In Our Thirties: The Essays

5. Feeling Behind in Life? | What List? - by Michelle Fairweather | In Our Thirties

What if the biggest source of anxiety isn't aging, it's the invisible checklist society hands us without ever telling us it exists? In this thought-provoking episode, we read and unpack "What List?" by Michelle Fairweather, a witty, honest, and deeply relatable reflection on confronting the unspoken expectations surrounding success, relationships, careers, homeownership, and adulthood itself.As Michelle takes inventory of her life against society's mysterious "list," she discovers a powerful truth: success isn't found in checking boxes, it’s found in living a life that feels meaningful to you.⁠ 📖 Get your free first chapter of “In Our Thirties”⁠⁠: https://a.co/fmxpxfq [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTFNeHF1ak9fTmlWSzh1aGc2YkMwbWwtYmVMZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttTENTbUcxYWJrMk1EelRGd1hpc2k4a2ZXNVdxTDFZMGhVU0pYaXd2bFVkS19weEp2WFV1RlFmUF9BV2k0YzRZOTVxREZiSUlVRDNGNkxCWnZNRExiejlVbW9GRjNtNE1naDRIYWxoeURkUGlYWjF6aw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fa.co%2Ffmxpxfq&v=snRROFcr1UE] About Michelle Fairweather:Born in Adelaide, South Australia to British parents, grew up with the aim to one day travel the world. While rapidly approaching thirty and after exploring the track far less trodden in places such as Africa and Asia, Michelle settled in the UK for three years. However, when the need to buy furniture and fancy cutlery became too strong, she returned to her hometown to determine whether it was still home. A graduate of psychology, Michelle knows this move will not be easy, but is excited about what lies ahead on the other side of thirty. If you've ever wondered whether you're behind in life, compared yourself to friends, felt pressure to hit certain milestones by a certain age, or questioned what success really means, this episode is for you. In this episode:• The invisible "life checklist" many of us carry• Why milestone birthdays can trigger self-doubt• Society's expectations vs. personal fulfillment• Travel, adventure, and unconventional paths• Redefining success on your own terms• Why comparison may be stealing your joyThis conversation is a reminder that life isn't a race, there is no universal timeline, and the most important list is the one you write for yourself. 🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: Who wrote the list you've been trying to follow? 🔗 Subscribe to In Our Thirties: The Essays, new reflections are coming. Produced by @laura.sgroi Narrated by @zaniavox Edited & Mastered by @franmart1977 #InOurThirties #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #Books #SelfDiscovery #PodcastLife

4. The Eternal Transition - by JT Gautreau | In Our Thirties

What happens when the life you were expected to live no longer feels like your own? In this episode, Dominican singer-songwriter JT Gautreau reads his powerful essay, The Eternal Transition, a reflection on regret, reinvention, and the courage to pursue a path that doesn't fit the plan others had for you. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic and encouraged toward a traditional career, JT followed the expected route through business school and graduate studies before realizing that music (not marketing) was his true calling. His journey would take him from Santo Domingo to Spain, Vienna, and beyond, forcing him to confront difficult questions about identity, success, and the weight of expectations. Drawing inspiration from a quote by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, "We are prisoners in the present, locked in eternal transition between our past and our future", JT explores the regrets many of us carry and the freedom that comes from letting them go. This is a story about embracing detours, trusting your instincts, and understanding that every chapter (especially the unexpected ones) shapes who we become. 📖 Get your free first chapter of “In Our Thirties”⁠ [https://a.co/fmxpxfq] About JT GAUTREAU: Dominican-born singer-songwriter and cultural storyteller now living in Warsaw. His music is hugely inspired by pop melodies and hooks, modern beats and Latin-Caribbean vibes, and his style and sound can be described as unique, complex, dark, and high energy. If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is for you. 🔗 Subscribe to In Our Thirties: The Essays, new reflections are coming. — Produced by @laura.sgroi Narrated by @zaniavox Edited & Mastered by @franmart1977 InOurThirties.com #InOurThirties #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #Books #SelfDiscovery #PodcastLife

3. Today - by Maria Delgado | In Our Thirties

There comes a moment in life when you stop looking outside yourself for answers… and start listening inward. What if everything you needed to know about yourself could fit on a single page? In Episode 3 of In Our Thirties: The Essays, María Delgado (Peruvian, Miamian, imperfectly human) doesn’t tell a story. She hands you a list. And somehow, it might be the most powerful thing you hear all week. The truths she’s gathered. About fear. About forgiveness. About healing. About the quiet art of getting out of your own way. About what it really means to become who you are, not through perfection, or having it all figured out, but through awareness, compassion, acceptance, and learning to live in the unknown. This essay feels like a quiet conversation with the wiser version of yourself. The one who finally understands that peace isn’t something you find someday… it’s something you practice now. From therapy and spiritual growth, to motherhood, purpose, and learning to release comparison, María reminds us that becoming yourself is the real journey of adulthood. Read it slowly. Share it with someone who needs it. And if even one line lands… you’ll know exactly which one was meant for you. 🤍 📖 Get your free first chapter of "In Our Thirties" [https://a.co/fmxpxfq] About María Delgado: María is a Peruvian living in Miami. A music creator, business owner, wife, and mother, she has used writing as her deepest form of expression since childhood. Through every stage of life, she continues evolving toward the most authentic version of herself. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, afraid, or simply in transition… this episode may find you exactly when you need it most. 🔗 Subscribe to In Our Thirties: The Essays, new reflections are coming. — Produced by @laura.sgroi Narrated by @zaniavox Edited & Mastered by @franmart1977 InOurThirties.com #InOurThirties #Podcast #WomenInTheir30s #HealingJourney #SelfLove #PersonalGrowth #Mindfulness #WomenSupportingWomen #Motherhood #Wellbeing #ConsciousLiving #Books #MiamiCreatives #LatinaVoices #SelfDiscovery #PodcastLife

2. Motherhood Happiness - by Manuela Frencia | In Our Thirties

What if the version of you that panicked about turning thirty was actually standing at the beginning of something beautiful?In this second essay from "In Our Thirties", Manuela Frencia reflects on the decade she once dreaded, and discovers that the life she never planned for turned out to be the one she was always meant to live. From college parties and endless job hunting to dirty diapers and swimming lessons, she traces the quiet, powerful shift that happens when you stop trying to fit in and finally find your place.This is a piece about motherhood, identity, and the unexpected joy of realizing that your thirties aren't the end of something. They're the beginning of you. ⁠📖 Get your free first chapter of In Our Thirties!⁠ [https://enlostaconlaura.myflodesk.com/uzod4qwhlh] About Manuela Frencia today: She no longer lives in the Dominican Republic; she remarried and now lives in South Florida ☺️ (Pembroke Pines West). And yes, motherhood—even now as they navigate adolescence—continues to be the best thing in her life. This essay was originally published in In Our Thirties, narrated today by the wonderful ⁠Zania Sala⁠ [https://zania.net], whose voice brings these reflections to life. If you know someone who needs to hear this one, send it to them today. They will thank you. Subscribe to "In Our Thirties: The Essays" and follow along, new pieces are coming. Until next time. - Produced by ⁠Laura Sgroi⁠ [https://laurasgroi.com] Narrated by ⁠Zania⁠ [https://zania.net] Edited & Mastered by ⁠Francisco Martínez⁠ [franmart77@gmail.com] ⁠InOurThirties.com [https://laurasgroi.com/book/]

1. Letter to My Younger Self - by Zania Sala | In Our Thirties

“What would you tell your younger self if you could go back in time?”  In this first essay from In Our Thirties, Zania Sala shares heartfelt advice to her younger self, reflecting on life, love, family, and purpose. From embracing courage and self-discovery, to learning the value of money, connection, and living with intention, this letter reminds us that in our thirties, the best is yet to come. 📖 Get your free first chapter of In Our Thirties! [https://enlostaconlaura.myflodesk.com/uzod4qwhlh] About Zania Sala: Bilingual voiceover artist and singer, balancing life as a mom, wife, and woman in business. Loving every moment! This essay was originally published in In Our Thirties, narrated today by the wonderful Zania Sala [https://zania.net], whose voice brings these reflections to life. If you know someone who needs to hear this one, send it to them today. They will thank you. Subscribe to "In Our Thirties: The Essays" and follow along, new pieces are coming. Until next time. - Produced by Laura Sgroi [https://laurasgroi.com] Narrated by Zania [https://zania.net] Edited & Mastered by Francisco Martínez [franmart77@gmail.com] InOurThirties.com [https://laurasgroi.com/book/]