If not now, then when...? (The Midlife Experiment)

Full Moon Blessings and happy May!This episode lands on the Full Moon in Scorpio, so if things have been feeling intense, you're not imagining it.As we close out Season 2, I'm going a little deeper into why you may be getting on your own way, and how to move through it. Because it's definitely not lack of trying but possibly your need for approval that's keeping you in the same loop.In this short reflection, I talk about how deeply this pattern can run, why it trips us up even when we're ready for change, and the very important role support plays in actually moving through it.If you're still sitting on the promise you made yourself at the beginning of this year, this one's for you. And if something in this episode resonates, I want you to know that you don't have to do this alone. Drop me an email and let’s chat! Or send me a DM on social media. You get to be supported as you embrace and embody the womxn you were born to be.Sending so much love! PS: come follow me on⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this week's episode I really want to know how you're doing. Can you believe we’re 4 months into the year already!?Remember that promise you made to yourself at the beginning of this year? Have you started acting on it or is it still living in your head? This is not about wishing things could be different but actually changing things by taking action. And it doesn't have to be huge leaps, but rather small steps in the direction of your dreams and desires. It's about following through on the promises you've made to yourself. I also share the simple practice that's helped me stay consistent (even on the days I don't feel like it), and how you can start showing up for yourself in a way that actually sticks.I don't want you to wait until the end of the year to realise nothing's changed. You're going to take one step today, coz if not now, then when?Sending so much love! PS: come follow me on⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ and⁠ ⁠⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Most of us have been at war with our bodies for years. And while the body positivity movement invites us to love our bodies as they are, that can feel like such a big leap, especially in midlife, when everything is changing in ways nobody fully warned us about.In this episode, on this new moon day, I'm asking the question, "what if, instead of going straight to love, we started with friendship?" Befriending your body isn't about pretending to love what you see in the mirror. It's about getting curious, showing up, and choosing not to abandon yourself, one step at a time.This conversation started inside my group coaching programme, Becoming You, where we've been exploring embodiment and what it means to be present in our bodies. Because you cannot access the wisdom your body holds while you're still at war with it. Let me know how this lands for you.And if you know of other podcasts that talk about midlife, and getting out of your own way, then send them to me. I'd love the introduction because I want to practice what I preach and say YES to more guest spots. If not now, then when, right!?Sending so much love! PS: come follow me on⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ and⁠ ⁠⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠⁠!

I did something brave this week.In this episode, I share what happened when I said yes to an opportunity, even though it didn't look the way I wanted it to. Even though I was scared. If you've been asking for change, this is your reminder that it won't always arrive in a comfortable package. And you won’t always feel ready. Be courageous anyway! Coz if not now, then when…?And if you know of other podcasts that talk about midlife, and getting out of your own way, then send them to me. I'd love the introduction coz I want to practice what I preach and say yes to more guest spots.Sending so much love! PS: come follow me on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠!

Today I’m in conversation with Ingrid Irma Jones​, writer, storyteller, and ​m​y Afrikaans teacher at high school​, which makes this conversation even more special.We dive into the identity shifts that come with midlife​,​ the roles we outgrow, the ones we lose, and the quiet question many women find themselves asking, 'who am I now?'We speak about grief, loneliness, and the uncertainty that can come with this season​,​ and also what becomes possible when we allow ourselves to evolve.If you’ve been feeling like you’re in-between versions of yourself, this conversation will meet you there.You can follow Ingrid on TikTok​.Sending so much love! PS: come follow me on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠!

So many of us were taught how to be ​"good girls​". You know, don​'t be too much​, don​'t be too loud​, keep the peace​, and so on, and so on... And somewhere along the way, we learnt to abandon parts of ourselves in order to be liked, accepted, and safe.In this episode, ​I share my own journey as a recovering good girl​, the patterns I​'m unlearning, the ways I​’ve held myself back, and what getting out of my own way looks like.This is an invitation to notice where you might still be playing small, ​censoring yourself, or seeking approval​. And to gently begin loosening your grip on that version of you. Because the woman you’re becoming​ isn't here to be good. She’s here to be free.​Sending so much love! PS: come follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠!

In part two of my conversation with GP and womxn's health specialist ⁠⁠Dr. Fumi Kokoali⁠⁠, we turn toward a conversation that I believe isn't being had enough, menopause and womxn of colour.We speak about how menopause shows up differently, cultural expectations, silence, shame, and why this conversation matters more than ever, especially here in South Africa. Because the more we talk about it, the less alone we feel.If you'd like to make an appointment with Dr Fumi, please reach out to ⁠The Women's Health Practice⁠.My business turned 9 this month, and I'm celebrating by gifting a listener with 1 private coaching session. Don't forget to share your favourite episode to enter. For details on the giveaway check out these ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ posts.Be sure to follow me on ⁠⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠!

Menopause is a natural part of midlife, yet so many womxn feel confused, overwhelmed, or completely unprepared when the transition begins.In this episode, I'm joined by GP and womxn's health specialist Dr. Fumi Kokoali for an honest conversation about what's really happening in our bodies during perimenopause and menopause.We talk about the symptoms many womxn don't realise are connected to menopausal transition, the emotional impact of this stage of life, and some of the biggest myths and misconceptions that still exist around treatment and support.If you've ever wondered "is this normal?" or felt like you're navigating this transition on your own, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone.This is part 1 of a two-part conversation. In next week's episode, we explore how menopause affects womxn of colour. Be sure you're following the podcast so you don't miss it!If you'd like to make an appointment with Dr Fumi, please reach out to The Women's Health Practice.In closing, if you're ready to get TF out of your own way this year and embrace the womxn you're becoming, I have two invitations for you:1. ⁠Becoming You - the next evolution⁠⁠⁠⁠, my signature group coaching programme begins on 16 March. It's a safe, supportive space for womxn in midlife who are ready to stop getting in their own way and start becoming more connected to their essence than ever before. Coz if not now, then when?2. Birthday Month Giveaway: My business turned 9 this month, and I'm celebrating by gifting a listener with 1 private coaching session. For details on how to enter, check out the giveaway posts on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠.Also, come follow me on ⁠⁠SUBSTACK⁠⁠!

In this episode I share why the podcast is now called If not now, then when?, a question that has quietly become my theme for the year and a mantra that keeps nudging me toward the life, voice, and work that's asking to come through.This conversation is about evolution. About listening to the inner whisper that says it's time. And about getting TF out of your own way so you can step into the next version of you and embrace your becoming. If that's where you're at right now, I have two invitations for you:1. Becoming You - the next evolution⁠⁠⁠, my signature group coaching programme begins on 16 March. It's a safe, supportive space for womxn in midlife who are ready to stop getting in their own way and start becoming more connected to their essence than ever before. Coz if not now, then when?2. Birthday Month Giveaway: My business turned 9 this week, and I'm celebrating by gifting a listener with 1 private coaching session. For details on how to enter, check out the giveaway posts on Instagram and Facebook.Also, come follow me on ⁠SUBSTACK⁠!

We're smack-bang in the middle of Eclipse season and Mercury is retrograde... On that note, my business turns 9 on 3/3. Nine! And I'm definitely not the same womxn I was when I started.  In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 intentional shifts I'm making this year to support my next evolution, without hustling harder.I speak about: – Separating my identity from my business​ ​– Getting real support – Unfollowing social media noise​ – Taking full responsibility without burnout– And getting TF out of my own way​ (and how you can too!)If you're building something and open to making some changes this year, this one's for you.​Becoming You - the next evolution⁠⁠, my signature group coaching programme starts on 9 March. It's a safe, supportive space for womxn in midlife who are ready to stop getting in their own way and start becoming more connected to their essence than ever before. Coz if not now, then when?Come follow me on SUBSTACK!

Happy Lunar New Year, and Eclipse season!We're officially in The Year of the Fire Horse and this year I'm committed to getting TF out of my own way. I'm stepping into my next evolution and I want you to join me. Becoming You - the next evolution⁠, my signature group coaching programme starts on 2 March. It's a safe, supportive space for midlife womxn who are ready to stop getting in their own way and start becoming more connected to their essence than ever before. Coz if not now, then when?Sending love x

Season 2 is officially here!And it didn’t happen the way I planned. I’ve been procrastinating launching Season 2 coz life...  But earlier this week I woke up with a nudge. I’ve been receiving such beautiful feedback about the Future-Self meditation I guided inside my recent Vision Board Experience, BEING, and I thought, why not share it here? Why not let this be the first episode of Season 2?So instead of waiting for a "perfect" launch date and the perfect episode, (and perfect new branding - listen till the end to find out more...) I'm doing it messy and launching on Friday, the 13th! Because perfectionism is so last year, right?This meditation feels like the most powerful way to begin especially as we move toward the Year of the Fire Horse and step into 2026 with intention. This is not an episode to multitask through though. So give yourself 15-20 intentional minutes, undisturbed. Make some tea or coffee, light a candle and grab your journal.During this meditation, you'll:Meet the woman you're becomingReceive her wisdom and guidanceReconnect with your desiresRemember what you truly long forIf this meditation stirred something inside of you, or you feel like something clicked, then Becoming You - the next evolution, my group coaching container is for you. It's not a course. It's a safe, supportive space for midlife womxn who are ready to stop getting in their own way and start becoming more connected to their essence than ever before. Coz if not now, then when?And if this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. Till next week!Sending so much love xPS: Once again, shout out to the hubster, my incredible podcast producer, for making this launch happen so seamlessly and quickly.

In this season 1 finale, I guide you through a gentle reflection ritual to help you close out 2025 with intention. Bring your journal, light a candle, play some music, and create a space that feels nourishing and pleasurable. This is your moment to pause, reflect, shed, and integrate before stepping into the new year. A soft, spacious, voice-note style ritual to honour everything you moved through and shed this year.If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. Invitation to come join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, my free Facebook community for women redefining what this chapter looks and feels like.I also want to give a special 'shout-out' to the hubster, who is my podcast producer. Grateful for his patience helping me fine-tune each episode.Sending love x

Full moon blessings! This episode is especially for the woman who's shedding her old skin and has no idea who she's becoming but can feel the spark of it under the surface. I share more about my own year of pausing, shedding, recalibrating, supporting others, and sitting in the messy, scared in-between. I know that before a breakthrough there's usually a breakdown, even though it can be uncomfortable... And the Pheonix fire that is 2025 has been uncomfortable AF! But like the Phoenix, we rise again. Coz if not now, then when... If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. Invitation to come join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, my free Facebook community for women redefining what this chapter looks and feels like.Sending love x

In this episode, I share a quiet reflection that I've been pondering lately - have we stopped dreaming?As I looked back on 2025, I realised how many of my own dreams slipped into the background without me even noticing. And how common this is for so many women in midlife.This episode is an invitation to pause, check in with yourself, and reconnect with the desires you may have pressed pause on.And if you’re ready to dream again, I’m hosting a vision board workshop in January called Envision Her. It's created to help you reconnect with the woman you’re becoming, coz if not now, then when?If this episode resonated with you, share it with ​a friend​, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. Invitation to come join ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠⁠⁠⁠, my free Facebook community for women redefining what this chapter looks and feels like.​Sending love x

In this episode, I share a very vulnerable personal story, probably one of the most vulnerable stories I've shared on the podcast to date.As this episode is released on the Women For Change G20 Shutdown here in South Africa (21 November), I felt called to add my voice to the conversation around gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide, which continues to impact women every single day. I also share some of the shocking statistics, numbers we cannot ignore.I open up about a relationship I was in during my early twenties, the signs I ignored, the fear I lived with, and the moment I knew I had to leave. I speak about the control, the threats, the hypervigilance that followed, and the long shadow an abusive relationship can cast, even years after you walk away.This is not an easy story for me to tell. But I believe in the power of speaking up and the power of storytelling for healing, advocacy, and connection.If my story reaches even one woman who needs to hear it, then sharing it is worth it.If you're currently in a relationship that feels unsafe or controlling, I know leaving is never simple, but you deserve safety, love, and a life where your voice is yours. Please reach out to ⁠Women for Change⁠. We cannot stay silent. We cannot look away. Coz if not now, then when?If this episode resonated with you, share it with ​a friend​, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. Invitation to come join ⁠⁠⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠⁠⁠, my free Facebook community for women redefining what this chapter looks and feels like.​Sending love x

In this episode of The Midlife Sessions, I'm joined by one of my clients, empowerment coach and author, Bianca Johnson, whose debut book All of These Lines: My Story of Pregnancy, Loss and Hope is a beautiful journey of truth, healing, and courage. For more on the book, and to order your copy visit https://alloftheselines.com.We talk about what it really takes to bring a story to life, not just the discipline of writing, but the emotional, spiritual, and deeply human process of saying, 'I’m ready to be seen'.Bianca shares how midlife shaped her voice, how vulnerability became her teacher, and what she learned about trusting herself through the messy act of creation.If you've been feeling the pull to share your story, write your book, start your business, or speak your truth, this episode is your loving nudge to stop waiting for the perfect moment. Coz if not now, then when?Come join ⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠, my free Facebook community for women redefining what this chapter looks and feels like.And, if this episode resonated with you, share it with ​a friend​, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. ​Sending love x​How to connect with Bianca YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUoZmAuezxTQf0TXcMGFAyA Instagram https://www.instagram.com/i.am.biancajohnson/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/bianca-johnson-empowerment/ Facebook https://web.facebook.com/i.am.biancajohnson/

In this episode, I get real about something we don't talk about enough the loneliness that can sneak up on us in midlife.I share my own reflections on how friendships shift as we grow, why connection still matters more than ever, and how tending to our friendships doesn't have to feel like another to-do.If you've been feeling the quiet ache of missing your people or wondering where to find them again, this one's for you.Because midlife isn't meant to be a solo mission. It's a call to choose connection, joy, and community, one coffee and one voice note at a time.Come join The Midlife Experiment, my free Facebook community for women redefining what this chapter looks and feels like.Who knows, you might just meet your next soul-sister there.And, if this episode resonated with you, share it with ​o​ne of your midlife friend​s, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. ​Sending love x

In this episode, I talk about something that's been showing up every time I sit down to record this podcast. That uncomfortable tug-of-war between wanting to do the thing that lights you up and still finding it hard to begin.I share a powerful insight from a video my coach, Liane, sent me, and how it completely shifted the way I see resistance.What if resistance isn’t trying to stop us at all. What if it’s showing us exactly what matters most.If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. I'd also love to invite you to join my free Facebook community, ⁠⁠⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠⁠⁠.Sending love xPS You can find Liane Elle on Instagram

In this episode, I explain what midlife is from my own experience and perspecive, and, it may not be what you think. I speak about the myths we’ve been sold about midlife, the so-called “invisibility era” (and why it might actually be your superpower), and what I call The Midlife Striptease, the beautiful, messy process of shedding who you’ve been so you can remember who you really are.If you’re feeling the shift, the restlessness, the desire to come home to yourself, this one’s for you.And, if this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it helps other midlife women find this space. I'd also love to invite you to join my free Facebook community, ⁠⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠⁠.Sending love x

In this week’s episode, I invite you to take action!You've listened. You've nodded. You've felt that spark, that goosebumpy, heart-thudding aliveness that whispers if not now, then when?But this time, it's different. Coz this isn't about waiting for perfect conditions or feeling "ready." This is about saying YES to the woman you're becoming, even when it's messy, even when it's uncertain, even when your voice trembles.In this episode, I speak about: The sacred moment between who you are and who you're becoming How to recognise activation vs. anxiety Why readiness isn't a feeling but rather a decision, and How to take one small, imperfect step forward todaySo if you've been waiting for a sign, consider this your sign, your nudge, your spark. Because you don't need another podcast to inspire you. You just need to make that move!If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world, and it helps other midlife women find this space. I'd also love to invite you to join my free facebook community, ⁠The Midlife Experiment⁠.Sending love x

In this powerful and tender conversation, I sit down with Di Atherton, a certified death doula, grief guide, and Reiki Master, to explore the quieter forms of grief we experience in midlife.Midlife brings so many transitions: menopause, changing bodies, children leaving home, ageing parents, shifting roles, and evolving identities. It's a season of endings and beginnings, a series of small deaths that often go unspoken.Together, we dive into: - What it really means to grieve beyond the loss of a loved one- How to honour the grief of lost identities and past versions of ourselves- Why feeling your feelings is the most radical form of self-trust- Rituals to help you navigate endings with more grace and softness- How to reframe the narrative of ageing and step into midlife with powerThis episode is an invitation to slow down, exhale, and let yourself be human. Because sometimes, before we can rise, we need to grieve.Connect with DiCome hang out in my free Facebook community The Midlife Experiment.https://www.facebook.com/DiAthertonSpiralPath/

Many of us in midlife feel like we should already “have it ALL figured out.”But what if the real magic lies in allowing ourselves to begin again?In this episode of The Midlife Sessions, I share why embracing the beginner’s mindset is not only brave but deeply liberating​, especially in midlife. From starting new creative projects to daring to show up in fresh, vulnerable ways, being a beginner opens the door to joy, possibility, and freedom.Listen in, and don’t forget to check out Episode 1​, if you haven’t​ done so already​!If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world, and it helps other midlife women find this space. I'd also love to invite you to join my free facebook community, The Midlife Experiment.

In this very first episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of why I started The Midlife Sessions, and what I hope it sparks in you.This podcast was born out of both love and loss. When my cousin, a brilliant podcast host himself, passed away two years ago, I made a promise to myself start my own show in his honour. It’s taken me a while to find the courage, but here we are.And as I share this story, I also want to talk about what it means to be a beginner again because starting something new in midlife can feel both terrifying and wildly liberating.In this episode, you’ll hear:The personal story and legacy that inspired me to finally launch this podcastWhy being a beginner in midlife is an act of rebellion and courageHow midlife can be a second bite of life - messy, magical, and yours to defineJoin the conversation inside my free Facebook community, The Midlife Experiment on Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18XBm7gruW/]And if this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, hit subscribe, and leave a review. It means the world to me, and it'll help other midlife women find this space.Sending love x

Hello, I’m Sonja McKaiser, and this is not your average midlife conversation. Midlife isn’t about fading out. It’s about turning up the volume, taking the second bite of life, and living it on your terms! Ready for raw, real, and sometimes ridiculously fun (ny) conversations about what it actually means to thrive in midlife? LFG!! Coz if not now, then when...Episode 1 launching on 30 September 2025!