 

Information

  • Creator
    Annmarie Boyle
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I Used to Be Fun
  • Show Website
    I Used to Be Fun

You Might Also Like