The Mountain Was Never the Problem: Finding Joy, Worthiness & Reinvention with Nicole Canole

What if what everyone calls a midlife crisis is actually a return to yourself?In this episode of The Midlife Edit, Jen sits down with entrepreneur, Harvard graduate, endurance athlete, and joy-seeker Nicole Canole for a deeply honest conversation about achievement, worthiness, grief, reinvention, and learning to receive.Nicole shares how losing her father to suicide shaped her relationship with success, why accomplishments never fully silenced the voice telling her she wasn't enough, and how climbing literal mountains taught her that the hardest battles are the ones happening inside.Together, Jen and Nicole talk about overachievement, imposter syndrome, GLP-1s and weight loss, learning to fuel your body, giving up alcohol, finding community through music festivals, and why turning forty isn't about having a crisis—it's about finding joy again.Because maybe we're not falling apart.Maybe we're finally free.In This Episode:• Why "midlife crisis" might actually be rediscovering yourself• Growing up with worthiness wounds and learning to heal• Losing a parent to suicide and the lasting impact of grief• Harvard, success, and why achievements don't always feel like enough• The truth about motivation and why nobody can do the work for you• The emotional gap between knowing and doing• What climbing mountains taught Nicole about life and control• Weight loss, GLP-1s, and learning to fuel your body instead of punish it• Giving up alcohol and finding joy without it• Music festivals, rave culture, and the power of community• Learning to receive instead of constantly proving yourself• Why failure can be a better teacher than success• What's next for Nicole and her mission to help others find their worthConnect with NicoleInstagram: @nicole.canole,@east_and_ivyJoin The Edit RoomLooking for your people?The Edit Room is our free Facebook community for women navigating midlife, reinvention, music, perimenopause, relationships, identity shifts, and all the messy, beautiful parts in between.Come join the conversation, make new friends, and remember—you don't have to figure it all out alone. Join Here! Subscribe to The Backstage PassGet behind-the-scenes stories, music recommendations, favorite things, and weekly reflections delivered straight to your inbox.Because we're not done yet.We're just getting started. Get the Backstage Pass now!