What if the goal isn’t balance… but flow?

Five years ago, Chris joined the pilot of Lucia Knight’s work-life redesign programme. He wasn’t in crisis. He wasn’t burned out beyond repair. But something felt off. And instead of ignoring that stuckness, he chose to investigate it.

Today, he shares the three insights he never wants to forget about his future work life.

They’re simple. They’re powerful. And they’re the kind of truths that change how you design everything — from your diary to your relationships to the way you define success.

This is a conversation about experimentation, clarity, appreciation, and that unmistakable full-body “tingle” you feel when work finally fits.

1. The difference between chasing balance and creating work-life flow
2. Why “everything is an experiment” removes the fear of getting it wrong
3. The kind of appreciation that makes work deeply satisfying
4. What it feels like when work aligns with your Superpowers
5. How small experiments can quietly dismantle stuckness

If this conversation resonates with someone who’s quietly questioning their version of success — someone who’s successful on paper but sensing a deeper misalignment — consider sharing it with them.

And if you’re ready to design work that matters, you can explore the ways to work with Lucia here: https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

Learn more about Chris's work here: www.brightrisephotography.co.uk

In this episode of the Joy at Work Podcast, I sit down with former client Gill Kirk to capture the three timeless lessons she’s taking into the next chapter of her work life. These aren’t generic career tips—they’re deep truths discovered through months of intentional redesign.

Gill shares what it means to lead with deliberate curiosity, how she gently but powerfully challenges outdated work processes, and why carving out quiet space is now non-negotiable in her career. It’s honest, human, and full of insight for anyone considering what really matters in how they work.

Whether you're at a crossroads, already in transition, or just craving more joy in your work life, this conversation offers clarity, warmth, and a bit of gentle provocation.

Learn how you can work with me:

👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

Catch Other Stories of Midlife Career Redesign:

Designing A Work Life That Fits: Silvia's Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/career-redesign-midlife-lessons-silvia

When You Stop Editing Yourself, Your Work Changes: Deirdre's Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/career-redesign-midlife-lessons-deirdre

From Stuck to Energised: Lara’s Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/career-redesign-midlife-lessons-lara

Escaping Boredom and Finding Your Superpowers: Scott’s Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/scott-midlife-career-redesign

I get this question more often than you might expect:

My work isn’t awful… but it isn’t great either. I can’t tell if it’s bad enough to leave or good enough to stay.

Yes. I’ve seen this a lot.

There’s a particular kind of work experience that doesn’t shout, doesn’t sparkle, and doesn’t trigger a crisis — but quietly drains your energy over time. I call it languishing at work.

It sits between happy work and unhappy work.

It doesn’t ring alarm bells.

And that’s exactly why it’s so dangerous.

When you’re languishing, you still show up. You still do the work. You might even work hard. But inside, something has gone flat. You tell yourself you’re lucky. You tolerate it. You coast. Weeks turn into months. And slowly, almost invisibly, you lose your spark.

In this episode, I talk about:

1. The three “siblings” of work life satisfaction — and why the middle one gets ignored
2. How languishing feels different from burnout (and why that matters)
3. Why smart, capable mid-career professionals are especially good at tolerating work that no longer fits
4. The difference between a short-term dip and chronic work-life languishing
5. What actually helps — from tiny pattern-disrupting experiments to knowing when it’s time for a bigger rethink

If your work feels fine, okay, or just about tolerable — and has done for far too long — this is for you.

Because the middle child doesn’t stay quiet forever.

And designing work that feels energising again starts with noticing what’s really going on.

If this idea of languishing at work resonates, you don’t need a dramatic leap — but you do need a more intentional next step.

If you’re ready to think more deliberately about the next decade of your work life, you can explore my work redesign programmes here:

👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

And if you’d rather start with something lighter, I’ve shared practical ways to experiment your way out of flatness here:

👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/new-blog-1/2020/11/8/midlife-career-kiss-of-life

I’m joined by Silvia, someone I worked with a few years ago during her work-life redesign — and what I love about this conversation is how grounded it is in real decisions, not big declarations.

Silvia didn’t chase a “perfect job.” Instead, she got clear on what actually mattered to her in midlife: time, the people she works with, and the freedom to keep adjusting as life changes.

We talk about choosing a three-day workweek, why work environment became a non-negotiable baseline for her, and what happens when you stop expecting work to have a final destination.

This isn’t a story about burning everything down or finding your one true calling. It’s about designing work that gives you enough energy, money, and time to support the life you care about — now, and in the decade ahead.

1. What being “time-rich” really changes about work decisions
2. Why the right work environment isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a baseline
3. How letting go of a final destination creates more freedom
4. What success can look like in midlife — without burning everything down

Curious what joy at work could look like for you?

Explore all of my programs at 👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

Catch Other Stories of Midlife Career Redesign:

What Changes When You Stop Editing Yourself at Work: Deirdre’s Story

From Stuck to Energised: Lara’s Story

Escaping Boredom and Finding Your Superpowers: Scott’s Story

There’s a curious pattern that shows up again and again: people say they want more connection, more belonging, more community — and then quietly avoid the very practices that would help them build it.

This reflection explores why deep, human networks feel so confronting in midlife, how shame and fear sneak in disguised as “being busy,” and why meaningful connection isn’t something you wait until you’re ready for. It’s something you practice while you’re still unsure.

This isn’t about networking tactics. It’s about remembering who matters, and letting yourself matter back.

1. Why smaller networks often carry more emotional weight than we expect
2. The quiet fear that stops us from tending relationships we actually want
3. How urgency crowds out what’s meaningful — and why that costs us
4. What changes when connection is treated as a living system, not a tool
5. A tiny, human experiment that rebuilds trust in belonging

If this stirred something tender or familiar, you’re not alone. Many people quietly carry the same longing — and the same hesitation. You don’t need a bigger network. You just need to start where you are.

If you'd like your next year or decade of work to be more enjoyable than your last, check out the three work-life redesign programs I offer at https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me.

Want more? Check out my resources for Networking like a Midlife Human

There’s a quiet kind of exhaustion that comes from succeeding while only showing up halfway. From doing excellent work that never quite feels like yours. From knowing you’re capable of more, but not knowing how to bring your whole self without blowing things up.

In this conversation, I’m joined by former client Deirdre McCarthy, who reflects on what changed when she stopped fragmenting herself to fit professional expectations—and started designing work that aligned with her values, her curiosity, and her humanity.

We talk about trusting your inner truth, leading with vulnerability instead of expertise-as-armor, and letting go of the belief that work is a zero-sum game.

This isn’t a story about quitting everything overnight. It’s about the quieter shifts that change how work feels from the inside out—and what becomes possible when you stop editing yourself.

1. What happens when you bring more than just your “competence” to work
2. Why vulnerability can create momentum instead of risk
3. How abundance thinking quietly dissolves comparison and competition
4. The difference between being successful and feeling congruent
5. What “joy at work” actually feels like when it’s real

If any part of this conversation stirred something for you, you’re not alone. Sometimes the most important work shift isn’t external at all—it’s the quiet decision to stop abandoning parts of yourself that matter.

Curious what joy at work could look like for you?

Explore all of my programs at 👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

Catch Other Stories of Midlife Career Redesign:

1. From Stuck to Energised: Lara’s Story
2. Escaping Boredom and Finding Your Superpowers: Scott’s Story

Most of us are pretty rubbish at listening, aren't we?

In this episode, I’m joined by Colin Smith, aka The Listener — a man on a mission to change the way the world listens. We explore what it really feels like to be deeply heard (spoiler: it’s calming, empowering, and makes you feel safe), and what’s at stake when we’re not. Think disconnection, disengagement, even depression.

But we also get practical. Colin shares two beautifully simple listening practices you can try today — at work, at home, or even with your kids — to spark trust and connection in minutes.

If you’ve ever felt unheard, or you suspect you might be doing more talking than listening... this one’s for you.

🎧 Mentioned:

1. Two mini listening experiments that deepen trust quickly
2. Why “don’t fix it” might be the best career advice you’ve never heard
3. The real cost of not listening inside companies (hint: it’s not just talent loss)

👉 Want to begin your own joy-at-work redesign?

Start with my self-assessment tool ‘Derailed’ — it takes just 30 mins and might just change how you see everything: https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/derailed

👉 Want to learn more?

Dig into Practical Tactics for Better Listening: A Joy At Work Experiment with Lucia Knight: https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/active-listening

Ever wondered if loyalty is keeping you stuck?

In this episode, I’m joined by former client Lara, who bravely reflects on three career design insights she never wants to forget. These are not surface-level tips—they’re hard-won truths shaped through deep experimentation and support inside our Fierce Emporium programme and 1:1 work.

We talk about:

1. The blurry line between loyalty and unhealthy boundaries
2. How your body knows the truth before your brain does
3. Why working on someone else’s passion will eventually drain you

Lara also shares her new direction—supporting people navigating grief while executing estates—and how she discovered her “fourth superpower” along the way.

If you’re in a season of stuckness, questioning what’s next, or need a gentle nudge to prioritise your kind of meaningful work, you’ll feel seen in this one.

🔗 Curious what working together might look like?

Explore how we can redesign your career:

👉 Work With Me

Listen to another client transformation:

1. Scott’s Three Career Design Insights He’ll Never Forget
2. Learn More About How To Find Your Superpowers