HAYR? The Sausage Mincer of Midlife

Author: Danielle Colley
Published: Wed 20 Aug 2025
Episode Link: None

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If you're hiding in your car in a supermarket car park stealing five minutes of peace, this How Are You Really? episode is just for you.

Welcome to what Danielle is calling "The Sausage Mincer of Midlife" - that brutal life stage where you're finally winning at work just as your teenagers turn feral and your parents need more support than ever. It's when everything demands 100% of your attention but you're maxed out at 60% because that's literally all you have.

She recently asked her AI assistant Claude for advice about this impossible juggle. His response? "Yeah, that's a lot. Keep going." She wanted a silver bullet. The brutal truth? There isn't one.

This isn't another episode about better systems or time management hacks. This is about accepting that some seasons can't be optimised - they can only be survived.

Danielle is sharing why it's okay to resent how hard this is, permission to be mediocre, and the survival strategies that are actually getting her through.

From the strategic "no" that makes angels sing to understanding glass balls versus rubber balls, this episode is for anyone drowning in the impossible math of midlife demands.

You're not broken. You don't need fixing. You just need to know you're not alone in the mincer.

Key Topics: Midlife overwhelm, parenting teenagers, caring for aging parents, relationship survival, permission to struggle, practical coping strategies

00:00 Introduction and Purpose

00:54 The Sausage Mincer of Midlife

02:33 Parenting Challenges

03:27 Caring for Aging Parents

04:51 Struggles and Realizations

13:38 Permission to Be Mediocre

17:06 Triage Approach to Life

18:58 Micro Moments of Connection

22:23 Conclusion and Encouragement

22:57 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Connect:

Instagram - @iamdaniellecolley