Navigating Midlife with Dr. Elizabeth O'Brien
What if midlife isn’t a crisis at all—but an initiation into your most powerful, values-aligned, soul-connected chapter?
In this empowering conversation, Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien reframes midlife as a sacred season of clarity, emotional congruence, and intentional transformation. Together, we explore how midlife can become your greatest catalyst for spiritual alignment, identity renewal, and authentic abundance.
Listeners will discover:
- Why midlife triggers such profound internal shifts
- How to recognize and work with catalysts like malaise, stuckness, or restlessness
- Practical steps to realign your values and priorities with grace
- How inner shifts reshape external relationships, purpose, and power
Topics Covered
0:00 — Midlife Isn’t a Decline… It’s a Divine Realignment
Rewriting the cultural myth that midlife is “over the hill.”
2:34 — Breathwork, Intention & Energetic Alignment
Using the I AM / CONSCIOUSNESS breath + 78-second Intention to create field coherence.
9:44 — The Origin of The Power in the Middle
How Dr. O’Brien’s father’s passing awakened a new understanding of life phases.
11:23 — What Abundance Really Is
Why she defines abundance as contentment—and why striving for “happiness” can backfire.
17:01 — The Catalysts of Midlife Transformation
Launching kids, professional shifts, family dynamics, and the “midlife malaise.”
20:08 — Choice Points & Inner Work
Elaine’s stroke story and the Divine’s directive: “Are you sure you’re done?”
21:15 — The Fear & Vulnerability Required for Change
Why inner and outer resistance arise when you evolve—and how to navigate both.
26:25 — Your Influence on 216 Million People
Elaine breaks down the Three Degrees of Influence Rule & your energetic impact.
27:33 — The Seven-Day Mental Diet
A spiritual reset that rewires your perception and contribution to the collective.
31:34 — Two Practical Steps to Get Unstuck
Values inventory + priority ranking for intentional decision-making.
39:40 — Free Gift: Midlife Exercises & Tools from Dr. O’Brien
All exercises from The Power in the Middle—available free.
Key Takeaways (Skimmable Wins)
· Midlife isn’t a crisis; it’s a calling back to your deepest values and truth.
· Abundance begins with inner contentment—not external accumulation.
· Discontent is a catalyst, not a problem. It signals growth and alignment.
· When you change, everyone around you must change—expect turbulence and transformation.
· Your energy influences three layers of your social network—over 216 million people.
· Strong emotional reactions reveal where growth is ready to happen.
· Values clarity is the foundation of empowered midlife reinvention.
Step-by-Step Process Shared
The Midlife Alignment Blueprint (Dr. O’Brien’s Framework)
Step 1 — Identify Your Core Values
→ Creates clarity and resets your internal compass.
Step 2 — Rank Your Top Priorities for the Next 5 Years
→ Reveals focus, purpose, and desired direction.
Step 3 — Identify “Beautiful Distractions”
→ Helps you avoid commitments that feel valuable but derail your goals.
Step 4 — Notice Catalysts (Malaise, Transitions, Resistance)
→ Turns discomfort into powerful self-awareness.
Step 5 — Take One Tiny Aligned Action
→ Builds momentum and rewires your identity from the inside out.
Questions Answered in This Episode
Q1: Why does midlife feel so disruptive, and how do we navigate the emotional and spiritual upheaval?
Q2: What event sparked Dr. O’Brien’s mission to write The Power in the Middle?
Q3: How do we know when we’re ready for a midlife shift or realignment?
Q4: How does Dr. O’Brien define abundance—and why is contentment the key?
Q5: What practical steps can we take today to create clarity and movement in midlife?
Pull Quotes
“Contentment is abundance. It’s knowing you are safe, supported, and enough.”
“Strong reactions aren’t problems—they’re signposts pointing you toward your next level of growth.”
“When we realign our values, our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors fall into congruence—and life begins to flow again.”
Free Gift
Share what you Loved and what you Learned from this episode to download the Spiritual Alignment & Conscious Actions Guide—your roadmap to reconnect with The Divine, raise your vibration, and live as the woman your soul designed you to be.
https://www.TheAbundanceJourney.com/Contact
Click the Share My Thoughts button and complete the short Google form to automatically receive your free gift.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Book: The Power in the Middle by Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien — https://www.dreobrien.com
Free Exercises: Full workbook of exercises from the book (Bloomsbury)
Book Mentioned: Connected by Nicholas Christakis & James Fowler (Three Degrees of Influence Rule)
Practice: The Seven-Day Mental Diet
Related Episode: [Link to any midlife or values-focused episode]
About the Guest
Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien is a UC Foundation Professor, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Director of the School of Professional Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. As chair of the American Counseling Association Foundation, she has taught and spoken internationally on wellness, ethical decision-making, spiritual development, and rural mental healthcare.
She is the author of The Power in the Middle, a transformative guide to embracing midlife with clarity, courage, and renewed purpose.
Website: https://www.dreobrien.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-o-brien-28357027/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drelizabethobrien
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drelizabethobrien
Free Gift: Use code GLR BD8 for 20% off the book at Bloomsbury.com.
About the Host – Elaine Starling
Elaine Starling, The Abundance Ambassador, is an international TEDx speaker, bestselling author, coach, and host of The Abundance Journey. Through The Inner Power Protocol, she guides spiritually-minded women to reconnect with The Divine, activate abundance, and live as the women their souls designed them to be.
Website: https://www.TheAbundanceJourney.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elaine.abundance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainestarling/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElaineStarling
