Let me introduce you to Nicky Genders who’s just written a book Retired & Inspired, which gets the Fifty Thrive highly recommended stamp (note to self: create one on Canva for next time!)

I first met Nicky on a retreat in France back in 2023 - we were both there to prioritise our own wellbeing during our menopause season.

It was a wonderfully wholesome and life-affirming experience at a difficult time in my life, and after four days together sharing laughter, candour and some tears, we left as friends.

I’ve been following Nicky’s adventures since then as she, her husband Andy and dog Gus led a life of freedom; house and pet sitting whilst travelling in a van.

It’s very hard to pin Nicky down as she’s always somewhere different either in the UK or overseas, so I caught a lucky break when I tracked her down to the depths of Wiltshire to have a Five to Thrive conversation. Take a listen below!

Having enjoyed her book, I was keen to talk to her about it, and to find out what it was like to take a very different journey in her mid fifties.

In this episode we explored the challenges and the highlights of the first five years on the road, and why she decided to write a book about it.

I hope you enjoy our informal chat and that it sparks a curiosity within you to follow your own dreams whatever they are, and to have the courage to take steps towards making it happen. Nicky is proof that you can change your life journey if you want to!

And of course, if it piques your interest then I’d definitely recommend reading Nicky’s book. Not do you feel like you’re going on an adventure with her, it’s also about how she navigated midlife challenges on the road - from menopause, and relationships to being away from family.

Thank you Nicky for chatting to me - I’m sure your story will resonate with, and inspire other women contemplating change and new beginnings.

Buy Nicky’s book here

Nicky’s pet and house sitting business - great if you want an experienced and caring sitter then check out here

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PS. if you enjoyed this and my other writing, and want to support Fifty Thrive then there’s a way to support me

Buy me a coffee!

I don’t put any of my content behind a paywall as I want it to be accessible, but I do appreciate your support.

Thank you so much and enjoy

Emma xxxx

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories are shared - for together we are stronger!!

I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include, so feel free to leave comments and ideas.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Resisting rest

I hope you survived the recent heatwave. It was a toughie wasn’t it!

As a menopausal woman who’s survived quite a few 40 plus degree heatwaves whilst living in France, that’s quite an admission. You’d think that I’d have got the whole heatwave thing sussed, but this one seemed to hit me particularly hard.

So it’s no surprise when I confess that this issue is arriving a week later than planned. Every time I sat down to write last week I struggled to string a sentence together as my mind melted and my body sweated in solidarity.

Each day I’d try again to pick up where I left off, but as the days got hotter, my writing became even less coherent. In the end I had to admit defeat - the weather had well and truly got the better of me! And by the time Friday came around, I could take no more, I had to give myself permission to stop working completely.

Yet showing some compassion to myself at this time felt really uncomfortable. As someone whose career has been built around meeting deadlines and delivering to expectation, I still find it so hard to let go of obligations. It’s crazy really, but I know I’m not alone.

Us midlife women have grown up in a society and working environment that functions best when we’re always switched on and available (preferably with a smile on our faces too!). We’ve been so conditioned to prioritise other’s needs before our own whether that’s at work, in the home or for the family, that it feels almost impossible to break free.

And you’d think as a long-term self-employed person, who theoretically has autonomy over her time, I’d have figured this out by now, but I can assure you it’s still something I tussle with.

So last Friday after much cajoling and words to self, I finally decided it was okay (and safe) to choose my wellbeing over everything else. After all, one day off wasn’t going to end the world!

And then just as I began to exhale, the guilt started to creep in and tense me up again. My mind tried to pull me back into being productive; telling me I had to check emails, nudging me about my to-do-list, whilst my body screamed for a lie-down by a fan on full blast!

I’ve talked to other midlife women about this, and they tell me they feel the same; this relentless drive to keep on going regardless of their own needs. And I wonder why our generation feels this so viscerally, have we lost the ability to question the status quo, or are we simply too exhausted to fight it?!

Maybe as the world spins ever faster and things are changing so rapidly and radically these days, we’ve become too caught up in the maelstrom. And that weirdly, stopping feels more triggering than keeping going.

Or is it that for too long, we’ve come to equate (or been forced to feel) that our sense of worth and value is only measured by being always on and amenable?

Whatever, the reasons, which are likely to be multiple, there’s one thing for sure - that if we don’t show ourselves a hefty dose of compassion at times like these, then we’re never going to find and own our thrive!

With holiday season almost upon us, and more heatwaves inevitable before the summer’s out, learning to let go (even for a few hours) is going to be our biggest challenge, and yet, if we crack it, also our greatest reward.

And I’ll let you into a little secret, what finally brought me to my senses as I jostled with my guilt was this brilliant post by Suzy Reading (if you don’t follow her on IG you must - and read below for something else too!)

I’d love to know if you struggle with this too - or if you’ve found a way to take time out guilt free - what’s helped you, is it compassion, setting strong boundaries, no longer people-pleasing that’s helped you? Answers below!

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2. Throw your hands in the air, like you don’t care!

A long time ago, when I was a student in Manchester, I’d go out clubbing a few times a week, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid! And of course it was all fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol (remember Thunderbird, anyone?!)

I had thought that those heady days of partying were long gone, yet the other Friday at 7am in the heart of Manchester, that’s exactly what I was doing (minus the alcohol)!

There I was, with my friend Susanna, other midlife women and mums with kids, throwing my hands in the air, like I didn’t care - dancing wildly to classic tunes from the 90s and noughties.

Recently I’d written about how time seems to be going faster than ever, and how I needed to find temporal milestones to slow things down a bit. This was the first of these temporal milestones (what I now call my thrive milestones) that I hope will bring me more joy and variety!

So how did I find out about this? It was one evening when I was mindlessly scrolling on instagram I came across a reel that caught my attention and sparked my curiosity.

In that moment, I discovered that Rant & Ramble Coffee Rave was coming to Manchester, and just I knew I had to go! These 7am coffee raves are designed to give people a feel-good boost before work - and to bring more joy and connection to people through music, movement, community and coffee. How could I resist such a mission!

Leesa Collinge founded Rant & Ramble initially as a supportive walking group to help her after her mother passed away from lung cancer. Then, as a huge fan of dance music, she came up with the Coffee Rave concept after seeing people joyfully dancing in the streets early in the morning in France.

And as an inaugural thrive milestone it was a pretty awesome one - the welcome was so warm, the music pumping and uplifting (special mention to the hugely talented and gorgeous Romi Foxx on drums and DJ Dan) and the people we met were up for fun and chats.

Rant & Ramble has now caught the attention of Davina McCall and the Begin Again team so if you’re based down in London then there’s a rave on 22nd July you can book here and there’s others throughout the summer across the north.

It’s going to be hard to make my second thrive milestone as memorable as the first but I’m up for the challenge - so watch this space!

And if you have any ideas on what my next one can be then share below! Also, let me know if you’ve had a thrive milestone recently.

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3. Voices of Wisdom

It’s with great excitement that I introduce you to the fabulous Rachel Peru - some of you may well know her already. We’ve only ever met online and a while ago she did one of my PR power hours. I’ve long admired her from afar as I love everything she does! Not only is she passionate about helping midlife women feel confident in their bodies, she’s also a stunning model, a stylish dresser (along with her husband Mark) and podcaster. And on top of all of this she’s got an exciting new venture which she’ll tell you about below - so over to you Rachel…

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

Body confidence is at the heart of everything I do. Not in a performative “love yourself every day” way, but in learning to accept ourselves as we are, to stay connected to our bodies, and to stop waiting for permission to feel confident.

I create spaces, through my social media content, my community, and my podcast conversations, where women feel seen, represented, and more at home in their bodies. I challenge the idea that visibility, confidence, or feeling good in our skin has an expiry date. I want women to know they are allowed to take up space, exactly as they are now, not a certain dress size or ten pounds lighter, but now.

This message is now shaping my next chapter with the launch of my swimwear brand, Liberté – Free to Be. It’s designed to support women in feeling confident and comfortable in their bodies without compromise, pieces that fit, support, and move with you, rather than asking you to change for them. Where women who are too often under represented will be showcased in all marketing.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

I wasted so many years waiting to feel confident before I felt ready to start living my life, but the truth is, confidence is built through action, not perfection. Not shrinking your body. Not becoming a different version of yourself.

So, I would say start now. Just as you are.

Wear the swimsuit. Be in the photo. Take up space in the room even if you don’t feel “ready”, because that’s when everything starts to shift.

3. How are you thriving right now?

Right now, I’m thriving by building something that feels deeply aligned with who I am and what I believe in. I’m stepping into a new chapter with the launch of my swimwear brand, Liberté - Free to Be, and that feels both exciting and slightly scary in equal measure. It’s pushing me outside of my comfort zone, but in a way that feels purposeful.

On a personal level, I’ve also been navigating the recent loss of my dad. That experience has changed how I move through life. It’s made everything feel more present, I’m more honest with myself about what I want and don’t want in my life. It’s reminded me not to postpone things that matter, and to live with more intention.

Through the menopause I’ve also become more connected to myself than I’ve ever been, listening to what I need, looking after my energy, and not feeling the pressure to be everything to everyone.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That you are allowed to change. So much of life is spent trying to stay consistent with who we’ve been, or who we think we’re supposed to be to conform to external expectations. I no longer see myself through one fixed identity. I see myself as someone who is still becoming, still growing and exploring, still allowed to shift direction if something no longer feels aligned. I don’t feel the need to justify my actions to people anymore.

5. Who do you think is truly living in her thrive?

I think it’s women who have stopped trying to perform who they think they should be and instead lean fully into who they actually are. I’ve now interviewed over 160 women on the podcast, and what’s become really clear is that thriving doesn’t look like one fixed thing. It looks different for everyone, but there are some common threads.

It’s women who have started listening to themselves again. Who’ve made brave shifts in how they live, how they dress, how they speak, or what they no longer tolerate. Women who have stopped shrinking to fit into expectations and started expanding into their own lives.

Some are rebuilding after loss or change. Some are stepping into visibility for the first time. But they’ve all given themselves permission to be true to themselves.

Don’t forget to follow and support Rachel here: @rachelperu1 @libertefreetobe www.liberteltd.com

4. Thrive nuggets

It’s that time of year when we start thinking about our summer reading (especially for those going on holiday) so here’s two books that I’m going to have in my pile.

How to be Selfish: 7 steps to taking back your power by the aforementioned Suzy Reading. After my recent experience, and having read the blurb below, I know that I have to get my mitts on this book ASAP!!!

Drawing on somatic therapy, neuroscience and psychology, alongside highly effective coaching tools and techniques, Suzy presents seven steps to guide you towards reclaiming your peace and your power. We can only become calmer, stronger, well-rested people by prioritising ourselves and also allowing others to fill up our cup. It is time to receive!

The other is called Joybellion: Transforming Midlife Insignificance into Freedom, Power, and Everyday Magic by Kai Soremekun, who’s also on substack. Based on the title alone, this is going to be one that I devour.

5. And finally…

It’s been a busy few months for Fifty Thrive helping female founders get their stories, expertise and opinions in the media - from The Chateau Celebrant in Best magazine, The Long Game with Lucy Patterson into Dynamic Business Magazine to myself into Woman’s Weekly, among others.

With the long-lead media now focusing on the autumn and Christmas (yes seriously!) now’s the time to be planning ahead if you want to get coverage later this year.

So let’s have a PR power session together over the summer to get the ideas flowing and pieces in place to get you some stellar coverage that’ll bring you new customers and trusted third party profile.

Over the summer (July and August) I’m offering my PR power session for £199 (a saving of £100). So if you’re interested in finding out more then get in touch but don’t take my word on their value:

And please do share with any female founders or midlife women who you think would benefit from being in the media or would like some fresh ideas for topical content!

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So that’s it folks - hope that you enjoyed this edition - I’d love you to comment on any of the insights or perspectives shared here - were there any that resonated with you?

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And finally, if you enjoy reading Five to Thrive, then I’d love for you to buy me a coffee to say thanks. I don’t put any of my writing or content behind a paywall as I want it to be accessible, but I do appreciate your support.

So I’ve set up an opportunity for you to make a one-off payment on my Fifty Thrive stripe account - any amount is appreciated!

Thank you so much x

In this bi-monthly Five to Thrive compendium you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read inspirational insights that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thrive in midlife.

While I’ll be curate and craft these editions for you, I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include, so feel free to leave comments and ideas at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Exploring the next chapter

Yesterday was my 21,050th day alive, and if I’m lucky I might have another 12,000 or more ahead of me - which would take me nicely up to my 91st birthday!

By which time I’ll be running Ninety Thrive and launching my Hire-a-Nonna business.

Yet, if I took on board what the advertisers, media or society wanted me to do with those 12,000 precious days then you might find me in my next chapter settling into a comfortable retirement home, planning a cruise for a dose of adventure, while retreating quietly in a haze of invisibility, no longer keeping up with anti-ageing appearances.

But sod that!

I’ve never been one to follow the script - as I once said to my Dad as he was pestering me about when I was going to finally settle down and get married - ‘I don’t live my life to a timetable that was set by you!’

And that’s as true now as it was back then - even more so I believe.

The more I tune inwards listening to what my gut is telling me, the more I realise that I’m in a significant transition phase right now - and that everything is pulling me in the direction of my next chapter - the one that’s more aligned to the woman I’m becoming (or maybe simply the woman I was born to be, who just got a little lost along the way).

This woman was once embodied in the five year old me - perfectly captured in a black and white photo that I now can’t find to share with you. So you’ll just have imagine little Emma in the garden with her hands jauntily on her hips looking straight into the camera with a sassy ‘I’ve got this’ attitude. That’s the woman I’m talking about. Before she was conditioned and moulded into a people-pleasing, emollient child and adult by her 1970/80s upbringing, gendered expectations, and the trauma of being sent to boarding school aged 10.

We all go through transitions throughout our life and I believe that redesigning new versions that embrace and compliment these different phases is crucial for our own wellbeing, and ultimately lifespan.

It’s less about reinvention, and more recalibration.

As I look back at myself in my early 50s when I first set up Fifty Thrive, I can see how different I was then to now. In just seven years I’ve been battered and weathered by perimenopause, I’ve cared for, and witnessed the passing of my parents, and gone through the unravelling of my identity as a result of this parental loss and grief.

And on top of that there’s been plenty of uncertainty and upheaval to contend whilst navigating a world that’s frequently as unhinged as my worst perimenopausal moments!

If I’m being totally honest with you, there’s been plenty of moments when I’ve felt less Fifty Thrive and more Fifty Survive.

That’s why I’m determined to make the next chapter - the one that sees me leaving my fifties and starting my sixties - into one that’s wholly and unconditionally aligned to who I am becoming, and how I want to spend my days thriving.

And if I’m lucky enough to experience another 12,000 then surely they must be unfiltered and unadulterated by any outside influences on how they ‘should’ look. I’ve come to realise that new chapters are an inside job!

I get a sense too that there will be others of you reading this who feel the same way - slightly bewildered about what’s ahead for you, while also enthralled about designing and recalibrating a life that finally lights your fire and makes you feel alive.

So if you are in for the ride, let’s encourage and inspire each other - I’ll be writing more about this as plans develop in my long-form writing, rather than here in Five to Thrive, so be sure to look out for those pieces.

I’d love to hear whether this resonates with you - and if you’d like to share your own next chapter story with me, however far along the journey you are. Maybe I could share your story here or interview in one of my Fifty Thrive Conversations - that would be awesome!?

2. A surreal moment

The other day I popped into the supermarket to check out the magazines - something I do now and then to see what they’re covering.

This time I picked up Women’s Weekly and as I flicked through the pages I had the surreal experience of spotting my own face in print!

The interview that I’d done back in February with a freelance journalist (having spotted the opportunity) was finally a story in the magazine - one of three about how I went on a menopause retreat (run by Laura Shuckburgh Marvellous Midlife back in 2023) to give my wellbeing a boost.

In the piece, I talked about how the retreat restored me at a very difficult time as it was only a few months since the passing of my Dad and when my Mum was in the midst of her final stage of Alzheimers (oh and we were also moving from France back to the UK - so a triple whammy!)

As you will know by now, I’m on my own Hiding to Thriving mission - looking for opportunities to share my own stories and lived experiences in the media and on podcasts.

I’m doing this to show that our stories and lived experiences matter. It’s what my Fifty Thrive mission is all about - supporting female founders and midlife women to share their stories in the media. From talking to many women, I know that we all want to read or hear more diverse stories that truly reflect our own lives rather than the filtered, out-of-reach celebrity versions that we’re often subjected to!

Each and every one of our stories has value to someone, and perhaps in sharing my story in Women’s Weekly, I’ll encouraged a woman going through a similarly hard time to do something for herself. Maybe she’ll book a retreat or a weekend away for herself that she didn’t feel she deserved or had talked herself out of. It’s a real life reminder that we midlife women must once in a while prioritise our thrive.

Interestingly I’ve just got my website figures for the week that I was featured in the magazine (where I got my url mentioned - note this is something I pushed for) and my number of visitors apparently went up by 23300% compared with the week before! So there’s at least nearly 400 additional women (I assume!) who have checked out my site and are now aware of what Fifty Thrive is!

Why from Hiding to Thriving is for all of us!

Aligned to my mission, I had a really interesting conversation this week with Edd Dracott, who used to work as the Real Life editor at the Press Association and now has set up a company Folc which calls itself ‘the human story experts’. They source and develop real life case studies that compliment brand and business stories to give them extra appeal to the media.

We had such an insightful chat about the importance of relatable and interesting human stories and how the media in particular often overlooks the power of midlife (and older) women’s stories, and what we can do about it. After all, the more we keep on telling and sharing our stories, the harder it is for the media to ignore us!

I do believe that things are getting better now - there’s more designated columns in newspapers, magazines and podcasts to share our lived experiences, expertise and wisdom. And that’s why I’m dedicated to helping my clients (and me) find these opportunities.

And of course, I couldn’t let Edd go without asking him about the impact of AI on stories and the media as it’s something I’m intrigued about, and he came back with some really juicy insights:

“I would argue human stories have never been more important to the media industry. In a landscape where AI overviews are rapidly absorbing audiences, every newsroom is thinking seriously about what they can offer that a Google or ChatGPT summary can’t replicate.

“For a news website looking to attract readers, you can’t do much better than a compelling, verified human story - complete with novel imagery AI can’t steal, and exclusive quotes, whilst I know from experience that nothing cuts through the swathe of AI-generated press releases and fake experts in an editor’s inbox quite like the offer of a great interview.”

So, if you have a story or lived experience you’d love to tell, then let’s talk - my PR Power Session helps you discover and package your stories so that you/I can find opportunities in the media for them.

3. Voices of Wisdom

Let me introduce you to Katie Fyfe who runs a really cool clothing brand Dad & Dolly with her 89 year old Dad who has Alzheimer’s, and who she cares for full time. Since it is Carers Week this week, it felt fitting to get Katie’s perspective on being a carer whilst also looking after her own wellbeing as a midlife woman. You really should check out Dad & Dolly, a limited edition British-made clothing range that’s inspired by her American Dad’s timeless style, the lessons of his generation and the wisdom that comes with it. I love that she’s doing something that brings her and her Dad together in such a positive way, despite the challenges they both face! Over to you Katie…

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I help shine a light on a chapter of midlife many women find themselves in but few feel prepared for - caring for ageing parents. While men care too, the responsibility often defaults to mid-life daughters, who become the ones coordinating care, managing crises, and having the difficult conversations, all while juggling work, family and their own futures.

Through caring for my own dad, building Eldering, and through Dad & Dolly, I’m exploring how we support our parents in later life, without losing ourselves, our relationships and our sanity in the process. My hope is to make this stage feel less lonely, more navigable, more valued and more seen. Caring for family members is often invisible work, but it impacts so many women’s lives in these middle years.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Get curious about what makes your heart sing. Midlife gives us the gift of experience and is such a pivotal life stage. By this point, you should know what you’re good at, what matters to you, what drains you, and what kind of work feels meaningful. Take time to look back at the threads running through your life and ask yourself how you might use that knowledge to create a future that feels both fulfilling and sustainable, that can also be designed around the reality you are actually living. Then find the courage to take steps towards it.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I’m doing work I feel called to do despite the demands and uncertainty of caring for my dad. But if I’m honest, I feel like I’m still working towards my thrive rather than fully living it!

I’ve intentionally reshaped my life and work so it fits around care, rather than competing with it. The result is slower, more stop-start progress, but it’s progress nonetheless and, crucially, aligned with my values and interests. For me, thriving at the moment is less about charging ahead and more about continuing to move forward within the confines of my reality and staying true to myself. But to fully thrive, I know I need more support. Right now my focus is on improving that scaffolding around me so that caring for my dad and succeeding in my work can coexist sustainably as his needs evolve.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

To recognise the signs of burnout and respond to them early. Burnout is a real risk if you are carrying too much for too long, and don’t have any time or space for yourself to reset your nervous system. But it can be hard to spot as it creeps in slowly. Many of us are holding so much together and worried about dropping balls that we ignore the warning signs until our reserves are empty. I’ve learned to take those signals seriously and see burnout is not as a personal failing but as useful information that something needs to change - whether that’s my workload, expectations, support system or pace. Stopping to readjust, pull back, build in support and re-route is the very thing that allows me to be resilient and continue building a life around care that allows me to thrive in the long term.

5. Who do you think is truly living in her thrive?

Celebrity-wise, Pamela Anderson comes to mind. I really admire how she is now living life on her own terms, and is so comfortable in her natural, authentic self rather than performing a role or seeking external validation.

More broadly, the mid-life women I see truly thriving alongside family responsibilities are the ones who aren’t carrying everything alone. They have strong relationships, practical help, and a network of reliable people they can lean on to share the load. That scaffolding helps absorb midlife’s inevitable shocks and creates enough space for them to invest in themselves as well as everyone else who depends on them.

To find out more: Dad & Dolly instragram Dad & Dolly project

4. Thrive nugget

Talking of new chapters, I wanted to let you know that I’ll soon be bringing you an recorded interview with a friend (who I met on the earlier mentioned retreat) who’s become an author recently! Her book ‘Retired and Inspired’ chronicles her and her husband’s (and dog Gus) adventures of van life and pet sitting around the UK and Europe. She’s proof that next chapters do require bravery and a step into the unknown but the rewards in doing so far outweigh the challenges. I can’t wait to interview Nicky and delve into how she made all of this happen in her late 50s. Watch this space!

5. And finally…

I wanted to share a new substack I’ve discovered as recommended called The Sunday Cervix by Salma El-Wardany. There was a particular post called The Economy of Sisterhood which is a thought provoking read about how financial systems are built to keep women trapped, and how we need to form a new economy of women buying from other women. Take a read and see what you think.

Sunday Cervix

The economy of sisterhood

Money makes the world go round, but it also protects you if you’re a podophile. Should you take a child and violate their body, and should you have enough money, you don’t have to worry about consequences. If you rape a woman, if you shove your hand across her mouth while she screams, and should you have enough money, you don’t have to be concerned abou…

Read more

6 months ago · 37 likes · 16 comments · Salma El-Wardany

And on that note, if you’ve got value from, and enjoyed reading this substack and the others I regularly write for you then maybe you’ll buy me a coffee (and a cake if you’re feeling generous?!)

I’ve now set up an opportunity for you to make a one-off payment on my Fifty Thrive stripe account if you want to support me and what I do for you here.

And let’s all have a think about how we can better financially support one another as women operating in a world where finance and wealth is built by men and for men!!

If you ever needed proof of this, today I heard the news that Elon Musk has become the world’s first trillionaire (making him at least 10 times wealthier than the wealthiest woman in the world) - and a squillion more than just about every other woman! This wealth hoarding for nefarious means must stop!

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I’d love to hear your comments - I do reply to each one, and please feel free to share this with another midlife woman who’d benefit from reading it. Until next time, thriveseekers!

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Welcome to the latest edition of Five to Thrive.

In this bi-monthly compendium you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read insights that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving, personally and professionally.

I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include - and you can do so in the comments at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Time flies

It’s mid afternoon and I’m sitting in a darkened room writing this for you - the blinds are closed to block out the sun’s rays.

Here we are in the middle of a heatwave in late May - earlier than ever before. Summer’s arrival this year has been like a bull in a china shop - brusque and brutal!

These last few days have reminded me of when we lived in France and endured multiple heatwaves of over 40 degrees (all without AC or a pool close by to dive into!)

Imagine doing that at the height of perimenopause, sometimes I wonder how or, if indeed, I stayed sane during those times. We thought we’d left that behind for the cooler summer climes of the North but it seems like climate change is catching up with us here too!

This unseasonably early heatwave appears to be a sign that things are changing at an ever-quickening pace. And this is fuelling an uneasy sense of uncertainty within me, and perhaps you too?

Maybe it’s a mirage, but right now everything seems to be a little upended, as if the world is turning on its axis at twice the speed it’s meant to!

Do you feel this too?

It’s not only unexpected heatwaves that are fuelling this, I’ve also noticed a surge in AI content flooding our screens and social media adding to this sense of change. All these endless stories about how it’s going to impact our lives, and how if we don’t jump on board right now then we’re going to get left behind.

These incessant narratives can sometimes feel like a tornado ripping through your mind. And it’s at times like this, I know for my own peace of mind, I need to press pause - to slow down, catch my breath, and tune back into my own innate curiosity.

So I did some research and yes it does seem that AI is speeding things up; it’s giving us instant answers, it’s prioritising productivity and output, while diminishing friction and downgrading critical thinking.

No wonder then that it’s seemingly accelerating time because convenience and speed have become the ultimate goal - and of course this comes with a cost.

Convenience in food was once sold to us as the holy grail, but we soon found out how bad that was for our bodies, and now this AI convenience is being foisted onto us, it doesn’t take a genius to imagine how that’s going to work out! I honestly don’t think our brains are designed to cope with the level of overwhelm we’re experiencing at the moment.

I also found out that as we age time does appear to go faster because our brains aren’t being fed enough temporal landmarks - distinct, memorable moments or milestones that stand out from the routine of daily life. And I can only conclude that technology is adding an additional layer of mundanity and mindlessness into our lives.

So what can we all do about this?

It’s time to take heed of the old adage ‘Variety is the spice of life’ and live a bit more like that! We need to be creating memorable human moments away from screens; thinking and reflecting in human time not tech time, going analogue every now and then, having conversations with strangers, or immersing ourselves in different cultures - whatever floats your boat really!

So I’m going to be upping my game in this respect, as I’ve come to realise that I too have given over too much of my life to screens and have been stuck in a spiral of routine.

I’ve just signed up to go to a 7am rave in Manchester in June, and am planning to visit the new cat cafe in town to hang out with the felines - two new, inexpensive experiences that I hope will bring me some temporal landmarks. I’ll let you know how I get on and if time really does slow down as a result!

What do you do to slow down time and create your own temporal landmarks? I’d love to hear!

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2. Nostalgia

I’ve had Kylie’s ‘I’m Spinning Around’ song as a soundtrack in my brain for most of this week, and it feels kind of fitting considering what I said above.

As you may have guessed I’ve been watching the Kylie documentary on Netflix.

Now, I’m not a Kylie mega fan or anything, but I do remember watching Neighbours back in the late 80s and getting hooked! It was an escapism from A level revision and then Uni - or at least that’s what I tell myself.

And it wasn’t long after that she was everywhere singing the bubble gum tunes of Stock, Aitken and Waterman. If you’re a midlife woman you’ll probably remember them too as they seemed to burrow into your brain regardless of whether you liked them or not!

I wanted to watch the documentary as I was curious about how this woman, who was born in the same year as me, had carved a hugely successful career and what that journey was like from her own perspective.

I’m fascinated hearing other women’s stories, especially those in midlife, and while Kylie’s is certainly more extraordinary than most, I knew also that I’d get something out of hearing her side of the story.

It became clear as I watched, that behind the positive persona and petite frame, there was a woman who was strong, resilient and knew what she wanted.

The way that she dealt with the cruel and often misogynistic criticism early on in her career, the grief of losing the love of her life, to overcoming cancer twice, all whilst continually reinventing herself to stay relevant, showed me that she really is a remarkable woman.

And in a strange kind of way I related to her, especially when she talked about not having children and how that made her feel - tick, her experience of overcoming unexpected illness - tick, and her determination to do things her way - tick.

That’s the thing I love about women’s stories and why I believe it’s important we all get the opportunity to share ours. While superficially it may seem that we lead different lives and therefore have nothing to learn from each other, we can all find common threads beneath the surface that bring unexpected feelings of empathy, connection or validation.

So despite never having strutted around in a pair of skimpy gold hot pants (and somehow think that time is long gone now!), I felt a real connection to the ‘out of the limelight’ Kylie and what she’d been through!

She’s proof that no matter how successful you are, life will always throw you curveballs, and in finding your own way through these challenges, you’ll get closer to who you truly are, and that’s the beauty of a life lived!

3. Voices of Wisdom

Let me introduce you to Susanna Hancock, who I met first two years ago on LinkedIn. It was only when we moved to Manchester that I discovered she literally lived down the road from me!! We soon became friends over coffee, and our walk and talks around Sale Water Park are now legendary for the variety of topics that we cover - we literally don’t stop talking! So let me hand you over to her now to find out how what she does and how she’s thriving right now.

What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I’ve been supporting midlife women for the past two years predominantly to help them find their place in a fast changing business world. For many, getting to midlife after decades of experience and success to then be dismissed, ignored, rejected and no longer considered relevant is painful. It also triggers bigger existential questions; Who am I now at this stage of life? Is what I’m doing making me happy or keeping me rooted to something I’ve hated for a long time? What does the future hold and what happens if I don’t know what to do next?

It can become a quagmire filled with doubt and uncertainty. I’ve been there myself. It’s only been very recently that I leaned into my own doubts and misgivings and had the courage to admit that what I was doing in my work was actually killing me inside.

So now, I’m helping midlife women to see that there’s a massive opportunity out in the real world, away from the noise and chaos of the screens to build a business, to earn a living, to live a life that feels like a holiday. I’m helping them to see that opportunity by watching me build it myself - a whole new focus at 57 that I feel so deeply in my bones is the best decision I’ve made in a long time.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Tune out of the noise, quiet the brain, let it breathe and as it does, you allow fresh thoughts, ideas and possibilities to come in. And ultimately it is this. Let go. It will set you free.

How are you thriving right now?

I’m thriving and feeling more alive than I have in years because I’ve found my flow. I am building two very aligned businesses I designed to solve my own problem. During Covid and for a five year period, I experienced quite a lot of trauma as a result of circumstances and situations. I sought solace and peace in the online world. I could escape into it and lose hours in it where I didn’t have to feel anything. It was a hiding place for my nervous system. I was working but also letting my brain fill up with content, information, more ideas, a bit of doom scrolling. I was in the 69% of people who pick their phones up within 5 minutes of waking.

I was literally melting my brain, destroying my cognitive function, concentration and ability to make decisions. I can see now, I’d become digitally addicted and socially starved. I have great friends, family and work colleagues but working from home, led me to feel loneliness, defined by having lots of conversations via email, text, social media but not actually talking to people in the real world.

I knew I had to break out of the stagnation. So I’ve created new routines that are tech light and human heavy :) I’m sleeping better, have more energy, wake up earlier and love it, and I’ve let my brain return its currency to me.

The new businesses, Fika + Friends and Unscreen are giving me what I need - social connection and a deep desire to be in my life rather than watching it, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

Great question. I’ve realised that unless I fill my own cup no-one else is going to do it for me and ultimately this one life we have is so bloody short, we have to run at it with everything we have!

Who do you think is truly living in her thrive?

I always reference Trinny because she’s made her passion her life and has made midlife women feel seen and valued in all our glorious forms.

To find out more about Susanna and what she does: Substack LinkedIn Tik Tok

Instagram - @wearefikafriends.

4. Will you buy me a coffee?

I’ve been writing about my own midlife ups and downs here for nearly three years now, and over this time have written probably close to 100,000 words for you. Bringing you my own lived experiences and perspectives as well as insights from other midlife women.

I’m proud of the back catalogue of articles I’ve created that anyone can access for free here.

So, I have a question for you, if you’ve enjoyed, and got something of my writing over this time, would you consider buying me a coffee (and a cake if you’re feeling generous?!)

You see, substack is set up in such a way that it encourages you to sign up for a monthly or annual subscription and I know for many of you this is just not possible.

And to be honest, I don’t like putting my writing behind a paywall either.

So I’ve set up an opportunity for you to make a one-off payment on my Fifty Thrive stripe account if you want to support me and what I do for you here.

Any amount is appreciated - see it as an opportunity for you to buy me a virtual coffee!

Thank you so much x

5. Thrive nugget

Have you heard of Dr Rangan Chatterjee? He’s a Mancunian doctor who’s become a successful podcaster, author and champion of healthy living.

He always has great guests on his podcast Feel Better, Live More and I like his style as he’s measured and insightful, rather than sensationalist as some more well known podcasters have become.

He focuses on how to feel better in the world we live in right now and has guests on to talk about things like screen time and mental health.

I particularly enjoyed this episode which focused on overwhelm with Pippa Grange who’s a psychologist, performance coach, and author.

So take some time out and have a listen, especially if you’re feeling like your life is spiralling at the moment!

Thank you for taking the time to read this edition - if you have any comments then please do share them with me.

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And if you think someone you know would benefit from reading this then please feel free to share with them.

So that’s it for now - wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

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Welcome to the 15th edition of Five to Thrive!

Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and find prompts that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women.

I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include - and you can do so in the comments at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. 57 and a half

Do you remember when you were a kid, whenever someone asked your age, you’d always add ‘and a half’.

‘I’m seven AND A HALF’, you’d pipe up proudly, with the emphasis on the half, as if that somehow made you more grown up and important. It was a biggie back then!

Now that I’ve reached my fifties, the half comes around so quick that I often miss it altogether, and anyway, maybe that’s for the best!

But at the tail end of April, I hit 57 and a half, and surprised myself by actually remembering it. And this was a rather sobering moment, for it suddenly hit me that a good chunk of my fifties were now over, and that I was way closer to sixty than I cared to admit.

On reflection I think it was the wake-up call I needed - a timely reminder not to autopilot my way through the next decade in a haze of busyness and broken promises to myself. For, I realised that in ten year’s time, I’ll be collecting my state pension and between now and then there’s a whole lot of living, learning and experiencing I want to squeeze in!

So I’ve begun to give myself time and permission to imagine what the next decade will look like, rather than winging it, and hoping for the best. I want to build a life that is unashamedly mine and wholly aligned to who I’m becoming - and how I want to thrive.

Built on my own solid foundations rather than the worn-out expectations of social norms, and other people’s judgement. It’s a thrilling but daunting prospect, especially at a time when everything in the world feels so uncertain.

I know that this means really digging in and getting intentional about what I truly want - no longer appeasing rather focusing on self-pleasing. There will definitely be some hefty adjustments needed to achieve a good, healthy and purposeful life that I want if I’m to fulfil my Sixty Thrive dream.

Adjustments that stretch my brain, challenge my ambition, force me to let go, expand my horizons, and push me to double down on prioritising my health and wellbeing.

It’s too early to reveal much more at this stage, as my ideas are bubbling under the surface right now, but I’m beginning to feel the shift and the urge for change more than ever.

I remember reading somewhere that our lives unfold in seven year cycles, so it feels timely that my 50-57 and a half chapter is coming to a close - the one defined by perimenopause, loss, grief and upheaval - and that the next one is waiting in the wings ready to be written. I can’t wait to fill the pages!

I share this with you, as you might be feeling this too, wherever you are on your own journey through your midlife - and if you find yourself wondering what’s next, or are experiencing that itch of change, then I urge you to start exploring it; get curious and observe what’s whispering from deep down in your soul. And don’t hold back - it’s your one precious life and you deserve to thrive.

I’ll continue to share my own ‘next chapter’ on here with you, and in turn I’d love to hear about yours - so please do get in touch as I’m mulling over a project where I share more of our next chapter stories.

2. Stories & Myths

At the heart of what I do is supporting female founders and businesses discover their stories, and then find opportunities and places to share them.

I’m often surprised by the myriad of interesting stories that they’ve been keeping under wraps unaware of their potential and potency!

While storytelling in business is a powerful way to nurture relationships and build trust, in our personal lives our own stories can often have the opposite effect. They can separate us from who we truly are, and put a damper on our ambitions and dreams.

That’s the thing about stories - those we tell ourselves and others - it’s hard to unpick the imaginary from the real ones!

Our lives are interwoven and entangled by an infinite number of stories; many of these narratives are crafted and etched from childhood experiences. They follow us into adulthood and have the capacity to become deep-rooted myths.

In their crudest form they become self-defeating or depreciating mantras that have a nasty knack of surfacing when we are going through tough times. I found that mine got louder during perimenopause spiking my anxiety. And if they aren’t kept in check, then they have the power to overcome us, and thwart our dreams.

It’s only once we hit midlife, I believe, that we gain a greater awareness and freedom that enables us to finally see clearly these myths for what they are! Maybe it’s going through perimenopause that gives us this awakening. It’s our time to question and reframe these narratives once and for all!

I’m currently challenging my own myths as I move into my next chapter, and looking back at old photos of my life is helping me to connect to, and understand how and when they were formed. Separating fact from fiction, and shedding self-imposed labels that I’ve been stubbornly holding onto will help me move forward into my next chapter.

So as a midlife woman, I challenge you to think about your own out-dated stories and labels. Those that are no longer tell your story at this stage of you. How are you typecasting yourself and restricting your own creative control around how you tell you own story? What tired, old plot lines are you ready to let go of?

Unravelling and redefining your story in midlife takes time and courage - it often involves a deep dive into self-awareness and realisation (so maybe find some old photos to help you understand and process). It might feel scary to deviate from a well-thumbed script you’ve stuck to (and that others have come accustomed to), but it will be worth it I promise you!

Back in 2023 I wrote a substack about Marilyn Monroe - the stories and myths that surrounded her and how they relate to us midlife women.

3. Voices of wisdom

Let me introduce you to Sally Duffin, a health writer and Registered Nutritional Therapist who’s here on substack with Natural Nutrition for the Midlife Shift where she writes about natural nutrition for women going through perimenopause. We’ve only ever met online, when a friend introduced us, but we are definitely on the same page when it comes to the importance of healthy eating - which now is very much my focus! So over to you Sally…

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I help midlife women navigate the confusing and overwhelming world of nutrition and learn how to feed themselves well. The strapline to my book, Natural Nutrition for Perimenopause, is “what to eat to feel good and stay sane,” so that in a nutshell is what I help women do!

Social media is full of people giving nutrition advice - some of it’s useful but a lot of it is nonsense. And the increasing use of AI means women are trying to follow generic recommendations from a tool that doesn’t understand their health history or personal circumstances.

Women come to me for bespoke advice on how to support midlife health and positive ageing that fits their own life - from how to upgrade meals to the right supplements, as well as sleep support and relaxation.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Feed yourself well. Look at what you’re eating and drinking, what supplements you’re taking, what bodycare products you’re using, and what you’re consuming in terms of TV, podcasts, social media, and conversations. Do these things nourish you? If not, get rid! One thing midlife teaches us is that life is too short and your body is too precious to mess around with foods, products, and people that don’t have your best intentions at heart!

3. How are you thriving right now?

Well, some days I’m thriving really well, and other days I want to build a blanket nest and stay there! I’m fascinated and unnerved by how much of a shift perimenopause is. I wasn’t prepared for the mental and emotional side of things at all, and I’m thankful to have wonderful friends, a caring family, and people in the natural health industry who I trust and learn from.

I do eat well, but I’m not some kind of purist - I love dark chocolate, decent chips (chips and mushy peas are a must when I’m at the seaside!), and the odd dairy-free ice-cream (as I’m lactose intolerance). I go to a strength in menopause training class once a week and have been doing morning yoga for years. Getting outside every day is a must - I go stir crazy if I’m indoors all the time - and I’m part of a brilliant writing membership called Wordspill. The writing tasks help me to unlock and unravel all kinds of things in my brain!

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

I’m learning how to put myself first in my own life. That might sound daft, but I know I’m not the only woman who’s shaped her life around what other people need or expect and has never asked herself what she truly wants. And it’s not just in big decisions, I’m talking about the everyday choices that we as women often make unconsciously without thinking about whether they’re right for us as well as everyone else.

5. Who do you think is truly living in her thrive?

Kate Codrington, author of Second Spring, is a midlife woman I admire. Her book validated so much of the emotional shifts I’ve been experiencing in midlife, and I felt heaps better for reading it. When I went to one of her perimenopause retreat days last year, she started the session by getting us to acknowledge how f****n tired we all are and how much we are carrying, and I thought “Yes!! This!!” She’s brilliant!

Find out more about Sally at her website www.nutritioninyork.co.uk or on her substack Natural Nutrition for the Midlife Shift

4. Let’s get fit!

When you look back to your school days were you someone who dreaded PE lessons or were they the highlight of the week - a chance to escape the classroom!

I had mixed feelings about them - and my abiding memory was ending up in a fit of giggles in my gym lessons when I was a teenager.

Today many of us spend way too long sitting in front of a laptop forgetting or forgoing movement in favour of deadlines and scrolling - and I hold my hand up to that!

So I was interested to read that Age UK have just launched a new campaign, Act Now, Age Better to encourage mid-lifers to be active now, so that they can live their best possible later life.

The campaign came off the back of research which revealed that negative early PE experiences are one of the biggest barriers stopping millions of us aged 50-65 from being physically active.

40% remember feeling self-conscious about their body during PE, while 40% talked about the difficulty of being picked last for teams.

I was shocked too to read that recent research by Age UK found that 1 in 5 people aged 50+ are living with two or more long-term health conditions.

So we all clearly need to get out and get our bodies moving more!

Having teamed up with more than 50 partners and supporters – including the FA, British Cycling, England Rugby and Parkrun the campaign offers plenty of ways to get involved.

5. Thrive nugget

It’s funny how things come full circle.

Recently I’ve been doing the PR for a lady who has a stamp collecting business so have been focusing on the rise of retro, off-screen hobbies. Going analogue is very much a thing at the moment.

So when I came across a whole box of old letters saved from my childhood, and some cassettes (above), I started to wonder how these might be relevant for today.

After doing some research I came across an app Slowly which connects you to people around the world looking for more meaningful conversations that are lacking in the era of instant messaging. You can meet a new pen pal, seal your letter, and stamp it and start connecting with the world on Slowly!

It got me thinking I’d love to have a Fifty Thrive pen pal service for midlife women around the world where we can connect with each other and learn about our experiences at this stage of our lives. Watch this space!!!

If you haven’t listened already then a reminder too that I recorded a Fifty Thrive Conversation on the Power of Letter Writing for you…

That’s it folks - a nostalgic looking back, to look forward edition.

I hope you’ve enjoyed it - I’d love your comments, please recommend it through restacks and share with others who you think will enjoy it.

Happy Thriveday!

Emma xx

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I can’t quite believe we’re now into the fifth month of this year - from my perspective, and maybe yours too, time seems to be flying by with incredible speed (is that a sign of getting older or just an illusion?!)

Anyway, it means that I’m now behind with Five to Thrive - so edition 15 will be with you next Friday instead. I’m so grateful that next Monday we have a bank holiday here in the UK as I’m looking forward to catching up with my writing at a more leisurely pace!

So today I want to offer you something different.

Spreading the love!

I saw a post on Instagram recently from Trinny (Woodall) in which she was encouraging women to support and compliment each other more.

As she said: “We never dim our own light by brightening someone else’s”.

And that really struck a chord with me.

Most of us know and appreciate what it means to support and lift other women up, and to be on the receiving end of it, but if we’re completely honest with ourselves, how often do we make the time to do it?

I get it, our lives are busy, we’re relentlessly pushing forward, and sometimes going beyond simply clicking a like button can feel like too much effort!

It’s made me think more about what I can do - I guess as a PR for midlife women and female founders I have a natural inclination to be out there championing others. And when I can I try to go beyond a simply clicking the like button, with a reshare, restack, or comment. But I know I could do more!

How about you? If you took a moment to think about it - how supportive are you, how often do you compliment other women - is there something that holds you back from doing so?

So in the spirit of doing rather than simply thinking about this, today I’m going to share with you a few substacks I’ve enjoyed recently written by midlife women.

Seriously, choosing was hard! There’s so many amazing women writing here on all sorts of topics. Their writing is so eloquent, their ideas and perspectives challenge my own thinking, and I always come away feel enlightened and sometimes challenged by their words.

I hope that by sharing their writing and giving them a high Fifty Thrive that you will discover new women to support too, so here goes!

The Long Game with Lucy Patterson

This Isn’t About Age. It’s About Identity...

Women over 50 are designing their lives around identity, not age. Yet the systems meant to support them remain stuck in outdated models that no longer fit…

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4 months ago · 2 likes · 2 comments · Lucy Patterson

The Business of Becoming

For the days it feels like no one is listening

This is for you if you’ve ever found yourself in the spiral while building something that matters to you. When the silence feels loud, the doubts feel convincing, and the work suddenly feels heavier …

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4 months ago · 14 likes · 8 comments · Lucy - Business of Becoming

Creative Crones with Stella Fosse

So Many Books, So Little Time

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4 months ago · 6 likes · 5 comments · Stella Fosse

Life Branches

Aging Out of Fucks: The Neuroscience of Why You Suddenly Can’t Pretend Anymore

You’re in a meeting. Someone says something objectively wrong. And instead of doing your usual dance—the soft correction, the diplomatic phrasing, the careful preservation of everyone’s feelings—you just... say it…

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10 months ago · 25948 likes · 2682 comments · Ellen Scherr

Own Your Ambition

I've Had Enough: A Midlife Manifesto

Hi, I’m Bonnie Marcus. Welcome to Own Your Ambition, a weekly newsletter where I offer my best advice on how to successfully navigate the workplace as a midlife woman today. A former CEO who made it to the C Suite from an entry level, executive coach and published author, I share my experiences and lessons learned from my tenure in corporate, focusing o…

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5 months ago · 7 likes · 2 comments · Bonnie Marcus

I’d love for you to share with me and other Fifty Thrivers substack posts written by midlife women that you enjoyed and want to recommend.

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Let’s keep on supporting each other - not the big players who always get the attention but the women who consistently turn up here to share their truth, to give us their take on life, and to offer us their own wisdom and expertise.

Many are doing so without financial gain - I sincerely wish that there was a way that we could support each other more in this way, perhaps if you’re listening, you’ll find a way to make it easier for us to do that.

Perhaps a one-off donation button that we can press if we particularly like a post or a person - rather than the subscription model which often limits who we can support. And it seems like I’m not the only one thinking this, judging by this Note I posted!

And if you like my writing and what I’m doing with Fifty Thrive then please do recommend me to others or leave a comment - it means the world!

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Thank you for reading and I hope that you have a beautiful May bank holiday weekend.

Till next Friday, my Thriveseekers.

Emma x

Welcome to the latest edition of Five to Thrive.

In this bi-monthly compendium you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read insights that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving, personally and professionally.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women.

I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include - and you can do so in the comments at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Finding balance

Last weekend I was scrolling through photos on my phone when I was suddenly hit with a pang of nostalgia.

It was, I realised, two years ago that we were living (temporarily) in Portugal, and at this time in April my sister-in-law, daughter and her friend had come over to visit us.

The photos reminded me of sun-filled days wandering through the cobbled streets of Porto, a trip to an empty sandy beach where the Atlantic waves were crashing onto the shore, and a home-cooked meal in the garden of the place we were living. We were smiling, happy to be together; exploring new places, soaking up the spring sunshine, and the vivid colours that Portugal seems to wear so well.

The vibrant images popping off my screen were a stark contrast to the greyness outside my window, and in that moment I felt a pang. A nostalgic ache for adventure, for variety, and for new experiences beyond the day-to-day.

Shortly after they returned home, we too came back to the UK, realising that our dream of living in Portugal wasn’t to be at that time. And on coming home, after a brief period of being nomads, we’ve settled into a more stable and predictable life, renting a flat in Manchester, and getting on with work and life.

There were many reasons why we decided to come back and settle down, and while we don’t regret it, there are often moments when my urge for adventure rattles me. And what I’ve realised is that there’s a persistent pull between comfort and stability, and the desire to explore, go on adventures and be more free spirited.

I believe that having weathered the storms and life-quakes of midlife, many of us do crave something different as we contemplate our next move. We want to take our souls on new adventures (whatever that means to each of us) and switch comfort for greater autonomy and personal freedom.

We become more curious about our world, and how, and with who, we want to experience it. More often than not, all of this curiosity and exploration lies beyond the four walls of our homes, and the invisible boundaries we, and society, creates for us.

And while the recent Artemis II adventure to the other side of the moon might be a stretch too far for most of us, the fresh perspectives that the mission gave those who took it, can’t be underestimated. Getting out of our comfort zone is where we discover who we are, and what we want next.

Right now I know that it’s not possible for me to go on an epic adventure, but that doesn’t stop me from acknowledging the desire. I must listen to what this pang is telling me, and address the never-ending conflict within me. Maybe there’s a way I can have both comfort and adventure?!

So this weekend I’ll be thinking of some fresh ideas on how to bring more mini-adventures into my life, to sate the desire for freedom, while recognising and appreciating the comfort of stability, particularly in this uncertain world we’re now living in. It’s a conundrum for sure, but it’s one I know I want to solve!

I’d love to hear how you strike a balance between comfort and security, adventure and exploration - do you think that we have to make compromises, and if so what have you done to switch things up?

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I’d love to write more about this topic and interview midlife women who are grappling with, or have figured out a way to address their own desire for adventure and change. Do get in touch if you’re interested in sharing your story with me!

2. Human power

The pervasive, and performative role of AI to grab attention, spark debate and quite frankly disgust many of us has been on full display this week - from that horrific AI image of Trump as Jesus (or as he claims a Red Cross doctor - yeah right?!) to a fake AI-generated 80 year old influencer on Instagram who looks suspiciously like Marilyn Monroe (I kid you not!), false narratives and fake images are everywhere.

It’s becoming harder to spot a fake post or person from a real one, and the sheer volume of AI churned content is beginning to make me feel nauseous with its incessant noise (and maybe you too!)

Which is why I believe claiming our human power is more important than ever especially as female founders and business owners!

It’s all about the human communications for me - it’s the foundation on which I build my business, my connections, instil trust and get results for my clients. So let me share something that happened this week.

Having worked in PR for many years, I know the importance of building relationships, yet today it’s harder than ever to get the attention of a journalist. And I get it, as they are up against it like never before, overwhelmed themselves by the slurry of AI-generated content, stories and fake experts all vying for attention!

Yet I also know that they do crave conversation, for the stories they cover are all about our human experiences and insights, and their network to source these stories isn’t infinite. They need to find and talk to new people to widen the net.

This week was proof that building relationships does still matter, and conversations are often the best way to do that.

I had been emailing back and forth with a freelance journalist about a client story of mine she was working on, when I suggested that we speak on the phone to get things sorted quicker. And to my surprise five minutes later there we were speaking on a good old-fashioned a phone call!

And what that led to was more than I hoped for. Not only was it an opportunity to discuss to the pitch for a client that she was hoping to get into a national consumer magazine, but it also a chance for me to tell her about other clients I’m working with and how we could collaborate to get them coverage.

And from this two further opportunities arose - including a recent PR power session client being interviewed by her for a woman’s magazine. Result!!

Now I know for sure that all those opportunities wouldn’t have come out of an email that might well have got lost in an overflowing inbox. That’s the power of a human conversation as opposed to relying on tech for all your communications!

In a matter of 10 minutes not only had I had the chance to find out who she writes for, what stories are landing at the moment, and how we can collaborate going forward, but also discovered that she lives in the same part of London that my husband grew up in. These ‘small world’ connections are often only revealed when we get curious about the person we’re speaking to.

Afterwards she emailed me back and said she’d really appreciated the old-school chat on the phone and she’d got much out of it - and I couldn’t agree more.

If that feels like something you want to explore with me, then let’s talk - human to human - phone or zoom - whatever you want! I want to hear your stories and help you get them out there in the media and beyond.

What do you think - are we losing the art of human connection in business and what can we do about it?

3. Voice of Wisdom

Talking about human connection, let me introduce you to Jen Corcoran, whose business is called My Super Connector. We met through a networking group, and have been supporting each other’s business growth - she’s been busy helping me to upgrade my LinkedIn profile and engagement. As you might have guessed it, she’s a LinkedIn strategist helping midlife women to show up authentically over there, and make great connections. Over to you Jen…

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I help driven midlife women take back control of their client attraction in a way that works for their personality, energy, and business. Instead of relying on unpredictable word of mouth or draining marketing tactics, I give them a simple, repeatable LinkedIn strategy that generates consistent, high-quality leads in just 30 minutes a day without forcing them to be someone they’re not.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Stop trying to follow advice or strategies that don’t feel aligned with who you are. Your thrive is found in doing things in a way that plays to your strengths, and is sustainable for your energy and life. I see this on LinkedIn a lot - amazing women listening to the advice of content gurus.

What they don’t realise is this kind of advice is usually designed for influencers trying to grow large audiences and not for small business owners who want paying clients.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I’m thriving by doing business in a way that honours my energy, especially in midlife. When I hit perimenopause, my energy dipped so I’ve built a simple, effective system that allows me to show up consistently, connect with the right people, and generate opportunities without burnout, without chasing algorithms, and without compromising who I am.

I used to try to squeeze in exercise / wellbeing around my business - now my business is built around my Pilates and Aqua classes, and daily walks and monthly massages are non-negotiable. I now have rest,‘no screen’ days in between sales calls and client work.

I’ve found in the past when I felt misaligned my physical and mental health suffered so feeling in integrity is vital for me as an empath and highly sensitive person.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

You don’t need to do more - you need to do what works for you, consistently. When you stop forcing yourself into strategies that drain you and start working with your strengths, everything becomes more sustainable and effective.

I see this on LinkedIn too - It’s easy to assume that, if results aren’t coming, the solution must be more posts, more comments, more visibility, more effort. So, you try all that but still get very few actual enquiries, and LinkedIn starts to feel like more messy marketing that isn’t worth the effort.

5. Who do you think is truly living in her thrive?

A woman who is living life on her own terms - she’s comfortable in her skin, trusts herself and is not performing or chasing validation.

One of the bonuses of midlife I find is the ability to cut through crap and have stronger boundaries. In my younger years I was a real people pleaser, and it was draining.

A woman ‘living in her thrive’ has built a business that supports her life, not the other way around and is 100% unapologetic about who she is and the value she brings.

Find out more about Jen and how she can help you: Website or LinkedIn

4. Thrive musings

Hot on the heels of Gillian Anderson’s M&S collaboration (which I wrote about in Edition 13), it’s interesting to see two 76 year olds gracing the cover of Vogue’s May issue.

Ok these are no average 76 year olds, rather Anna Wintour and Meryl Streep in honour of the release of Devil Wear Prada 2 next month. And the photographer is the legendary Annie Leibovitz who also happens to be 76!

Imagine being a fly on the wall of that photo shoot - witnessing 228 years of female talent and wisdom in action - women power on acid!

Seeing older women, looking super cool and fabulous, on the cover of an iconic magazine is definitely a step in the right direction. And if you want to read the article where they’re interviewed by Greta Gerwig then here it is.

Obviously though it’s only really the tip of the iceberg, as there’s still a very long way to go until mere mortals like us will be celebrated in such style in our later years. But I guess normalising images of older women (albeit A-listers) is a start!

And I wonder if 19 years from now (when I hit 76 ) whether I might even grace the cover of a magazine. Only time will tell!!

5. Something to read

Earlier I talked about swapping comfort for greater autonomy and personal freedom in midlife, so I wanted to share with a new book written by a Nicky, a lovely lady I met on a retreat a few years ago, that taps into this sentiment.

Retired & Inspired; Finding Our Own Way has just been published so I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but it looks like it’ll be a great page turner:

It’s about what happens when you start living in a different way without quite realising that’s what you’re doing. From becoming accidental van lifers to building a flexible business around pet sitting, this is a story of stepping away from bricks and mortar, and everything that comes with it.

Go check out!

That’s it folks, hope you enjoyed this edition of Five to Thrive. Emma xx

Please comment on any of the topics I’ve covered, I always appreciate and respond to them!

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Please share this edition with anyone you think would be interested.

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How are you all doing? I hope you had a relaxing Easter holiday (or Spring Break if you’re in the US).

I have a confession to make, today you should have received Five to Thrive edition 14, but in the spirit of looking after my own thrive, I’ve decided to give myself a bit of a break from writing recently.

Knowing when to preserve your energy and to take a rest is, I believe, really important if you want to thrive in midlife. So that’s what I’ve been doing.

But don’t worry the next edition of Five to Thrive will arrive in your inbox next Friday 17th.

However, I didn’t want to leave you empty handed this week, so I’ve got a couple of things I want to share with you.

Subscribe now

1. Welcome!

The other week a miracle happened! Something that I didn’t quite see coming, to be honest.

I’ve had recalcitrant attitude to Notes here on substack, partly because I was slightly miffed that yet another platform wanted us to participate in algorithmic performance, and partly because any attempt of mine to publish a Note was, more often than not, met with tumbleweed (IYKYK).

Until the other week that is, when a random thought, hastily written and published on a Friday afternoon, suddenly went viral. Well okay, went viral on my own terms!

Since then I’ve gathered quite a few new subscribers. So if you’re one of them, then thank you for choosing Fifty Thrive, and welcome!

I hope that you will stick around to receive my bi-monthly Five to Thrive editions which are free to read.

I’ve got other ambitious plans brewing to make Fifty Thrive into a more dynamic and immersive space for you here, bringing insights and inspiration from around the world that will help you find your thrive professionally and personally in midlife and beyond.

2. In your ears…

It’s always been a dream of mine to bring my writing to life using my own voice. I believe that there’s something deeply bonding when our written words are spoken out loud.

These days many people prefer to listen to content rather than read it, so it’s my plan over the coming months to bring all my posts to you in audio format.

I hope that this will encourage you to experience for the first time (or again) my writing in a more immersive way. And that hearing my voice recount moments of insight, lived experience and wisdom will create a stronger connection between us.

I’ve been told on more than one occasion that I have a calming and clear voice (though like most people I’m less convinced myself!) so I hope that rings true for you.

And of course as a Brit, I have an accent that particularly appeals to Americans! I was once stopped in Whole Foods in Santa Monica by a zealous American who was completely bowled over by my accent (yes that was a bit of a weird moment - especially as he expected me to speak on demand!)

So to start off my this new series, here’s an audio of a post from last year called One in 8.2 billion, which is all about how to get out of the comparison spiral.

I hope you enjoy my dulcet tones and the sentiment of the post!

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That’s it for this week, I’ll be back with Five to Thrive next Friday, so until then I hope you have a wonderful weekend and get some time to get off the rollercoaster and relax.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, please do share with anyone else you think would be interested in Fifty Thrive.

I want to continue building this community, and bring more midlife voices of wisdom onto this platform - for together we’re stronger!

Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read ideas that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving in 2026.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by me and other midlife women.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Reflections

Well it seems like our long-awaited wish for spring to come along has been granted. Today has been utterly glorious!

The vivid blue sky and the sunshine, which now has a warmth to it, along with the first flourishes of Magnolia are really lifting my spirits, and bringing a renewed sense of optimism.

I hope that they are for you too. I know that we’re all desperately in need of something positive to focus on as we watch the world burning on our screens. It somehow feels reassuring that nature is so oblivious to these horrors, and is busy doing her thing with unwavering continuity and beautiful assuredness.

While spring brings its much welcomed gifts, it’s also been time of deep reflection for me, and last weekend was the culmination of this.

Here in the UK it was Mother’s Day on Sunday, which marked my third one without my Mum. And then the very next day it would have been my Dad’s 90th birthday if he’d still been alive (I lost him in the same year as Mum).

It made me realise that while time does soften the impact of losing a loved one, it can never extinguish it, rather that grief evolves and matures as you do.

And while I’ve come to terms with, and fully accepted that my parents are gone, the loss I’m feeling now manifests itself in a different way. Last weekend its new guise was revealed to me; it’s now focused on the loss of the family rituals centred around milestone moments, and the sense of belonging and connection that brings.

For typically a weekend of Mother’s Day followed by Dad’s 90th birthday would have seen my family come together for a celebration. Most likely we’d have shared a delicious home-cooked meal and my Dad would have enjoyed a cake to mark his special day. Yet these moments of togetherness are no longer, and that, I realised, made my heart hurt.

So why am I sharing such a personal insight with you? Well I know that many of you will be going through your own grief journey right now, as unfortunately loss is often part of our midlife story. While some of you may be at the beginning unsure of how you’re going to get through, for others like me you’ll be further along, curiously observing where it takes you next.

Staying curious and open to what surfaces for you will be the compass that helps you navigate it best, while compassion will be your anchor when you need steadying.

And for those of you who still have your parents or a parent (and have a good relationship with them) the next time you gather together for a family milestone, I urge you to savour this precious moment, for it holds a significance you can’t truly appreciate until you look back and cherish it in the future.

I’ve written about quite a bit about grief journey and how it has impacted me so if you’re interested you can read The Journey and Coming of Middle Age and below I’ll share some resources that helped me through.

2. Valuing your gold

The other day I found myself scrolling again (and yes it is something that I’m trying to get under control but more of that another time).

While we all know that scrolling can turn your brain to mush, or send you down a spiral of fear and doom (which feels even more visceral these days), sometimes you spot something that catches your attention and gets those brain cells reactivated again.

And it was in this moment that I saw an Instagram post from a coach I follow which asked a question; what do you undervalue about yourself - especially when it comes to running a business?

A simple question but one that I reckon many of us, me included, haven’t thought about or answered truthfully in a long time!

As a midlife female founder I believe, and I know from experience, that we often take for granted our skills and our innate gifts. We’ve been so conditioned to downplay or normalise them that we have become oblivious to their power and potency.

As the post highlighted what comes most naturally to us we tend to dismiss and devalue - when really we should be using our most valuable gifts and skills as a magic potion to spellbound our clients, and to attract new ones.

So my question to you is; what comes most naturally to you?

Maybe you’re an excellent storyteller, perhaps you’re someone who can instinctively spot a trend ahead of time, or you’re a brilliant people connector, or someone who thrives on problem-solving and organisation. I’m sure I could go on and on but you get my drift!

For when you value your strengths more, you’ll find that talking about them will become easier too. And with that awareness and confidence, you’ll find clients will be drawn to you, and appreciate what you can bring to them.

On the flip side, this will also be a great exercise in realising where your weaknesses lie - so that you know how you might be best served and supported by someone whose strength is your weakness. For we can’t do it all alone, and sometimes you need to find the ying to your yang to make your business flourish.

This morning I was out having a coffee with a lovely lady I’d met the week before at a networking event, and while we were talking about our experiences and businesses, I realised that one of my own unique gifts, and something that brings thrive to me and my clients, is my skill and joy in connecting people. I guess because of my curious nature I get a real buzz from creating these connections and wondering how they’ll evolve and what opportunities will come about as a result!

So go on take some time away from the rush and overwhelm and have a think about what gifts you have, and how you want to share and communicate them. I’d love to hear what yours are!

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Oh and if you’re looking for someone who can connect you to new people, new opportunities and new ways of communicating with the world what makes you special, then you know where to come!! Send me a message below and let’s talk.

3. Voices of wisdom

Say hello to Honor Marks whose unique gift is bringing midlife women together for connection, community and joy. She runs and hosts Magical Midlife MEtreats in her own gites in the south of France, as well as others in Marrakech, Wales and Seville. I’ve just realised that we’ve actually never met in person, but I’ve been following her for a good few years after I initially interviewed her for my Fifty Thrive book. Anyway, let’s hear what she has to say about thriving.

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I provide the spaces where they can rise and thrive, helping them to reconnect with themselves. Midlife women spend so much time being responsible for everyone else but I show them that its time they look after themselves too, and rediscover who they are. I also want them to know that being midlife (and beyond) isn’t about decline but expansion, and its our next chapter where we can bring our skills and experience together to fly. I encourage women to step out of their comfort zone giving them the courage to travel, open up different conversations to find new connections, to learn from other inspiring women, and to remind them they are not alone.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

I say this a lot ‘ Step outside the circle you are living in, try one thing new even if it scares you, maybe connecting with new people, or learn something new…..that’s where the magic happens’

3. How are you thriving right now?

I am thriving vicariously and altruistically by seeing others thrive; it brings me so much pleasure knowing that I can do something worthwhile (without wanting to sound like a worthy w*nker!) And I’m always trying to practise what I preach!

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

Realising that life isn’t a template written by fairy tale authors and that life is life! Curve balls happen, plot twists are a reality, so sometimes you have to lower your expectations and go with the flow. But in all of this, don’t forget to find those pockets of joy, and learn to say Yes to what excites you, and a definitive No to what doesn’t. You are your own boss and so you are the one to call the shots - we always have choices!

5. Who do you think is truly living in her thrive?

That’s a good question. And I’m not sure I can answer that because we never know what is behind closed doors and what demons they may be battling with but for me it’s how they deal with it, and show up.

If you had to push me to name one person that inspires me and I believe is living her thrive it is Luinluland (whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting).

She literally gives no Fu*ks to negativity and has given herself permission to pursue the life that she is now choosing and the not the one that society expects of her. Her permission gives us all permission to say F*ck it, lets do it!!

To find out more about Honor: instagram or website - where you can find out more about her MEtreats including a new one for women going through divorce, and an amazing sounding new edition - the Mama Mia singing retreat in September with an original cast member helping midlife women to let go, have fun and build confidence through singing!

4. Fashion statement

Last week M&S appointed midlife icon Gillian Anderson to the new position of Chief Compliment Officer (COO). While this was aligned to the launch of M&S’s spring/summer range, I believe it way more than a PR stunt, in fact I think it’s was a stroke of genius by the retailer.

It demonstrated that M&S understands and cares about its customers - especially as approximately half are aged over 55. And unlike other retailers and brands who either overlook or stereotype this cohort with their ‘silver-washing’ campaigns, M&S is actively courting and complimenting them.

And in recruiting Gillian Anderson, a stylish, vibrant, aspirational 57 year old woman to front their new collection and campaign, I think they’ve thoroughly understood the brief and delivered.

I was intrigued also to find out that Gillian is on LinkedIn and has COO listed as her latest role! So over to you Gillian to tell us exactly what this entails (below is taken from the About section of her profile!)

As Chief Compliments Officer, I specialise in building and scaling joy through style positivity across retail. I believe in the power of happiness, affirmation, fashion, and two words that bring it all together: Love That.​

My focus is championing and fostering a culture where noticing something good, and saying it out loud, feels natural. It’s about taking compliments seriously, without taking ourselves too seriously - and making positivity, and style, part of everyday life.​

And who can argue with that - we all need to get more comfortable giving and receiving compliments!

What do you think about this appointment?

Leave a comment

5. A few resources

I promised a few resources to help you if you’re on your grief journey, so here’s some books that helped me:

A short course in happiness after loss by Dr. Maria Sirois, a psychologist and seminar leader who teaches internationally in the intersection of resilience and flourishing.

Grief Works by Julia Samuel, a British psychotherapist and paediatric counsellor.

I also had bereavement counselling through the hospice where my parents died - this coupled with my own journalling helped me immeasurably. I found this website The Good Grief Trust which might be a good place to find where you can get support if you need it.

Thank you for reading this edition - I hope you found it insightful and thought provoking. Please do share with anyone you think would enjoy reading it and do share any comments or feedback with me. Emma xx

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Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read ideas that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving in 2026.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by me and other midlife women.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. One day isn’t enough

It can’t have escaped your attention that Sunday 8th March is a big day!

It’s the day we recognise the achievements of women across the world, while looking ahead to a future in which women are truly equal, valued and respected.

I guess what I’m supposed to say to you on this day is ‘Happy International Women’s Day’, yet I can’t quite bring myself to do so. Right now this sentiment feels jarring, and at odds with the reality of so many women around the world.

When we look at what has unfolded globally over the past year, it’s difficult to feel celebratory. In fact anger feels much more appropriate.

Everywhere we turn, there are stories of women being oppressed by those in positions of power. Those with political, economic, ideological, religious, technological, and gender dominance continue to silence, abuse, and diminish women, and their rights, through deliberately chosen policies, actions, and doctrines.

As you read this, examples will no doubt spring into your mind. Only in the last month we’ve finally seen the epic scale of abuse of women and girls exposed in the Epstein files, the Taliban approving an acceptable level of violence that husbands can lawfully inflict on their wives, while a school in Iran was bombed killing 168 innocent girls. And just as I was writing this I found out about the horrific assassination of Yanar Mohammed - a prominent women’s rights activist in Iraq.

And beyond these headline stories, in more insidious and unreported ways, women and girls in every country, city, town and community continue to face harm and inequality. Over the past year, it has not eased and in many ways, it has intensified.

That’s why I struggle to offer a more uplifting message for International Women’s Day this year. I think we must use this day, and every day to reflect on all of this.

And while the impenetrable power structures (mostly built by men, for men) over the last 125 years since IWD started, aren’t going to be easily dismantled, we mustn’t lose hope or give up on our fight to challenge and expose them.

On a positive note, I read about a global coalition for action against gender-based violence aligned to the amazing Annie Lennox’s The Circle organisation. This new celebrity backed funding appeal aims to support global organisations that tackle violence against women and girls. If you want to find out more or get involved then take a read of this.

And I was pleased to learn of the UN’s IWD 2026 message which focuses on Rights, Justice, Action which feels so much more aligned to where we are now than the vacuous and frankly infuriating official IWD tagline ‘Give to Gain’ (don’t even get me started on that!!)

What do you think about IWD - I’d love to hear!

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2. What’s age got to do with it?

Let me introduce you to my great auntie Clarice.

I’m not exactly sure when she was born but I think it was around the early 1900s. For a woman of that time, she liked to do things differently, you could even call her a bit of a rebel, though I very much doubt she ever thought of herself as one!!

She never married or had children, and ran her own business for most of her adult life; a women’s clothes shop. It was on the same high street as her brother Ron’s mens outfitters shop. I remember eventually she sold her own business and took over her brother’s shop when he became unable to run it himself.

But get this, she continued running that shop well into her 80s and eventually passed away in her mid 90s. I think it is no coincidence that she lived healthily right up until the end of her life as she remained active and engaged for so long.

So why am I hearing more and more stories about women (and men) in their 50s currently struggling to find work, frustrated that their experience and expertise is no longer valued, and as a result are being pushed off the cliff-edge because they’re suddenly deemed too ‘old’.

And it’s not just these real life examples that prove the problem, I read some recent research from the Centre for Ageing Better that showed how much ageist attitudes abound here in the UK.

A poll of 4,000 UK adults found that the average age that people believe someone becomes undesirable to recruiters is 55, with more than a third (36 per cent) believing the cut off point is 50 or younger. Yes you read that right!

And while these biases and opinions become entrenched, scientific research blows their validity completely out of the water.

The University of Cambridge scanned and analysed the brains of 4,000 people of all ages in the UK, and found that the brain rewires across the lifespan - with distinct fluctuations and phases - and from this they were able to redefine adulthood as spanning from 32 to 66. And as if that wasn’t proof enough, new research has found that humans’ cognitive ability is at its best between the ages of 55 to 60, thanks to accumulated knowledge, judgment and life experience.

As Auntie Clarice, and this scientific research proves, it makes no sense at all to write people off just because the hit a certain age, and get consigned with the dubious and lazy ‘silver’ moniker as some kind of justification!

Ageism is becoming one of the most socially important challenges we’re facing, and with a rapidly growing ageing population that is living longer, we urgently need a wholesale rethink, redesign and reevaluation of careers, work, and life purpose once we hit our fifties.

While I don’t have the answers, I know for one that I want to be like my auntie Clarice, finding purpose well into my old age, and right now at 57 I feel like I’m only just getting started!! How about you?

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3. Voices of wisdom

Sarah Knight is a self-leadership coach, keynote speaker and Northern truth teller who champions women with experience at the point where ambition, responsibility and life collide. I met her first on LinkedIn and when we realised we live close by we went for a coffee to talk about the challenges of being midlife women, and how we all need some human scaffolding to keep us steady, visible and high performing when everything shifts around us. So let’s discover thriving means to her….

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

Women with experience are not fragile. They are carrying the commercial load, the emotional load and the life load, often all at once. They’re always giving pieces of themselves to enable others crack on. Their issue is not capability, it’s support.

That’s where I come in; I enable women to crack on, on purpose; moving from autopilot to intention, reducing the noise in their heads, regulating their nervous systems, so they can make cleaner decisions and rebuild confidence through evidence, not hype.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Stop trying to white-knuckle it alone! Get into a room where you belong, where community, collaboration, connection and conversation is a given. Women do not rise in isolation, but rather in rooms built for them.

So my advice is simple - make sure you’re in the right room for you! Personally, I couldn’t find my one so I built my own! FoundHer Fire brings me joy every single day.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I am thriving because I am building what I believe in, in public. I’m showing up completely and unapologetically as me - and blimey o’riley it is freeing!

And I bloody LOVE what I do - I have found my purpose, my passion and my potential. I also still send 1738176387 ranty memes to my inner circle and think about burying the husband on a weekly basis but I have found my fire and I’m keeping it. And my mission is to enable brilliant experienced, midlife women to do the same.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

Energy is more important than time. In your twenties and thirties you think you can hustle your way through everything. In midlife, you realise your nervous system keeps the receipts.

Also that joy and laughter aren’t nice to haves…they’re essentials - you deserve to bloody well be happy. Oh, and bathe in HRT!

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

Women who have stopped performing competence and started living in alignment.I see it in women who are leading teams while caring for ageing parents. In founders who are building businesses after redundancy. In corporate leaders who have decided their health is as important as their KPIs

Find out more about the FoundHer Fire collective here

Sarah also has an award winning podcast called It’s Got Pockets - a straight talking storytelling movement for women in their plot twist era.

And finally she’s co-hosting Crack On with Permission a 1.5 day Practice Co-Lab where you will find your fire and create the conditions for you to thrive. It’s taking place on 29–30 March at Coombe Abbey, Coventry.

4. Thrive nugget

My Fifty Thrive mission is to help midlife female founders thrive in their businesses by helping them get visible with clarity, creativity and confidence.

If you haven’t heard of Enterprise Nation then do check it out - they have plenty of resources to help you grow your business.

And I noticed that they’ve just published a female founder toolkit for IDW so you can download and check out here.

5. And finally….

When everything feels heavy in the world, I believe making time to prioritise your thrive is even more important!

My own thriving recently has been all about enjoying the blue skies and sunshine (when they deign to appear!) and the early spring blossoms that tell me lighter, brighter days are on their way.

I’ve also been fully embracing one of my thrive foundations - connection. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege to speak to so many midlife women who are determined to change the script, to challenge stereotypes, to make a difference for others (and themselves). I love every single conversation whether that’s been on Zoom, on a walk or with a cup of coffee in the spring sunshine. The dynamism, and determination of women never ceases to inspire me!

So how have you been thriving recently - I’d love to know!!

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That’s it folks….hope you enjoyed this one - I’d love to hear your comments and please share with anyone you think would be interested.

To find out more about Fifty Thrive or buy my Fifty Thrive merch (t-shirts, tote bags or mugs): www.fiftythrive.life

I also want to help more midlife female founders get visible with clarity, discernment and creativity have some availability for my PR power hours in March and April. Message me below for more info.

Emma xx

Today you should be receiving Five to Thrive edition 12, but I’ve decided to be a bit of a rebel and go off piste!

Instead edition 12 will be coming out next Friday 6th March, mainly because I want to tie it in with International Women’s Day.

I want to give you my own hot take on IWD, and gather together some insightful resources for you that deliver much more than a pink bow and a token high five!

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My gift to you today

However, I don’t want to leave without giving you something today!

So I want to share with you a piece I wrote two years ago called The Journey.

It charts my journey from the UK to Portugal taken two years ago almost to the day. We had decided to go and explore living in Portugal, and headed there for a couple of months.

This epic 2000km journey by ferry and road in a 15 year old Nissan proved to be more than simply reaching a geographical location, it became analogous with my own grief at this time, having lost my Mum and Dad the year before.

I’ve spoken to a couple of midlife women who’ve lost one of their parents recently, so I felt like it was the right time to reshare this piece as it may help you or someone going through grief or loss (or anticipatory grief especially if you’re caring for a parent who has something like Alzheimers).

At the end there’s resources and book recommendations that I turned to at this difficult time.

I hope that you get something from it and feel free to share with others who might need it right now.

Sending you love and hugs, and will be back next Friday with Five to Thrive when normal service is resumed.

Take good care of yourself, and don’t forget you are precious too, and deserve to thrive.

Emma x

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Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read inspirational stories that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving in 2026.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by me and other midlife women.

If you want to be one of my Voices of Wisdom in future editions then drop me a message and tell me a bit more about yourself.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Let there be light

It’s usually around this midpoint in February that I start yearning for spring. It happens every year, but right now it feels even more urgent and needed!

I’m done with the cocooning darkness and slower pace of winter, and am ready for the revitalising energy and potential that spring brings.

As I look out of the window while writing this, all I can see is a blanket of grey. It’s as if everything is shrouded in it, caught in an eternal stillness - frozen in time in a black and white photo.

And right now I’m craving colour and light! The monochrome is weighing on my soul. More than anything, I want and need to be uplifted by the spring sunshine.

I know it’s coming soon. As I go for my walks around the local park, I see the shoots and the first flourishes of bloom from the hardier plants. The signs are peeking through the soil, and this gives me hope. But if I’m being honest, I’m also getting very impatient. I don’t want to wait much longer!

I wonder if it is just me who feels this way, or whether you do too?

Perhaps the winter seems longer and more relentless this year as its gloom mirrors what is happening in the world.

We’ve experienced such a brutal onslaught of one shocking headline after another, it’s no wonder that we all feel angry and weary. It seems that those in power revel in the darkness they bring, and have not a care in the world about how their actions impact others.

I have felt this heaviness too, and am finding it hard to process it, and truly express how I feel about all that’s happening. Maybe someday soon I will find those words and share them with you.

So for now I’m getting through these grey days of winter by focusing on my own thrive, as at least that’s something I can control!

For me, this means bringing connection, compassion, curiosity and courage into my life one way or another. And when I’m doing one or any combination of these things, I know that I’m living in my thrive.

As I look back over the last month here’s a few things I’ve done aligned to my thrive foundations, nothing flashy or expensive, just simple and effective!

Connection: having coffee and chats with friends and new contacts, going to networking events, and writing and sharing my ideas and thoughts with you here.

Compassion: nurturing my own mental wellbeing with a daily meditation, talking kindly to myself when the inner critic pipes up, and walking in the park to ground myself in nature.

Curiosity: being captivated watching YouTube videos about travelling (my wanderlust dial is on max right now!) enviously watching as a couple travel through South America in a van. The big vistas, the awesome mountains and the unexpected moments pique my curiosity like nothing else!

Courage: putting myself forward for opportunities to share my own midlife journey in the media, dipping my toe a little outside of my comfort zone!

So how about you? How are you getting through - what’s bringing you your thrive at the moment?

If you want to discover more about how to find your own thrive foundations or need some inspiration then you can download my free e-book below.

Your Little Book Of Thrive (1)

4.05MB ∙ PDF file

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2. Valentine’s Day

It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, don’t you know!

I’ve been thinking about how much of a marmite kind of day it is - one that you either love or hate. Maybe I’m being too harsh, but you see I have quite a lot of emotions wrapped up in this day.

Yesterday I was at the supermarket and could barely get in the door thanks to the buckets overflowing with bouquets of red roses, the aisles of laden with chocolates, and the multitude of cards emblazoned with love hearts. It seemed like the commercial juggernaut of Valentine’s Day is in full swing!

It’s not that I’m unromantic, but I just don’t really buy into this hallmark day of love as it feels contrived and competitive, and in my mind at odds with what I believe love is all about.

In fact Valentine’s Day has always given me these vibes. I remember as a teenager the impending angst as the day approached wondering if this would finally be the year I received a card from a secret admirer.

The stress was palpable, especially as I was at boarding school where Valentine’s cards equated to popularity and social cache - they were, in essence part of your self-worth currency. And so when nothing arrived for me year after year, it viscerally cemented my own feelings of unworthiness.

Thankfully today things are very different; I feel loved every day, not only by those I love - my husband and family - but also by myself, and that means so much more to me than the one-in-365 Valentine’s Day version of love.

My own journey to loving and accepting myself was, I admit, arduous and long, yet it was in the darkest depths of my perimenopause that I finally had my breakthrough. I discovered self-compassion. Exploring and embracing this really helped me to finally untangle myself from those feelings of unworthiness (and shame) that I’d held onto for far too long!

Self-compassion is the art of being kind and compassionate to yourself, rather than listening to the berating and judgemental voice of your inner critic. It’s not driven by external validation or perceived success, but acceptance of who you are at your best, your worst and everything in between. It’s the acknowledgement of suffering; your own and others, and meeting this with a compassionate, kind heart. And never, I believe, have we needed to feel and show compassion (to others and ourselves) more than right now!!

If you’re interested in finding out more about self-compassion then take a read of these posts I’ve written The Second Half and Coming of Middle Age. Or you can go and explore the teachings and meditations of self-compassion experts Tara Brach or Dr Kristin Neff - surely there’s no better Valentine’s gift than being compassionate to yourself!

Valentine’s Day is also a deeply poignant one for me as it was on this day three years ago that I lost my Dad.

Dad was a romantic. He and Mum celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary only a few days before he passed. It was a day that meant so much to them, it was their day of love. And having found letters and cards they wrote to each other when I cleared out their flat, I have no doubt that their love ran deep.

So it was really no surprise to any of us that Dad chose Valentine’s Day to leave this earth.

Not only will I be lighting a candle on this day in his memory, and allowing grief to flow through me, I will also be remembering how he embodied and showed his love. And this will give me the hope and strength I need to carry on.

3. Voices of Wisdom

Meet Maddy Biddulph, a personal trainer who helps women in perimenopause feel strong, capable and confident again. We’ve never actually met IRL (yet!) but I was introduced to her through my sister who did some PT sessions with her. After a chat on the phone we realised that we were very much on the same wavelength - focused on helping midlife women to thrive in different ways. And as a freelance wellness and fitness journalist she’s also a great contact for me and my clients in this space! So take it away Maddy, let’s hear from you…..

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

Midlife can make exercise feel a bit confusing, because what used to work suddenly doesn’t. As a personal trainer I help women in perimenopause feel strong, capable and confident again through safe, hormone-aware strength training that supports their changing bodies. Regular exercise is just one of many tools that can ease menopause symptoms, and can help women feel like themselves again.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Take a step back and have a long hard think about what and who you really want in your life, and how you want it to look. You have everything inside you already to achieve your wildest dreams. You just need to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. And if things don’t work out, you will learn from it.

3. How are you thriving right now?

By designing a life that works for me and my family. I’m a single mum with two young daughters, and as well as a personal trainer I work as a freelance journalist. I choose to work for myself because I want to be around for my kids, I want to do the school runs and be at their events, and spend time with them in the evenings. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to do that so I’m grateful I can make it work. I lost my dad when I was 26 so for me time is always more important than any kind of financial gain.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That being positive is a choice. Yes, life can be stressful and I’m not always going to feel OK about what happens or the way people treat me, but I can control how I react and also how quickly I let things go. I tell myself ‘everything always works out for me’ when I’m feeling overwhelmed and this helps me to stay in a positive mindset.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

Anyone who is taking charge of their health, fitness and wellbeing on their terms. There’s so much noise about what women should be doing to take care of themselves, what we should eat or not eat, how we should behave and move our bodies. I think if you are managing to do some regular exercise that you enjoy that helps keep you physically and mentally strong then you are really thriving.

To find out more about Maddy’s PT services visit her website - she’s currently running MenoFitness classes for perimenopausal women (see classes section on the website). You can also find her on Instagram: @maddybiddulphpt

4. Thrive nugget

It’s official reading my Five to Thrive is good for your health….!

I read some interesting news this week about dementia prevention:

Reading, writing and learning a language or two can lower your risk of dementia by almost 40%, according to a study that suggests millions of people could prevent or delay the condition.

It seems that writing Five to Thrive regularly for you is also good for my health - a that’s a win-win for you and me then!

It’s nice to read something positive, so if you want to find out more the full article is here.

5. Something to read

I’m on a mission to showcase other substack writers I enjoy, and this post drew me in as it focused on how to protect your mental wellbeing in light of all the traumatising news and headlines we’re seeing.

Own Your Ambition

Your Brain Wasn’t Designed for This Much Bad News

Hi, I’m Bonnie Marcus. Welcome to Own Your Ambition, a weekly newsletter where I offer my best advice on how to successfully navigate the workplace as a woman today. A former CEO who made it to the C Suite from an entry level, executive coach and published author, I share my experiences and lessons learned from my tenure in corporate, focusing on giving…

Read more

7 months ago · 9 likes · 5 comments · Bonnie Marcus

That’s it folks….hope you enjoyed this one - I’d love to hear your comments and please share with anyone you think would be interested.

To find out more about Fifty Thrive or buy my Fifty Thrive merch (t-shirts, tote bags or mugs): www.fiftythrive.life

I also want to help more midlife female founders get going on PR and have some availability for my PR power hours in February and March. Visit my instagram or drop me a message for more info.

Emma xx

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Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read inspirational stories that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving in 2026.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by me and other midlife women.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

Subscribe now

1. What nostalgia taught me

I recently did something I rarely do. Something that took me by surprise.

I jumped onto a social media trend……I know, so not me!

Normally, I like to do my own thing on the squares. I’ve always been resistant to following the crowd and have zero interest in going viral. I like to keep my reels real!

Yet I found myself strangely drawn to the 2016 nostalgia fest that exploded in January!

I enjoyed seeing women I follow on instagram sharing their own 2016 moments, and it triggered my own curiosity to look back, and see what I was up to then.

Exploring the forgotten recesses of my laptop, I found photo folders from a decade ago, and was soon completely immersed in a journey back in time.

And as I compiled a carousel of images and crafted a narrative for my own 2016 post, it dawned on me that this year was the start of the most challenging and transformative decade of my life - my midlife era!!

While 2016 was full of excitement and anticipation as we bought, and did up, our first house in France, and settled into life at a different pace, the years that followed seemed to bring a rollercoaster of experiences that sometimes stretched me to my limits.

Bringing these to life on my post, which you can see here, viscerally rekindled all the highs, lows and lessons from the last ten years, while it also revealed something I’d not expected.

That my own midlife journey these past ten years on hindsight had humbled and inspired me!

I felt appreciative of my resilience and compassion when times were tough (thanks Perimenopause), in awe of my intent to thrive when survival seemed the only way (thanks Covid), and surprised by my ability to adapt and grow through all these life quakes, and other upheavals.

But most important of all, I felt moved by the life-changing significance of seeing the life ebb away from my parents, and the way in which I’d come eventually to embrace the grief as a gift. This decade had changed me in ways I could never foresee or imagine.

And maybe it isn’t surprising then that Fifty Thrive came alive in this decade (I think it was 2017 that the idea first popped into my head), forming a foundation on which to build my own midlife, and help others too.

And it got me thinking also about how often we’re get so bogged down with the minutiae of life that we forget to take time out to look at the bigger picture, to witness how far we’ve come, and how much we’ve evolved. And never is there a more pertinent time to do this than midlife - when so much is shifting.

And what struck me most of all was that my 2016 post generated far more views, comments and likes than any others I’d posted for a very long time, which only goes to show that our stories and lived experiences have a magical power to connect and bond us together like nothing else.

So did you get on board with the 2016 trend, and if so, what did looking back reveal to you? I’d love to know, so please do share in the comments.

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2. Conversations

This January I’ve been having some interesting conversations with midlife women and female founders to gauge how they’re feeling in the new year, and how they want to show up in 2026.

It’s through these conversations, and sharing our hopes and fears, that I get inspiration and ideas on how I can best support women through Fifty Thrive. After all one of my own thrive foundations is connection, and for many of us especially those who work from home, connection is vital for our personal and business wellbeing.

And connection is at the heart of Fifty Thrive. With my background in PR I help female founders and midlife women get visible by sharing their stories, their lived experiences and expertise so they can find opportunities and clients beyond their existing networks and social media.

And what’s emerging from these conversations is that in 2026 more and more women do want to show up but only in ways that feel wholly aligned to who they are, without the need for performance or unnecessary noise.

That’s why I love working one-to-one with women, collaborating with them to tailor their visibility journey according to their values, purpose and desired outcomes, so that we can both thrive in the process.

Whether through a power hour or a deep dive, I love getting to know the women and their businesses, helping them find the stories, messages and ideas that’ll help them build genuine connection and trust with others.

And talking about conversations - have you listened yet to my first Five to Thrive Conversations which I published in late December?

This year I plan to create and share here (and on YouTube) a series of recorded in-depth conversations with midlife women by going beneath the surface on topics that I hope will interest and inspire you.

In the first one, I had such an interesting and enlightening conversation with Nicola McDonald, an author and writing coach, about the Power of Letter Writing and how it can help you process difficult emotions such as loss, grief, or even anger. Here’s a link so you can take a listen.

I’ll be bringing out the second conversation in February so watch this space! And if you’d like to be part of this series then message me - I want to share diverse insights and stories from women around the world!

3. Voices of wisdom

One of my January conversations was with Sara Maxwell - a wealth coach. I found her on someone else’s Instagram feed and was attracted by what she said about money, as well as her vibrant brand. I knew straight away that I wanted to share her wisdom with you here. Creating wealth is so important for all of us - helping us to thrive on our own terms and to realise our wildest dreams, and it’s something that I want to start taking far more seriously! So let’s see what she has to say.

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I support them to understand what they wish for from their lives, money and career. What does wealth mean to them? Do they have the balance they are looking for between joy in the moment, and growth for their future in their life and work? I also work with couples supporting them to communicate better when it comes to money and resolve any issues or tensions that might be impacting the relationship.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Take time to look closely at your life and finances, and ask yourself if they are really working for you? If not, what would you love to change? Find a great coach to support you to work through this. Once you know what you want, you can build a financial plan to support that.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I am working hard to focus on the balance that works for me as a single Mum to a fifteen year old. Talking care to focus on the areas of my life that lead to the future we desire, not the one sold to us by society and the media.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That it’s not possible to do absolutely everything to a high standard, some things just get done and that’s good enough, not everything needs to be perfect! I get to decide whether perfection is ever worth the time and effort that it takes from other more important things. That taking care of my energy means I won’t be saying yes to everything and that I can take my own time to make decisions.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

I have been absolutely loving seeing Kyla Cobblers rise up, she is one of the funniest women I’ve ever met. I saw her stand up act three times last year and each time laughed so hard. She is so real and brilliant on IG, she makes my day, every single day.

You can find out more about Sara and how she can work with you here or you can follow her on Instagram here

4. Thrive nuggets

I’ve been writing my Fifty Thrive substack for two and a half years now, and have learnt a lot in the process. I’ve seen it change and evolve in that time, from a place to simply share your writing to a social media platform where performance and noise helps gain attention - but for me it’s still all about the writing.

There’s some great writers on here - they’re not well known, they don’t have huge followings, they haven’t gone viral, but they do deliver insightful pieces.

So I thought I’d share a few posts I’ve enjoyed in January:

The Midlife Nomad

The Psychology of Midlife Authorship

I always swoon and am a bit envious when I see the word “author” in someone’s bio…

Read more

7 months ago · 66 likes · 27 comments · The Midlife Nomad

The Business of Becoming

The role models we are missing

I’ve been looking for myself in all of the wrong places…

Read more

8 months ago · 20 likes · 21 comments · Lucy - Business of Becoming

The Return, by Tessa Carranza-Hawthorn

You Might Not Be Sad – You Might Be Grieving

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical, and spiritual necessity.” — Earl Grollman…

Read more

7 months ago · 10 likes · 7 comments · Tessa Carranza-Hawthorn

5. What are you listening to?

Look what I found recently when I was doing a clear out.

Who remembers the iPod shuffle? It still works perfectly and I’m currently loving listening to my early noughties playlist, which is bringing back memories of the carefree days of my mid to late 30s. The tunes reminding me of the sense of freedom and adventures that I had back then, and how much I want to bring that spirit back into my life again.

So what are you listening to right now that brings up happy memories or reminds you of what you want in life - I’d love to hear!

Leave a comment

I hope you enjoyed this edition - I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator with me so feel free to share your thoughts below. Or please share with someone you know who’d enjoy this.

Thank you for reading and keep on thriving! Emma xxxx

To find out more about Fifty Thrive or buy my Fifty Thrive merch (t-shirts, tote bags or mugs): www.fiftythrive.life

Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read inspirational stories that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving in 2026.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by me and other midlife women.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

Subscribe now

1. New Year, Do you…

We’re half way through January already, so I wonder how you’re feeling right now?

Are you buzzing with a renewed energy and excitement for your year ahead, easing yourself in at a gentler and more reflective pace, or oscillating somewhere between the two?

I’m definitely flitting from one to the other at the moment; going from high energy and enthusiasm for what I’m planning this year for Fifty Thrive, to retreating and cocooning quietly with books, meditation and journaling to anchor myself.

That’s the thing, when you get to a place in midlife where you know and respect your rhythms, you can set your own tone for the New Year, and find a balance that’s right for you. You can eschew any pressure to be one thing or another.

And rather encouragingly, I’ve noticed from what I’ve read and heard over the last few weeks that women are really tuning in to what’s best for them this new year. The whole New Year, New You mantra that has been peddled for so long seems to be waning, and New Year’s Resolutions appear to have lost their momentum as well.

Thank F for that I say!

Finally we are giving ourselves the space to just be, whatever that is, as the new year unfolds. And that’s what Fifty Thrive is about - finding your own sweet spots of thrive where you can truly prosper without judgement, without comparison, and without conforming - thriving on your own terms.

I believe these dark days of winter are always best navigated this way. And if we can maintain this sovereignty mindset throughout the year then that will bode well for us!

So the only mantra I’m following and encouraging this January is - New Year, Do you!

2. From Hiding to Thriving

You may have seen me sharing my ‘From Hiding to Thriving’ rallying call across Fifty Thrive recently. It’s the visibility journey I’m committing to in 2026.

I wanted to take a moment to explain what that really means, and why I’d love you to come on this journey with me.

While it may sound like a catchy soundbite, my decision to finally get visible this year has never felt more urgent or more important.

Everything is changing so fast, and as female founders and business owners we have to pay attention. We all know that AI-generated content is everywhere, and that it is not going to go away - content is becoming more formulaic, messaging increasingly generic and bland, and fake sources and experts are popping up all over the place. It’s hard to know who and what to trust these days!

Yet while this may sound depressing, it actually presents a golden opportunity for us all. In 2026 trust is shifting; goodbye faceless companies and brands, hello humans!

And as midlife women and female founders, our advantage is that we already have decades of humanness under our belts! Our diverse lived experiences, our failures and successes, our wake-up calls, light-bulb moments, reinventions and our unique perspectives, points of view and stories are our golden nuggets. They give us countless opportunities to show up as real, credible, relatable humans in our work and businesses.

Yet despite having all these assets at our disposal, so many of us continue to hold back. We worry about being judged, compared, misunderstood, or even seen as showing off. We see visibility as a performance and noise, rather than an opportunity to connect and build relationships. So we stay small, quiet and hidden despite having so much to offer.

And hands up, I confess I’ve been there too!

Many people assume that working in PR you’re an extrovert, all jazz hands and ‘look at me’ energy - but that’s often not the case. We’re the behind-the-scenes wing women ushering and cheerleading our clients into the limelight. And I’m no exception, I’ve spent years helping my clients get visible, while hiding myself - go figure!

Yet the one thing I’ve come to realise is that nobody magically wakes up one day and suddenly feels confident about getting visible. You simply have to make a decision to start and go for it one step at a time.

And when you choose to show up intentionally with clarity, in alignment with your values, your purpose, and your own unique lens on the world then visibility becomes something much more potent. It stops feeling like an ego-driven performance and starts to feel embodied, grounded and true.

Real visibility isn’t built on perfection, polish or ego. Instead, by allowing yourself to be seen as who you are, and by expressing what you believe in or feel, you give others permission to connect with you, and to trust you.

So in 2026 let’s show and celebrate our unique version humanness - after all that’s what sets us apart, and ultimately brings us thrive in business and in life.

Visibility anchored in humanness is going to be one of our greatest superpowers in 2026, and I believe, key to building a sustainable, thriving business in this ever changing world.

So, who’s coming on this From Hiding to Thriving journey with me?

I plan to write more about this in future editions as its such an important topic for midlife female founders, in the meantime, here’s a couple of interesting articles I’ve read recently on it:

While this is focused on creatives it gives some solid advice: How to adapt your brand in a post AI landscape. And this one from Forbes is insightful: Personal Branding Trends for 2026

If you want to start your visibility journey with me in January then I have a special offer for you - a PR power hour that will give you clarity, intention, ideas, support and advice to get going. See below for details and don’t take my word for it, see what Carie Barker said about her recent PR power hour….Let’s do it!!!

I’m also working on a ‘Hiding to Thriving’ group programme for those of you who prefer to go on this journey together with guidance and direction from me and accountability from each other. I’ll keep you posted - drop a note in the comments if this sounds interesting!

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3. Voices of Wisdom

Give a big welcome to Remi Baker, my first Voice of Wisdom of 2026! I met her through a networking group last year and we bonded, not only because we both had a background in PR and an insider’s knowledge of South London, but also because we are on the same wavelength about thriving in midlife. As a coach she’s passionate about helping midlife women navigate their third chapter with intent, clarity and purpose.

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

I coach women in midlife who’ve spent years being capable, responsible and reliable - at work, at home, and often for everyone else. On the outside, life may look full and successful, but inside there’s often a growing sense that something needs attention.

Many of the women I coach say things like, “I just know this isn’t quite it anymore, but what’s next.” They might be questioning their work, their energy, or how much of themselves they’ve put to one side over the years.

My work helps women slow down and make sense of that moment. Through 1:1 coaching, and immersive group experiences, I support them to get clearer on what they’ve outgrown, what matters now, and how they want their next chapter to take shape - in a way that feels grounded, intentional and true to them.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Don’t rush to answers and don’t ignore what you’re noticing.

Midlife isn’t something to fix or sort out quickly. It’s often a cue to listen more closely to yourself. Pay attention to what keeps coming up - the questions you return to, the things you no longer want to say yes to, the interests or ideas that won’t quite let you go.

Thrive rarely comes from a big reinvention. It usually begins with small, honest shifts.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I’m thriving by living at a more intentional pace.

I left a senior role a year or so ago and chose work that’s more aligned with my values - work that centres on deep personal conversations, reflection, and real human connection. Through The Third Chapter, I’m doing work I care deeply about, with people I genuinely want to serve, and I feel a strong sense of purpose in that.

It feels like an honour to do this work, and a privilege to support women at this stage of life.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That I am enough.

Midlife has taught me to trust my experience and instincts in a way I didn’t before. I’m less interested in external approval and more focused on what feels right and sustainable. Letting go of old expectations has created space for a quieter confidence - and a stronger relationship with myself.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

The women I admire most are the ones who’ve stopped performing their lives.

They’re not chasing old definitions of success or trying to keep up. They’re making choices that reflect who they are now, not who they used to be. They’re honest with themselves, open to change, and comfortable shaping life on their own terms.

To find out more about The Third Chapter and Remi: Thethirdchapter.co.uk

IG: @thethirdchapterishere. LinkedIn

4. A thrive nugget

Want to thrive in 2026? Then as luck would have it, I’ve created a free e-book for you which you can download below - it’s full of insights, recommendations and ideas on how to find your thrive. Get your copy and recommend to other midlife women you know who deserve to get their thrive on in 2026.

Your Little Book Of Thrive

4.05MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

5. Something to read…

A book that has many of its pages turned down is a reminder of a book enjoyed, and recently I rediscovered a book I read a few years ago. ‘A Book of Life’ is written by Jo Bowlby, a world-renowned Shaman, coach and mentor, who brings her own deep experience of spiritual teachings from around the world, and translates into a practical guide for navigating life for the reader.

I hope you enjoyed this edition - I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator with me so feel free to share your thoughts below.

Leave a comment

Thank you for reading and keep on thriving! Emma xxxx

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did - and it sparks your own curiosity to explore your emotions through the power of letter writing.

Nicola is an established author, creative writing coach and a prolific letter writer, using this medium to navigate challenges she encounters in her midlife - especially right now dealing with her father’s dementia, and all that entails.

I have had my own numerous experiences of the power of letter writing, and appreciate how these have helped me process my emotions and let go of feelings.

I was reflecting the other day about the different times when letter writing brought meaning and sense to my life; from the letters I wrote when I was at boarding school, the angst-ridden diary entries of my teen years, the letters of my adulthood especially those that helped me with loss and grief, to a letter I recently wrote to my younger self published in an online journal.

These letters have been pivotal and poignant - so much so that I believe they have and always will be part of my own therapeutic journey. And maybe they can be part of yours too.

So get yourself a cuppa and settle in for the 45 minutes chat I had with Nicola.

Please do let me know whether you feel inspired to start exploring letter writing after you have listened. Or simply leave a comment on what this conversation brought up for you.

I plan to publish at least one Five to Thrive conversation a month, though the subsequent ones will on offer as part of my paid for subscription.

If you want to check out Nicola and all that she offers from courses to coaching then click here

Thank you - hope you enjoy!

And finally, I wish you a Happy and Healthy transition into 2026, and hope that you have set your intentions to make this the year that you prioritise your own thrive. You are always welcome to subscribe to my Fifty Thrive community here where you’ll find more wisdom, insights and support to help you on that journey.

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This is a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women - for together we are stronger!!

While I’ll be curating and crafting these editions for you, I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include, so feel free to leave comments and ideas at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

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1. Make sure you gift yourself too

Phew, we’re almost on the home straight now!

It’s nearly time to exhale, and breathe a big sigh of relief as this year comes to an end.

And judging from the recent conversations I’ve had with female founders and midlife women, and my own feelings too, most of us are well and truly ready to let go of 2025!

We’re done with the grind and we’re desperate to slow the pace down a bit; to give ourselves a moment to rest and recuperate over the festive period.

Yet, we all know that just because the work or business might take a pause for a week or two, that doesn’t mean that our energy and labour isn’t required elsewhere. For many women, especially those with children, elderly parents or other family commitments, it might simply feel like swapping one stress for another - doing the ultimate juggling act while having to put a smile on, and exude an aura of ‘festive spirit’ - whatever that is.

I hope that in acknowledging your own needs and wishes, and setting some boundaries if necessary, you find some peace and quiet to do what lights you up and nourishes you. Whether that’s catching up on sleep, curling up on the sofa reading a book, taking a walk, or seeing friends, it’s the gift you really do need to give yourself!

I also want to give you a festive gift, to thank you for subscribing to, and reading my Fifty Thrive substack this year.

In the spirit of encouraging you to focus on prioritising yourself and your needs over the festive season, I will be sharing a video recording I did recently with Nicola McDonald, creative writing coach, author and founder of the Introverts Paper Playground.

I’ll share this with you in the liminal and quieter moment between Christmas and New Year, so that you can have the time and headspace to enjoy it away from the frenzied countdown to Christmas we’re in right now! So do look in your inbox around the 29th/30th December for this.

It was a wonderful chat with Nicola about the power of writing to process emotions in midlife, and why finding the words that encapsulate your past or present experiences and feelings really is at the heart of discovering who you are, and what your thrive is.

You’ll find out about why letter writing is a really accessible and simple way to start this process if you’ve never done something like this before. So over the Christmas holidays please do take a listen - it could be the start of your own writing journey in 2026!

2. The power of words

Talking about the power of words, would you believe it, this year I’ve written 23,221 words (give or take a few!) for you here on my Fifty Thrive substack. That’s almost a quarter of a book! (maybe that’s a sign that next year I should actually write one!!)

I hope that these words in some ways have soothed you, have given you lightbulb moments of clarity, or have prompted you to prioritise yourself and your own thrive. I hope that they carry as much potency for you, as I know they have for me.

So looking back over the year, I thought I’d pick out some stand out quotes from my long-form writing as well as Five to Thrive compendiums; words that capture the spirit of Fifty Thrive and our own midlife journeys. So here goes….let me know which one resonates most with you and there’s a link to the whole article underneath if you want to have a read.

And as I’m feeling super generous right now, I also want to share with you a brand new audio recording of one of my favourite articles from 2025: One in 8.2 billion. You can listen below.

It’s all about comparison spiralling, and acknowledging and accepting yourself for who you are, and valuing your own gifts, something I know can be a challenge for many of us.

Imagine if we could all step into 2026 with rock solid confidence and clarity knowing and appreciating our uniqueness and originality, and seeing these as gifts that not only set us apart from others, but also offer magic to others (whether in business or life).

I think if we can achieve this, we’ll all be thriving in 2026 (I will share my thoughts on exactly why in the first edition of Five to Thrive in the new year).....

3. Voices of wisdom

Let me introduce you to Dr Vanessa Harding, founder of Ayla Life Performance who I met at a networking event and who has become a walking buddy too - we can walk and talk like there’s no tomorrow!! I promised you something that would bring you clarity and serenity, and that’s what Vanessa brings to clients with her life performance coaching rooted in healthy functioning, stress management and expanded resilience. I think we all probably need Vanessa in our lives as we leap into 2026…let her tell you why!

1. How do you help midlife women thrive?

I help midlife women stop fighting their bodies and start working with them. Many women in their 50s and beyond appear high-functioning, outwardly capable but inwardly exhausted, with stress patterns wired into their nervous system over years.

Hormonal shifts and years of “holding it all together” can leave the nervous system stuck in survival, impacting energy, focus, sleep and fulfilment. My work is grounded in one core principle: body first, brain follows, performance rises. Using neuroscience-based nervous system regulation and brain training, I help women rewire stress patterns so they can thrive sustainably without burning out.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking, “What is my body trying to tell me?” Midlife often brings symptoms we’ve been taught to judge or ignore… anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, emotional reactivity. But these aren’t personal flaws. They’re signals from a nervous system that’s been protecting you for a very long time.

When you learn to listen to your body instead of overriding it, and understand how your brain has been wired by stress, everything changes. You don’t lose your edge, you rewire it. True thrive doesn’t come from pushing through discomfort; it comes from creating safety first.

From there, your super creative, logical wise brain fires 100% and you feel the confidence and energy rises dramatically.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I’m thriving by practicing what I teach: regulation over reputation, presence over pressure.

That looks like honouring my nervous system daily, not just when things feel hard. I prioritise breath, body awareness and nervous system regulation so my brain can operate at its best. I’m deeply intentional about how I work, rest and lead because I know that sustainable high performance is built from a regulated, well-supported system.

At this stage of life, thriving feels less about doing more and more, and more about supporting my nervous system and brain to function optimally. The result is greater clarity, creativity and impact, with far more ease.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That resilience isn’t about tolerating more stress — it’s about knowing how to come back to safety.

For years, many of us were praised for being strong, capable and dependable. But no one taught us how to regulate our nervous systems, retrain stress responses or allow the brain to recover properly. Midlife has taught me that pushing through comes at a cost, and that cost eventually shows up in the body.

The most powerful shift I’ve made is trusting my body’s wisdom and understanding how to work with my nervous system. When I feel steady in my body, my brain works better, my decisions are clearer and I show up with real authority not forced confidence.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

Women who are deeply connected to themselves.

To find out more about Vanessa and Ayla Life Performance:

www.ayla-life-performance.com

IG: @dr_vanessa_harding

4. A thrive nugget

Next year I want to discover and read more substacks - sometimes it is hard to find the time. I’d love to hear any of your recommendations of substacks that you enjoy and why, so feel free to leave a comment.

Leave a comment

One that I’d like to share with you is The Art of Enchantment by Dr Sharon Blackie - her Manifesto for Thriving at Midlife really is something else - it challenges you to think about who you are in midlife, and to see yourself through a different unfiltered lens (one unsullied by society and other’s expectations).

So before we all head into the new year and get swept up again by the busyness, take a read and see if it encourages you to reframe and reset your mind.

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie

A manifesto for thriving at midlife

In my first post about the psychology of midlife, which you can read here, I wrote about the emotional correlates of the midlife transition, how it all begins to feel as if life is going horribly wrong, and why that is completely normal at this time of life…

Read more

2 years ago · 572 likes · 38 comments · Dr Sharon Blackie

5. Something to read

I’m in the middle of reading Into the Magic Shop by Dr James R Doty (have you noticed this is an edition dedicated to the Drs of the world!!) It’s a neurosurgeon’s true story of the life-changing magic of mindfulness and compassion, and so far, so good.

Another book I read last year and I really enjoyed so wanted to share with you is Kokoro by Beth Kempton, which brings Japanese wisdom into everyday living. It touches on grief and loss and gives so much wisdom on how to navigate life’s inevitable transitions.

So that’s it folks…..I hope that you’ve enjoyed the eighth edition of Five to Thrive and all the substacks I’ve shared with you this year.

I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator in 2026 so feel free to share your thoughts below.

Leave a comment

So here’s wishing you all a peaceful and relaxing Christmas - I hope that this edition has encouraged you to take some time out to prioritise your own needs and desires this festive season with the gift and resources I’ve shared here.

Remember, you’re precious too!

Merry Christmas

Emma xxxx

Here you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read inspirational stories that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. How are you feeling?

I have to be honest with you, these last few weeks, I’ve been feeling the full force of overwhelm, with a dash of rage thrown in for good measure.

It started with the avalanche of Black Friday emails that literally deluged my inbox from mid November onwards.

Now don’t judge me here, but with over 44,000 emails in my inbox (Dear Universe, please manifest a VA for me 2026!) I readily admit that I already had a problem with inbox overwhelm. In my defence, most of these emails I’ve read but have yet to delete (maybe I’ve got a hoarding problem too!!)

So when every single newsletter, business and other random thing I’ve ever signed up to started showing up in my inbox with their latest BF offer, I couldn’t help but feel the rage ebbing up in me. I think I must have lost a good few hours of paid work in the run up to Black Friday simply deleting every email that was offering me a deal or discount.

And yet, I felt sorry for the small business owners and female founders who probably felt they had no option but to jump on the bandwagon, which has only got bigger and more aggressive every year.

The pressure to conform, to sell, to compete is very real for many of us, especially as it has been such a challenging year. And in many ways I felt all of this too - should I simply give in and offer a deal or a discount on my PR services or my Fifty Thrive merchandise?

But then I tuned into my intuition (which I’m so much better at doing these days), and it came back loud and clear; Don’t give into the pressure, stay true to your contrarian nature, Emma. So instead I decided to support another campaign Colour Friday that actively encourages consumers to support small, independent businesses over the big boys during BF and into Christmas, and put my voice on social media behind that. It felt like the right thing to do, as I’m very much about supporting micro/small businesses, and in particular, those founded by women.

And now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are thankfully behind us, the next wave of rampant commercialism is well and truly underway with Christmas just round the corner. Once again, I feel that pressure rising again to spend, to sell, to consume, to rush - all of which leads straight back to that sense of everything being too much!

Of course, they’ll be some of you who love Christmas and revel in the festive spirit that brings colour and light to a time of mid-winter darkness, and wonder why I feel this way. Yet we all thrive in different ways, and at different times of year, so each to their own!

For those of you feeling like me, then check out my Thrive nuggets below as I share some things that will help you to regulate your nerves and find alternative sources of peace and connection. And in the final issue of Five to Thrive 2025, due out on Friday the 19th December, I’ll share two gifts that will bring peace and serenity over the festive season, and into the new year.

So how are you feeling right now? Are you with team Emma, or team Santa?! Please let me know, I’d love to hear.

Leave a comment

2. Al-GRRRR-ithms

There’s been quite a furore recently about algorithms on LinkedIn and Instagram, and how their biases and frequent updates are stifling people’s reach and engagement.

This year it feels like social media has become a more stressful and challenging place to grow your business, to connect with your community, and to share your voice and stories with any real impact. I have experienced this myself and have at times felt the frustration.

Women on LinkedIn have resorted to changing their gender and using Chat GPT to ‘bro’ up their LinkedIn content, and have suddenly found surprise, surprise that their posts get more traction. Chef and food writer Gizzi Erskine recently wrote an opinion piece in the Independent about how Instagram’s algorithm changes are destroying influencers and small businesses. And judging by the comments when she shared this on her instagram, it seems like everyone is feeling exactly the same. We’re all at peak over it!

How about you - have you found that your social media is in a stasis? Do you feel the frustration, and are you contemplating alternatives?

I’m passionate about helping midlife women and female founders share their stories, voices and expertise as these are magnets that attract us towards each other, and grow deeper connections. Yet in the online world it seems that only by playing by their rules can we do this - and as most of us know, those rules were never designed to benefit women!

That’s why I’m encouraging more women and female founders in 2026 to look beyond the confines of social media, and start exploring other ways and places to connect.

I feel excited by the opportunities that I know are out there, and I want to help female founders go after them. This can be anything from sharing your story and expertise in trusted media outlets, guest appearances on niche podcasts or in micro-communities such as here on substack, to talking at in-person events or festivals.

These are the opportunities that create more long-lasting real-world connections, forge new collaborations, build authority, boost credibility, and have greater impacts - and all without having to conform to the ever changing algorithms!

And that’s what Fifty Thrive is all about - I’m here to share my own knowledge and expertise to show female founders what’s possible with PR (from my 30 years in the biz), and to guide them on that journey with compassion and courage. So if you’re interested here’s different levels of support that I can offer you in 2026:

• Let’s Get Visible online workshop - I’m going to be hosting my first two hour online PR workshop for £99 in early January to help you find out about how to build your profile and authority in 2026, so that you can make new connections, and find new opportunities, and engage more authentically with your customers or clients. I will be launching the event sign up next week so if you’re interested in finding out more then send me a message below.

• I’m currently planning Let’s Get Visible - From Hiding to Thriving Group Programme for female founders who want to gather together go on an accountability and motivational journey towards getting visible, with me as their host and guide, along with other experts. This will be a collaborative and sustained deep dive with personally defined outcomes that we’ll all be working towards.

• I’m offering a 1-2-1 PR hour with me in December for £59, so if you want to talk through new story angles or content ideas for 2026, or have any questions for me about the changing media landscape or anything PR related then let’s get going!!

If you’re interested in any of the above please email me on emma@fiftythrive.life or send a message below.

Oh and I have a quick poll for you which I’d really appreciate you completing for me, it’ll take two seconds!!

3. Voices of wisdom

Let me introduce you to Lucy Patterson, who I met in a female founders community this year. What drew me to her, apart from her cool and enviable credentials (Business Innovation & Life Design Consultant, Coach & Facilitator specialising in Design Thinking & LEGO®️SERIOUS PLAY®️) was her innate curiosity and aura of rebellion. She shares her quirky takes on midlife in her substack B-Side: Messy Midlife Mixtapes, which is for the misfits, the curious and the quietly rebellious, and she also has an award-winning podcast. I love her answers below so much that I could have some of her phrases printed on a t-shirt and wear a different one every day!! So get stuck in……

1. What do you do that helps midlife women thrive?

I help women ditch the beige life they never actually chose, but wake up one morning and realise they have ‘inherited’. Through design thinking, I get them out of their heads and into tiny, practical experiments that reveal what they really want. There’s no reinvention circus or performative glow-up involved. It’s all about finding clarity, courage, and momentum. I give them tools to build their next chapter intentionally, not by default or compromise.

2. One piece of advice for a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Stop waiting for permission. Midlife is not a dress rehearsal, rather it’s the point where the plot finally gets interesting, because you get to step forward as the main character. So don’t get overwhelmed by trying to change/do everything at once. Just start small, run tiny experiments, and follow your curiosity like it owes you money. (And stop outsourcing your decisions to people who weren’t even there when you figured out what the perfect lippie shade was for you!)

3. How are you thriving right now?

By backing myself again. I’m building work that actually fits me, not the version of me who used to say yes to everything out of obligation or need to pay staff salaries at the end of the month. I’m designing life on my terms, with even more creativity and exploration, and more work with women who refuse to shrink. And honestly; letting myself want more without feeling greedy or guilty has been a game-changer.

4. The most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

Your life gets bigger the moment you stop contorting yourself to fit smaller rooms. Midlife is not a crisis, but it can be a clarity event if you choose for it to be. The trick is noticing where you’re merely tolerating things, and deciding you’re done with that. Freedom isn’t found in a dramatic overhaul; it’s in choosing again, with your actual values driving the decisions this time. So getting clear on what those values actually are is key.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

Anyone who’s unapologetically designing a life that matches who they are now, rather than who they were at 25. I call myself a Chief (R)Evolution Officer in the work I do with Gen X women, because for some it is a sudden realisation and for others it’s a progression. But society seems to label it all as ‘revolting’! I admire the everyday women starting tiny rebellions, building businesses that break stereotypes, travelling solo, ditching rules that never made sense, and making midlife look expansive instead of restrictive. Those are my people. I guess if I had to name celebrities, then Anita Rani, Miriam Margolyes (She may be a tad older, but still embodies the essence, and is definitely who I want to be when - if! - I ‘grow up’) and Julia Bradbury.

Here’s Lucy’s really cool website and her podcast

And Coming in January: there’s a new version of her podcast ‘Rebel by Design...Thinking’ which will be less business orientated and more about practical uses of design thinking and examples of life design exercises, amid some menopausal banter: “This will no doubt include where I found her car keys today, the search for the perfect lip balm and other ridiculous things happening in my life, that will also be happening in the lives of listeners!”

4. Some thrive nuggets

I promised you some nuggets to soothe your soul, so here goes:

When I’m feeling frazzled and in need of some peaceful contemplation, my go-to app is Insight Timer where you can find a huge library of free resources focused on wellbeing and soul nourishment from meditations, relaxation techniques to talks. It covers four wellness areas: sleep, mental, emotional and spiritual, so there’s bound to be something in there for you. So go on, give it a try, it could be exactly what you need right now over this crazy festive season.

This year for me has been all about making new connections, and some the most rewarding experiences of this has been in small communities, such as Kindred Founders run by Lucy Down. She’s hosting a Yule Wheel of the Year Networking Event in the morning of the 18th December, which I’ll be going to. I went to the last one at the end of October and found it refreshingly different - it’s for practical dreamers and spirited founders who crave deeper conversations with kindred spirits rather than fast, noisy networking.

5. Some things to read…...

Dipping into my library of favourite books here’s two that I recommend that might inspire you as we hurtle towards the new year!

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman is billed as ‘Four weeks to embrace your limitations and make time for what counts’ - though you can read it quicker if you want as it is broken down into short chapters. It’s not your typical self-help book, nor is it about meditation, rather it’s thought provoking and quirky, encouraging you to look at your life with a different perspective.

If you want to find ways to eat healthier in the run up to Christmas or in the New Year then I’d highly recommend Healing Foods by Neal’s Yard Remedies. Another go-to for me, you can learn so much about the health benefits of individual foods and how best to eat them for maximum health impact. Maybe a good one for post Xmas healthy eating!!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the seventh edition five to thrive compendium - the next and final one of 2026 will be coming out on Friday 19th December.

I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator with me so feel free to share your thoughts below - let me know if you want to feature or guest contribute!

Leave a comment

Oh and don’t forget to check out my NEW website: www.fiftythrive.life

Where you can find:

PR packages designed to help female founders share their story and expertise in the media, on podcasts and on stages

FREE - Little Book of Thrive

Fifty Thrive merch - fun and fabulous Christmas presents!

Thank you for reading and keep on thriving! Emma xxxx

Share Fifty Thrive

In this bi-monthly compendium you’ll discover nuggets of inspiration, gather wisdom & resources, and read inspirational stories that’ll encourage and motivate you to prioritise your thriving.

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women.

While I’ll be curating and crafting these editions for you, I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include - and you can do so in the comments at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. What have you achieved?

Are you, like me, somewhat in denial that we’re only six weeks away from 2026!!

Recently, I’ve been struggling to comprehend that we’re now entering into the darker, colder recesses of the year (currently -3 out there as I write this!!), and that the C word I refuse to name right now is scarily close!

And it’s in this moment that I often find that my mind spirals; going into overdrive as it reminds me of all the things that I haven’t achieved this year - and yes, often at some ungodly hour in the morning.

The urge to dwell in this place of scarcity is strong and primal for many of us; for we’ve been programmed to pay attention to what we’ve not got, what we haven’t achieved, and what we lack compared to others.

But I also know deep down, having got this far in life, that to stay in this energy for too long is destructive. Now that I’m in my Fifty Thrive era, I realise that it is my choice to flip the switch, and focus on seeing things from a different perspective.

As I reflect back, one of my biggest achievements of this year has been my consistent focus on making new connections.

I’ve found the courage to walk into many real and virtual rooms full of strangers, and to strike up a conversation. And I feel privileged to have found so many like-minded women and female founders who are on a similar journey to me. If any of you are reading this - then thank you!

These are women who are navigating their midlife with a spirit of adventure, curiosity, exploration, and entrepreneurialism.

As we all know, being a female founder or a midlife woman redefining her life can be a lonely and isolating experience, and that getting out to meet new people is vital for our growth as well as our own mental wellbeing.

I have been so enriched by the conversations I’ve had with women all over the UK and beyond; the shared wisdom, the new insights and different perspectives, and the willingness between us to offer solidarity, to collaborate, and to support each other on our respective journeys to thrive.

I think this year has been quite tough for many women, especially as there’s been a pronounced disquiet among female founders fed up of being slaves to the social media algorithms that more often than not stifle their voices and opinions, and limit their reach. Even to the point where recently I read that some women on LinkedIn are changing their gender to male, and using Chat GPT to ‘bro-up’ their content to gain more reach.

While this is shocking and infuriating, there are other ways to make more long-lasting and edifying relationships, and places where our voices can be heard, our stories are welcomed, our expertise is respected, so it ripples out to impact or inform others.

I see these opportunities for more genuine connections every day and next year I want to continue helping female founders from diverse backgrounds, industries and regions to be seen, heard, and trusted for who they are, and what they bring to others.

So in these final few weeks of 2026, I urge you to celebrate your own wins - think about what you’re proud of, not just what you’ve achieved, and hone in on those moments that brought you a sense of purpose, connection, self-love, worth, and connection. For these are your own, unique moments of Thrive, and they deserve to be celebrated.

And then imagine how you can bring more of these moments into 2026.

I know for sure that connection will continue to be at the very core of my own Fifty Thrive journey, and in 2026 I want to seek out more interesting and unique opportunities for me to do this too - so give me a shout if you want to connect or collaborate with me!

2. Let’s get visible

My Fifty Thrive branding is deliberately vibrant and unapologetically in-your-face. I wanted to create a stand-out brand for us midlife women that truly encapsulated our vibrancy, energy and desire for visibility.

I don’t know about you, but just because I’m in my midlife, I don’t want to just fade to grey or subtly blend into the background in some soft pastel colour - visually and physically muted into insignificance because society wants us to be that way!!

Numerous surveys I’ve found online show that women over 50 routinely feel invisible and experience ageism on a regular basis. There was one survey that admittedly is a few years old, but no doubt still as pertinent today, which stated that the average “invisibility age” for women was 52, compared to 64 for men thanks to a toxic combo of societal and advertising obsession with youth, good old fashioned ageism and a dose of sexism just for equal measure.

But this goes against everything that I have experienced - the women in their midlife and beyond who I meet are dynamic, vibrant, energised, and focused on creating businesses, reinventing themselves, finally discovering who they are, and nothing is going to stop them!

And surely their vivacity deserves to have an identity that truly defines and expresses this spirit and sass.

If you want to be part of this movement, or want to give a gift to a woman you know who’s turning 50, then head over to my Fifty Thrive shop where you can buy a t-shirt, tote bag or a mug to show your support, and share your Fifty Thrive vibe with the world.

And 5% of each purchase cost will be donated to a charity that is close to my heart - Alzheimer’s Research.

Let’s get our Thrive on together, one mug, tote bag or t-shirt at a time!

3. Voices of Wisdom

Let me introduce you to Karen Staniland-Platt, who came into her Fifty Thrive era earlier this year. She’s a talented photographer who captures the essence and energy of the women that she shoots. I first met her back in 2023 when I came up to Manchester for a photoshoot with her for my Fifty Thrive brand, and as someone who doesn’t always feel comfortable in front of the camera, she totally put me at ease. I still love and share the photos she took of me, and my Fifty Thrive merch, using them on my website, on social media and to accompany any published writing I secure. As any PR and personal branding expert will tell you, having a selection of good quality personal and branding images to hand, are worth their weight in gold.

1. What do you do that helps midlife women thrive?

Most of the women I work with have absorbed so many stories about having their photograph taken, myself included. There’s likely inner narratives about not showing off, that having photographs taken is vain (even if they’re to promote the work you do), and that’s all before receiving the photographs and judging how we look in them. I celebrate women where they are, not some perfect version, not at an ideal weight, but as who they truly are, with a focus on being truthfully & authentically yourself. I strongly believe that when we capture that energy in a photograph, it fosters a connection with others who see it. They’re not looking at how you look, but how they feel when they look at your photos. That’s really powerful and helps to shed some of the myths about how we ‘should’ look and free’s us up a great deal. Not to mention it means there’s more images of older women out there which can only be a good thing.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

BE YOURSELF. There is nothing more powerful than a woman being true to who she is. It’s empowering to witness and inspires us all to be a little more ourselves.

3. How are you thriving right now?

I’m really enjoying knowing myself better than ever. Slowly starting to trust and believe in my own strengths and leading my life by them and my own set of values. When I tune into that side of me it silences so much of the noise, the ‘should do’s’, the things I used to worry about and now see they’re not worth my time.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That the biggest love affair we need is with ourselves. There is nothing as transformational as realising that all the love we seek, the permissions we look for, they’re all inside us.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

I find women like Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet incredibly inspiring. They seem to be thriving in the truth of who they are and are great cheerleaders for middle-aged women.

View Karen’s work at www.withpassionandpurpose.co.uk and enjoy more of her thoughts on her substack All The Wild In Me

4. Some thrive nuggets

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ll be all too aware that Black Friday is next week. I have to confess I’m not a fan of this day for so many different reasons.

The pressure to offer your services or products with a Black Friday deal or discount is a reality that many female founders and small businesses feel they have no choice to succumb to. It’s a bun fight to grab consumer attention and one that only the big players really win.

So I wanted to share with you some alternative female-driven campaigns focused on supporting female founded businesses at this time:

Holly & Co - Colour Friday - this is a campaign to encourage people to shop for their Christmas presents from small, artisanal businesses - there’s some really interesting stats that Holly shares that put everything into perspective, such as - small businesses contribute £2.8 trillion to the UK company, and while the UK is expected to spend £3.9 billion on Black Friday this year, a million small businesses fear closure.

Buy Women Built - they have their own Black Friday campaign encouraging people to buy from female founded brands rather than big companies.

Mary Portas - has long been a champion of independent retail businesses and championing them on the high street - I can’t find anything specific she’s doing for Black Friday but she’s always worth a follow as she has such insight and passion for championing independent brands.

If there’s any other campaigns or you want a shout out on my instagram for your female founded business then please do share in the comments below as I’d love to hear.

And yes, this Black Friday let’s be all mindful about buying from and support female founded businesses (hint - Fifty Thrive merch!!!)

5. Something to read…...

I’m reading Hidden Genius at the moment - a book my husband got for my birthday - was he trying to tell me something!!

I’m enjoying it as I can dip in and out of it - billed as ‘the secret ways of thinking that powers the world’s most successful people’ - it is a surprisingly easy and practical read without feeling too unattainable. It’s written by a female ex Fortune journalist so that appealed to me too. So if you want to find your own Hidden Genius then I recommend getting a copy!!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the sixth edition five to thrive compendium - they’ll be two per month coming out on the second and fourth Friday of every month.

I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator with me so feel free to share your thoughts below.

Leave a comment

Oh and don’t forget to check out my NEW website: www.fiftythrive.life

Where you can find:

PR packages designed to help female founders share their story and expertise in the media, on podcasts and on stages

Little Book of Thrive

Fifty Thrive merch

Thank you for reading and keep on thriving! Emma xxxx

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women - for together we are stronger!!

While I’ll be curating and crafting these editions for you, I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include, so feel free to leave comments and ideas at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Thriving in darkness

The nights are closing in, and the darkness of winter is starting to envelop us once again.

For me, this time of year takes on an extra hue of shade as it’s imbued with the rawness of grief, and the sadness of past memories. The 9th November would have been my Mum’s 85th birthday. So instead of celebrating, I will be spending the day thinking of her and all she meant to me.

While the grief has subsided, it’s significant days like these that it returns. And while I’ve no doubt that the shroud of grief will descend once again, I also know that I’ll inevitably be drawn to the light. They’ll be the glow of the candle that I light in honour of Mum, and the memories of her, and her life, that will reignite the sparks of gratitude within me.

She was my light in life, and now her light guides me through these moments of grief.

And this juxtaposition is a reminder to us all that darkness, in whatever form it takes, is not to be feared and avoided. And that just like the seasons, life will shift between the dark and the light for as long as we live. I believe that embracing this truth is how we can find our own moments of thrive, even when things do get tough. And let’s face it, midlife can be a real rollercoaster of challenges, and the darkness can suddenly appear from nowhere.

I wrote a piece about Thriving in Darkness at the end of 2023, the year I lost both my parents, to show that despite the worst happening, that your life can still offer glimmers of light, even if you might just have to look a bit harder for them!

So, if you, or anyone you know is going through the darkness right now, then please take a read of my piece, or share with them. And of course, the most important thing is to seek out the love, wisdom and support of others, be they family, friends, or if needed, a counsellor or therapist. I know that I couldn’t have coped in my own grief journey without bereavement counselling and the healing process of writing.

2. Celebrating what we love about ourselves

When was the last time you contemplated what you love about yourself?

I bet like me, it was probably quite a while ago, and if someone put you on the spot you might struggle to answer this question straight away. Or maybe you’d reframe the answer in your mind to make sure you didn’t come across as too arrogant.

That’s the thing about women and self-worth - it’s complex.

And it’s no wonder as studies have found that 75% of women struggle with the ‘inner critic’ - mine’s called Maud by the way, and yours?

From unrealistic beauty standards in the media, incessant anti-ageing messages, to the countless different roles we’re expected to fulfil (often with a perma-smile on our face) it’s no surprise we don’t have energy left to discover what we truly love about ourselves.

Society and advertisers play into our insecurities, forcing us to focus on the negatives, so they can sell to and exploit our feelings of unworthiness. And so acknowledging and proclaiming what you love about yourself really is a true act of rebellion.

I was intrigued recently to see that in the November issue of Stylist magazine they’ve started a Love Yourself Project - photographing and interviewing over 400 women, with the simple question, ‘what do you love about yourself’?

Here’s some quotes from the Stylist piece that stood out for me:

So, in the spirit of sharing, I’ve asked myself, what do I love about me?

And here’s what came back:

I love that I’m such a curious person; that I’m always intrigued by other people’s stories, as well as my own.

I love that I get my energy from making connections with people, finding out where we gel, and how we can support each other.

I love that I have a still have a sense of wonder about the world and a desire to explore.

I love that I’m embracing ageing with a positive and rebellious spirit.

I love that I’m finally trusting my own instincts, and am starting to lead my life and my business attuned to my intuition.

And yes it did feel a bit weird and icky to even think about it, let alone share it here with you, but once I did, something happened.

I realised that the things I love about myself are align to the woman I am right now, and whom I’m becoming. And in the full ownership of this, it feels okay to share.

Okay, so let’s do this together - now over to you - I’d love you to share what you love about yourself (just one thing is fine) so we can all get more comfortable doing this! For it’s only when we do this we’ll start flipping the script on our self-worth, and fully embrace our own brilliance.

To read the full stylist article click here (sorry but it’s behind a paywall, however you can subscribe for a month for £4.49)

3. Voices of wisdom

Let me introduce you to Lucy Down, who I met through a networking group. I was immediately drawn to her calm, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest take on building a business in midlife. We bonded over talking about our experiences on substack - you can check her out on Business of Becoming, and I loved joining her Samhain Networking session recently, where I met other women creating businesses that are embedded in self-discovery, authentic visibility, and aligned to who they are. As Lucy says ‘it’s about strategy & soul.’

1. What do you do that helps midlife women thrive?

I help 40+ women find conviction in their vision by creating an online presence that’s an energetic match for who they are, and where they’re going. I do this through brand, web, and messaging, all underpinned by brand energetics (think Human Design and astrology woven through your brand base notes).

I also run Kindred Founders, a community for spirited, conscious women who are deconditioning from old-paradigm business and marketing BS, and building something true, authentic, and sustainable. It’s a safe haven for women who want to create success on their own terms and in alignment with who they really are.

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

For me, thriving in midlife is about letting go of the “shoulds” and aligning with your own natural rhythm and zone of genius. So I’d say get to know yourself, your gifts, and how your energy actually works - because there’s nothing more magnetic than a woman who believes in herself and knows her worth.

There are so many systems to explore all of this, just find the one that resonates for you, and have fun with it!

3. How are you thriving right now?

By surrounding myself with women who get me. I spent so long going it alone in business, but I can’t do that anymore.

The seed for Kindred was planted in October 2024, when I was banned from LinkedIn for sharing astrology content. It was a wake-up call to how fragile and performative social media can be. I wanted a space where I could be myself — away from the noise — and connect with others who share my values.

For me, business isn’t just a way to make money; it’s the ultimate fulfilment of our purpose. It asks a lot of us, and we need others who see us, hold us, and encourage us to be everything we can be. I’ve found that in Kindred, as well as friends for life.

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

That my worth isn’t equal to my productivity.

After 20 years in corporate finance, I’ve had a lot of deconditioning to do. In the first few years of my business, I was in a reactive state — pushing through, doing more, marketing from scarcity and fear. I’ve had to unlearn all of that to honour my energy.

It’s a leap of faith to trust that slowing down and doing less will actually lead to better results, but once you start operating from a place of trust and alignment, there’s no going back to the hustle. Everything flows so much more effortlessly now.

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

I find this really hard, because so many people look like they’re thriving on the surface — but underneath, you often find burnout, people-pleasing, or proving energy.

New paradigm role models are rare. Honestly...I’m most inspired by the women in my own community who are quietly modelling a different way of being.

That said, I really admire Jamie Sea, who speaks beautifully about marketing, energy, and mindset from a grounded, human place.

Lucy x

You can find out more about how to work with Lucy here:

Kindred Founders: www.kindredfounders.com

Wheel of Year Networking: www.kindredfounders.com/networking

Brand Studio: www.freshleafcreative.co.uk

4. A thrive nugget

I wrote earlier about the importance of declaring what we love about ourselves. And while this may feel uncomfortable, I believe the foundation of discovery and embodiment of this is self-compassion. It’s at the very heart of self-worth, and helps us to be kind and understanding towards our whole selves, including our flaws, imperfections and mistakes.

It’s been a midlife game-changer for me, and helped me to finally feel safe and proud of sharing what I like about myself (without worrying about judgement from others or my own inner critic).

So if you would like to explore more about self-compassion, then I’d recommend listening to this TED talk by Dr Kristin Neff, who’s an expert and author on this topic. She’s also written some great books on self-compassion including this one, which I highly recommend.

5. Some things to read…...

Having talked about grief earlier, a great book I’d recommend that really helped me through my grief was A Short Course in Happiness After Loss by Maria Sirios.

And finally, I’ve been looking out for opportunities to share my writing beyond substack and so was recently given the chance to write for A Woman’s Bible, an online publication. If you want to find out what I told my younger self in a letter then you can read here. It was cathartic to write it, and it really helped me to appreciate how far I’ve come from the ten year old I describe in the piece!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the fifth edition five to thrive compendium - they’ll be two per month coming out on the second and fourth Friday of every month.

I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator with me so feel free to share your thoughts below.

Leave a comment

Oh and don’t forget to check out my NEW website: www.fiftythrive.life

Where you can find: PR packages designed to help female founders share their story and expertise in the media, on podcasts and on stages, my free e-book Little Book of Thrive, Fifty Thrive merch - mugs, tote bag and t-shirts (as shown in the edition)

Thank you for reading and keep on thriving! Emma xxxx

I want this to be a place for us all; where diverse, relatable stories of thriving from around the world sit alongside advice, ideas and expertise shared by other midlife women - for together we are stronger!!

While I’ll be curating and crafting these editions for you, I’d love you to co-create with me, with suggestions on what to include, so feel free to leave comments and ideas at the end.

So, let’s start getting our thrive on!

1. Birthday Musings

Earlier this week I turned 57 (gulp!) and while I can’t quite believe I’m another year older, I really do appreciate the privilege of ageing.

I’m utterly convinced though that the earth is spinning faster now that I’m in my 50s, as birthdays seem to come around so much quicker - do you find that too, or is it just me?!

Beyond the cake and presents, birthdays I believe, have a unique potency - they’re like a personal new year. They offer us a calling to reflect, and an opportunity to set intentions for the year ahead.

And that’s what I’ve been doing - with journal and pen in hand down the road at my lovely Zen-like coffee shop (shout out to Sale Moon). I’ve been looking back with compassion and intrigue over what I’ve learnt, achieved and experienced in my 56th year, and how these things will shape my intentions for the year ahead.

Interestingly for those of you who are fellow selenophiles, it was a new moon in Libra on my birthday this year, which according to the astrologers:

“opens the perfect ten-day portal for intention-setting and fresh starts, with the most potent energy for new beginnings lasting until mid-November.”

Well, as if that wasn’t enough of a nudge and a birthday gift from the universe!

So what have my reflections revealed to me…?

I think the biggest takeaway is how important Connection has been to my growth and happiness throughout my journey to thrive this year. As one of my own thrive foundations, I realised that I get a real spark from making new connections - be that meeting a female founder, and discovering ways we can work together, being in a room of women sharing our lived experiences and supporting a campaign, or sharing my PR expertise and media opportunities with others so they can thrive.

And while making external connections has given me energy and purpose, regularly connecting to myself, and my own inner world, has been the perfect, and much needed counterbalance (I am a Libra after all!).

Writing has connected me to what I’ve been feeling and experiencing this year on a more granular level, whether that’s privately in my own journal, or here for you in my long-form pieces.

I’ve been happy to share with you some of my own lightbulb moments and vulnerabilities, as I know a shared story or lived experience can really enlighten and support others going through all the ups and downs of midlife. That’s why I’ve written about trusting your gut, living audaciously and overcoming comparison paralysis among other things.

And I would go as far to say that creating deeper connections with others, and with yourself is one of the true foundations of midlife thriving.

This weekend I’m going to crack on with setting my other intentions, and will share how I get on with this, and what’s revealed in my next long-form piece due out soon.

I’d love to know if you also connect to yourself and your feelings through writing - or if not then how do you do that? I know we’re all different so let me know in the comments below, I’d love you to share with others who read this.

2. Menopause wellbeing

As a midlife woman, I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that it’s World Menopause Month in October. And this year the theme is ‘lifestyle medicine’ - which to you and me means what we can do in our lives to support our overall wellbeing.

While this embraces everything from healthy eating, restorative sleep, movement to healthy relationships, I wanted to focus on mental wellbeing here.

Personally I found that my mental health took a dive in perimenopause - and I’d say affected me more than any of the physical symptoms I experienced. On my ten year journey through perimenopause, at times I experienced crushing anxiety, diminished confidence, rage and possibly mild depression. I think that’s why it’s no coincidence that I discovered self-compassion and meditation during this time!

And while I know that every woman’s menopause journey is different, a number of research reports highlight that mental health is a real challenge for many women.

So I want to hand you over to Sara Jubb, a personal development coach and wellbeing advocate at Plantfood Coaching who focuses on helping businesses support women through menopause.

Many women experience heightened emotions at Menopause – typically anxiety, irritability, tearfulness and loss of confidence. Sometimes rage, sadness or depression.

Whilst this can be uncomfortable, we need to pay attention, because usually how we feel now is often what we *really feel*, unfiltered by socially acceptable conditioning.

Processing what comes up at Menopause is the start of identifying what’s important for the next phase in our lives

SOME SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU FEEL YOUR FEELINGS!

🌸 Talk about how you are feeling in a safe place with loved one or friends

🌸 Journal – write down every evening three things that challenged you today, that you are grateful for and that you are looking forward to

🌸 Don’t allow food or stimulants to compensate for unfulfilled emotional needs

🌸 Find something every day to make you laugh out loud

🌸 Try to let go of the need to control everything in your life. Trust that you will be OK, because you will be

🌸 Try repeating my favourite affirmation, and see what happens! “Wonderful things keep happening to me”

🌸Another helpful affirmation you could try is “I have the courage to do what’s right for me”

🌸 And never forget to ALWAYS treat yourself with compassion – no blame, no judgment, no regrets!

Here’s some factsheets on all the different aspects of lifestyle medicine produced by the International Menopause Society.

Always go and see your doctor if you think you need help - it was announced recently that finally women will be asked routinely for the first time about the menopause during NHS health checks carried out by GPs.

3. Voices of wisdom

Let me introduce you to Sophia Cleverly, who coaches women in midlife, through menopause, supports organisations with coaching programmes and is also a wellness coach and mentor for the NHS. We met first on instagram and then in real life for a coffee and chat in Oxford when we realised we were living close to each other! She’s a passionate advocate for women’s health and wellbeing, particularly in midlife, and she’s always open about sharing her own menopause journey. Take it away Sophia!

1. What do you do to help midlife women thrive?

Helping midlife women to thrive is strongly part of my purpose - I help you access your own power and purpose through coaching and personal wellness support programmes. My 1:1 GOLD coaching programme is both personally and organisationally funded and tailored to each woman.

As an ICF certified coach, I use a holistic approach combining my ten years of experience in the wellbeing sector, from mindfulness and relaxation, coaching (completed through the Co-Active Institute), to Positive Intelligence and the Neuroscience of Coaching.

I also work privately and within the NHS and with organisations to bridge the gap between personal wellness and organisational culture and policy. As an ex BBC producer, I am aware of high pressure environments and their intricacies and how important it is to advocate for women at every stage of life.

And finally, I run a group coaching programme called eMbrace both privately and within organisations which helps midlife women to identify their strengths, values and transform their deep seated negative beliefs into new ways of being – and doing – so they get the most out of midlife, find new purpose and choose how they want to live the rest of it! It’s awesome work!

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give a midlife woman wanting to find her thrive?

Ask yourself - what do I need – and answer that. What do I want – and answer that. Who am I becoming – and answer that.

Being more of YOU is what midlife wants for you. And the doing, when aligned, supports you powerfully!

3. How are you thriving right now?

I am going through a period of deep transformation which requires truly listening, as well as dipping daily into my own wellbeing toolbox!

It’s working wonders although not always an easy ride so I get it!

4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in midlife?

There will be many times when you feel you are lost and the truth is that this liminal space is leading you to a completely new way of being, like the butterfly emerging from the cocoon we go to goo, first!

Check out The 3 Stages of Midlife

The rollercoaster is a long one, buckle up and RIDE it – you will become the best version of you yet!

5. Who do you think is truly living in their thrive?

Firstly, I want to strongly acknowledge that we do not always feel like we are thriving and that is okay - but if it’s every day, please ask for help - Menopause Mandate, your GP, me, a helpline, don’t leave it please. That said, when you can feel when a woman is coming into her power, it’s an awesome energy and I am so grateful to work with women who are wanting more of that each day! Here is what one of my recent clients said after 1:1 coaching:

“I am becoming unapologetically more of my true self. A feeling of inner peace is gradually replacing frustration and stress as a result”

To find out more about Sophia and what she offers:

Website Instagram LinkedIn Facebook: The Happy Place Practice

Two things you can check out that Sophia shares:

5 Ways to Manage Midlife and Menopause (before they manage YOU)

Gain Control of your Life and Vision with the Wheel of Life

4. A thrive nugget

There were some real midlife thriving gems in this Begin Again podcast with Alain de Botton that I listened to recently - he’s the bald philosopher guy who’s written a couple of books in case you were wondering!

I particularly liked the 45 - 50 mins segment which talks about being an accurate reader of your deeper self, knowing yourself to prioritise your wants, and embracing your own weird. Take a listen!

5. Some things to read…...

With a theme of menopause, I wanted to share with you two very different books that have helped me through this time.

Firstly Recipes for a Better Menopause by Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE and Jane Baxter, a chef and food author (who I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with at various food shows in my previous life promoting British food and drink).

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love my food - and so eating my way to a better menopause is a win-win for me!! Packed full of insight about the impact of good nutrition for your menopause journey, as well as tasty recipes from Jane, it’s been a real menopause companion to me.

A very different read is Wise Power: Discover the Liberating Power of Menopause to Awaken Authority, Purpose and Belonging. This is all about focusing on the power and potency of menopause as a rite of passage, and how it brings inner wisdom and authority. It’s certainly a different take on menopause seeing it as a positive transition.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the fourth edition of the Five to Thrive compendium - the next one will be coming out Friday 7th November.

I’d love you to leave comments, make suggestions and become a co-creator with me so feel free to share your thoughts below.

Oh and don’t forget to check out my NEW website: www.fiftythrive.life where you can find: PR packages designed to help female founders share their story and expertise in the media, on podcasts and on stages Little Book of Thrive and Fifty Thrive merch

Thank you for reading and keep on thriving! Emma xxxx

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