Opening Note
First things first â thank you.
When we launched Midlife Circus, we hoped the conversations would resonate. We hoped people would feel seen, laugh a little, and maybe rethink what this stage of life can be. What happened in December went far beyond anything we expected.
Being selected by the Apple Podcasts team as a New & Noteworthy show was one of those rare moments that stops you in your tracks. It wasnât just a boost in visibility â it felt like a quiet nod that said, youâre onto something. Almost overnight, the tent got bigger. New listeners poured in from places weâve never been, the energy shifted, and the momentum became unmistakable.
What mattered most, though, wasnât the growth â it was the messages. The notes from listeners who told us these conversations landed at exactly the right time. That they felt honest. Relatable. Necessary. That kind of feedback is humbling, motivating, and deeply encouraging.
As we step into the new year, weâre doing it with a ton of gratitude and a full heart. November was about stepping into the ring. December reminded us why we did. And heading into the new year, weâre excited to keep evolving Midlife Circus alongside you â meeting this season of life with curiosity, courage, and a little more fun.
Letâs take that momentum with us.
Podcast Recaps â December Releases
Episode 7: Your Life Needs a QuestâEven a Small One
Midlife growth doesnât require a grand adventure â it just needs a small break from autopilot. This conversation explores why tiny quests, unexpected detours, and doing something slightly uncomfortable can re-energize everyday life. Big trips are great. Small ones count too.
Listen now
Episode 8: Hiring a Financial Advisor? Listen To This First
Choosing a financial advisor is less about returns â and more about trust. This episode breaks down how to spot a true fiduciary, what questions actually matter, and why values and fit should come before flashy performance claims. A must-listen before you sign anything.
Listen now
Links, resources, books mentioned: BrokerCheck, Investment Adviser Public Disclosure
Episode 9: Repurposed NOT Retired
Letting go of a job title can feel more disorienting than expected. This episode explores what happens when work-based identity fades â and why midlife is less about retiring from something and more about repurposing skills, energy, and curiosity. Itâs okay to experiment, pause, and figure it out along the way.
Listen now
Episode 10: Holiday Traditions
From childhood magic to grown-up rituals, this episode reflects on the traditions that shape the holiday season. Through funny stories, nostalgia, and a few unexpected detours, it explores how traditions evolve â and why time with family and friends is what ultimately makes the holidays matter.
Listen now
Episode 11: New Habits, New Year, New You
A fresh calendar doesnât automatically create change â habits do. This episode looks at the small routines quietly shaping midlife, from sleep and productivity to always feeling âon.â Itâs a practical, honest conversation about designing habits that fit who you are now â not who you were years ago.
Listen now
Links, resources, books mentioned: The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg
Wisdom Drop
Some moments announce themselves loudly. Others show up quietly â and only ask that you pay attention.
December became one of those moments for us. Not just because of what happened with the podcast, but because of the conversations it sparked. As the calendar shifted into a new year, we kept hearing stories â from listeners and beyond â of people pausing, reflecting, and saying some version of the same thing: âI think Iâm ready for a change.â
The start of a new year has a way of making those signals harder to ignore. Thereâs space to notice whatâs been building beneath the surface â a restlessness you canât quite explain, a curiosity you keep circling, or a sense that the work, the routine, or the rhythm of life might not fit the same way it once did.
Midlife has a way of surfacing these moments â not as demands, but as invitations. They donât ask you to have everything figured out. They ask you to notice whatâs stirring, to get curious about why it keeps showing up, and to consider what might happen if you took it seriously.
Not every signal requires a dramatic move. Sometimes itâs just a small experiment. A conversation. A first step. But ignoring the moment rarely makes it go away.
One Great Link
Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates (and Shoes Matter Too)
If you need a lighter reminder that none of us really knows whatâs coming next, revisit this classic scene from the movie Forrest Gump.
Sitting on a bus stop bench, Forrest casually delivers two truths we tend to forget in midlife: Life is like a box of chocolates â you never know what youâre going to get. And if you pay attention, a personâs shoes can tell you where theyâve been⊠and where they might be headed.
Itâs funny, simple, and oddly wise. The only real choice is whether weâre willing to open it â to try something new, take a step in a different direction, or see where a path leads instead of staying parked on the bench.
So maybe this monthâs question isnât about certainty.
Maybe itâs just: Are you willing to take the chocolate?
Closing Moment
A new year doesnât require a full rewrite â just a little willingness to stay curious.
If something has been tugging at you lately, maybe this is the season to notice it. To explore it. To take one small step instead of waiting for certainty to arrive.
You donât need the whole plan. You just need to be open to whatâs next â and willing to see where it leads.
And when you do, weâll be here, cheering you on from the front row.
See you under the tent,
Rob & Brent
Co-Hosts and Creators, Midlife Circus
midlifecircus.fm
P.S. One small favor â if you know someone navigating midlife who might enjoy these conversations, consider sharing Midlife Circus with them. Word of mouth is how this community grows, and weâre grateful youâre here.
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