Shows
A Grown Up's Gap YearDreaming of Your Own Greek Island House? A Chic Local Shares Her Mid-Life Reset on HydraEver 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 re...
2025-12-0146 min
Mamamia Out LoudSummer Book Club: All Fours - Miranda JulyIt’s hot and everyone’s slightly unhinged, so what better time to kick off the Mamamia Out Loud Summer Book Club than with the only novel bold enough to ask: What if you left your family for a road trip and reinvented yourself... in a motel off the freeway? In the first of our Summer Book Club episodes, Em, Jessie and Holly dive into Miranda July’s All Fours, a book that is part midlife crisis, part erotic fever dream and part existential stand-up comedy routine. Em, Jessie and Holly discuss female desire, boredom, creativ...
2025-11-2941 minMamamia Out LoudAll The Things We Didn’t Need To Know About The Sex Scandal Of The YearSo. Everyone says your fiancée cheated on you with a big-wig politician (or two). After you break up, you're sitting on a whole lot of juicy, icky, sexy detail from messages and emails that you KNOW the world is going to be into. Do you release them? Well, of course you do. And welcome to the sex scandal that's consuming America right now - the Olivia Nuzzi affair. So, do YOU want to hear all about it? Also, what do real-life witches think of Wicked, For Good? And, women have never been hornier. At lea...
2025-11-2852 minMamamia Out LoudThe Women Quietly Quitting Their Husbands & Your High School GhostWould you partner notice if you 'quiet quit' your relationship? You know, quietly moving into separate bedrooms, watching all your own shows in different rooms of the house at night, never socialising together, taking separate holidays... Plenty of people are doing it, and probably always have. So, is it always a bad thing? And is it possible to un-quit?Also, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and the world's most-irritating press tour. Yes, Wicked For Good is out and you will not have missed the two stars coo-ing over each other on global red carpets. Are they the world's...
2025-11-2648 minA Grown Up's Gap YearMid-life Mental Load and Guilt: Your SPACE Prescription for Better BoundariesIf 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...
2025-11-2428 minA Grown Up's Gap YearStreamline Your Lifestyle: Declutter, Create SPACE, and Feel Better NowFeeling 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.Bo...
2025-11-1716 min
Prime Time with Bec WilsonA Grown Up Gap Year; With Monique van Tulder ✨In this episode, I chat with Monique van Tulder; Author, wellbeing and travel writer, certified nutritionist, and long-time advocate for making space to breathe! We talk about Monique's book, The Grown Up's Gap Year, as an antidote to lifestyle overwhelm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2025-11-1229 minA Grown Up's Gap YearYour Two Minute Travel Prescription Reset: Find Space in Mid-lifeFeeling 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 s...
2025-11-1023 minA Grown Up's Gap YearReinvention With Monique van Tulder and Michelle Cox on One Question PodcastThis 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 enco...
2025-11-0326 minA Grown Up's Gap YearFrom Shirley Valentine to Solo Adventure: Lessons from a Grown Up's Gap YearA 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...
2025-10-2738 min
MIDThe Gap Year That Saved A MarriageThe invisible woman still leaves quite a gap when she disappears. You might not have seen her smoothing your path this morning, ensuring clean clothes, full bellies, and petrol in cars. She paid bills, kept WiFi flowing, Netflix streaming, remembered gym renewals and doctor's appointments—putting herself last on every list. Until she doesn't. When the invisible woman packs her bags and buggers right off, suddenly her space becomes blindingly clear. Meet Monique van Tulder—mum, wife, woman who forgot to live her life. She took a grown-up gap year, went to c...
2025-10-271h 00
Easy Peasy Books060: From Shirley Valentine to Solo Adventure: Lessons from a Grown Up's Gap Year with Monique van TulderMonique van Tulder, 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.Monique discusses 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 shares a peek into her upcoming book project aimed at helping men navigate their own midlife transitions.
2025-10-2135 minA Grown Up's Gap YearBreaking the Midlife Mold: Secrets of Australia’s Most Relentless PR StudentAnother 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....
2025-10-2037 minA Grown Up's Gap YearI Did a Shirley Valentine: Took a Gap Year and Found MyselfA 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...
2025-10-1342 min
MidliferyA Grown Up's Gap YearWhat started as a spontaneous trip to reset became five months in Queensland, followed by travel through Europe, solo. Monique Van Tulder took a Grown Up's Gap Year. Through that journey, she reconnected with herself, practised saying “no” to the expectations she’d long carried, and began crafting a life rooted in purpose and self-priority.In this episode, we sit down to talk about midlife transitions, the courage it takes to leave the “default path,” the emotional weight of the mental load, and how to step into midlife with clarity and freedom. Hosted...
2025-10-0929 minA Grown Up's Gap YearLiving As If: A Mid-Life Reinvigoration Idea To Start NowThis 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 jo...
2025-10-0623 minA Grown Up's Gap YearSeasons and Japanese Rituals: In conversation with Six Senses Kyoto’s Director of WellnessThis 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...
2025-09-2925 minA Grown Up's Gap YearWhy I'm A Fan Of Best Practice Retreats: Wellness Travel Done WellFeeling 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:Why We Swim - by Bonnie TsuiArt Of Sti...
2025-09-2223 minA Grown Up's Gap YearSaying Yes in Mid-life: A Camino Pilgrimage with Anna ManluloAnna 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...
2025-09-1545 min
The Aging ProjectA grown ups GAP YEAR with Monique Van TulderAt 54, exhausted and running on empty, Monique van Tulder did something radical — she walked away from the life that was draining her. What started as a small step — changing lightbulbs in another house — turned into five months of solitude, adventure, and self-discovery. She calls it A Grown Up’s Gap Year.
In this conversation, Monique shares the truth so many women over 50 will recognise: years of putting everyone else first, of pushing through fatigue and health scares, of saying yes when they wanted to say no.
Her story begins not with adventure, but with depletion — thyroid ca...
2025-09-1228 minA Grown Up's Gap YearWhy More Women Over 50 Are Travelling Solo: And Loving ItSomewhere 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:glamgirlsluxtravels.cominstagram.com/pineapplevillaintrepidtravel.com/au/womens-expeditions📚 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 yo...
2025-09-0834 minA Grown Up's Gap YearEmptier Nest And Everyday Resets That Work: with Prue FrancisIf 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 you...
2025-09-0134 minA Grown Up's Gap YearAsk Why Not You: How Values Become Your North StarEver 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:Down...
2025-08-2521 minA Grown Up's Gap YearThe Rewrite: Letting Go to Begin Again with Melinda Louise HutchingsWhat 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 star...
2025-08-1829 minA Grown Up's Gap YearYour Grown Up’s Gap Year Starts Here: And It May Not Be Where You ThoughtA 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's LinkedIn Monique's Instagram
2025-08-1115 minA Grown Up's Gap YearThe Great Untethering: Why This Podcast Isn’t Just FluffBefore 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...
2025-08-0416 minA Grown Up's Gap YearTreat Yourself Like a Project: How Small Actions Lead to Big ClarityWhat 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 bee...
2025-07-2825 minA Grown Up's Gap YearIntroducing A Grown Up's Gap Year PodcastIntroducing 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 Gro...
2025-07-2204 min
Your 2nd ActI Did a Shirley Valentine: Took a Gap Year and Found Myself.Send us a textImagine 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.Moniqu...
2025-05-2639 min
Yellow Shelf PodcastA Grown Up's Gap Year, author Monique Van TulderIts time to put YOU in the picture. A Grown Up’s Gap Year: The Guidebook for mid Lifestyle. Wellbeing. Adventure. What happens when you hit the reset button on your life? You run away, of course… At least, that’s what Monique van Tulder did. After discovering herself at the top of everyone's ‘person we need’ pyramid and the bottom of her own, Monique decided it was time to hit pause. For eight months, she embarked on an ‘eat, pray, run away & return’ journey - running away from her family to find...
2025-05-0506 min
Freaking Out at 50Taking a Grown Ups Gap YearThe concept of a gap year is popular amongst students however have you considered taking a grown ups year. I love this idea and this conversation with Monique Van Tulder, author of the Growns up Gap year. In this episode, she shares what exactly a grown up gap year is, why you should consider it, what you can do if you cannot just magically take off for a long period, and how midlife is a chance to not rewrite but redirect our lives. This is the last episode in the first series of Freaking Out at 50 podcast. I...
2025-02-0136 min
One QuestionREINVENTION with Monique van TulderHello, welcome to the show! I’m your host Michelle Cox and it makes me so happy you’re here with us once again to learn from another incredible guest that I’m about to introduce you to.This episode is part of a ‘series’ we’re currently running on the show - where I'm talking to all guests about the same topic, and that topic is REINVENTION! And why are we doing this? Well, it’s a topic I get asked about a lot; how I reinvented myself, why, the process...
2024-11-1922 minOne QuestionWHAT’S STOPPING YOU with Monique van TulderIf there was one thing you think society should talk more about, what would it be? “Extenuating circumstances aside: What is stopping you from closing the gap between the world you inhabit, and the one you never explored, but wish you did?”______Monique van Tulder knows this generation of mid-life women have had enough. With helicopter parenting, juggling careers (perhaps professional life taking a backseat), or caring for aging family members, it’s time for second-act women to spend resources and time on themselves. Yeah!!
2024-04-3028 min
Sage WomenMidlife Magic with Monique van TulderMonique van Tulder is a woman who decided run away when it all got too much in midlife, and what she learned has transformed her view of midlife. Monique's take is that we have the opportunity to create midlife magic. In this episode, she talks about some ways to do that.
Connect with Monique here:
Instagram @moniquevantulder
Website moniquevantulder.com.au
LinkedIn moniquevantulder
2023-12-3127 min