MID

Faith Agugu always imagined she would be a mother. But at 45, after many, many detours, she decided it was time to recognise the reality that wasn't going to happen, and almost immediately everything changed for her. Faith wants us to make peace with the lives we're living and the ones we didn't quite get to live. In fact, she wants us live in a pro-ageing world. She knows it exists, because it's where she was born, into a culture where everyone wanted to be the oldest person in the room. They were the respected ones, the wise ones, the ones with status. Faith lived in Nigeria until she was 9, then in Britain and now in Australia. She says that through her work as a psychotherapist, and founder of advocacy group Silver Sirens, ageing-anxiety is ruining our mental health. And it's fair to say, she has some ideas about how to deal with that. This conversation is a big exhale. Like taking off your bra, it's about making peace with the changes age brings, and the surprises, and the shit bits too.  Enjoy this episode of MID with the excellent Faith Agugu. You can learn more about Faith's community, Silver Sirens, here You can follow Silver Sirens on Instagram. THE END BITS:  ENTER SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAYS: Use code MIDCRUISE for 20% off a yearly subscription. Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  Mamamia's new podcast BIZ is rewriting the rules of work with no generic advice - just real strategies from women who've actually been there. Listen here. CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Caroline Baum and her mother Judith walked into family therapy, Caroline’s first thought was: 'We are going to eat you for breakfast… we are so fucked up…' After all, they had a lot to discuss. At 90 years old, Judith had recently invited herself to come and live with Caroline and her husband and... it wasn't going well. Caroline is a writer, speaker and broadcaster. She has written about the complexities of caring for her mother and trying to navigate the aged care system. And that essay, linked below, was going to form the basis of this conversation. But as you'll hear, there's so much more to discuss. Caroline's story is both highly specific and deeply universal - speaking to the perplexing and often contradictory realities of what it means to care for our parents in their elder years, and how not all narratives are neat and tidy ones of gratitude returned. In fact, some of them end up in therapy. You can follow Caroline Baum here You can listen to Caroline’s podcast about the art of the biography, Life Sentences, here. And you can read the essay that inspired this conversation, here.  THE END BITS:  ENTER SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAYS: Use code MIDCRUISE for 20% off a yearly subscription. Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  Mamamia's new podcast BIZ is rewriting the rules of work with no generic advice - just real strategies from women who've actually been there. Listen here. CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midlife style doesn’t have to be complicated. Today, Leigh chats with Holly Wainwright, Mamamia Out Loud co-host and bestselling author, about how she hit her fashion stride after 50.  Holly shares her top tips for building a wardrobe that feels authentic and comfortable—without the stress of chasing trends. If you're feeling stuck in a rut or need a wardrobe refresh, Holly and Leigh are sharing their best tips to help you feel confident without the rules.  Check out Leigh's article 'Every piece you need for a Holly Wainwright-inspired capsule wardrobe. THE END BITS Watch us on Youtube LINKS TO EVERYTHING MENTIONED:  Kireina 'Freya' jean in multiple colours $189 Bared Cupwing cage sandal $269 Habbot Shoes Saint Laurent Le Loafer $1700 BOUJEE & BUDGET  Leigh Boujie: Tony Bianco Gatsby Vanilla Venice $219 Leigh Budget: M&S Quilted Shoulder Bag $99.99 Holly Boujie: Vivaia Pointed-Toe Slingback Sandals $228 Rixo Coco sequined maxi dress $755 Holly Budget: Just Jeans Originals Seam Front Short $79 GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au CREDITS: Host: Leigh Campbell Guest: Holly Wainwright Producer: Cassie Merritt Audio Producer: Lu Hill Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eleanor Mills had a very fabulous job, one that she had built her life and identity around for decades. But her "midlife collision" was calling when the boss called her up to their office for a "chat". Years on, Eleanor is living a very different life, and one that has its start, as some good stories do, in a midlife mushroom trip. In this conversation, Eleanor talks about the question women are too afraid to ask themselves, empty nests, cold swimming, why her "Noon" women are the world's greatest untapped resource, and how she cured her "addiction to busyness" to rebuild after her midlife collision. You can find more about that, and Eleanor’s community of Queenagers here. THE END BITS:  ENTER SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAYS: Use code MIDCRUISE for 20% off a yearly subscription. Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  Mamamia's new podcast BIZ is rewriting the rules of work with no generic advice - just real strategies from women who've actually been there. Listen here. CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Griffiths says she just got through her "peak mid-hell years" and she's here to tell us how. The actor, producer, and director has had many eras - from the "fast start" of Muriel's Wedding to being a Hollywood awards darling, a big-deal US TV star, the director of the Australian classic movie Ride Like A Girl, the co-creator of Total Control and now, the star of the TV show Madam. Through all that, she was also wrestling with the relatable MID dramas - parenting teens and young adults, a diagnosis that made sense of so much, caring for ageing relatives and trying to keep a long-term marriage going. No wonder, as she tells host Holly Wainwright, she and her husband needed a sabbatical. This conversation also veers off into ageing, the Hollywood stars Rachel used to envy but no longer does, how to stay optimistic in a tumultuous world and the relief of finding out she's "ADHD AF". You can follow Rachel Griffiths here. You can watch Madam here: Watch Madam Season 1, Catch Up TV THE END BITS:  ENTER SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAYS: Use code MIDCRUISE for 20% off a yearly subscription. Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  Mamamia's new podcast BIZ is rewriting the rules of work with no generic advice - just real strategies from women who've actually been there. Listen here. CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode is about love. Specifically, it’s about finding it in your MID years. Maybe for the second, fourth, first time. This is a story about Dr Amantha Imber, an organisational psychologist who got divorced a few years ago. When Amantha knew she wanted to re-partner, she went about it with a typical approach to efficiency - going on more than 50 first dates in her first stint of online dating. Those dates had strict rules and boundaries, time limits and schedules and… they didn’t work. So then, Amantha drew up a brief and cold-called a long list of people in her circle who might know the person she was looking for…. But… well, that didn’t work either. You can learn more about Amantha and follow her work here. You can purchase Amantha's book The Health Habit here. You can also listen to her podcast, How I Work, here. THE END BITS:  You can listen to our  second ever episode was called the Mid Life Dating Pool Has Wee In it, and it was about Catherine Mahoney’s chaotic app-dating world and it was very very funny here. You can listen to our episode with Divorce & Separation coach, Nikki Parkinson, here. Mamamia's new podcast BIZ is rewriting the rules of work with no generic advice - just real strategies from women who've actually been there. Listen here. Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia Freedman, longtime friend of Holly and co-host of Mamamia Out Loud, has stepped down from hosting No Filter after an incredible decade. She’s passing the torch to the incredibly talented Kate Langbroek, who is the perfect fit to take over a show with such a rich legacy. Over the past 10 years, Mia has interviewed everyone from celebrities and prime ministers to people with the most jaw-dropping stories—stories you’d want to share in your group chat. In this episode, Mia and Kate sit down to talk about why Mia’s stepping away, her struggles with burnout, what’s next, and what it really takes to sit across from someone, hold space for their vulnerability, and share their story with you. Here’s Mia’s final No Filter interview! You can find Holly's No Filter episodes below.  What Is ‘Grey Area Drinking’... And Are You Doing It? How To Protect Yourself Against A Narcissist THE END BITS: Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here. Discover more Mamamia podcasts here. Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP. Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review CREDITS: Host: Kate Langbroek  You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here. Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back, MIDs, and please send this episode to your best friend immediately. Because it's about the power of the most important relationships in many of our lives - the one we have with our great mates. You know Amanda Keller from her many decades as an Australian television and radio presenter, comedian, writer, actress and journalist. You might be meeting her best friend forensic psychologist Anita McGregor for the first time, but once you have, you'll know exactly why these two have been inseparable since they first met, 17 years ago. This conversation goes everywhere from the things your friends can hold your hand through and what they can't. When and if you should offer your best friend "feedback", and what happens to your relationships with everyone and everything - from your friends to your work and your grown-up kids, as you move more into Mid. You can listen to Amanda and Anita on their podcast, Double A Chattery, here THE END BITS:  Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MID is coming back to your ears on Tuesday 4th Feb. While you're waiting... Holly has some thoughts on Nicole Kidman's "controversial" new film, Babygirl, and the fact that Gen X's most iconic actresses are dominating Hollywood ATM. Is it because "old" no longer looks "old"? Or is it because... they're incredible? THE END BITS:  Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MIDs, I couldn't sign off for the year without one more little moment with you, the women who have made my year by joining me here on this podcast for Gen X women who are anything but...so please enjoy this end-of-year wrap-up and contemplation on what seems to have been a year when MID women have taken centre stage. Here's to more of us in 2025 - meet you there. xo Holly THE END BITS:  Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here.  CREDITS: Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.