The Midlife Plot Twist Podcast

Episode 6: Midlife and Long-Held Dreams

In this episode of The Midlife Plot Twist podcast, Jennifer shares a pivotal moment in her midlife journey as she awaits the results of her graduate school application, which is one step toward fulfilling a dream she’s carried since adolescence: becoming a therapist.
She reflects on how her path through academia, coaching, and creative rediscovery led her back to the dreams that shaped her early life, and how midlife is often the perfect time to revisit what once inspired us. Jennifer explores the idea of enduring dreams, the role of intuition in life transitions, the transferable skills we accumulate without realizing it, and the deep connection between self-worth and the courage to pursue what we truly want.
This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own long-held dreams, the essence behind them, and the possibility of bringing them back into their lives—no matter how much time has passed.
Listeners are encouraged to share their stories or reach out at midlifeplottwistpodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @midlifeplottwistpodcast.

Episode 5: Plot Twists and Fear

In this episode, Jennifer talks about what the plot twist means to her adn dives into one of the most powerful emotions we can face in midlife: fear. What happens when a life you’ve worked so hard to build suddenly stops feeling like your story? 
Jennifer shares her personal experience of confronting fear during a major change in life, exploring how catastrophizing can trap us in black-and-white thinking and how reclaiming choice, which is guided by our own well-being, can free us. Through honest reflection, she reveals how fear has shown up at every major turning point in her life, and how she’s learned to see it as a companion in transformation rather than an enemy to avoid.
If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by fear while facing a life change, this episode will help you reframe it as a sign of growth and possibility.

Episode 4: Midlife

In this episode of The Midlife Plot Twist, Jennifer opens up about what it feels like to navigate midlife as a woman in her forties, from confronting fears about leaving her academic career to redefining what aging means after major life and health changes. She shares how a hysterectomy became an unexpected doorway to self-discovery and how midlife, once associated with loss, is revealing itself as a time of clarity, courage, and liberation. Through honest reflection, Jennifer explores the myths we’ve been taught about midlife and the freedom that comes from finally meeting yourself without apology. This conversation is an invitation to see midlife not as an ending, but as the start of something powerful and new.

Episode 3: Grieving What You're Leaving Behind

In this episode, Jen opens up about the unexpected grief that comes with leaving academia. She reflects on the loss of identity, the hopes she once had for her career, and the process of letting go with compassion. Through an honest journaling practice, Jen explores who she is beyond her job and invites listeners to do the same.

Episode 2: Living in Limbo

What happens when your heart has already made the decision to leave, but your body and circumstances haven’t caught up yet? In this episode, Jennifer reflects on the uncomfortable (and necessary) space of limbo — that in-between stage where you’re not who you were, but not yet who you’re becoming. She explores the lessons of waiting, surrender, and seeing her life from a new perspective — much like the Hanged Man card in Tarot. If you’re standing in your own in-between, knowing change is coming but not yet ready to leap, this one’s for you.

Episode 1: My Midlife Plot Twist

After years of achievement in academia, Jennifer, a woman in her 40s, faces burnout, chronic illness, and the realization that she wants to start fresh. In this candid first episode, she shares the start of her journey, setting up for a podcast on the real-time process of letting go of academia, healing, and redefining her purpose for midlife and beyond.