Welcome To Midlife: The Search For Meaning In The Middle

S2 E17: Coming Out Of The Midlife Closet With Rick Clemons

What happens when midlife becomes the ultimate wake-up call? In this episode of Welcome To Midlife: The Search For Meaning In The Middle, host Lisa Steadman sits down with Rick Clemons, The Coming Out Coach, for a candid, compassionate, and deeply human conversation about identity, sexuality, relationships, career reinvention, and what it really means to come home to yourself in the middle of life. Rick shares his own coming out journey, the unique challenges men face when coming to terms with their sexuality in midlife, and how to find support when the life you built no longer fits the truth of who you are. Lisa and Rick also explore the biggest wake-up calls for men who are already out, the emotional and physical shifts men experience in midlife, and why career transitions, empty nesting, and “dead bed” relationships can force us to ask bigger questions about meaning, intimacy, and self-worth. Whether you’re navigating a midlife identity shift, supporting someone through their coming out journey, questioning what’s next, or simply trying to live with more honesty and joy, this conversation is an invitation to stop performing the life you think you’re supposed to want, and start honoring the one that actually feels true. Subscribe for more real conversations about midlife, meaning, reinvention, relationships, purpose, hormones, career, aging, identity, and becoming more fully yourself in the middle. #WelcomeToMidlife #MidlifeReinvention #ComingOutCoach #RickClemons #ComingOutInMidlife #LGBTQ #MidlifeMen #MensHealth #DeadBedroom #EmptyNest #CareerTransition #MidlifeAwakening #LisaSteadman #MidlifePodcast

S2 E16: Do It Scared With Erika Bryant

In this episode of Welcome To Midlife: The Search For Meaning In The Middle, host Lisa Steadman sits down with Erika Bryant, showrunner, author, and storyteller, for a rich, funny, and deeply honest conversation about creativity, courage, identity, representation, and the magic of midlife. Erika opens up about what it means to overcome fear, trust your voice, and give yourself permission to live more fully, especially in a season of life when the old rules no longer fit. Together, Lisa and Erika explore the beauty of softness, the power of creative reinvention, and the freedom that comes when women stop performing and start listening to what they actually want. They also dig into Erika’s work as a storyteller and the importance of Black women’s stories being told from within — with nuance, care, truth, and lived experience. From unlocking character voices to claiming creative authority, this conversation is a love letter to women who are ready to stop shrinking, start creating, and let their next chapter blossom. In this episode, we talk about: * Overcoming fear and choosing a bigger life * Why softness can be a strength, not a weakness * Midlife hormones, permission, and giving fewer f*cks * Creative reinvention and trusting your voice * What it means to tell Black women’s stories from within * Finding character voice as a writer and showrunner * Why midlife can be a powerful creative awakening Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, author, creative woman, Gen X woman, or simply someone navigating reinvention in the middle, this episode is a beautiful reminder that your lived experience is not baggage. It’s wisdom, material, magic, and power. Subscribe to Welcome To Midlife for more honest conversations about reinvention, creativity, relationships, purpose, identity, hormones, aging, ambition, and what it really means to become more fully yourself in the middle. Connect with Welcome To Midlife YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/] ⁨@welcometomidlifepodcast⁩  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCpNmcixTh3w4pPsUrsXEpaw] Podcast: https://rebrand.ly/midlifespotify [https://rebrand.ly/midlifespotify] https://rebrand.ly/WelcomeToMidlifeApple [https://rebrand.ly/WelcomeToMidlifeApple] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisasteadman/ [https://www.instagram.com/lisasteadman/] Connect with Erika Bryant Website: https://ironorchidmedia.org/ [https://ironorchidmedia.org/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebryant22/ [https://www.instagram.com/ebryant22/]

S2 E15: Greenlight Yourself With Courtney Daniels

What happens when you stop waiting for permission—and just make the thing? In this episode of Welcome To Midlife: The Search For Meaning In The Middle, indie filmmaker and author Courtney Daniels and I go deep into a conversation that feels like equal parts creative spark and midlife exhale. We explore the moment you realize you’re in midlife (not approaching it—fully in it), what it means to reclaim your voice after years of doing what’s expected, and the quiet (or not-so-quiet) decision to greenlight yourself. Courtney shares how she went from waiting… to making films on her own terms and how midlife didn’t slow her down, it sharpened her perspective. If you’ve ever felt like your most creative chapter might actually be right now… this one’s for you. In this episode, we talk about: * The exact moment midlife hits (and what it reveals) * Where ideas actually come from (hint: it’s not always pretty) * Letting go of external validation and backing yourself * How midlife changes the stories we tell and why they matter more * How to curate a creative life without waiting for permission * Courtney’s book: Yes You Can: How to Make a Movie for Almost No Money * The underrated magic of being Gen X This is a conversation about creativity, courage, and claiming your voice in the middle of your life—not the beginning, not the end. Right here. ---------------------------------------- Listen, subscribe, and share if you’re navigating your own “what now?” moment.

S2 E14: Digital Sovereignty With Minista Jazz

From Hair Stylist to AI Architect: Minista Jazz on Sovereignty, Creativity & Building Technology That Protects Artists What happens when a celebrity hair stylist learns to code in midlife and builds voice-first AI technology that protects creators? In this inspiring conversation, host Lisa Steadman sits down with Minista Jazz—visionary architect, former touring hair stylist to Madonna and Miley Cyrus, and founder of technology that lets creators own their sound and rest while their legacy works. In this episode, you'll discover: ✨ Minista's extraordinary journey from touring with music icons to winning Hair Battle Spectacular to building AI that routes revenue back to artists ✨ What it takes to learn to code in midlife—the fears, surprises, and breakthroughs ✨ Why the algorithm is unfair and what creators can actually do about it ✨ How voice-first technology lets creators "rest while their legacy works"... and what that means for redefining work, rest, and creative output after 40 ✨ Why AI isn't replacing human creativity, it's a tool for ownership, protection, and creative sovereignty ✨ How her background as a hair stylist prepared her for building technology (you won't expect this!) ✨ Her vision for "a much different world" and the values driving it About Minista Jazz: Minista Jazz is a visionary technologist, former celebrity hair stylist (Madonna, Miley Cyrus), Hair Battle Spectacular champion, and founder of voice-first AI technology protecting creator ownership and routing revenue back to artists. She learned to code in midlife and is building technology that allows creators to rest while their legacy continues working. This conversation is for you if: * You're navigating a career pivot or reinvention in midlife * You're curious about AI, creativity, and the future of the creator economy * You want to understand how technology can protect (not replace) human creativity * You're interested in creative sovereignty and owning your work * You're rethinking work, rest, and legacy after 40 * You believe technology should serve creators, not exploit them CONNECT WITH MINISTA JAZZ: https://muchdifferentworld.com/ [https://muchdifferentworld.com/] SUBSCRIBE here for weekly conversations about finding meaning, purpose, and reinvention in midlife. CONNECT WITH US: 🎙️ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6W56uIACnDZIQMSk36JSTm [https://open.spotify.com/show/6W56uIACnDZIQMSk36JSTm]

S2 E 13: Skincare & Aesthetics With Shelley Hancock

What does it really mean to age well—especially in a beauty industry obsessed with youth? In this episode of Welcome To Midlife: The Search For Meaning In The Middle, host Lisa Steadman sits down with esthetician, educator, and skincare mentor Shelley Hancock, who brings 38+ years of experience in the beauty and skincare industry. From launching her first skincare center in 1988 to mentoring thousands of estheticians, Shelley shares what it takes to build a lasting career—and a grounded sense of self—through decades of industry evolution. Together, they dive into: ✨ How the beauty industry has transformed from male-dominated leadership to founder-led brands to the influencer era ✨ Staying relevant (and passionate) through constant change ✨ The truth about aging in a youth-obsessed culture ✨ Real talk on injectables vs. natural aging (Kris Jenner vs. Jamie Lee Curtis energy 👀) ✨ 3 essential skincare habits for women in midlife ✨ Confidence, identity, and what actually matters in this season of life This conversation is honest, empowering, and refreshingly real because midlife isn’t about fading… it’s about becoming. ---------------------------------------- ABOUT THE SHOW: Welcome To Midlife: The Search For Meaning In The Middle is a podcast exploring identity, reinvention, relationships, and purpose in midlife—with unfiltered conversations and bold storytelling. 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📺 Watch full episodes + clips right here on YouTube 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week ---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH SHELLEY HANCOCK: Homepage | Esthetic Success [https://estheticsuccess.com/] CONNECT WITH LISA STEADMAN: Lisa Steadman (@lisasteadman) • Instagram photos and videos [https://www.instagram.com/lisasteadman/]