Hello you gorgeous rock stars! Welcome back to Walking This Way - and if you’re new here, you are so very welcome. This is the show for midlife women who want honesty, connection, courage and a bit of nonsense alongside the messy, magical bits of this chapter of life.

Today I’m joined by the fabulous Vanessa McDaid, a woman who radiates bravery, energy and kindness. Vanessa and I talk about how we met (spoiler: it involves water, Instagram DMs, and eventually a naked photoshoot with strangers), and how a single toe-dip outside your comfort zone can change everything.

Vanessa shares her story of walking away from a high-flying corporate career at 50, navigating family dynamics, volunteering in hospice care, rediscovering purpose and building a life that feels as successful as it looks. We unwrap jealousy, partnership, parenting older kids, midlife emotions, and why this season of life is less about loss, and much more about rebirth, reinvention and rediscovering yourself.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, tired, unsure, or just quietly desperate for a fresh start… this episode is a gentle hand on your back saying: “Go on. Take the first step.”

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How one brave message led to swimming lessons, new friendships and a life-changing photoshoot
• Why midlife is the perfect time to pivot, try new things and form new neural pathways
• The emotional load of modern motherhood, and how jealousy, guilt and resentment show up
• What Vanessa learned from stepping away from corporate life and doing volunteering
• How to change your “state” when life feels stuck
• Why this chapter of life is a relaunch, not a decline
• The power of vulnerability, female friendships and saying yes before you feel ready

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Produced by The Good Studio - thegoodstudio.co.uk