Notes From The Not There Yet

Episode descriptionJanine Isaacs spent decades as a high-level medical negligence lawyer and property developer. Then at 60, she staged a revolution. She walked away from a 23-year emotionally damaging relationship, retrained as a transformative life coach, and decided to find out who she actually was underneath the decades of clay she'd built around herself.In this conversation, we talk about the Golden Buddha - and why we spend half our lives covering ourselves in clay just to survive. We talk about the avalanche, and how to tell which way is up when your world is shifting beneath your feet. We talk about age being a myth, and why 60 is actually a brilliant time to be a newbie. And we talk about the grip of the messy middle, and how you can find your way back to yourself just by breathing.This episode is for anyone who has ever lost themselves slowly, without knowing when it happened - and wondered whether it's too late to find out who they actually are.Show notes:In this episode, Bethany sits down with Janine Isaacs - transformative life coach, former medical negligence lawyer, and someone who made the most radical decision of her life at 60 - to explore what it really means to start over. Janine's story is not about a dramatic single moment of collapse. It's about the slow, process of losing yourself, and the equally slow, deeply intentional process of finding your way back.Themes explored:The golden Buddha - why we build layers of clay around ourselves and how to strip them backFear as the driver - how people-pleasing and avoidance lead to self-erasureThe night everything changed - and what it means when the walls close inThe avalanche - navigating complete chaos without knowing which way is upFinding stillness - why doing is the wrong response when life falls apartAge as a myth - starting a business and a new life at 60Perspective from professional grief - what working with tragedy teaches you about gratitudeFinding the gold - and why the gold is always loveIf this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who is navigating their own messy middle right now. And if you've ever found yourself making yourself smaller to survive - this one is for you.Key takeaways:The clay isn't you. Everything you've built around yourself to survive can also be dismantled - by you.Doing more is not the answer. Find the stillness. Start being, not doing. Breathe.Fear of being too old is just another layer of clay. Your years are a qualification, not a handicap.Perspective doesn't come from success. It comes from sitting with other people's pain.You can't think your way out of an avalanche. You have to feel your way through.The gold underneath all of it is love. That's where the digging leads.

Episode DescriptionTo celebrate our landmark 20th episode, host Bethany Wright delivers the ultimate guide to the messy middle of adulthood, synthesising everything learned over the first seven months of powerful, honest conversations. Moving past the multi-millionaire overnight success stories that feel entirely out of reach, this special solo episode explores the real, day-to-day psychological transitions we all face when life looks great on paper but feels disconnected underneath. We walk through the six distinct themes defining modern adulthood - from breaking made-up societal timelines and overriding our biological fear of uncertainty, to managing identity shifts and choosing human presence over digital validation. Bethany frames this phase not as a midlife crisis, but as a midlife awakening. This episode is for anyone who has ever done well on paper but found themselves asking: Is this really the life I want? Episode SummaryIn this special 20th milestone episode, Bethany reflects on the first seven months of Notes from the Not There Yet Project. Sharing the raw story of her own emotional breakdown in Scotland that catalysed this platform, she maps out the collective wisdom gathered from 19 past conversations. This solo episode reframes the messy middle as an ongoing, evolving journey through adulthood, offering a strategic toolkit to help you navigate pivots with clarity and intention. Themes ExploredTheme 1: Timelines & The Rules We Break – Recognising that traditional milestones are utterly made up and that it is never too late to retrain or start over.Theme 2: Tearing Up the Script – Understanding the neuroscience behind our fear of uncertainty and entering the highly creative "Neutral Zone". Theme 3: Identity - The Loss and Rebirth – Moving past identity foreclosure and utilising the "portfolio approach" to diversify self-worth across values and interests. Theme 4: Choosing Your Own Path – Rejecting the philosophical trap of living in "Bad Faith" to slow down and protect what actually matters. Theme 5: Redefining Success – Realizing your ladder of ambition might be leaning against the wrong wall and trading grand metrics for daily acts of aligned bravery. Theme 6: Community is Everything – Dropping the isolated "I'm fine" mask and prioritising human presence over digital validation. If this conversation resonates with your current chapter, please share it with a friend navigating their own messy middle - let us stop navigating this space alone. Key TakeawaysThe Milestones Are Made Up: You cannot hold yourself to outdated societal schedules anymore; you are never the wrong age to begin again. Fear is Biological, Not Factual: When you introduce uncertainty, your brain's amygdala treats it as an immediate threat—navigating transition requires consciously overriding our biology. Diversify Your Sense of Self: Pinned worth on a single role makes your identity incredibly fragile; use a portfolio approach across your values and interests. Deceleration Signifies Clarity: Choosing your own path isn't about moving faster; it is about having the courage to slow down and protect depth over constant output. Check Your Ladder: We often spend the first half of our lives climbing the ladder of success, only to realize at the top that it is leaning against the completely wrong wall.

Episode SummaryCarla Bentele, designer and founder of All About Me, shares her journey from navigating redundancy in the London fashion world to reclaiming her creativity in the North. We explore the reality of losing a professional identity you loved, the "deathbed" perspective that helped her take a leap, and how she built a brand rooted in mindfulness and community. Show Notes: An honest conversation about ambition, creativity, and learning to build a life that actually fits who you are.Themes Explored:Redundancy and Identity: What happens when the job you built your life around disappears.The "Deathbed" Perspective: Using a long-term view to make brave short-term decisions.Starting Again: The reality of launching a business while navigating motherhood and a new area.Manifestation: How vision boards and belief can guide your next chapter.If this conversation resonates, share it with someone navigating their own messy middle.

In this week’s episode of Notes from the Not There Yet, Beth sits down with the incredible Donna Timlin - beauty therapist, business owner and self-described “neuro-spicy” creative - to talk about the journey that shaped her long before she ever stepped into a salon.From childhood bullying and being told she “wasn’t beautiful enough to be a beautician,” to retraining at 28 with a toddler on her hip, Donna’s story is a masterclass in rewriting the narratives that once held you back.We explore how she rebuilt her confidence, why she believes beauty should be accessible to everyone, and how ADHD fuels her creativity, empathy and drive.This is an honest, warm and deeply relatable conversation about resilience, motherhood, identity, and the quiet power of starting again — even when you’re not there yet.Show NotesIn this episode, we sit with beauty business owner Donna Timlin, whose journey spans bullying, self-doubt, redundancy, single motherhood, career reinvention and the courage to follow a long-silenced passion.In This Conversation We Explore:Growing up with bullying and the long shadow it cast on Donna’s confidenceWhy she abandoned her dream of beauty at 15 — and what finally brought her backHow travel work and finding “her people” helped her rebuild her sense of selfBecoming a mum at 26, redundancy, and the turning point that changed everythingThe moment her dad nudged her to “just go for it” and enrol in collegeRetraining at 28 with anxiety, panic attacks — and ultimately graduating with full distinctionsBuilding The Beauty Boutique and leading with encouragement, not fear.Living and working with ADHD, and how her “neuro-spicy” mind thrives on varietyWhy beauty is for everyone, and how Donna creates accessibility in her salonBoundaries, balance and the art of saying no — even to 4am brow appointment textsLinks & ResourcesThe Beauty Boutique, RoytonDonna on Instagram: @the_beauty_boutiqueroytonPerfect For You If…You’re navigating a career pivot, rebuilding confidence, exploring neurodiversity, or trying to find your way back to yourself after life knocked you sideways.Key TakeawaysBullying doesn’t define you - you can rewrite the story others gave you.It’s never too late to start again - Donna retrained at 28 with a toddler.Support beats fear - the best leaders build people up, not break them down.Neurodiversity is a strength - ADHD fuels Donna’s creativity and energy.Beauty belongs to everyone - every age, every size, every background.Boundaries matter - protect your energy, your time and your peace.Confidence grows when you show up as yourself, not who others expect you to be.

Episode Summary This week’s solo episode is one of my most vulnerable yet. What started as a simple half marathon became something I never expected - a release of 21 years of body shame, childhood conditioning, disordered eating, and the belief that my worth was always tied to my weight.I talk about growing up between two homes, using food for comfort, being bullied, losing weight as a teenager and suddenly being treated differently… and how all of this shaped the way I see myself even now. Running became my turning point - not because I’m a runner, but because crossing that finish line cracked something open in me.If you’ve ever struggled with food, your body, or the stories you were told about yourself growing up, I hope this one lands gently with you.Trigger warnings: Body dysmorphia, bullying, disordered eating, mental health themes.Show notesIn this solo episode, I explore:How my half marathon became an emotional breakthroughGrowing up with food as comfort and controlThe moment teenage weight loss changed how people treated meWhy Slimming World became both a lifeline and a lifelong mindsetMy journey through body dysmorphia, restriction and self-worthHow running — from Couch to 5K to 13.1 miles — helped me untangle my relationship with myselfThe battle between fuelling your body and fearing weight gainWhat I wish I could tell younger BethanyWhy so many millennial women still hear the same old stories in their headsRunning cracked open 21 years of body shameKey TakeawaysChildhood conditioning shapes adult self-worthWeight-loss validation created long-term dysmorphiaFood became control instead of comfortTraining forced a healing around fuelling instead of fearingAchievements hit differently when your younger self never felt enoughYou’re not defined by your weight or your bodyHealing is slow, messy and nonlinearYou can always rewrite your story

Episode SummaryGuest: Tom Stocks - Actor, Writer, Poet & Founder of Actor Awareness (aka The Chubby Northerner)From drama-school rejection to chalking poetry across Manchester’s streets — this is the story of resilience, reinvention, and real northern grit.In this episode, Beth speaks to Tom Stocks, better known as The Chubby Northerner: an actor turned poet and founder of the Actor Awareness campaign — a movement that opened doors for working-class creatives in an industry built on closed ones.Tom’s journey takes us from Bolton to the West End, from rejection letters to viral pavement poetry, and from self-doubt to purpose. Through his words - and the lives they’ve touched - he reminds us that creativity isn’t about arrival. It’s about connection.Because sometimes the most powerful stories aren’t performed on stage — they’re written in chalk on the streets.In this episode:How Tom turned rejection from drama school into the Actor Awareness movementThe real barriers facing working-class actors - and how he challenged themWhat it’s like to have your words go viral across Manchester’s pavementsThe evolution from actor to poet - and why poetry still belongs to everyoneFinding purpose in helping others feel seen, heard, and hopefulListen if you’ve ever:Felt like the door wasn’t open for youWondered if creativity can really make a differenceNeeded a reminder that you’re not alone — and that you’re enough, right where you areKey TakeawaysYou don’t need permission to create. If one door closes, build your own stage.Resilience beats talent. Grit, connection, and showing up matter more than credentials.Community changes everything. Real progress happens when you bring others with you.Art belongs to everyone. From pavements to poetry nights, creativity can meet people where they are.Keep showing up. Even when you’re not there yet — especially then.Follow Tom:Instagram → @thechubbynorthernerTikTok → @chubbynorthernerCompanies mentioned in this episode:Actor Awareness The Acting ClassPendleton School of TheatreSpotlightThe Stage East 15 Acting School RADARoyal Exchange Theatre BT SPORT 2021 Champions League Final Poem

In this introduction episode of Notes from the Not There Yet, host Bethany Wright shares the story that started it all - the moment she realised she wasn’t lost, or failing… just not there yet.Set against the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, this is a story about burnout, belonging, and the quiet realisation that “having it all together” isn’t the same as being fulfilled.From leaving behind a fast-paced marketing career to rediscovering what truly matters, Bethany unpacks how The Not There Yet Project began — and what it means to find purpose in the middle.In this episode, we explore:The moment that sparked the Not There Yet ProjectWhat it really feels like to be in “the messy middle”Why success on paper doesn’t always feel like successHow community and connection can reignite purposeListen if you’ve ever thought:“Is this it?”“What’s next?”“Why do I feel stuck when everything looks fine?”Because you’re not behind. You’re just — not there yet.Resources & LinksWebsite: notthereyetproject.co.ukSubstack: Notes from the FounderListen & Subscribe on Spotify or anywhere you get your podcasts💌 Want to share your story? Reach out hello@notthereyetproject.co.uk — everyone has one worth telling.Companies mentioned in this episode: ChatGPT Google Emma Brown Katie Johnny Quirk Dry Waffle Seth Rogen Mel Robbins Diary of a CEO