Flourish After Fifty

What happens when you stop pushing forward and give yourself space to ask what really matters now? In this conversation, Kerryn Vaughan shares the story of taking a break from her podcast and discovering that the pause was part of a much bigger process of change. We talk about uncertainty, letting go of what no longer fits, finding purpose beyond a job or role, and the shift from achievement to contribution and legacy. Kerryn also shares her Five Beyonds framework and the question at its heart: what kind of ancestor will I be? Along the way, we explore what it can mean to create space for something new to emerge and to be more unapologetic about how we want to spend the years ahead.

Also covered
Taking a break when something no longer feels right — even when you don't know what comes next
Trimming your life: letting go of things, commitments and relationships that no longer fit
Rethinking purpose as something we live and do, rather than simply a job or occupation
Moving from achievement and recognition towards contribution, impact and legacy
Kerryn's Five Beyonds framework

Guest: Kerryn Vaughan
Website: https://www.kerrynvaughan.com/
The 5 Beyonds Journey Through Nepal 2027: https://www.kerrynvaughan.com/the-5-beyonds
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerryn-vaughan/

A Message from Sue:
I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us
Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice on how to flourish after fifty: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-west-au/

What if the things you’ve been told you can’t do become the very things that shape your next chapter? In this inspiring conversation, I talk with three-time Paralympic gold medallist, Tokyo Paralympic silver medallist, world champion paracyclist, author and speaker Carol Cooke about challenging assumptions around age, disability and what’s possible after 50. Carol began competitive paracycling at 50 and went on to achieve the peak of her sporting success between the ages of 51 and 60, winning three Paralympic gold medals and a silver medal. She shares how a childhood disappointment shaped the mindset she has carried throughout her life, how she moved from swimming to rowing and then unexpectedly into elite paracycling, and how she learned to work with, not against, her body after being diagnosed with MS. She also reflects on finding passion, surrounding yourself with people who encourage rather than limit you, embracing new challenges, and why it’s never too late to start something different.

Also covered:
How Carol’s childhood gymnastics experience taught her not to let others define what she could achieve.
Moving from competitive swimming to para rowing and then, unexpectedly, becoming an elite paracyclist at 49.
Experiencing ageism in sport and discovering that, in paracycling, performance mattered more than age.
How Carol manages MS while training and competing.
The mindset strategies that have helped Carol thrive.
Carol’s continuing work beyond elite sport, including wheelchair curling, speaking, writing and the 24-hour Mega Swim, which has raised millions for charity.

Keywords:
Flourish After 50, ageing, women over 50, mindset, resilience, multiple sclerosis, MS, mega swim, disability, Paralympics, Olympics, passion, ageism, Australia, Canada, gold medal, silver medal, national championships

Guest: Carol Cooke AM PLY
Website: https://www.carolcooke.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-cooke-am/

A message from Sue:
I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us

Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-west-au/

Sometimes flourishing after 50 begins with understanding yourself differently. For some women, that may mean recognising that long-held struggles with organisation, time, getting started, emotional regulation or keeping all the balls in the air could be connected to ADHD.
In this episode, I speak with clinical and counselling psychologist Janelle Booker about why ADHD has so often been missed in women, what it can look like in midlife, and why perimenopause and menopause can bring long-standing challenges into sharper focus. We explore masking and shame, the possibility of late diagnosis, and what becomes possible when we stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking, “What do I need to thrive with the brain I have?”
This conversation is for women wondering whether ADHD may be part of their story, and for partners, friends, family members and colleagues who want to better understand the people they love and work with.

Also covered:
Why ADHD can look very different in women from the stereotypical image of the “naughty boy”
The role of dopamine, motivation, novelty and urgency in getting things done
Why perimenopause and menopause can be a turning point for women with previously unrecognised ADHD
The ‘grielief’ (grief and relief) that can come with understanding your life through a new lens
How self-compassion, supportive relationships and the right strategies can help women flourish with a different kind of brain

Keywords:
ADHD, ADHD in women, late diagnosis ADHD, ADHD and menopause, ADHD and shame, neurodivergence, autism and ADHD, AuDHD, supporting someone with ADHD, midlife women, midlife, flourishing after 50,
Guest: Janelle Booker
Website: https://www.janellebooker.com/
Janelle’s book, written with Matthew Johnstone: https://www.adelightfulhumandifference.com/

Resources:
Two podcast episodes, recommended by Janelle, relating to menopause, hormones and ADHD from a podcast called ADHD Chatter:
How Hormones and Menopause Impact ADHD Women | Dr. Louise Newson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISPw9IGhWeU
How Hormones and Menopause Impact on Women with ADHD - Adele Wimsett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNRfYtQu__s

Janelle’s standout episodes about ADHD on the Imperfects Podcast:
Living with ADHD. A Psychologist’s Explanation, Nov 4, 2024
https://youtu.be/uYF5WFO35IA?si=FWFwMMcsp2N_C2wp

Fast and Loose Brains Need Different Parenting, June 29, 2026
https://youtu.be/WwEBTIMohwg?si=cZ1CuTNjzNyhOmSI

A Message from Sue:
Feeling like you're somewhere between the life you've lived and what's next? Flourishing in the Messy Middle is a three month group program starting September 22nd, yo help you make sense of where you are, reconnect with what matters and take your next steps with greater clarity and confidence.
Find out more at: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/flourishing-in-the-messy-middle

Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice:
http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter

In this deeply moving conversation, I talk with Janine Hayes OAM, business leader, long-time skydiver and one of Australia’s most accomplished members of the skydiving community, about caregiving, grief and the uncertain work of rebuilding life after loss. After caring for her husband Ken through frontotemporal dementia and motor neurone disease, Janine reflects on advocacy, resilience and the need to care for herself while caring for someone else. She shares how skydiving, nature, family and friendship helped sustain her and what she is discovering about purpose and possibility in her mid-sixties. Janine ends by reading a poignant original poem about moving through grief towards a “beckoning shore.”

Also covered
Skydiving as a lifelong source of joy, focus, community and respite during difficult times
Navigating the healthcare system, advocating for a loved one and the often-invisible workload of caregiving
The importance of self-care, professional support and boundaries for carers
How friends can offer genuinely useful support by suggesting specific practical help
Finding purpose, connection and hope after loss through family, friendship, community and new possibilities

Keywords
skydiving, caregiving, grief, resilience, personal growth, life transitions, mental health, adventure, community, support serendipity, caregiving, community, skydiving, self-care, women empowerment, resilience, leadership, support, mental health.

Guest: Janine Hayes
LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/janine-hayes222
Special Announcements
FREE WORKSHOP: Introducing The Messy Middle Method
Come along to this one hour full of lessons from my five years of coaching, conversations and community with women over fifty as I introduce the Messy Middle Method.
7th September 12.00 noon AEST or 8th September 6.30 PM AEST
Learn More Here: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/the-messy-middle-method-workshop

NEW PROGRAM: Flourishing in the Messy Middle
Flourishing in the Messy Middle is a three-month live online group journey for women over 50 who know something is changing and are ready to explore what comes next.
Starts 22 September.
Learn More Here: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/flourishing-in-the-messy-middle

I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us

Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/the-messy-middle-method-workshop

In this episode, Kate Hansen joins me to talk about what it really takes to walk away from a “safe” job and make room for a career as a creative. She shares her journey from nursing to interior photography, the years of quiet dissatisfaction and pretending to be someone she wasn’t, and the surprising origin story of her blog The Room Illuminated.
We explore the power of inherited “success scripts,” the emotional weight of job security, and the extraordinary letter from Kate’s younger self that finally gave her the permission she needed to leap. This conversation is for anyone who feels caught between a sensible role and a life that feels more true.
Also covered
Wrestling with job security and creative longing in midlife
The moment Kate realised she was “pretending to be a nurse”
How a dusk-time habit of peeking into warm rooms became The Room Illuminated
The forgotten letter from her 22-year-old self that changed everything
Inherited family beliefs about work, risk, and responsibility
Seeking permission from others versus backing yourself to make a change

Guest: Kate Hansen
Freelance website: https://www.khansenphotography.com/
The Room Illuminated (Blog): https://theroomilluminated.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katehansenphotography/

Generation Women Australia
Website: https://www.generationwomenaus.com/

Special Announcement
Just Launched: FLOURISHING IN THE MESSY MIDDLE PROGRAM
A three-month live online group journey of reflection, exploration and growth.
For women who know something is changing and are ready to explore and connect as they find their way forward.
Starts September 22nd.
Full details available here: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/flourishing-in-the-messy-middle

I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us

Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter