Messy Midlife: Chronic Illness, Baby Sleep, and Radical Flexibility

In this mini check‑in, I’m sharing a very real slice of my midlife: RSV running through our house, living with ME/CFS, and parenting a baby who does not believe in sleep. Instead of pretending everything is fine and polished, I’m talking honestly about what it looks like to keep showing up for Sharing the Middle when planning conversations with guests feels nearly impossible.

I walk you through a new “hybrid” approach I’m trying for scheduling guest interviews that builds in radical flexibility for both me and my guests, and I reflect on how chronic illness and this particular season of parenting are reshaping my expectations around sleep, routines, and consistency. This is an episode about letting things be different than they were before, honoring my actual capacity, and staying messy out loud so you feel less alone in your own middle.

Timestamps

1. 00:00 – Welcome to Sharing the Middle + RSV and an exhausting week
2. 01:00 – Why planning guest conversations feels almost impossible right now
3. 02:00 – The new hybrid “flex window” I’m trying for scheduling recordings
4. 03:00 – Letting guests cancel first and making room for my own flakiness
5. 04:00 – Sleep chaos, chronic illness, and how this baby season is different
6. 05:00 – Allowing this chapter to look different and noticing the good in it
7. 06:00 – Being messy out loud + updates on other JSM shows and submissions

If you’re in your own messy middle and you’re willing to share it, I would love to hear from you. You can submit a story, a Joy Moment, or a question for No Shame in Our Game at joyfulsupportmovement.com/submit. You’ll be able to choose which show you’re submitting for, and then we can figure out the details together.