Catherine closes out her personal series with an honest look at “the messy middle”—the in-between chapter that sits after the hardest seasons and before the next expansive one. She shares what it’s like to live alone in a new city for the first time, to come home to silence after years of chaos, and to navigate deep loneliness while still growing into a career, leadership, and a fuller identity beyond motherhood. Catherine talks about the shifting roles that come with aging parents, adult children, and changing faith, and how isolation can plant seeds of clarity, self-awareness, and direction if you stop running from it. She also shares the surprising freedoms of this season—choice, stillness, journaling, self-care, and learning new things—while holding the real tension of paying bills and planning for the future. She ends by inviting listeners into the next chapter of the show: bringing guests into the room to explore their own messy middles, pivots, and “backwards sweater” moments.
💬 What You'll Hear
- What Catherine means by “the messy middle” and why it’s lonelier than people admit
- Living alone in a new city: silence, stillness, and no built-in community (yet)
- The emotional shift of aging parents and the fear of being “orphaned”
- How loneliness can plant seeds of clarity, self-awareness, and direction
- The freedom of choice after years of caretaking (including the surprisingly big “what’s for dinner?” shift)
- Balancing being a mom to adult kids while becoming more of herself
- Holding multiple identities at once: mom, partner, leader, and “just a girl” evolving
- Staying true to purpose while still paying bills and thinking about retirement
- Why uncertainty can be scary *and* exciting—and how to follow the breadcrumbs
- How Catherine learned leadership by observing what *not* to do
- What’s next for the podcast: inviting guests with different stories into the room
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Takeaway The messy middle may feel quiet, lonely, and uncertain—but it can also be the most clarifying chapter of all. If you stop running from the silence, it can show you what you want, who you’re becoming, and what you’re ready to build next.
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DisclaimerThese stories are mine — told through my eyes, my lens, and my lived experience. Each person moves through life in their own way. I own these stories, and I share them to inspire us all to live truthfully, freely, and as our most authentic selves.
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Connect with CatherineIf you’re in a messy middle right now, you’re not behind—you’re becoming. Share this episode with someone who’s in a transition season, and send Catherine a message with this: *What’s one “seed of clarity” your lonely or uncertain season is teaching you right now?*
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Theme Song Written and Composed by Trevor Lynch and Michaela Dennis and recorded by Trevor Lynch in Chicago IL
Photo: Baumgardner Studio Yakima, WA
Production:
Red Trux Productions Snohomish, WA
Episode 11
