Why trying something scary can unlock your next chapter

What happens when you give yourself permission to be a beginner again — in midlife?

In this episode of Late Bloomer Living, Yvonne Marchese is joined by her friend Marc Ronick for a candid conversation about play, fear, and reinvention.

After more than 20 years in podcasting, Marc decided to try something that genuinely scared him: improv classes. What began as a way to stretch his skills as a live podcaster quickly became a powerful personal practice — helping him loosen perfectionism, reconnect with play, and navigate a challenging season of growth in his 50s.

Together, Yvonne and Marc talk about:

• What it’s really like to walk into a room as a beginner later in life
• How improv helped Marc show up more fully — on the mic and in life
• Building a generous, supportive community through The Podcasting Morning Chat
• Producing a podcasting conference for the first time in midlife
• Why passion has to be bigger than fear if we want to grow

This episode is a reminder that play isn’t frivolous, being scared doesn’t mean you’re wrong, and midlife may be the perfect time to let go of the script and try something new.

Most of us don’t think of ourselves as playful — especially at work.

Play can feel awkward, indulgent, or like something we were supposed to outgrow. But what if that discomfort is actually pointing us toward something essential?

In this episode of Late Bloomer Living, Yvonne Marchese sits down with playful change maker Brandi Heather to explore why play feels so uncomfortable for adults — and why that resistance might be exactly the clue we’re missing.

For many of us, the word work no longer fits the shape of our lives — or it fits very differently than it once did. Careers change. Some end. Some slow down. But the work of living doesn’t stop. And neither does our need for creativity, connection, and a sense of aliveness.

Brandi spent over 20 years as a kinesiology and health sciences professor before bringing her work into organizations, helping teams use play (often without calling it that) to reduce stress, improve communication, and unlock creativity. This isn’t about ping-pong tables in the break room or forced fun. It’s about nervous system regulation, self-awareness, resilience, and creating environments — at work and beyond — where people feel confident, connected, and capable of doing their best work.

If you’ve ever thought, “Play sounds nice, but I have deadlines,” this conversation is for you.

This episode matters because play isn’t a luxury — it’s a missing piece in how we work, cope, and stay human as adults.

What if curiosity isn’t just something we feel — but something we choose?

In this thoughtful conversation, Yvonne sits down with Lynn Borton, host of Choose to Be Curious, to explore how curiosity can help us slow down, soften anxiety, and reconnect with a sense of wonder. Together, they talk about choosing curiosity over fear, embracing not-knowing, and why staying curious might be one of the most powerful practices for navigating midlife and an uncertain world.