Life's 2nd Act

05/06/2025

What if everything you built came crashing down in your fifties?

Michael Fry was a performer, a father and a husband. But behind the curtain was a lifetime of trauma, addiction and undiagnosed mental illness.

By the time he reached 55, he had lost his marriage, his stability and most painfully his sense of self.

In the second of our Life’s 2nd Act episodes on homelessness, Michael shares the honest and emotional journey from hitting rock bottom to rediscovering joy and purpose.

It began with early childhood struggles, compounded by the devastating loss of his brother. Addiction followed him through his teenage years into adulthood, slowly eroding his relationships and mental health.

Eventually, everything collapsed, leaving him homeless and without hope.

But Stonepillow, a West Sussex charity supporting those facing homelessness, offered Michael something powerful: compassion. They didn’t just give him support they gave him space to heal.

Michael now speaks openly about his journey, not with shame, but with pride. His story is proof that it’s never too late to find purpose and joy.

Thank you Michael for sharing your story.

Episode drops 06.06.25

08/05/2025

If you fight with what is, who’s going to win?

"Letting go was really liberating and it’s been the best 12 months of my life."

After her long-standing role at The Body Shop came to a sudden end, Sanjani Shah chose how to respond and she chose to evolve.

Emphasising the importance of choice in response to life's challenges, she discusses how her spiritual practices helped her navigate feelings of fear and uncertainty. Sanjani reflects on the power of vulnerability, the significance of slowing down to gain clarity and the joy of exploring new opportunities.

Ultimately, she highlights the importance of energy and self-belief in manifesting a positive future, especially during midlife transitions.

In this episode, Sanjani shares how:
🎧Accepting change quickly helped her move forward
🎧Spiritual practices anchored her through fear
🎧Taking time out unlocked clarity and creativity

This is an inspirational, uplifting story and a great example of how to embrace ‘what is’.

🎧Episode drops 09.05.25

04/05/2025

When life shifts in an instant… reflections on a midlife conversation.

Carolyn Mayling’s story of loss & strength

Life changes fast.

Carolyn’s story is a powerful reminder that even in deep loss, purpose and connection are still possible.

What really matters today?
Who would you hold close if this moment was all you had?

25/04/2025

How do you carry on when the unimaginable happens?

When Carolyn Mayling lost her daughter Rosie, everything changed. Grief transformed her marriage, her health, her identity.

And… something powerful happened in the process.

🌈 She found resilience
🌈 She built a community
🌈 She found purpose

Our conversation begins with Carolyn recounting her heart-wrenching experience of losing Rosie, to a sudden illness. During this difficult time, she discovered an incredible strength within herself.

She talks though the impact of grief on her family and how it led her to create a charity in Rosie’s honour, ‘Rosie’s Rainbow Fund’. This charity provides support and music therapy to children in hospitals.

We explore:
🌈 The significance of support
🌈 The enduring legacy of love that transcends loss
🌈 Her compelling decision to pursue motherhood again later in life with IVF
🌈 The impact on her marriage
🌈 The challenges she faced during her battle with cancer
🌈 The transformative power of a spiritual awakening

Our conversations ends with Carolyn reflecting on her newfound strength and her future aspirations for the charity and her love of writing.

Whether you're in midlife to not, moments like these Carolyn works through often invites us to pause and reflect.

What are you grateful for right now... as you read this?

26/01/2025

Feeling stuck? Embrace the wake-up call…

🎙️ “If we acknowledge that midlife shift and notice we want to go in a different direction but don’t know how… that’s a fantastic sign. It’s a positive sign. It’s the first step to waking up.” Says Susanne

For years, we may have been “good soldiers,” doing what’s expected: pleasing parents, ticking boxes, fitting in. But what happens when we realise something’s missing? When we think “There must be more to life”?

Susanne reminds us to pause. Acknowledge where we are. Celebrate all we’ve accomplished.

Maybe life isn’t about constantly chasing the next thing. Maybe it’s about realising we’re exactly where we need to be.

Listen to Susanne’s journey when you in the car next, on a dog walk or chillin’ on the sofa.

🎧 You can listen on: Spotify, Apple, Amazon or YouTube
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21/12/2024

Thank you… for following and tuning in...

… and thank you to the incredible guests who joined me on “Life’s 2nd Act.” Your willingness to share your personal stories and insights on navigating midlife transitions and embracing new beginnings has been truly inspiring.

To anyone reading this, as we look forward to 2025, wherever your journey takes you, I hope you become more true to yourself, follow your passions, your interests and find the right balance between work and play.

We don't have to do things the way we've always done. There's always an opportunity to change, embrace that fear, face those new challenges and seek out what is truly important to you.

Happy Christmas and Happy New You.
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14/11/2024

😩 Have you ever felt like life just kept piling on, with no way to catch a breath?

If so, you’re definitely not alone. Dawn Barnes knows this feeling all too well.

She poured everything into her work, leaving her priorities tangled and her health neglected. The long hours led to quick meals and ‘just one glass of wine to unwind,’ but it soon spiraled—impacting her sleep, her social life, and, ultimately, her well-being.

But Dawn found a way through. She started reconnecting with her authentic self, step by step. If this story resonates with you, check out her journey and see how she began to reclaim her balance.

🤔 Do you feel the same? There is a way forward.

🎧You can listen on: Spotify, Apple, Amazon or YouTube
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02/11/2024

''Midlife invites us to pause and find beauty in what we once hurried past. In these quiet moments, nature offers us the gift of perspective.''

31/10/2024

“Sometimes, it’s the small things that occupy the biggest part of our hearts.”
Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne)

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