A Grown Up's Gap Year Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:41:03 +1000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2387312 en-au © 2026 A Grown Up's Gap Year yes 42303827-26b1-51c8-a51b-de42ecbf7cc7 Monique van Tulder episodic false How to Runaway, Seek Joy, & other Handy Mid Life Hints.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Monique van Tulder https://storage.buzzsprout.com/35axbo85rjt5tv9vwn7as96j4pmh?.jpg A Grown Up's Gap Year For The Busy Woman: How To Find Space To Go Explore For The Busy Woman: How To Find Space To Go Explore The final piece of your SPACE Prescription is here: Explore. The part where you remember you used to just try things — before every decision required three people’s approval.

In this episode:

  • why life satisfaction follows a U-shaped curve through your forties and fifties (and why the curve rises again)
  • the Novelty Rule from neuroscientist Dr David Eagleman that literally changes how your brain perceives time
  • why running away is not frivolous
  • and the 52 Yes List, one new thing a week for a year

Plus what readers told me about where they escape when they need a moment, and a Dear Blokes note for the men who love us.

Season 3 wraps after this. Season 4 is coming — and it’s going somewhere new.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> The final piece of your SPACE Prescription is here: Explore. The part where you remember you used to just try things — before every decision required three people’s approval.

In this episode:

  • why life satisfaction follows a U-shaped curve through your forties and fifties (and why the curve rises again)
  • the Novelty Rule from neuroscientist Dr David Eagleman that literally changes how your brain perceives time
  • why running away is not frivolous
  • and the 52 Yes List, one new thing a week for a year

Plus what readers told me about where they escape when they need a moment, and a Dear Blokes note for the men who love us.

Season 3 wraps after this. Season 4 is coming — and it’s going somewhere new.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-19077352 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +1000 829 EP39 3 12 full false Solo Travel Over 50: How to Put Guilt-Free Time Out in Your Calendar (And Actually Go) Solo Travel Over 50: How to Put Guilt-Free Time Out in Your Calendar (And Actually Go) THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO THE CURRENT FUEL CRISIS ETC

Monitor Travel Advisories: Check your home country's official travel advice for the most up-to-date information.


You've simplified. You've planned. You've acted. You've connected. Now — what if you actually went somewhere? Did something? Said yes to the thing that's been quietly calling you?

Research shows that novelty literally slows down time perception — meaning the antidote to the feeling that life is rushing past you might not be a mid-life crisis. It might just be a Tuesday afternoon somewhere you've never been.

Less Eat Pray Love. More Shirley Valentine. Minus the Greek love affair.

Reader stories, the 52 Yeses concept, why running away lite counts just as much as a plane ticket, and why the U-curve of life satisfaction means you are — right now — climbing the good side.

Season Four is coming. But first — go explore something. Anything.

*For women who have done everything for everyone else and are starting to wonder, very reasonably: what about my life?*



Rebecca Kaye:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO THE CURRENT FUEL CRISIS ETC

Monitor Travel Advisories: Check your home country's official travel advice for the most up-to-date information.


You've simplified. You've planned. You've acted. You've connected. Now — what if you actually went somewhere? Did something? Said yes to the thing that's been quietly calling you?

Research shows that novelty literally slows down time perception — meaning the antidote to the feeling that life is rushing past you might not be a mid-life crisis. It might just be a Tuesday afternoon somewhere you've never been.

Less Eat Pray Love. More Shirley Valentine. Minus the Greek love affair.

Reader stories, the 52 Yeses concept, why running away lite counts just as much as a plane ticket, and why the U-curve of life satisfaction means you are — right now — climbing the good side.

Season Four is coming. But first — go explore something. Anything.

*For women who have done everything for everyone else and are starting to wonder, very reasonably: what about my life?*



Rebecca Kaye:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-19015534 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +1000 3031 EP38,Rebecca Kaye 3 11 full false Hiroko Yoda on Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Finding Hidden Meaning in Everyday Life the Japanese Way Hiroko Yoda on Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Finding Hidden Meaning in Everyday Life the Japanese Way If you've ever felt drawn to Japan - its quiet beauty, its rituals, its unhurried way of moving through the world - this conversation is for you.

Today I'm speaking with Hiroko Yoda, Tokyo-based author, translator, folklorist, and certified kimono consultant. Her book Eight Million Ways to Happiness is the culmination of more than a decade of research, exploration, and living in Japan. It's a cultural history of the Japanese spiritual landscape - and a roadmap for anyone questing for meaning in the modern world, without locking themselves into any specific faith or belief system.

And I am thrilled to say this is her first Australian podcast interview.

In this conversation, we explore:

  • What Japan's eight million gods and spirits tell us about finding meaning in the everyday
  • How Japanese spiritual traditions - from shrine visits to seasonal rituals - can help us feel more grounded and present
  • The concept of awe and why seeking wonder in ordinary life changes everything
  • What Japan's elders have taught Hiroko about what really matters in the second half of life
  • How to reconnect with nature and the seasons as a doorway to something deeper
  • Whether Japan's quiet everyday spirituality translates to our busy Western lives - or whether it's a simplistic outsider fantasy
  • How to weave a meaningful experience into a trip to Japan without it feeling like a tourist checklist


This is a conversation about slowing down, finding hidden meaning in the everyday, and what an ancient culture might offer a modern world that is moving very, very fast.


Episode Resources:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If you've ever felt drawn to Japan - its quiet beauty, its rituals, its unhurried way of moving through the world - this conversation is for you.

Today I'm speaking with Hiroko Yoda, Tokyo-based author, translator, folklorist, and certified kimono consultant. Her book Eight Million Ways to Happiness is the culmination of more than a decade of research, exploration, and living in Japan. It's a cultural history of the Japanese spiritual landscape - and a roadmap for anyone questing for meaning in the modern world, without locking themselves into any specific faith or belief system.

And I am thrilled to say this is her first Australian podcast interview.

In this conversation, we explore:

  • What Japan's eight million gods and spirits tell us about finding meaning in the everyday
  • How Japanese spiritual traditions - from shrine visits to seasonal rituals - can help us feel more grounded and present
  • The concept of awe and why seeking wonder in ordinary life changes everything
  • What Japan's elders have taught Hiroko about what really matters in the second half of life
  • How to reconnect with nature and the seasons as a doorway to something deeper
  • Whether Japan's quiet everyday spirituality translates to our busy Western lives - or whether it's a simplistic outsider fantasy
  • How to weave a meaningful experience into a trip to Japan without it feeling like a tourist checklist


This is a conversation about slowing down, finding hidden meaning in the everyday, and what an ancient culture might offer a modern world that is moving very, very fast.


Episode Resources:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18908254 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +1000 3231 EP37,Hiroko Yoda 3 10 full false Why Your Mid-Life Tribe is a Wellbeing Strategy: Community is Everything for Healthy Ageing Why Your Mid-Life Tribe is a Wellbeing Strategy: Community is Everything for Healthy Ageing Loneliness has the same health impact as smoking many cigarettes a day. Not a typo. In this episode — the fourth in our SPACE framework series — Monique van Tulder makes the evidence-based case for why connection is as critical as sleep, nutrition, and movement. And why midlife is exactly the moment to stop letting it slide.

She talks about being an introvert masquerading as someone who loves people, why building your tribe now requires deliberate effort in a world that no longer provides it automatically, and what the Okinawan moai can teach us about ageing well. Healthy mid-life wellbeing. Plus — the architecture of connection, navigating family relationships that don't always fill your cup, and why your future self will thank you for making the call you've been putting off.

One action. One person. One date. That's it.

For women navigating the Sandwich Generation — and anyone who's been meaning to reach out but keeps waiting for things to calm down. Friends, they do make the world go round.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Loneliness has the same health impact as smoking many cigarettes a day. Not a typo. In this episode — the fourth in our SPACE framework series — Monique van Tulder makes the evidence-based case for why connection is as critical as sleep, nutrition, and movement. And why midlife is exactly the moment to stop letting it slide.

She talks about being an introvert masquerading as someone who loves people, why building your tribe now requires deliberate effort in a world that no longer provides it automatically, and what the Okinawan moai can teach us about ageing well. Healthy mid-life wellbeing. Plus — the architecture of connection, navigating family relationships that don't always fill your cup, and why your future self will thank you for making the call you've been putting off.

One action. One person. One date. That's it.

For women navigating the Sandwich Generation — and anyone who's been meaning to reach out but keeps waiting for things to calm down. Friends, they do make the world go round.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18908215 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +1000 828 EP36 3 9 full false Your 2nd Act: Saying “Why Not Me?” in Mid-life with Michelle Parsonage (Host of Your 2nd Act) Your 2nd Act: Saying “Why Not Me?” in Mid-life with Michelle Parsonage (Host of Your 2nd Act) What if midlife isn’t the beginning of the end, but the start of your 2nd act?
In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique sits down with Michelle Parsonage, host of the Your 2nd Act podcast and community for women navigating mid-life change and reinvention. Michelle’s message is all about “the power and beauty of women in their middle years” and the real stories of what happens when women pause, get curious and choose what’s next.

Together they talk about what it’s really like to be the capable one who copes – running the domestic corporation, holding the mental load, doing all the invisible work – and then suddenly find yourself asking, *“What now? What about me?”*

You’ll hear:

  • how Michelle knew she was ready for her own 2nd act – and why she started a podcast in her 50s
  • why everyday women’s stories are such powerful fuel for courage and change
  • the difference between blowing everything up and making small, brave moves in your actual life
  • practical ways to create space for your own next chapter when you’re still busy and needed


This isn’t about becoming a different person. It’s about living a little louder as the woman you already are – with more agency, more curiosity, and a 2nd act that actually feels like yours.


Episode Resources:

YOUR 2ND ACT: INSTAGRAM

Events & Website:  joamor.com


Additional Resources:

Your SPACE Prescription - Anti Guilt Calculator
Free Weekly Newsletter
Dear Blokes Downloadable
Setting Boundaries That Stick - checklist
52 Ideas for YOUR Version of A Grown Up's Gap Year


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> What if midlife isn’t the beginning of the end, but the start of your 2nd act?
In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique sits down with Michelle Parsonage, host of the Your 2nd Act podcast and community for women navigating mid-life change and reinvention. Michelle’s message is all about “the power and beauty of women in their middle years” and the real stories of what happens when women pause, get curious and choose what’s next.

Together they talk about what it’s really like to be the capable one who copes – running the domestic corporation, holding the mental load, doing all the invisible work – and then suddenly find yourself asking, *“What now? What about me?”*

You’ll hear:

  • how Michelle knew she was ready for her own 2nd act – and why she started a podcast in her 50s
  • why everyday women’s stories are such powerful fuel for courage and change
  • the difference between blowing everything up and making small, brave moves in your actual life
  • practical ways to create space for your own next chapter when you’re still busy and needed


This isn’t about becoming a different person. It’s about living a little louder as the woman you already are – with more agency, more curiosity, and a 2nd act that actually feels like yours.


Episode Resources:

YOUR 2ND ACT: INSTAGRAM

Events & Website:  joamor.com


Additional Resources:

Your SPACE Prescription - Anti Guilt Calculator
Free Weekly Newsletter
Dear Blokes Downloadable
Setting Boundaries That Stick - checklist
52 Ideas for YOUR Version of A Grown Up's Gap Year


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18677610 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +1100 3362 EP035,Michelle Parsonage 3 8 full false If You Have Stopped Acting On Your Dreams In Mid-Life: These Ideas Will Help You If You Have Stopped Acting On Your Dreams In Mid-Life: These Ideas Will Help You You've made the plan. You can feel what you're chasing. But you still can't quite see the shape of what comes next - and that fog is exactly what's keeping you stuck.

This episode is about closing the gap between knowing and doing - and why the clarity you're waiting for won't arrive until you actually start moving.

In this episode, Monique van Tulder walks you through the ACT stage of the SPACE roadmap - the part where you stop waiting for the perfect moment (spoiler: it doesn't exist) and start designing your next act in real life.

You'll discover:

  • Why action creates clarity - not the other way around
  • The Atomic Habits framework that makes new habits stupidly easy to stick
  • Why your 15-minute walk is more powerful than a ten-step plan
  • The "running away from home account" trick that one listener used to fund her airfare
  • Why "I'm too old" is the most expensive story you're telling yourself
  • How to stop living passively and start living actively - even in small ways

Plus: the "Dear Blokes" segment - what to say to your partner when you're suddenly just... doing things.

Clarity doesn't come before action. It comes because of it. And your next act is not a someday dream. It's a decision you're making today.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> You've made the plan. You can feel what you're chasing. But you still can't quite see the shape of what comes next - and that fog is exactly what's keeping you stuck.

This episode is about closing the gap between knowing and doing - and why the clarity you're waiting for won't arrive until you actually start moving.

In this episode, Monique van Tulder walks you through the ACT stage of the SPACE roadmap - the part where you stop waiting for the perfect moment (spoiler: it doesn't exist) and start designing your next act in real life.

You'll discover:

  • Why action creates clarity - not the other way around
  • The Atomic Habits framework that makes new habits stupidly easy to stick
  • Why your 15-minute walk is more powerful than a ten-step plan
  • The "running away from home account" trick that one listener used to fund her airfare
  • Why "I'm too old" is the most expensive story you're telling yourself
  • How to stop living passively and start living actively - even in small ways

Plus: the "Dear Blokes" segment - what to say to your partner when you're suddenly just... doing things.

Clarity doesn't come before action. It comes because of it. And your next act is not a someday dream. It's a decision you're making today.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18807326 Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +1100 824 EP034 3 7 full false How to Turn Your Big Ideas Into a Visible Personal Brand with Michelle B. Griffin How to Turn Your Big Ideas Into a Visible Personal Brand with Michelle B. Griffin Have you ever had a head full of ideas about what comes next, and absolutely no idea how to turn any of them into something visible?

Last week we introduced our P is for PLAN episode — treating yourself like a project worth designing, and getting clear on feelings before actions. This week I wanted to bring you someone who has made it her life's work to help women do exactly that, out loud, visibly, and on their own terms. Own Your Lane!

My guest today is Michelle B. Griffin, a personal brand and visibility strategist who works with smart humans who know they're ready for a next chapter but don't want another cookie-cutter "build your brand in 7 days" plan. She helps people turn the fog in their head into something clear on paper, and then into small, visible steps in real life. What I love about Michelle is that she's lived this herself. She's had her own "what am I doing with this next bit of life?" moment, and she's done the sometimes very unglamorous work of changing it.

In this episode we talk personal brand, LinkedIn, owning your lane, and what it really means to make yourself visible on your own terms. And the big takeaway? Clarity doesn't come before you start. It comes because you start.

Michelle is also a contributor to A Grown Up's Gap Year and a friend, proof that meaningful connections made later in life, across continents and entirely online, can genuinely change everything.

You'll find Michelle's brilliant thinking across two podcasts; 'Own Your Lane™' and 'The LinkedIn® Branding Show' . All in the show notes.

So if you've ever thought, "I don't need another vision board; I need a plan that fits my actual life", this conversation is for you.


Episode Resources:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Have you ever had a head full of ideas about what comes next, and absolutely no idea how to turn any of them into something visible?

Last week we introduced our P is for PLAN episode — treating yourself like a project worth designing, and getting clear on feelings before actions. This week I wanted to bring you someone who has made it her life's work to help women do exactly that, out loud, visibly, and on their own terms. Own Your Lane!

My guest today is Michelle B. Griffin, a personal brand and visibility strategist who works with smart humans who know they're ready for a next chapter but don't want another cookie-cutter "build your brand in 7 days" plan. She helps people turn the fog in their head into something clear on paper, and then into small, visible steps in real life. What I love about Michelle is that she's lived this herself. She's had her own "what am I doing with this next bit of life?" moment, and she's done the sometimes very unglamorous work of changing it.

In this episode we talk personal brand, LinkedIn, owning your lane, and what it really means to make yourself visible on your own terms. And the big takeaway? Clarity doesn't come before you start. It comes because you start.

Michelle is also a contributor to A Grown Up's Gap Year and a friend, proof that meaningful connections made later in life, across continents and entirely online, can genuinely change everything.

You'll find Michelle's brilliant thinking across two podcasts; 'Own Your Lane™' and 'The LinkedIn® Branding Show' . All in the show notes.

So if you've ever thought, "I don't need another vision board; I need a plan that fits my actual life", this conversation is for you.


Episode Resources:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18807298 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +1100 3243 EP033,Michelle B Griffin 3 6 full false How to Plan Your Next Chapter When You Know What You DON'T Want (But Have No Idea What Comes Next) How to Plan Your Next Chapter When You Know What You DON'T Want (But Have No Idea What Comes Next) If you've cleared the decks, simplified your life, and still have no clue what comes next - this episode is for you.

Most planning advice gets it wrong. It starts with "what do you want to DO?" - jobs, trips, projects, hobbies. But that's putting the cart before the horse.

The better question? How do you want to FEEL?

In this episode, Monique van Tulder walks you through the PLAN stage of the SPACE framework - the essential Winter work that most women skip in their rush to get to the good bit.

You'll discover:

  • Why planning is an act of self-respect, not control
  • How to identify the three feelings that will shape your next chapter
  • Why one picture on your mirror is more powerful than a ten-step plan
  • The Dolly Parton quote that will change, how you think about change
  • How to write your own version of A Grown Up's Gap Year

Plus: the "Dear Blokes" segment - what to say to your partner when you're suddenly talking about "purpose" and "your next act."

This is Winter work. Foundation work. The kind that doesn't look flashy but makes everything else possible.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If you've cleared the decks, simplified your life, and still have no clue what comes next - this episode is for you.

Most planning advice gets it wrong. It starts with "what do you want to DO?" - jobs, trips, projects, hobbies. But that's putting the cart before the horse.

The better question? How do you want to FEEL?

In this episode, Monique van Tulder walks you through the PLAN stage of the SPACE framework - the essential Winter work that most women skip in their rush to get to the good bit.

You'll discover:

  • Why planning is an act of self-respect, not control
  • How to identify the three feelings that will shape your next chapter
  • Why one picture on your mirror is more powerful than a ten-step plan
  • The Dolly Parton quote that will change, how you think about change
  • How to write your own version of A Grown Up's Gap Year

Plus: the "Dear Blokes" segment - what to say to your partner when you're suddenly talking about "purpose" and "your next act."

This is Winter work. Foundation work. The kind that doesn't look flashy but makes everything else possible.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18714484 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +1100 871 EP32 3 5 full false Overwhelmed and Over It: How to Simplify One Part of Your Life This Week Overwhelmed and Over It: How to Simplify One Part of Your Life This Week Overwhelmed and Over It: How to Simplify One Part of Your Life This Week ...so there’s more time for what you actually want to do.

In this solo episode of *A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, author and health and wellbeing professional Monique van Tulder brings an evidence-based wellbeing lens to real life: mid-life, mental load, the domestic corporation, and that nagging thought that everyone else has hobbies and you have logistics. Space, she argues, is a legitimate prescription – sometimes in another country, often in your own postcode.

This is the first in the S.P.A.C.E series Season, where Monique walks you through her simple roadmap: Simplify, Plan, Act, Connect, Explore. Today is S = Simplify – not as in outer space, or moving to a monastery or throwing your life in a skip, but deliberately removing what no longer fits so you can move through your days with more ease and less resentment.

Along the way, Monique reads from A Grown Up’s Gap Year on why decluttering isn’t cosmetic, talks frankly about running a domestic corporation on top of a day job, and offers a “Dear Blokes” fridge-note for the men who are wondering why the woman they love is suddenly talking about space and simplifying.

No personality transplant. No beige minimalism. Just less noise, more breathing room, and one part of your life that finally starts to feel like it belongs to you.



Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Overwhelmed and Over It: How to Simplify One Part of Your Life This Week ...so there’s more time for what you actually want to do.

In this solo episode of *A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, author and health and wellbeing professional Monique van Tulder brings an evidence-based wellbeing lens to real life: mid-life, mental load, the domestic corporation, and that nagging thought that everyone else has hobbies and you have logistics. Space, she argues, is a legitimate prescription – sometimes in another country, often in your own postcode.

This is the first in the S.P.A.C.E series Season, where Monique walks you through her simple roadmap: Simplify, Plan, Act, Connect, Explore. Today is S = Simplify – not as in outer space, or moving to a monastery or throwing your life in a skip, but deliberately removing what no longer fits so you can move through your days with more ease and less resentment.

Along the way, Monique reads from A Grown Up’s Gap Year on why decluttering isn’t cosmetic, talks frankly about running a domestic corporation on top of a day job, and offers a “Dear Blokes” fridge-note for the men who are wondering why the woman they love is suddenly talking about space and simplifying.

No personality transplant. No beige minimalism. Just less noise, more breathing room, and one part of your life that finally starts to feel like it belongs to you.



Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18714391 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +1100 1167 EP31 3 4 full false Life After Menopause: Strong, Supported & Informed with Dr Joanna Bruce Womens Health Expert Life After Menopause: Strong, Supported & Informed with Dr Joanna Bruce Womens Health Expert Today we’re talking about something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime: life after menopause. Not the hot flush headlines, not the “is this peri?” panic – but what comes once the immediate hormone storm has settled and you’re looking at your 50s, 60s and beyond thinking: Right. What now? And how do I stay well enough to actually enjoy it? 

In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique is joined by Dr Joanna Bruce, GP and practice owner of Myma Health in Bondi Junction. Dr. Jo has been a doctor for almost 30 years, a GP for almost 20, and now spends much of her time seeing women exactly like us – post-menopause, carrying a lot, and wanting to feel well, strong and supported in the next bit of life. 

Together they explore:

  • what Dr Jo wants a woman to know when she’s been told she’s “through it” but still doesn’t feel herself
  • the key health pillars for the 10–20 years after menopause – bone, heart, brain, muscle, pelvic floor
  • where HRT might sit in the longer-term picture, not just for symptom relief but for future health
  • what not to dismiss as “just getting older” 
  • how to tune out the noisy supplement and “meno-washing” market (and what actually is worth spending money on) 
  • how to have better, less rushed conversations with your GP or specialist about this phase, including what to bring to appointments and what to ask 


You’ll also hear them talk about travel and time-out – what to think about if you’re planning your version of A Grown Up's Gap Year and want your body to keep up. 

This conversation is general in nature – it’s not personal medical advice or a substitute for seeing your own doctor – but it is designed to help you ask better questions and feel more informed when you do. 

No scare tactics, no miracle fixes. Just clear, evidence-based guidance on how to feel strong, supported and well in the decades after menopause, so the next act of your life.

 

Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Today we’re talking about something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime: life after menopause. Not the hot flush headlines, not the “is this peri?” panic – but what comes once the immediate hormone storm has settled and you’re looking at your 50s, 60s and beyond thinking: Right. What now? And how do I stay well enough to actually enjoy it? 

In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique is joined by Dr Joanna Bruce, GP and practice owner of Myma Health in Bondi Junction. Dr. Jo has been a doctor for almost 30 years, a GP for almost 20, and now spends much of her time seeing women exactly like us – post-menopause, carrying a lot, and wanting to feel well, strong and supported in the next bit of life. 

Together they explore:

  • what Dr Jo wants a woman to know when she’s been told she’s “through it” but still doesn’t feel herself
  • the key health pillars for the 10–20 years after menopause – bone, heart, brain, muscle, pelvic floor
  • where HRT might sit in the longer-term picture, not just for symptom relief but for future health
  • what not to dismiss as “just getting older” 
  • how to tune out the noisy supplement and “meno-washing” market (and what actually is worth spending money on) 
  • how to have better, less rushed conversations with your GP or specialist about this phase, including what to bring to appointments and what to ask 


You’ll also hear them talk about travel and time-out – what to think about if you’re planning your version of A Grown Up's Gap Year and want your body to keep up. 

This conversation is general in nature – it’s not personal medical advice or a substitute for seeing your own doctor – but it is designed to help you ask better questions and feel more informed when you do. 

No scare tactics, no miracle fixes. Just clear, evidence-based guidance on how to feel strong, supported and well in the decades after menopause, so the next act of your life.

 

Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18641377 Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +1100 3190 EP030 3 3 full false The Anti-Guilt Calculator: From Mental Load to Real Time-Out and Space for You The Anti-Guilt Calculator: From Mental Load to Real Time-Out and Space for You If you’re the one who remembers everyone’s everything – the logistics, the appointments, the emotions – but can’t remember the last time you had proper time-out, this episode is for you. In this Season Three opener of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique talks about the mental load, invisible labour and unpaid work so many women carry, and introduces The Anti-Guilt Calculator – your SPACE Prescription to finally see what you do, name what it costs, and carve out real space and time-out without apology.

In this episode you’ll:

  • Turn the mental load into a visible “receipt for services rendered” you can see, share and use as a starting point for change.
  • Use SPACE (Simplify, Plan, Act, Connect, Explore) as a practical, repeatable way to protect time-out in your actual week.
  • Try a 10-minute writing exercise to sketch your next season of life and design one realistic “toe-in-the-water” escape.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If you’re the one who remembers everyone’s everything – the logistics, the appointments, the emotions – but can’t remember the last time you had proper time-out, this episode is for you. In this Season Three opener of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique talks about the mental load, invisible labour and unpaid work so many women carry, and introduces The Anti-Guilt Calculator – your SPACE Prescription to finally see what you do, name what it costs, and carve out real space and time-out without apology.

In this episode you’ll:

  • Turn the mental load into a visible “receipt for services rendered” you can see, share and use as a starting point for change.
  • Use SPACE (Simplify, Plan, Act, Connect, Explore) as a practical, repeatable way to protect time-out in your actual week.
  • Try a 10-minute writing exercise to sketch your next season of life and design one realistic “toe-in-the-water” escape.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18641354 Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +1100 1758 EP029 3 2 full false A Grown Up’s Gap Year, From “I Can’t” to “Of Course I Can": My Year of Choosing Yes A Grown Up’s Gap Year, From “I Can’t” to “Of Course I Can": My Year of Choosing Yes Hello, for the first episode of season three, I'm going to replay one of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now?

Season 2, episode 8:
If you’ve ever looked around your life and thought, “Is this it?” while simultaneously being needed by everyone, this one’s for you.

In the final episode of Season Two, author and nutritionist Monique van Tulder looks at what actually happened when she stopped just writing about A Grown Up’s Gap Year and lived it – running away, coming home, writing the book, and then spending a year saying “yes” to things that made her mildly nauseous but curious: TV couches, radio interviews, speaking gigs and all.

Monique shares:

  • how one “Mum got mad and took off” moment became a book, a podcast and a very public experiment in mid-life reinvigoration
  • what readers and listeners have done with the ideas – from cruises and retreats to blunt conversations at home and long-service-leave experiments
  • why the Sydney Morning Herald comments and Morning Show clips made her double down on solo women’s travel, money, and the mental load
  • what changed in her 25-plus-year marriage when she stopped being the default setting and both partners decided to partner with purpose

You’ll also hear how her new Your SPACE Prescription quiz (the “anti-guilt calculator”) and the 52 Ideas for Your Version of a Grown Up’s Gap Year list fit into all of this – simple tools to help you put yourself back in the picture, whether your escape is a solo night in a hotel or something more adventurous.

No resolutions, no 75-day challenges, no pressure to be anyone else. Just one woman reporting back from the field so you can plot your own version, in a way that fits the life you have now.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Hello, for the first episode of season three, I'm going to replay one of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now?

Season 2, episode 8:
If you’ve ever looked around your life and thought, “Is this it?” while simultaneously being needed by everyone, this one’s for you.

In the final episode of Season Two, author and nutritionist Monique van Tulder looks at what actually happened when she stopped just writing about A Grown Up’s Gap Year and lived it – running away, coming home, writing the book, and then spending a year saying “yes” to things that made her mildly nauseous but curious: TV couches, radio interviews, speaking gigs and all.

Monique shares:

  • how one “Mum got mad and took off” moment became a book, a podcast and a very public experiment in mid-life reinvigoration
  • what readers and listeners have done with the ideas – from cruises and retreats to blunt conversations at home and long-service-leave experiments
  • why the Sydney Morning Herald comments and Morning Show clips made her double down on solo women’s travel, money, and the mental load
  • what changed in her 25-plus-year marriage when she stopped being the default setting and both partners decided to partner with purpose

You’ll also hear how her new Your SPACE Prescription quiz (the “anti-guilt calculator”) and the 52 Ideas for Your Version of a Grown Up’s Gap Year list fit into all of this – simple tools to help you put yourself back in the picture, whether your escape is a solo night in a hotel or something more adventurous.

No resolutions, no 75-day challenges, no pressure to be anyone else. Just one woman reporting back from the field so you can plot your own version, in a way that fits the life you have now.


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18601044 Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +1100 2196 EP028 3 1 full false Ask Why Not You: How Values Become Your North Star Ask Why Not You: How Values Become Your North Star Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 5:
Ever feel like you’re circling the same question - What now? Why not me? - without actually moving forward? This episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year takes you straight to the compass you’ve been missing: your values.

In less than half an hour, you’ll learn how to uncover your 3–5 non-negotiables - the litmus test for every yes, no, and “not for me.” Monique van Tulder guides you through her five-step “Values Lab,” weaving in real-life stories, Joan Didion wisdom, and practical micro-actions you can try this week.


Episode Resources & Links:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 5:
Ever feel like you’re circling the same question - What now? Why not me? - without actually moving forward? This episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year takes you straight to the compass you’ve been missing: your values.

In less than half an hour, you’ll learn how to uncover your 3–5 non-negotiables - the litmus test for every yes, no, and “not for me.” Monique van Tulder guides you through her five-step “Values Lab,” weaving in real-life stories, Joan Didion wisdom, and practical micro-actions you can try this week.


Episode Resources & Links:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18423524 Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +1100 1254 EP027 2 12 full false Emptier Nest And Everyday Resets That Work: with Prue Francis Emptier Nest And Everyday Resets That Work: with Prue Francis Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 6:
If your house is quieter and you aren't quite sure what comes next - this episode is for you. Mid-life reinvigoration, an emptier nest, and the everyday resets that stick. Monique talks with Prue Francis about naming the wobble, choosing small changes that actually work, and rebuilding connection - fun and supportive. Practical, candid, immediately usable. Why not now? Why not you? Plus, an invitation, to join us at 'A Grown Up’s Gap Year – THE CLUB' (Facebook) to keep the conversation going — plan escapes (big or small), share what’s working, meet some new friends - all to 'put yourself back in the picture'.

Prue highly recommends this article: Why growth requires saying goodbye - Ozan Varol. ozanvarol.com/why-growth-requires-saying-goodbye/

Use this program to check in with better eating and nutrition habits: healthwithbec.com/

And if you would like to get in touch with Prue you will find her business details here: Agricultural Consultants. Experts in farm business strategy and growth.
instagram.com/agrista.au/

Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 6:
If your house is quieter and you aren't quite sure what comes next - this episode is for you. Mid-life reinvigoration, an emptier nest, and the everyday resets that stick. Monique talks with Prue Francis about naming the wobble, choosing small changes that actually work, and rebuilding connection - fun and supportive. Practical, candid, immediately usable. Why not now? Why not you? Plus, an invitation, to join us at 'A Grown Up’s Gap Year – THE CLUB' (Facebook) to keep the conversation going — plan escapes (big or small), share what’s working, meet some new friends - all to 'put yourself back in the picture'.

Prue highly recommends this article: Why growth requires saying goodbye - Ozan Varol. ozanvarol.com/why-growth-requires-saying-goodbye/

Use this program to check in with better eating and nutrition habits: healthwithbec.com/

And if you would like to get in touch with Prue you will find her business details here: Agricultural Consultants. Experts in farm business strategy and growth.
instagram.com/agrista.au/

Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18423505 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +1100 2109 EP026 2 11 full false Why More Women Over 50 Are Travelling Solo: And Loving It Why More Women Over 50 Are Travelling Solo: And Loving It Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 7:
Somewhere between society decided women need permission slips to take a breath. If you need it (and of course we don't 'require permission' - our lives, we need look to only ourselves for how to live life fully) “But if a good nudge is required — take this episode as your signed slip."


Episode Resources & Links:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 7:
Somewhere between society decided women need permission slips to take a breath. If you need it (and of course we don't 'require permission' - our lives, we need look to only ourselves for how to live life fully) “But if a good nudge is required — take this episode as your signed slip."


Episode Resources & Links:


Additional Resources:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18423479 Tue, 13 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +1100 2013 EP025 2 10 full false Treat Yourself Like a Project: How Small Actions Lead to Big Clarity Treat Yourself Like a Project: How Small Actions Lead to Big Clarity Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 1:
What happens when you hit your limit - and run away instead of continuing to ‘run on empty?’ In this first episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, host Monique van Tulder (author of #1 amazon bestselling A Grown Up’s Gap Year - The Guidebook for mid Lifestyle. Wellbeing. Adventure) shares the real story behind her eight-month escape, why she left, what she discovered, and what it means to hit pause without burning your whole life down.

This is the beginning of a bold, heartfelt season - and a cultural reset for women everywhere who’ve been juggling it all.

👂 Plus: A book reading, a listener prompt, and a surprising note for ‘The Blokes’


Additional Resources


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Hello and Happy New Year. During January, I'm replaying four of our most downloaded, most messaged about episodes. Think of them as a short series to ease you into the year and ask, what about me and what about right now? So we're going right back to the Foundations.

Season 1, episode 1:
What happens when you hit your limit - and run away instead of continuing to ‘run on empty?’ In this first episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, host Monique van Tulder (author of #1 amazon bestselling A Grown Up’s Gap Year - The Guidebook for mid Lifestyle. Wellbeing. Adventure) shares the real story behind her eight-month escape, why she left, what she discovered, and what it means to hit pause without burning your whole life down.

This is the beginning of a bold, heartfelt season - and a cultural reset for women everywhere who’ve been juggling it all.

👂 Plus: A book reading, a listener prompt, and a surprising note for ‘The Blokes’


Additional Resources


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18423454 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +1100 1540 EP024 2 9 full false A Grown Up’s Gap Year, From “I Can’t” to “Of Course I Can": My Year of Choosing Yes A Grown Up’s Gap Year, From “I Can’t” to “Of Course I Can": My Year of Choosing Yes If you’ve ever looked around your life and thought, “Is this it?” while simultaneously being needed by everyone, this one’s for you.

In the final episode of Season Two, author and nutritionist Monique van Tulder looks at what actually happened when she stopped just writing about A Grown Up’s Gap Year and lived it – running away, coming home, writing the book, and then spending a year saying “yes” to things that made her mildly nauseous but curious: TV couches, radio interviews, speaking gigs and all.

Monique shares:

  • how one “Mum got mad and took off” moment became a book, a podcast and a very public experiment in mid-life reinvigoration
  • what readers and listeners have done with the ideas – from cruises and retreats to blunt conversations at home and long-service-leave experiments
  • why the Sydney Morning Herald comments and Morning Show clips made her double down on solo women’s travel, money, and the mental load
  • what changed in her 25-plus-year marriage when she stopped being the default setting and both partners decided to partner with purpose

You’ll also hear how her new Your SPACE Prescription quiz (the “anti-guilt calculator”) and the 52 Ideas for Your Version of a Grown Up’s Gap Year list fit into all of this – simple tools to help you put yourself back in the picture, whether your escape is a solo night in a hotel or something more adventurous.

No resolutions, no 75-day challenges, no pressure to be anyone else. Just one woman reporting back from the field so you can plot your own version, in a way that fits the life you have now.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If you’ve ever looked around your life and thought, “Is this it?” while simultaneously being needed by everyone, this one’s for you.

In the final episode of Season Two, author and nutritionist Monique van Tulder looks at what actually happened when she stopped just writing about A Grown Up’s Gap Year and lived it – running away, coming home, writing the book, and then spending a year saying “yes” to things that made her mildly nauseous but curious: TV couches, radio interviews, speaking gigs and all.

Monique shares:

  • how one “Mum got mad and took off” moment became a book, a podcast and a very public experiment in mid-life reinvigoration
  • what readers and listeners have done with the ideas – from cruises and retreats to blunt conversations at home and long-service-leave experiments
  • why the Sydney Morning Herald comments and Morning Show clips made her double down on solo women’s travel, money, and the mental load
  • what changed in her 25-plus-year marriage when she stopped being the default setting and both partners decided to partner with purpose

You’ll also hear how her new Your SPACE Prescription quiz (the “anti-guilt calculator”) and the 52 Ideas for Your Version of a Grown Up’s Gap Year list fit into all of this – simple tools to help you put yourself back in the picture, whether your escape is a solo night in a hotel or something more adventurous.

No resolutions, no 75-day challenges, no pressure to be anyone else. Just one woman reporting back from the field so you can plot your own version, in a way that fits the life you have now.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18348890 Tue, 30 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +1100 2270 EP23 2 8 full false Ditch the “New Year, New You” Resolutions: Pick Up a Notebook, Not a 75-Day Challenge Ditch the “New Year, New You” Resolutions: Pick Up a Notebook, Not a 75-Day Challenge If “New Year, New You” makes you want to throw your phone in the sea, this one’s for you. In this episode, Monique van Tulder – author of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – calls time on the standard New Year resolutions and 75-day “transformation” challenges. Instead of treating yourself like a renovation project, she invites you to treat yourself as the project and turn January into your own creative test kitchen. Monique shares how notebooks, scribbles, walks, paint, and “making something with no outcome attached” have pulled her through turbulent seasons – and why a cheap notebook can be more powerful than any 12-week program. She nods to Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way (Morning Pages and Artist Dates) and to research showing that everyday creativity is linked to better mood, more energy and clearer thinking. If you’re a midlife woman who’s done everything for everyone and is tired of being told to fix herself every January, this episode hands you a different brief. Perfect to listen to while you’re wrapping presents, hiding in the car with a hot coffee, or quietly planning what your January notebook might hold – with zero before-and-after photos required.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If “New Year, New You” makes you want to throw your phone in the sea, this one’s for you. In this episode, Monique van Tulder – author of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – calls time on the standard New Year resolutions and 75-day “transformation” challenges. Instead of treating yourself like a renovation project, she invites you to treat yourself as the project and turn January into your own creative test kitchen. Monique shares how notebooks, scribbles, walks, paint, and “making something with no outcome attached” have pulled her through turbulent seasons – and why a cheap notebook can be more powerful than any 12-week program. She nods to Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way (Morning Pages and Artist Dates) and to research showing that everyday creativity is linked to better mood, more energy and clearer thinking. If you’re a midlife woman who’s done everything for everyone and is tired of being told to fix herself every January, this episode hands you a different brief. Perfect to listen to while you’re wrapping presents, hiding in the car with a hot coffee, or quietly planning what your January notebook might hold – with zero before-and-after photos required.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18346221 Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +1100 631 EP022 2 7 full false Mid-Life Maintenance Mojo: Just Wear the Bikini & Other Handy Hints Mid-Life Maintenance Mojo: Just Wear the Bikini & Other Handy Hints In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique unpacks mid-life maintenance mojo – from mammograms and strength training to swimsuits, perimenopause, and why you should just wear the bikini (if you want to).

You’ll hear: 

  • Why mid-life maintenance is not vanity – it’s logistics for the adventures you still want (Italian hills, ocean swims, last-minute trips)
  • The real talk on swimmers, bodies and confidence: kaftans you don’t actually like, “sensible” shorts, and finding swimmers that let you get in the water, not hide beside it
  • A quick, evidence-based nod to Dr Stacy Sims and why women in perimenopause and menopause are not “small men” when it comes to training, hormones and recovery
  • The 60% rule: how aiming for “good enough” on decorations, grazing platters and emails can free up the energy you actually need for your own health and happiness
  • A listener story about booking five nights at a wellness retreat – just for her – and why maintenance is part of your adventure strategy, not an optional extra

Plus, Monique shares three simple Weekly Actions to get your mid-life maintenance mojo going:

  • Book one appointment for Future You (hair, health check, mammogram, GP, physio, strength coach).
  • Audit your swimmers and one outfit – anything that makes you wince or tug, goes.
  • Choose one area this festive season to apply the 60% rule, and use the saved time for a walk, a swim or a lie-down with a book.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, Monique unpacks mid-life maintenance mojo – from mammograms and strength training to swimsuits, perimenopause, and why you should just wear the bikini (if you want to).

You’ll hear: 

  • Why mid-life maintenance is not vanity – it’s logistics for the adventures you still want (Italian hills, ocean swims, last-minute trips)
  • The real talk on swimmers, bodies and confidence: kaftans you don’t actually like, “sensible” shorts, and finding swimmers that let you get in the water, not hide beside it
  • A quick, evidence-based nod to Dr Stacy Sims and why women in perimenopause and menopause are not “small men” when it comes to training, hormones and recovery
  • The 60% rule: how aiming for “good enough” on decorations, grazing platters and emails can free up the energy you actually need for your own health and happiness
  • A listener story about booking five nights at a wellness retreat – just for her – and why maintenance is part of your adventure strategy, not an optional extra

Plus, Monique shares three simple Weekly Actions to get your mid-life maintenance mojo going:

  • Book one appointment for Future You (hair, health check, mammogram, GP, physio, strength coach).
  • Audit your swimmers and one outfit – anything that makes you wince or tug, goes.
  • Choose one area this festive season to apply the 60% rule, and use the saved time for a walk, a swim or a lie-down with a book.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18344359 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +1100 991 EP21 2 6 full false Happyish Holidays: Festive Season Boundaries & What Feels Like Home Happyish Holidays: Festive Season Boundaries & What Feels Like Home Design a festive season that actually fits: clear, kind boundaries and small rituals that help you feel at home when “utterly joyful” feels like a stretch. In this short episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, we explore Happyish Holidays: how to set festive season boundaries that are clear and kind to you, and how to re-find what feels like home when traditions and family shapes have shifted. You’ll hear a candid story about home changing over time, three reflection questions to locate your version of home today, and a quick TRY THIS to create one small ritual just for you (a morning swim, a solo coffee, or a guilt-free no). We touch lightly on chosen family and low-stress gatherings, but the focus is practical boundaries and small, doable steps that protect your energy. Oh and we link to a fabulous episode on the topic with Glennon Doyle's "We Can Do Hard Things", and a meditation on "Home Away From Home" by author Pico Iyer.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Design a festive season that actually fits: clear, kind boundaries and small rituals that help you feel at home when “utterly joyful” feels like a stretch. In this short episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, we explore Happyish Holidays: how to set festive season boundaries that are clear and kind to you, and how to re-find what feels like home when traditions and family shapes have shifted. You’ll hear a candid story about home changing over time, three reflection questions to locate your version of home today, and a quick TRY THIS to create one small ritual just for you (a morning swim, a solo coffee, or a guilt-free no). We touch lightly on chosen family and low-stress gatherings, but the focus is practical boundaries and small, doable steps that protect your energy. Oh and we link to a fabulous episode on the topic with Glennon Doyle's "We Can Do Hard Things", and a meditation on "Home Away From Home" by author Pico Iyer.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18307805 Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +1100 1252 EP20 2 5 full false Dreaming of Your Own Greek Island House? A Chic Local Shares Her Mid-Life Reset on Hydra Dreaming of Your Own Greek Island House? A Chic Local Shares Her Mid-Life Reset on Hydra Ever caught yourself scrolling Greek property listings, wondering what it would be like to trade your commute for cobblestones, donkeys and Aegean light? In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, I sit down with award-winning artist Desiree Prinsloo, who divides her time between Sydney and the Greek island of Hydra. After her husband died and an 'untangling' unspooled in the aftermath, she reached a point where nothing was really holding her back. One night, browsing houses in Greece and Italy, she thought, why not? – and left Australia soon after. A few years on Desiree has restored a small hillside house (no cars, everything by mule), keeping it simple – raw wood, whitewashed walls, island light – and built a life that looks suspiciously like the fantasy most of us reserve for 'someday'. Her term for this season? Middle-youth. We talk about what really sits behind a “Greek island reset”: the grief, the paperwork, the budgets and the bravery; daily swims, mountain herbs and the hillside steps that “if they don’t kill me, keep me alive”; plus her best practical advice if you’re dreaming of “a house somewhere else” but don’t know where to start. Perfect if you’re mid-life, mildly exhausted, and secretly googling “Greek island house for sale” between Zoom calls.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Ever caught yourself scrolling Greek property listings, wondering what it would be like to trade your commute for cobblestones, donkeys and Aegean light? In this episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, I sit down with award-winning artist Desiree Prinsloo, who divides her time between Sydney and the Greek island of Hydra. After her husband died and an 'untangling' unspooled in the aftermath, she reached a point where nothing was really holding her back. One night, browsing houses in Greece and Italy, she thought, why not? – and left Australia soon after. A few years on Desiree has restored a small hillside house (no cars, everything by mule), keeping it simple – raw wood, whitewashed walls, island light – and built a life that looks suspiciously like the fantasy most of us reserve for 'someday'. Her term for this season? Middle-youth. We talk about what really sits behind a “Greek island reset”: the grief, the paperwork, the budgets and the bravery; daily swims, mountain herbs and the hillside steps that “if they don’t kill me, keep me alive”; plus her best practical advice if you’re dreaming of “a house somewhere else” but don’t know where to start. Perfect if you’re mid-life, mildly exhausted, and secretly googling “Greek island house for sale” between Zoom calls.


Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18267765 Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +1100 2768 EP19, Desiree Prinsloo 2 4 full false Mid-life Mental Load and Guilt: Your SPACE Prescription for Better Boundaries Mid-life Mental Load and Guilt: Your SPACE Prescription for Better Boundaries If you’re a mid-life woman who’s somehow ended up at the top of everyone else’s “people we need” pyramid and the bottom of your own, this one’s for you. In this episode, Monique talks about what happens when you finally admit you’re exhausted – from the unpaid, invisible work that quietly attached itself to your life while everyone else’s stayed more or less the same. By the time she left for her grown up’s gap year, she felt she’d been on call for decades and someone had forgotten to roster her off. You’ll hear the story of the infamous spreadsheet she handed to her Dear Bloke (AKA “this is what my free labour would cost if we’d outsourced it”), and why she calls it a receipt for services rendered, not a ransom note. We’ll dig into the research on the mental load and guilt, talk Winter season energy, and walk through two simple tools – your daily hot coffee moment and the Not Now / Not Me list – to start building higher, kinder boundaries in real life, not theory.

There are three boundary experiments to try this week, a quick Values checkpoint, and a short Dear Blokes fridge note for the men who genuinely want to help but don’t know where to start. We wrap with Monique’s new Your SPACE Prescription – Anti-Guilt Calculator: a two-minute, data-backed way to tally your invisible load and turn it into an actual time-out receipt you can stick on the fridge.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If you’re a mid-life woman who’s somehow ended up at the top of everyone else’s “people we need” pyramid and the bottom of your own, this one’s for you. In this episode, Monique talks about what happens when you finally admit you’re exhausted – from the unpaid, invisible work that quietly attached itself to your life while everyone else’s stayed more or less the same. By the time she left for her grown up’s gap year, she felt she’d been on call for decades and someone had forgotten to roster her off. You’ll hear the story of the infamous spreadsheet she handed to her Dear Bloke (AKA “this is what my free labour would cost if we’d outsourced it”), and why she calls it a receipt for services rendered, not a ransom note. We’ll dig into the research on the mental load and guilt, talk Winter season energy, and walk through two simple tools – your daily hot coffee moment and the Not Now / Not Me list – to start building higher, kinder boundaries in real life, not theory.

There are three boundary experiments to try this week, a quick Values checkpoint, and a short Dear Blokes fridge note for the men who genuinely want to help but don’t know where to start. We wrap with Monique’s new Your SPACE Prescription – Anti-Guilt Calculator: a two-minute, data-backed way to tally your invisible load and turn it into an actual time-out receipt you can stick on the fridge.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18232049 Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +1100 1699 EP18 2 3 full false Streamline Your Lifestyle: Declutter, Create SPACE, and Feel Better Now Streamline Your Lifestyle: Declutter, Create SPACE, and Feel Better Now Feeling better starts with space — physical first, mental next. In this candid, useful episode, Monique reads from her book, A Grown Up's Gap Year, on the beauty of simplicity, then gets real about the sandwich-generation juggle: a kitchen-table chat about Mum’s future, and a surprise moment of the bloke stepping in with calm, practical wisdom. You’ll leave with THIS WEEK’S GIVE (a 20-minute clear-out you can do today), a cut-and-paste Dear Blokes script, and a reminder that streamlining isn’t about perfect cupboards — it’s about buying back time and energy for the life you actually want.

Book reading: why less can feel like more

The sandwich generation (context that keeps it real)

Story: “The dance around Mum”

Story: “The bloke and the kidult”

🎁 THIS WEEK’S GIVE: one 20-minute clear-out + the Dear Blokes script

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Feeling better starts with space — physical first, mental next. In this candid, useful episode, Monique reads from her book, A Grown Up's Gap Year, on the beauty of simplicity, then gets real about the sandwich-generation juggle: a kitchen-table chat about Mum’s future, and a surprise moment of the bloke stepping in with calm, practical wisdom. You’ll leave with THIS WEEK’S GIVE (a 20-minute clear-out you can do today), a cut-and-paste Dear Blokes script, and a reminder that streamlining isn’t about perfect cupboards — it’s about buying back time and energy for the life you actually want.

Book reading: why less can feel like more

The sandwich generation (context that keeps it real)

Story: “The dance around Mum”

Story: “The bloke and the kidult”

🎁 THIS WEEK’S GIVE: one 20-minute clear-out + the Dear Blokes script

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18193321 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +1100 967 EP17 2 2 full false Your Two Minute Travel Prescription Reset: Find Space in Mid-life Your Two Minute Travel Prescription Reset: Find Space in Mid-life Feeling stretched thin and a little invisible? This episode gives you a simple, two-minute Travel Prescription Certificate to start reclaiming space—without dismantling your life. We talk the hot coffee moment (after decades of lukewarm), why streamlining comes first, and how to close a few of those 52 tabs in your head so you can actually hear yourself think. Solo when you want it, company when you choose it.

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • What the Travel Prescription Certificate is—and how to fill it in over one hot coffee.
  • A quick framework to streamline your week so time-out becomes time that’s truly yours.
  • Why “choose space over default” becomes easier when you print it and stick it on the fridge.
  • A one-minute An Insider’s Guide to Long-Term Love note for the Blokes who want to show up better.

Episode Resources & Links:

If this helped: Please share the episode or leave a quick rating/review. It genuinely helps this grassroots community grow.

Line to remember: Escape the expected. Choose space over default. It’s your turn.


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Feeling stretched thin and a little invisible? This episode gives you a simple, two-minute Travel Prescription Certificate to start reclaiming space—without dismantling your life. We talk the hot coffee moment (after decades of lukewarm), why streamlining comes first, and how to close a few of those 52 tabs in your head so you can actually hear yourself think. Solo when you want it, company when you choose it.

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • What the Travel Prescription Certificate is—and how to fill it in over one hot coffee.
  • A quick framework to streamline your week so time-out becomes time that’s truly yours.
  • Why “choose space over default” becomes easier when you print it and stick it on the fridge.
  • A one-minute An Insider’s Guide to Long-Term Love note for the Blokes who want to show up better.

Episode Resources & Links:

If this helped: Please share the episode or leave a quick rating/review. It genuinely helps this grassroots community grow.

Line to remember: Escape the expected. Choose space over default. It’s your turn.


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18151969 Tue, 11 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +1100 1429 EP16 2 1 full false Reinvention With Monique van Tulder and Michelle Cox on One Question Podcast Reinvention With Monique van Tulder and Michelle Cox on One Question Podcast This episode is part of a ‘series’ on the podcast One Question with host Michelle Cox - where she is talking to all guests about the same topic, and that topic is REINVENTION!

It is a topic she is often asked about; how she reinvented herself, why, the process she went through, and she was keen to talk to others about their transitions and what they went through to create a new life for themselves.

Today, it is with Monique van Tulder who has been inspiring mid-life women to shake things up a bit and encouraging them to step into their ‘second-act’ where, after decades of looking after others, they now get to spend time and resources on themselves.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> This episode is part of a ‘series’ on the podcast One Question with host Michelle Cox - where she is talking to all guests about the same topic, and that topic is REINVENTION!

It is a topic she is often asked about; how she reinvented herself, why, the process she went through, and she was keen to talk to others about their transitions and what they went through to create a new life for themselves.

Today, it is with Monique van Tulder who has been inspiring mid-life women to shake things up a bit and encouraging them to step into their ‘second-act’ where, after decades of looking after others, they now get to spend time and resources on themselves.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18116359 Tue, 04 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +1100 1577 EP15,Michelle Cox 1 15 full false From Shirley Valentine to Solo Adventure: Lessons from a Grown Up's Gap Year From Shirley Valentine to Solo Adventure: Lessons from a Grown Up's Gap Year A replay of an Episode where the mic is turned and I am a guest, chatting with Gillian Whitney of Easy Peasy Books podcast.

"Monique, author of "A Grown Up's Gap Year: Put YOU in the picture", shares the inspiring story behind her midlife memoir and self-help book. Discover what prompted Monique's "Shirley Valentine moment" of running away from home at 57 to embark on an 8-month solo journey of self-discovery and reinvigoration.

We discuss the challenges of vulnerable personal storytelling, working with experts to enrich her book's message, and the importance of self-care during the writing and publishing process. She also shared a peek into her upcoming book project aimed at helping men navigate their own midlife transitions.

Whether you're contemplating a midlife reset, struggling to balance writing with self-care, or simply seeking inspiration to put yourself back in the picture, you'll find wisdom, wit and relatability in Monique's transformative tale."

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> A replay of an Episode where the mic is turned and I am a guest, chatting with Gillian Whitney of Easy Peasy Books podcast.

"Monique, author of "A Grown Up's Gap Year: Put YOU in the picture", shares the inspiring story behind her midlife memoir and self-help book. Discover what prompted Monique's "Shirley Valentine moment" of running away from home at 57 to embark on an 8-month solo journey of self-discovery and reinvigoration.

We discuss the challenges of vulnerable personal storytelling, working with experts to enrich her book's message, and the importance of self-care during the writing and publishing process. She also shared a peek into her upcoming book project aimed at helping men navigate their own midlife transitions.

Whether you're contemplating a midlife reset, struggling to balance writing with self-care, or simply seeking inspiration to put yourself back in the picture, you'll find wisdom, wit and relatability in Monique's transformative tale."

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18070828 Tue, 28 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +1100 2306 EP14,Gillian Whitney 1 14 full false Breaking the Midlife Mold: Secrets of Australia’s Most Relentless PR Student Breaking the Midlife Mold: Secrets of Australia’s Most Relentless PR Student Another replay of an Episode where the mic is turned and I am a guest. This week chatting with Liz Nable, host of Media Magnet podcast (and Chief all round Media and PR wizz Media Masters Academy). Liz asks me about practical tips for building confidence, pitching, and never taking no for an answer. the impact of a coachable mindset and relentless consistency in becoming the media’s go-to expert (Liz's words - not mine - although I rather like this sentiment). The real crux is the steps to creating industry impact and inspiring women to own their stories.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Another replay of an Episode where the mic is turned and I am a guest. This week chatting with Liz Nable, host of Media Magnet podcast (and Chief all round Media and PR wizz Media Masters Academy). Liz asks me about practical tips for building confidence, pitching, and never taking no for an answer. the impact of a coachable mindset and relentless consistency in becoming the media’s go-to expert (Liz's words - not mine - although I rather like this sentiment). The real crux is the steps to creating industry impact and inspiring women to own their stories.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-18028357 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +1100 2263 EP13,Liz Nable 1 13 full false I Did a Shirley Valentine: Took a Gap Year and Found Myself I Did a Shirley Valentine: Took a Gap Year and Found Myself A replay of an Episode where the mic is turned and I am a guest of Your 2nd Act host Michelle Parsonage: Imagine reaching midlife and deciding to take a gap year, on your own, without your family, and without all the usual responsibilities.

How many times have you thought, "I wish I could just do that," but for some reason, you don’t because you’re scared of change and the unknown? Well, today’s guest is anything but scared of having a go. Monique van Tulder took the leap. She stepped away from her busy life, not to escape, but to reconnect with herself, recharge, and rediscover who she truly is. Monique’s gap year wasn’t about running away from life, it was about creating the time and space she needed for self-reflection and personal growth. Her journey not only gave her the clarity she needed but also inspired her to write A Grown Up’s Gap Year. In her book, Monique shares how taking time for yourself, embracing change, and stepping into the unknown can lead to a deeper understanding of who you are and what you want from life.

Monique offers practical advice for women who feel stuck or overwhelmed, reminding us that it’s never too late to make a change. Sometimes, all it takes is asking, "Why not now?"

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> A replay of an Episode where the mic is turned and I am a guest of Your 2nd Act host Michelle Parsonage: Imagine reaching midlife and deciding to take a gap year, on your own, without your family, and without all the usual responsibilities.

How many times have you thought, "I wish I could just do that," but for some reason, you don’t because you’re scared of change and the unknown? Well, today’s guest is anything but scared of having a go. Monique van Tulder took the leap. She stepped away from her busy life, not to escape, but to reconnect with herself, recharge, and rediscover who she truly is. Monique’s gap year wasn’t about running away from life, it was about creating the time and space she needed for self-reflection and personal growth. Her journey not only gave her the clarity she needed but also inspired her to write A Grown Up’s Gap Year. In her book, Monique shares how taking time for yourself, embracing change, and stepping into the unknown can lead to a deeper understanding of who you are and what you want from life.

Monique offers practical advice for women who feel stuck or overwhelmed, reminding us that it’s never too late to make a change. Sometimes, all it takes is asking, "Why not now?"

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17995050 Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +1100 2543 EP12,Michelle Parsonage 1 12 full false Living As If: A Mid-Life Reinvigoration Idea To Start Now Living As If: A Mid-Life Reinvigoration Idea To Start Now This episode is the pivot. It’s not about dismantling your life. It’s about backing yourself for a minute. What if your so-called second act isn’t about waiting for perfect conditions, but about remembering who you are — and showing up for it? The moment we stop dreaming about change — and start living it. On purpose. In real life. Living as if… As if you were already the version of yourself you always imagined you’d be. As if you trusted that vision enough to move toward it. As if you didn’t need anyone’s permission to prioritise your joy, your energy, your next act. Let’s talk about what happens when we stop waiting — for the timing, the kids to be sorted, the finances to be perfect — and start living like we’ve already said yes.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> This episode is the pivot. It’s not about dismantling your life. It’s about backing yourself for a minute. What if your so-called second act isn’t about waiting for perfect conditions, but about remembering who you are — and showing up for it? The moment we stop dreaming about change — and start living it. On purpose. In real life. Living as if… As if you were already the version of yourself you always imagined you’d be. As if you trusted that vision enough to move toward it. As if you didn’t need anyone’s permission to prioritise your joy, your energy, your next act. Let’s talk about what happens when we stop waiting — for the timing, the kids to be sorted, the finances to be perfect — and start living like we’ve already said yes.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17946249 Tue, 07 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +1100 1418 EP11 1 11 full false Seasons and Japanese Rituals: In conversation with Six Senses Kyoto’s Director of Wellness Seasons and Japanese Rituals: In conversation with Six Senses Kyoto’s Director of Wellness This week we head to Kyoto for a conversation about wellbeing that isn’t performative — it’s lived. We talk kerbside shrines and small daily reverence, seasonal eating, onsen bathing, and why Japanese approaches to rest, ritual, and nature feel like a balm in mid-life. Director of Wellness for Six Senses Kyoto, Ayako Fukuda, embodies a philosophy that is beautifully simple: wellbeing begins by restoring balance between humanity, the earth, and the heavens — and by being mindful of the moment you are in. It’s not about “fixing” yourself. It’s about rhythm, seasonality, space, and attention.

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> This week we head to Kyoto for a conversation about wellbeing that isn’t performative — it’s lived. We talk kerbside shrines and small daily reverence, seasonal eating, onsen bathing, and why Japanese approaches to rest, ritual, and nature feel like a balm in mid-life. Director of Wellness for Six Senses Kyoto, Ayako Fukuda, embodies a philosophy that is beautifully simple: wellbeing begins by restoring balance between humanity, the earth, and the heavens — and by being mindful of the moment you are in. It’s not about “fixing” yourself. It’s about rhythm, seasonality, space, and attention.

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17907718 Tue, 30 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +1000 1542 EP10,Ayako Fukuda 1 10 full false Why I'm A Fan Of Best Practice Retreats: Wellness Travel Done Well Why I'm A Fan Of Best Practice Retreats: Wellness Travel Done Well Feeling stretched thin but not sure a “holiday” will fix it? This episode unpacks what a real retreat looks like—and how to choose one that doesn’t fall apart the second you’re home. We talk best-practice design, how to avoid the Wellness Trap, and why intentional space beats a packed schedule of treatments every time. If you’ve ever wondered whether a retreat could actually help you feel better, think clearer, and get back in the picture—start here. Wellness Travel, done well.

Episode Resources & Links:

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Feeling stretched thin but not sure a “holiday” will fix it? This episode unpacks what a real retreat looks like—and how to choose one that doesn’t fall apart the second you’re home. We talk best-practice design, how to avoid the Wellness Trap, and why intentional space beats a packed schedule of treatments every time. If you’ve ever wondered whether a retreat could actually help you feel better, think clearer, and get back in the picture—start here. Wellness Travel, done well.

Episode Resources & Links:

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17870486 Tue, 23 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +1000 1401 EP09 1 9 full false Saying Yes in Mid-life: A Camino Pilgrimage with Anna Manlulo Saying Yes in Mid-life: A Camino Pilgrimage with Anna Manlulo Anna Manlulo said yes to herself and walked the Camino de Santiago — one step, one day, along hundreds of kilometres of ancient pilgrim paths. We talk about the moment she moved from “one day” to “I’m going,” the logistics around work and family, the day-to-day reality on the trail, and what changed when she came home. You’ll leave with five things: one mindset shift, one planning tip, one safety habit, one packing tip, and a prompt to find a ‘local Camino’ you can try in your own postcode. Why not now? Why not you?

Episode Resources & Links:

  • Buy Anna Manlulo's book here
  • And say hello to her on Instagram Adobo Downunder
  • Travel journalling app mentioned - Polar Steps
  • Family Organiser App - Family Wall
  • Anna's Camino Tour with Catholic Mission Australia


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Anna Manlulo said yes to herself and walked the Camino de Santiago — one step, one day, along hundreds of kilometres of ancient pilgrim paths. We talk about the moment she moved from “one day” to “I’m going,” the logistics around work and family, the day-to-day reality on the trail, and what changed when she came home. You’ll leave with five things: one mindset shift, one planning tip, one safety habit, one packing tip, and a prompt to find a ‘local Camino’ you can try in your own postcode. Why not now? Why not you?

Episode Resources & Links:

  • Buy Anna Manlulo's book here
  • And say hello to her on Instagram Adobo Downunder
  • Travel journalling app mentioned - Polar Steps
  • Family Organiser App - Family Wall
  • Anna's Camino Tour with Catholic Mission Australia


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17822294 Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +1000 2739 EP08,Anna Manlulo 1 8 full false Why More Women Over 50 Are Travelling Solo: And Loving It Why More Women Over 50 Are Travelling Solo: And Loving It Somewhere between society decided women need permission slips to take a breath. If you need it (and of course we don't 'require permission' - our lives, we need look to only ourselves for how to live life fully) “But if a good nudge is required — take this episode as your signed slip."

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Somewhere between society decided women need permission slips to take a breath. If you need it (and of course we don't 'require permission' - our lives, we need look to only ourselves for how to live life fully) “But if a good nudge is required — take this episode as your signed slip."

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17762787 Tue, 09 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +1000 2071 EP07 1 7 full false Emptier Nest And Everyday Resets That Work: with Prue Francis Emptier Nest And Everyday Resets That Work: with Prue Francis If your house is quieter and you aren't quite sure what comes next - this episode is for you. Mid-life reinvigoration, an emptier nest, and the everyday resets that stick. Monique talks with Prue Francis about naming the wobble, choosing small changes that actually work, and rebuilding connection - fun and supportive. Practical, candid, immediately usable. Why not now? Why not you? Plus, an invitation, to join us at 'A Grown Up’s Gap Year – THE CLUB' (Facebook) to keep the conversation going — plan escapes (big or small), share what’s working, meet some new friends - all to 'put yourself back in the picture'.

Prue highly recommends this article: Why growth requires saying goodbye - Ozan Varol. ozanvarol.com/why-growth-requires-saying-goodbye/

Use this program to check in with better eating and nutrition habits: healthwithbec.com/

And if you would like to get in touch with Prue you will find her business details here: Agricultural Consultants. Experts in farm business strategy and growth.
instagram.com/agrista.au/


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> If your house is quieter and you aren't quite sure what comes next - this episode is for you. Mid-life reinvigoration, an emptier nest, and the everyday resets that stick. Monique talks with Prue Francis about naming the wobble, choosing small changes that actually work, and rebuilding connection - fun and supportive. Practical, candid, immediately usable. Why not now? Why not you? Plus, an invitation, to join us at 'A Grown Up’s Gap Year – THE CLUB' (Facebook) to keep the conversation going — plan escapes (big or small), share what’s working, meet some new friends - all to 'put yourself back in the picture'.

Prue highly recommends this article: Why growth requires saying goodbye - Ozan Varol. ozanvarol.com/why-growth-requires-saying-goodbye/

Use this program to check in with better eating and nutrition habits: healthwithbec.com/

And if you would like to get in touch with Prue you will find her business details here: Agricultural Consultants. Experts in farm business strategy and growth.
instagram.com/agrista.au/


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17756086 Tue, 02 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +1000 2074 EP06 1 6 full false Ask Why Not You: How Values Become Your North Star Ask Why Not You: How Values Become Your North Star Ever feel like you’re circling the same question - What now? Why not me? - without actually moving forward? This episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year takes you straight to the compass you’ve been missing: your values.

In less than half an hour, you’ll learn how to uncover your 3–5 non-negotiables - the litmus test for every yes, no, and “not for me.” Monique van Tulder guides you through her five-step “Values Lab,” weaving in real-life stories, Joan Didion wisdom, and practical micro-actions you can try this week.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Ever feel like you’re circling the same question - What now? Why not me? - without actually moving forward? This episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year takes you straight to the compass you’ve been missing: your values.

In less than half an hour, you’ll learn how to uncover your 3–5 non-negotiables - the litmus test for every yes, no, and “not for me.” Monique van Tulder guides you through her five-step “Values Lab,” weaving in real-life stories, Joan Didion wisdom, and practical micro-actions you can try this week.

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17714764 Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +1000 1296 EP05 1 5 full false The Rewrite: Letting Go to Begin Again with Melinda Louise Hutchings The Rewrite: Letting Go to Begin Again with Melinda Louise Hutchings What if the life you’ve built no longer fits? In this candid, hope-filled episode, author of A Grown Up’s Gap Year, wellbeing commentator and host Monique van Tulder, interviews fellow author, editor and Fit HIIT Pilates founder, Melinda Louise Hutchings, to talk reinvention, no regrets, and why it’s never too late to rewrite your next chapter.

Melinda Louise Hutchings - who not only contributed a powerful chapter to A Grown Up’s Gap Year, but also edited the book.

Melinda knows what it’s like to take a moment to plan a fresh start - from leaving a life that no longer felt right, to retraining, relocating, and rewriting her own rules. We talk about what really happens when you stop saying “one day” and begin instead.

This episode is for anyone hovering at the edge of change:

  • If you’re wondering whether it’s too late (it’s not)
  • If you’ve been collecting “maybe later” dreams
  • If you need to borrow someone else’s courage before you can claim your own

Melinda shares how she let go of the known, handled pushback, and discovered the unexpected joys of beginning again. We also talk ageing with purpose, rewriting mid-life myths, and the power of Pilates (yes, really).

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> What if the life you’ve built no longer fits? In this candid, hope-filled episode, author of A Grown Up’s Gap Year, wellbeing commentator and host Monique van Tulder, interviews fellow author, editor and Fit HIIT Pilates founder, Melinda Louise Hutchings, to talk reinvention, no regrets, and why it’s never too late to rewrite your next chapter.

Melinda Louise Hutchings - who not only contributed a powerful chapter to A Grown Up’s Gap Year, but also edited the book.

Melinda knows what it’s like to take a moment to plan a fresh start - from leaving a life that no longer felt right, to retraining, relocating, and rewriting her own rules. We talk about what really happens when you stop saying “one day” and begin instead.

This episode is for anyone hovering at the edge of change:

  • If you’re wondering whether it’s too late (it’s not)
  • If you’ve been collecting “maybe later” dreams
  • If you need to borrow someone else’s courage before you can claim your own

Melinda shares how she let go of the known, handled pushback, and discovered the unexpected joys of beginning again. We also talk ageing with purpose, rewriting mid-life myths, and the power of Pilates (yes, really).

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17543352 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +1000 1793 EP04,Melinda Louise Hutchings 1 4 full false Your Grown Up’s Gap Year Starts Here: And It May Not Be Where You Thought Your Grown Up’s Gap Year Starts Here: And It May Not Be Where You Thought A Grown Up’s Gap Year starts here — Tiny acts, big shifts: the art of feeling alive again. (no job-quitting or plane ticket required).

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> A Grown Up’s Gap Year starts here — Tiny acts, big shifts: the art of feeling alive again. (no job-quitting or plane ticket required).

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17645706 Tue, 12 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +1000 941 EP03 1 3 full false The Great Untethering: Why This Podcast Isn’t Just Fluff The Great Untethering: Why This Podcast Isn’t Just Fluff Before the book, the podcast, or the well-meaning comments about being “so lucky,”... there was a woman who ran away. Not forever - but far enough to hear herself think.

In this bonus episode, author and wellbeing commentator and host Monique van Tulder shares the real reason she wrote A Grown Up’s Gap Year - how this community was born - from financial truths and invisible workloads to the quiet ache of disappearing behind to do lists and family schedules.

This isn’t just about one woman stepping back. It’s about the systems that keep so many stuck - and why it’s time we talked about them.

💬 Includes a book reading from A Grown Up’s Gap Year, powerful insights on motherhood, money, and mental load, and an invitation to rethink what mid-life could really look like.

⚡ This show isn’t fluff - it’s fuel. For women floundering in beige. For daughters watching. For sons who need a new kind of masculine.

Listen now, and begin your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year - no plane ticket required.

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Before the book, the podcast, or the well-meaning comments about being “so lucky,”... there was a woman who ran away. Not forever - but far enough to hear herself think.

In this bonus episode, author and wellbeing commentator and host Monique van Tulder shares the real reason she wrote A Grown Up’s Gap Year - how this community was born - from financial truths and invisible workloads to the quiet ache of disappearing behind to do lists and family schedules.

This isn’t just about one woman stepping back. It’s about the systems that keep so many stuck - and why it’s time we talked about them.

💬 Includes a book reading from A Grown Up’s Gap Year, powerful insights on motherhood, money, and mental load, and an invitation to rethink what mid-life could really look like.

⚡ This show isn’t fluff - it’s fuel. For women floundering in beige. For daughters watching. For sons who need a new kind of masculine.

Listen now, and begin your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year - no plane ticket required.

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17543272 Tue, 05 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +1000 1010 EP02 1 2 full false Treat Yourself Like a Project: How Small Actions Lead to Big Clarity Treat Yourself Like a Project: How Small Actions Lead to Big Clarity What happens when you hit your limit - and run away instead of continuing to ‘run on empty?’ In this first episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, host Monique van Tulder (author of #1 amazon bestselling A Grown Up’s Gap Year - The Guidebook for mid Lifestyle. Wellbeing. Adventure) shares the real story behind her eight-month escape, why she left, what she discovered, and what it means to hit pause without burning your whole life down.

This is the beginning of a bold, heartfelt season - and a cultural reset for women everywhere who’ve been juggling it all.

👂 Plus: A book reading, a listener prompt, and a surprising note for ‘The Blokes’

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> What happens when you hit your limit - and run away instead of continuing to ‘run on empty?’ In this first episode of A Grown Up’s Gap Year – The Podcast, host Monique van Tulder (author of #1 amazon bestselling A Grown Up’s Gap Year - The Guidebook for mid Lifestyle. Wellbeing. Adventure) shares the real story behind her eight-month escape, why she left, what she discovered, and what it means to hit pause without burning your whole life down.

This is the beginning of a bold, heartfelt season - and a cultural reset for women everywhere who’ve been juggling it all.

👂 Plus: A book reading, a listener prompt, and a surprising note for ‘The Blokes’

Episode Resources & Links:


📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17572883 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +1000 1544 EP01 1 1 full false Introducing A Grown Up's Gap Year Podcast Introducing A Grown Up's Gap Year Podcast Introducing the Grown Up's Gap Year Podcast - a series of interviews.

Women (& a few blokes) Doing Inspiring Things in Fascinating Places.

The sorts of journeys (physical & internal) that are courageous, creative, and totally joyful. Women who have designed a life that suits them - their path may offer possibilities for your options you may never have considered.

Entertaining & practical.

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Introducing the Grown Up's Gap Year Podcast - a series of interviews.

Women (& a few blokes) Doing Inspiring Things in Fascinating Places.

The sorts of journeys (physical & internal) that are courageous, creative, and totally joyful. Women who have designed a life that suits them - their path may offer possibilities for your options you may never have considered.

Entertaining & practical.

📚 Get your copy of A Grown Up’s Gap Year the book, from Amazon, moniquevantulder.com, bookshops and libraries, subscribe to the podcast, and take the first step toward your own A Grown Up’s Gap Year.

]]> Monique van Tulder Buzzsprout-17541558 Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +1000 290 Trailer trailer false