Searching for a new role is rarely joyful. Add children, mortgages, relocation, and a 25-year career in one industry… and suddenly midlife stuckness feels very real.

When Dom Salomoni found himself job hunting for the first time in decades at 48, he didn’t spiral into panic-mode hustle. Instead, he designed a six-month runway. He invested in mindfulness. He redefined success for this stage of life. And he built what he calls his North Star — a clear, non-negotiable definition of what work needed to give him now.

This conversation explores what midlife professionals rarely say out loud:

The fear. The ego wobble. The identity shift. The quiet recalibration.

Lucia Knight unpacks the emotional and practical strategies that helped Dom stay steady — and why midlife job search isn’t just about getting hired. It’s about designing work that matters.

1. Why midlife job search feels different (and heavier) than early-career moves
2. How a defined runway reduces panic and protects your thinking
3. The power of mindfulness over frantic productivity
4. Creating a North Star that reflects who you are now — not who you were at 38

Structuring your days so rejection doesn’t define your worth

Midlife job search often arrives quietly — through redundancy, relocation, or simply the realization that your work no longer fits.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone navigating their own stuckness. You never know who might need a steadier way forward.

And if you're ready to design work that truly fits this season of your life, you can learn more about working with me here: https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

Ever find yourself thinking, “I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up”?

You’re not alone — and more importantly, you’re not behind.

In this episode, I respond to a heartfelt question from a 43-year-old marketing director who's feeling stuck and unsure about their future. We unravel the pressure-packed question we've all heard since childhood — “What do you want to be when you grow up?” — and offer two far more useful ones instead.

You’ll hear:

1. Why we’re still haunted by career expectations that began at age five
2. A mindset shift that turns work from obligation to opportunity
3. Two powerful questions that can reframe your midlife work life
4. How to connect your superpowers with real-world problems that matter
5. A peek inside how we tackle this inside the Fierce Emporium programme

If your brain has been circling the same old questions for years, this is the episode to help you stop the spiral — and start designing something better.

🎥 Watch the video – Do I just need a new job or a new strategy?

👉 Watch now

📥 Free download – Five Questions to Ask When You’re Feeling Career Stuck

👉 Download here

💬 Join the conversation – You’re not too old, and it’s not too late.

👉 Midlife Unstuck Community Invitation

If this episode sparks something, please share it with someone who's quietly wondering the same thing.

Have you ever had that gut-feeling that something’s off at work? You’re good at your job, but it just doesn’t feel good enough? In this episode, I share the one powerful concept that’s helped hundreds of my clients feel more alive, energised, and fulfilled in their careers—superpowers.

Not the comic-book kind, but those unique things you do so effortlessly and joyfully that time disappears.

Together, we’ll explore:

1. What superpowers actually are (and how to spot yours)
2. Three ways to uncover your own hidden brilliance
3. Simple, real-life tweaks to build joy into your workday
4. Why using your superpowers more often leads to promotions, pay rises, and feeling less drained at home

And yes, there’s a free tool to help you begin.

📥 Download the Superpower Starter Worksheet

👉 https://midlifeunstuck.activehosted.com/f/17

Let’s design a workday (and a work life) that actually feels like you.

When your new boss is 20 years younger than you (and possibly owns trainers your teenager wants), the emotional whiplash is real.

In this episode, I respond to a listener who's just landed under the leadership of someone they could have taught to drive. I share seven very practical, very real strategies for navigating this shift—without bitterness, without sarcasm, and with all the self-possession you've built up over decades.

This isn't about sucking up or staying silent. It's about dignity, relevance, and choosing to lead in a new way. Whether you're simmering with frustration or simply unsure how to proceed, this one's for you.

You’re not too old, and it’s not too late.

Join the Midlife Unstuck Community → https://midlifeunstuck.activehosted.com/f/3

1. 7 Dignified Strategies for Working with a Baby Boss
2. Case Study Series on Midlife Career Redesign

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn how you can work with me:

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

Catch Other Stories of Midlife Career Redesign:

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

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

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

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

I get this question more often than you might expect:

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

Yes. I’ve seen this a lot.

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

It sits between happy work and unhappy work.

It doesn’t ring alarm bells.

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

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

In this episode, I talk about:

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

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

Because the middle child doesn’t stay quiet forever.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Curious what joy at work could look like for you?

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

Catch Other Stories of Midlife Career Redesign:

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

From Stuck to Energised: Lara’s Story

Escaping Boredom and Finding Your Superpowers: Scott’s Story