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PODCAST

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40

Stephanie McLaughlin

Sometime around age 40 (+/-) you might start feeling like some part of your life no longer fits and you don"t know what to do about it. It could be at work or at home - or simply inside of you. You might be asking questions like, "How did I get here?" Or, "Is this all there is?" "Is this what I"ve been working so hard for?" Or, "Why aren"t I happier?" Growing out of her own experience turning 40, Stephanie McLaughlin became captivated by the big “four oh,” and how people handle the milestone

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All Episodes

19:46

Reflections: Self Worth

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2025/02/07

Steph delves into Emily Hall's emotional story, where she reveals how she tied her self-worth to societal milestones like marriage and having kids, leading to an identity crisis fueled by low self-esteem. Through self-reflection and a pivotal conversation with a friend, Emily began to reshape her internal dialogue, shifting her belief system to value her resilience and inner strength. Steph elaborates on the concept of self-worth, offering practical steps to cultivate a more compassionate and

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44:43

Turning 40 and Unraveling Codependency

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2025/02/04

In this episode of The Big Four Oh Podcast, Stephanie talks to Emily Hall, who shares her remarkable journey through tumultuous life experiences, including a toxic childhood, substance abuse, near-death experiences, and codependent relationships. Emily opens up about her emotional breakdown on her 40th birthday and the pivotal moment she realized she needed to change her life. Through intense self-work, therapy, and a transformational shift in mindset, she managed to build a fulfilling life,

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52:15

Turning 40 and Weathering the Storms of Loss

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2025/01/23

Today, Philip Blackett reflects on his upbringing in the South, growing up with a single mother, and the pivotal roles his grandparents played in shaping his values. As he navigates midlife, Philip reveals how his faith has become his core anchor following the deaths of his grandparents. He shares the challenges of running a business that closed during the pandemic and how this impacted his identity. The conversation explores the complexities of being a recovering people-pleaser, the lessons learned

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19:03

Announcement: Forty Drinks is now The Big Four Oh

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2025/01/16

After 115 episodes, Forty Drinks is relaunching as The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40. The podcast maintains the same mission and focus, but will move forward under a new name with the goal of reaching a wider audience with the message of transition at midlife.This podcast is about transitions, and specifically the ones that we go through sometime around age 40, those internal shifts that we make, where we start to see and interact with the world differently.I will continue to bring you

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01:00:46

Turning 40 and Realizing I Am the Boss of Me

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/12/19

In this episode, Stephanie talks to Marc Scheff about the midlife transitions experienced around the age of 40. They discuss Mark’s journey, including incidents that led him to take up jiu jitsu, his shifting dreams, and his struggles with toxic work environments. The conversation highlights the importance of introspection, updating old dreams, listening to inner voices, and having the courage to start anew. They also explore the challenges of people-pleasing, resistance to change, and the process

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53:43

Turning 40 and Finding Purpose in Poetry After Loss

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/12/12

Gabby Gilliam shares her experience of navigating through multiple losses, career transitions, moves, and personal growth from her early 30s to her early 40s. She talks about her late start in becoming a parent, the numerous moves her family made, and the struggles she encountered in finding a job after relocating. Gabby delves into the profound impact of her father's rapid decline and passing, followed by the subsequent losses of other close family members within a short span. Despite these

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56:01

Turning 40 and Ejecting From the Default Life - Together

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/12/05

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie interviews Meredith and Craig Bennett, her first dual interview guests, about their shared midlife transition. The couple discusses their background, how perfectionism and societal expectations shaped their early lives, and how a pivotal moment led them to make significant life changes during the pandemic. They delve into their journey of personal growth, self-discovery, and the deep work they've done to redefine their identities and values,

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46:44

Turning 40 and Making it Through the Messy, Muddy Middle

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/11/27

Today, Laurie-Ann Murabito shares her midlife transition journey, beginning in her early 30s working in healthcare; meeting and losing her husband Bob to cancer after being married less than a year; and the profound personal growth that followed. She tells us about her experience as a leadership speaker, the challenges she faced, and how a crucial text message redirected her professional path towards helping others craft impactful speeches. Laurie Ann acknowledges the importance of optimism,

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50:23

Turning 40 and Cracking the Code on Anger

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/11/15

Dr. Mort Orman discusses his personal journey with anger management. Despite being a successful physician, Mort struggled with deep-seated anger issues that began in his college years. Through personal development and significant breakthroughs, Mort discovered the internal filters driving his anger and devised methods to control it. He emphasizes the importance of understanding our unconscious habits and philosophies to achieve better emotional health. Mort's insights provide actionable steps for

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55:44

Turning Forty and 12-Stepping My Way to Happiness

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/11/08

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Fran Caudron opens up about her upbringing in a strict Catholic family, her early marriage to an addict, and the subsequent emotional turmoil. She discusses how her deep dive into different spiritual paths, including evangelical Christianity and a transformative retreat, helped her rediscover hope and strength. Fran also highlights the importance of community, the powerful impact of somatic experiences, and the lifelong process of self-improvement through

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48:22

Turning 40 and Awakening to Hidden Gifts

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/11/01

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie welcomes Anjel Hartwell to explore her profound spiritual awakening and transformation that began at the age of 38. The conversation explores Anjel's tumultuous upbringing in New Hampshire, her successful career in real estate, and the series of life-altering events that led to her awakening. Anjel shares vivid accounts of supernatural experiences, her journey into creative and healing arts, and the courage it took to leave behind her

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41:45

Turning 40 and Breaking Free from Childhood Narratives

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/10/24

Marina Theron-Monnery opens up about her journey from growing up during apartheid in South Africa, through challenging romantic relationships that reflected the toxicity of her childhood home, to the eventual embrace of self-love after an aha moment in the bath. Marina details her escape from an abusive family, the struggles of adjusting to a new country with young children after divorce, and her battles with poverty and depression. A pivotal moment in her early forties led her to introspection,

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20:28

The Difference Between a Midlife Crisis and The Ick

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/10/15

In the first episode of season six of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie McLaughlin delves into the concept of the 'Ick,' a common feeling of discomfort experienced around the age of 40. Unlike the stereotypical midlife crisis, the Ick is characterized by a low-grade unease and a desire for change. Stephanie shares insights from her guests, highlighting seven recurring themes: self-discovery and authenticity, purpose and meaning, personal growth, relationships, health and well-being, career

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55:45

Turning 40 and Surviving a High-Conflict Divorce

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/09/18

In this compelling episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie sits down with Karen McMahon to delve into the challenges she faced in her marriage and how they transformed her into a stronger, more self-aware individual. Karen discusses her turbulent childhood in an emotionally volatile household, her string of unfulfilling relationships, and the tumultuous marriage that mirrored her parents' dysfunctions. Despite her incredible external successes, Karen's personal relationships were fraught with

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55:02

Turning 40 and Overcoming Cultural Expectations

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/09/09

In this episode, Dhruv Sethi shares his experiences of immigrating from India to Sweden at age six and then moving to London in his 20s. He talks about the cultural and familial expectations of the life path he was supposed to follow, which led to his tumultuous first marriage, the subsequent challenging divorce, and its profound effect on his trust of women and in relationships. As a result, Dhruv embarked on a journey of introspection in his late 30s, eventually turning to meditation, yoga, and

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58:05

Turning Forty and Rediscovering JOY Through Play

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/08/22

Today, Stephanie chats with Yvonne Marchese, host of the Late Bloomer Living podcast, about her journey of self-discovery and transition at midlife. Yvonne shares her story, from pursuing her early dreams of a theater career in New York until she realized at 35 that it just didn’t feel as fun as it used to. She talks about her struggles, including an identity crisis, career shifts, and bouts of depression. By adopting small habits, like waking up an hour earlier, Yvonne managed to transform her

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53:33

Turning 40 and Burning It All to the Ground

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/08/16

Today, Lauren Schenck shares her brave journey from being trapped in a toxic, narcissistic marriage to rebuilding her life and discovering self-love in her 40s. Lauren recounts the challenges she faced as a solo parent, navigating through divorce while 3,000 miles away from family and friends. Her story takes us through the hurdles of identifying narcissistic abuse, reclaiming passions like yoga and nutrition, and finding herself again after enduring years of emotional turmoil. This episode is a

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01:06:15

Turning 40 and Getting Healthy after Being Raised in...

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/08/07

Today, Stephanie sits down with Shana Francesca, who shares her harrowing journey through a traumatic childhood raised inside an evangelical Christian cult. Shana's talks about growing up in an environment where curiosity was punished, intuition was stifled, and survival required constant self-protection. She discusses her path to breaking free at 26, learning to trust herself, and discovering what a healthy relationship looks like. The conversation also explores Shana's transition into adulthood,

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01:01:28

Turning 40 and Healing From Parental Kidnapping as a...

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/08/01

In this moving episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, host Stephanie McLaughlin talks with Rita Bliven about her tumultuous early life, marked by a messy parental divorce, being kidnapped by her father, and reunion with her mother. This early instability led to deep attachment issues that shaped Rita's relationships and personal growth. Rita shares how therapeutic counseling in her teens, reconnecting with her Mexican family in her twenties, and her spiritual experiences contributed to her ongoing

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41:33

From Fenway to Forever: Celebrating 30 Years of...

The Big Four Oh: The Podcast About Turning 40 ·

2024/07/24

In the 100th episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie welcomes her longtime friend Adrian Walker for a heartfelt and reflective conversation. They reminisce about their first meeting at Fenway Park in 1991, tracing the evolution of their enduring friendship and the significant life transitions they've experienced. Adrian shares insights into his career as a journalist, including impactful projects and his journey into sobriety, which reshaped his personal and professional life. They also delve

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