My So-Called Midlife with Reshma Saujani Revisit: Turning Fear Into Focus with Christina Koch
Jan 28, 2026
Christina Koch, an engineer and NASA astronaut who set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, talks about channeling fear into focus during a tense spacewalk. She recalls life on the ISS, readjusting after long missions, training for Artemis II around the moon, and how NASA tailored fitness for perimenopause. Short, vivid stories about routine, teamwork, and pacing big life goals.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Life Is Long, Not Short
- Christina Koch treats birthdays as markers of new meaning, refusing to be sad about aging if she did something that year she's proud of.
- She frames life as long, which lets her savor progress and avoid rushing toward goals.
Quitting To Spend A Year At The South Pole
- Christina Koch quit her dream engineering job at NASA to winter over at the South Pole for a year at age 26.
- She used that experience to diversify her life and resist rushing into a single long-term career path.
Find What You Love Slowly
- Find work you can do the slowest and still feel fulfilled rather than chasing rapid achievements.
- That steadiness sustains long-term engagement and prevents early burnout.
