The Midlife Chrysalis

You’ve spent years building a career, caring for others, and doing what’s expected. Midlife is your chance to ask: Who am I now, and what do I want next?

NPR health and science journalist Allison Aubrey joins Chip Conley to explore how to create a midlife you love. Drawing on her book, Your Turn, she shares practical ways to find more joy, care for your health, and decide what comes next.

You’ll learn:
How to reinvent yourself without starting over
Why slowing down helps you hear what you really want
How to rethink retirement around what you enjoy
How the Brain Care Score can guide healthier habits
Why finding purpose doesn’t require a big life change

Watch the full conversation for a fresh look at midlife and the possibilities ahead.

Timestamps:
(06:44) Meet Allison Aubrey
(08:30) Food as Medicine
(09:36) The Value of Midlife Wisdom
(11:19) Creating a Midlife You Love
(14:04) The Kentucky Derby Midlife Metaphor
(19:07) Reinventing Yourself Through Play
(24:34) Finding the Courage to Change
(26:47) Allison’s Career Transition
(30:00) Menopause and Changing Priorities
(33:15) Rethinking Retirement
(37:36) The Brain Care Score
(42:46) Finding Purpose in Everyday Life
(47:37) Rediscovering Your Joyful Self

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#Midlife #AllisonAubrey #ChipConley #YourTurn #MidlifeChrysalis #MidlifeReinvention #LifeAfter50 #HealthyAging #FindingPurpose #SelfDiscovery #BrainHealth #Menopause #RethinkingRetirement #PersonalGrowth #MidlifeTransitions

AI can save you hours. But are you handing over more than your workload?

In this Wisdom Wednesday episode of the Midlife Chrysalis podcast, Chip Conley and Derek Gehl explore how to use AI without losing your voice, creativity, or judgment.

Together, they discuss:
How they use AI to save time on research and everyday work
Why polished writing can lose the personality that makes it yours
How outsourcing your thinking can mean missing opportunities to learn
What makes your skills and experience valuable in the AI era
A simple experiment to decide which tasks to keep doing yourself

Watch the full episode to discover where AI can help and where your human experience matters most.

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:12) Will AI Change Everything?
(04:19) Use AI Without Letting It Think for You
(06:28) How Chip Uses AI to Save Time
(10:24) Is AI Making Us Less Creative?
(12:43) Why Human Content Still Matters
(14:19) What AI Misses About Human Wisdom
(16:01) Finding Your Place in an AI World
(19:44) Why Human Connection Will Matter More
(20:49) What You Should Never Outsource to AI

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #HumanConnection #FutureOfWork #CriticalThinking #HumanCreativity #AIProductivity #Midlife #ChipConley #WisdomWednesday #HumanWisdom #Authenticity #CareerReinvention #LifelongLearning #MidlifeChrysalis

That book you’ve been meaning to write isn’t going to write itself. And according to publishing expert Kelly Notaras, you don’t need a perfect plan, a polished first chapter, or even a publisher to get started.

Kelly, founder of KN Literary Arts and author of The Book You Were Born to Write, has helped nearly 3,000 authors bring their ideas to the page. In this conversation, she shares what decades in publishing have taught her about writing, creativity, and getting a book into the world.

In this episode, Kelly shares:
Why midlife can be a powerful time to finally write the book you’ve been carrying
The three things publishers are looking for from authors today
Why self publishing is no longer Plan B and can actually open doors to traditional publishing
How perfectionism keeps writers stuck and why the first draft needs to be messy
Why finding the right time, space, and people to write with can transform your creative process

If there’s a book you keep telling yourself you’ll write someday, this conversation is a great place to start.

Watch the full episode and discover how to stop waiting and start writing.

Timestamps:
(03:54) Kelly’s Journey Into Publishing
(06:45) Leaving Traditional Publishing
(10:42) Working With 3,000 Authors
(13:44) What Publishers Look for Today
(19:31) Traditional vs. Self-Publishing
(23:25) The Best Way to Self-Publish
(24:34) Why Midlife Is the Perfect Time to Write
(29:00) How to Create Your Best Writing
(32:30) Inside a Writing Retreat
(36:08) Turning Life Experience Into a Book
(39:11) The Most Important Lesson Kelly Learned
(39:49) Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#WritingABook #MidlifeWriting #BookWriting #WritingTips #AspiringAuthors #SelfPublishing #PublishingTips #CreativeWriting #WritingInMidlife #BookPublishing #KellyNotaras #KNLiteraryArts #MidlifeCreativity #FirstDraft #MidlifeChrysalis

You can spend years chasing happiness and miss the life happening right in front of you.

In this episode of The Midlife Chrysalis, Chip Conley joins mindfulness teachers Mark Coleman and Lori Schwanbeck to explore how to feel more present, connected, and fully alive in midlife.

Together, they explore:
How changing what you pay attention to can change your experience of life
Why nature makes mindfulness easier and teaches us to let go
How gratitude helps you appreciate your life, even when things are hard
Why midlife’s losses and transitions can open the door to new possibilities
How to quiet your inner critic and recognize your own worth

Watch the full episode for simple ways to step out of your head, reconnect with the world around you, and find more joy in the life you have.

Timestamps:
(06:27) Meet Mark and Lori
(07:23) Lori’s Path to Mindfulness
(10:34) From Punk Rock to Meditation
(13:03) Finding Peace in the Present
(15:42) How to Reframe Your Thoughts
(17:40) Mindfulness in a Distracted World
(19:53) Why Nature Helps Us Slow Down
(23:36) Making Meditation Easier Outdoors
(26:10) Why Midlife Sparks Inner Change
(29:53) Facing Mortality and Loss
(33:51) Psychedelics and New Possibilities
(37:13) Gratitude and Nature in Baja
(39:43) Making Gratitude a Daily Practice
(41:34) Gratitude Versus Gratification
(43:06) Remembering to Fully Live
(45:27) Making Peace with Your Inner Critic

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#MidlifeChrysalis #ChipConley #MarkColeman #LoriSchwanbeck #Mindfulness #Midlife #MidlifeTransition #NatureMeditation #Gratitude #MindfulLiving #LettingGo #SelfCompassion #InnerCritic #PersonalGrowth #FindingJoy

The kids have moved out. Family gatherings feel complicated. Suddenly, the holidays you used to love leave you wondering where you belong.

In this Wisdom Wednesday episode, MEA founder Chip Conley joins host Derek Gehl to explore why holidays change in midlife and how new traditions can bring back a sense of connection.

Discover how to:
Build celebrations around people you genuinely want to spend time with.
Embrace Friendsgiving without the guilt of breaking with tradition.
Find friendship and a fresh start through a holiday retreat.
Plan a meaningful gathering without taking on all the work.

Watch now for inspiration to make this holiday season feel more connected, more joyful, and more your own.

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:44) How Holidays Change in Midlife
(02:14) Loneliness and Chosen Family
(06:14) Choosing Friendsgiving Over Family Drama
(07:20) Creating a New Year’s Tradition
(08:46) Holiday Retreats in Santa Fe and Baja
(11:05) Finding Connection During the Holidays
(12:03) Choosing Your Friendsgiving Guests
(12:41) Planning Ahead for the Holidays
(14:25) Making Holiday Gatherings Easier
(15:30) Upcoming Thanksgiving Workshops

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#Midlife #Holidays #Friendsgiving #ChosenFamily #HolidayLoneliness #NewTraditions #ChipConley #MidlifeChrysalis #HolidayStress #Connection #Thanksgiving #FamilyDynamics #HolidayRetreats #MeaningfulHolidays #MEA