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The Weird Years is the podcast for anyone Googling "How to make life decisions" at 2AM. We thought we had time but life moved fast, the rulebook disappeared, and the next step feels like a big fat ?
Each week, Lydia (@lydsie) and a guest dive into the big, weird, and messy realities of career, relationships, health, identity and more. There's no sugarcoating, no perfect answers, but a lot of laughs—just real talk about figuring it out together.
🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Follow on IG now & join the conversation.
https://www.instagram.com/theweirdyearspodcas
Each week, Lydia (@lydsie) and a guest dive into the big, weird, and messy realities of career, relationships, health, identity and more. There's no sugarcoating, no perfect answers, but a lot of laughs—just real talk about figuring it out together.
🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Follow on IG now & join the conversation.
https://www.instagram.com/theweirdyearspodcas
33 Episodes
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Remember when friendship just… happened?This week, we’re getting weirdly personal about the friendship gap — that strange, silent drift that happens as life scatters us into different jobs, cities, and stages. Suddenly, maintaining friendships feels like a full-time job.From friendship “breakups” that still sting years later to the awkward reality of trying to make new friends as a grown adult, we’re diving into why staying close feels harder than ever — and what we can actually do about it.We’ll unpack:💬 Why friendship peaks at 25 (and what happens after)🌿 The emotional cost of connection and why “inconvenience is the price of community”🧩 How to repair old friendships, and make new ones that actually last💞 Why your friends might just be the greatest loves of your lifeIf your WhatsApp feels quieter these days, or you’ve ever wondered “is it just me?” - this one’s for you.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – it's weird, but we're in it together.
What happens when your body breaks down before your mind admits you’re burnt out?This week I’m joined by David Vioque — a recovering investment banker who had every marker of success on paper, but inside was facing what he calls “spiritual burnout.” When his health started to collapse — caffeine stopped working, exercise gave immediate exhaustion — he did what most of us only dream of: he walked away. David trekked the Camino de Santiago, sat in silence with monks in Nepal, and built a toolkit for reconnection and purpose. Now, he’s the co-founder of Unbound, a reimagined health space in Shoreditch that blends testing, conversation, and community into something radically more human for preventative health & longevity. In this episode we get into:✨ What it really means to face spiritual burnout✨ Why silence and solitude can be medicine for clarity✨ How to find balance in “the extreme middle” of health✨ Follow David at @david.vioque and Unbound at @living.unbound📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe to navigate the weirdness together.
1Could your sex life be the quiet revolution that reshapes how you see yourself in your thirties?This week I’m joined by Emma-Louise Boynton - journalist, founder of Sex Talks, and unflinching voice on intimacy, body image, and the stories we’re told about desire. After years of struggling with her relationship to her body, Emma-Louise's experience in sex therapy at 28 reshaped how she thought about intimacy altogether and inspired her mission to take conversations about pleasure from taboo and awkward to enlightening and essential.We get into:✨ Why so many millennials are having less sex than generations before us✨ The body insecurities and cultural scripts that follow us into our thirties✨ How curiosity, not performance, is the most radical path to confidence This chat is a reminder that sex isn’t something you “figure out” in your twenties and forget, it keeps evolving, just like the rest of us.If you’re craving more intimacy but aren’t sure where to start, whether with yourself or someone else, this one's for you. ✨ Follow Emma-Louise at @emmalouiseboynton📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe to navigate the weirdness together.
What if by 36 you’d already overcome more than you ever thought possible?This week I’m joined by Abi Feltham - content creator, comedian (although she doesn't admit that), and unfiltered storyteller - whose life has been anything but linear. After years of self-destruction through alcohol and drugs, Abi achieved sobriety at 32… only to face an incurable brain cancer diagnosis just four years later.Abi shares it all, from the chaos of teenage angst, to the breakdown that finally led her to therapy, to the “sinus infection” that turned out to be a tumour. We dive into the cycles of her addiction, what resilience really looks like, and how she’s learned to choose self-compassion after decades of self-loathing.For anyone who’s ever felt like their thirties aren’t going to plan and needs a reminder that it’s possible to rebuild after collapse, this one's for you. ✨ Follow Abi at @abi.feltham📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe to stay weird
The haunting what-ifs 😱What if you picked the wrong path? the wrong career, the wrong partner, the wrong city? We’ve all been there: lying awake at 2am, spiralling through The Big What-If and wondering if we’ve blown our one shot at the “right” life.In this Weirdly Personal solo episode, we’re unpacking the nagging regret spiral that so many of us get caught in, and why our generation in particular can’t stop asking what if and what's next?Here’s what we get into:The six biggest regrets people report in midlifeHow social media and endless choice leave us paralysedWhy action (even messy, imperfect action) creates clarityHow to reframe regret into something actually usefulIf you’ve ever felt haunted by the roads not taken, this one’s for you. Because regret isn’t proof we chose wrong, it’s proof we had freedom. And that’s worth something.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – it's weird, but we're in it together.
What if building the family you dream of didn’t depend on waiting for “the one” to show up first?This week I’m joined by Keira - NHS nurse, aesthetics expert, and unapologetically independent powerhouse - who at just 25 decided she wasn’t going to wait for a partner to start the family she always knew she wanted. Through IVF with a sperm donor, she became mum to her son Noah, rewriting the script on what motherhood can look like.Keira shares the full story - from Googling “how to have a baby on my own,” to navigating donor databases, IVF costs, and genetic testing. We unpack making that big decision, why “waiting for the right guy” isn’t a guarantee and the backlash she faces online.This is for anyone feeling the pull of parenthood but stuck is on the 'who', ‘when’ and ‘how', this is for you. ✨ Follow Keira @keiraandnoah✨ Follow us on IG: @theweirdyearspodcast🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
What if you've been putting off what you want, waiting for what's next?This week I’m joined by the magnetic Macki Maconie, a brand curator, creative, and free spirit. After her divorce, she traded London for Portugal and built Casa do Sol - a home, retreat space, and community that reflects everything she values.From manifesting her dream house on a vision board to navigating love and dating in a new country, Macki shows how she’s refusing to wait for the “perfect” timeline. Instead, she’s creating connection, belonging, and joy entirely on her own terms.We talk about buying the big house without the big family, beauty and loneliness of starting over abroad, and why building a home and community can be the foundation you need to love yourself.If you’ve ever felt like your life is “on pause” until the right person arrives, Macki’s story is proof that the right time is now.✨ Follow Macki @mackimaconie📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday - hit subscribe to stick around
What if the things you’ve always criticised yourself for weren’t "personality flaws" at all, but ADHD in disguise?This week I’m joined by the brilliant Lauren Talulah, a creator, writer and poet whose late ADHD diagnosis at 31 reframed a lifetime of inconsistency, fidgeting, and endless new ideas. From thriving in freelance chaos, to rejection sensitivity, Lauren opens up about how ADHD has shaped her career, creativity, and dating life.We talk about the double-edged sword of hyperfocus, the fear of commitment (even to getting a cat), and why anxious–avoidant dating dynamics are basically millennial kryptonite. Along the way, we dive into the power of protein, feeling limerence, and how learning to work with your brain can transform what once felt impossible.If you’ve ever questioned whether your quirks are flaws or just part of who you are, this one’s for you.✨ Follow Lauren @curvy_roamer📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe to stay weird
I'm back with the BIG NEWS part 2 — no guest, no script, just me processing the fact that I’m four months pregnant… a plot twist to my hot girl summer I was not expecting. This is the unfiltered ramble on being the first in my friendship group to have a baby, the quiet grief for the “other lives” I won’t live, the fear of losing my identity but the excitement of some epic growth), and my attempts to embrace the massive physical and mental rewiring that comes with motherhood. In between, there’s bad pregnancy gym advice, constipation chat, why I refuse to become the “boring mum friend,” and my maybe-delusional plan for a no-epidural water birth.If you’ve ever had life fast-forward on you and found yourself both thrilled and mildly terrified… you’ll feel right at home here.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – it’s weird, but we’re in it together.
I’m back with another Weirdly Personal chat - no guest, no script, just me rambling my way through whatever the weird years have dumped on me this week.This one is a BIG one. It's me out loud processing a plan that decided to fast-forward itself and do a little shock. It starts with us debating if we want children, curves into birth control drama (hello, cystic acne) and ends somewhere I absolutely did not expect to be this be this summer. In between there’s moving house, questionable meatballs, and a whole lot of overthinking about when is the right time to start a family.If you’ve ever made a five-year plan only for your body to throw you some surprises… this one’s for you.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – it's weird, but we're in it together.
What if you knew you wanted a family, and just went for it?This week I’m joined by the brilliant Louisa Lau, a Creative Director who was living the East London creative life - navigating career highs, less-than-ideal long-term partners, and artistic exploration - until she found herself 36, single, and certain she wanted a child.We talk about dating with intention, asking the big questions early, and managing the quiet panic that comes with late-stage fertility pressure. From being told she had a 10% chance of success freezing her eggs, to conceiving naturally at 37, Louisa’s story is proof that knowing what you want - and saying it out loud - can change everything.If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s OK to bring up babies on a date, or felt like time is running out—it’s not. And this one’s for you. ✨ Follow Louisa: @thisislouisalau 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast 🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe
What if becoming a parent meant spreadsheets, scans and serious self-reflection?This week I’m joined by the brilliant and big-hearted Calypso Barnum-Bobb, a coach, community builder and breath work facilitator navigating the emotional, financial and bureaucratic maze of queer fertility.We talk about what it really takes to become parents as a same-sex couple - from navigating the IVF post-code lottery, to where find a donor, to flying to the U.S. for reciprocal IVF. Calypso shares the deeply conscious, often absurd, and emotionally charged reality of when love meets logistics.If you’re back and forth on the kid question, or exploring IVF, you’ll get so much from this one. If you’re firmly in the no-kids camp, this is a mind-opening glimpse into what queer couples are really up against. At the very least, it might help you support a friend going through it.If you’d like to support Calypso and Natalia on their journey to becoming the incredible parents we know they’ll be, consider donating to their cause. Even skipping a coffee and giving £3.50 can make a big difference. Every little bit is deeply appreciated 💛 - https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-become-mamas-finally✨ Follow Calypso @calypsobarnumbobb📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe
What if having it all means holding a lot?This week I’m joined by the brilliant and driven Tasneem Bhamji, Chief Digital Officer at a major UK bank, who’s spent her life being the one who holds it all together—at work, at home, and for her family.We talk about growing up with a scarcity mindset, building generational wealth, and navigating the pressure of being “the successful one” as a woman of colour in leadership. From being the reliable eldest daughter to becoming a spokesperson for others who don’t see themselves in the room, Tas shares how her grit got her far—but also how heavy it can feel to always get it right.This is a raw, funny, and moving conversation about ambition, responsibility, and redefining what success means when you're carrying more than just your own dreams.If you’ve ever felt like success came with a lot of strings attached, this one’s for you.✨ Follow Tas @officerealtalk📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe
I'm back this month with Weirdly Personal.These episodes roll a little differently, it's just me, no guest, yapping and trying to untangle the stuff swirling in my overthinking brain.This one’s about freedom vs. security. The big swinger, the two sides of life's coin. That constant tug-of-war between wanting wild autonomy and also, somehow, a gym routine and a pension. I get into work, money, relationships, and that weird thing where you build the life you want... but still find yourself daydreaming about living on a beach with no responsibilities.If you’re craving structure and rebellion at the same time, this one’s for you.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – it's weird, but we're in it together.
What if coming out as a lesbian was just chapter one?This week I’m joined by the thoughtful and expansive Zahra Abdullahi, a creative powerhouse who shares their journey through sexuality, gender identity, and finding a deeper sense of self in their thirties.We talk about growing up as a boxed-in masc lesbian, unpicking the layers of gender, and how embracing non-binary identity opened up not just new language, but a whole new lens for living.From shaking off rigid roles to reimagining what life's decisions look like without the binary, this is an honest, moving conversation about change, growth, and finally becoming more of who you really are.If you’re done squeezing into roles that never quite fit, this one’s for you.✨ Follow Zahra @balaclavaboifriend📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday – hit subscribe to stay weird
What if everything you envied in other women in your twenties… now just makes you want to hold them closer?This week I’m joined by the generous and grounded Heidi Gowthorpe, who helps women reconnect to themselves through sound healing, embodiment, women’s circles, and radical honesty.She shares her story of growth, reconnection, and recovery - how healing from an eating disorder in her late twenties dismantled everything she thought made her "valuable", and opened the door to a softer, more authentic life.We talk about unlearning competition between women, the grief of growing out of old friendships, and what happens when you finally stop performing and let yourself be fully seen.If you’re in your thirties and starting to question everything you were taught about being a woman - this one’s for you.✨Follow Heidi @heidigowthorpe📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday - subscribe so you don’t miss one
What if your purpose actually isn’t about you at all?This week, I’m joined by the thoughtful and funny Ryan Lloyd Haynes. After running the successful fashion brand Elsie & Fred for ten years, Ryan hit a wall when it all ended - not just financially, but existentially.We get into what happens when your identity was your work, how losing everything forced him to rethink what really matters, and why the self-help era might’ve missed the whole point.If you’ve been doing a little too much mirror-staring about your purpose lately - or you’re just craving something bigger than yourself to care about - this one’s for you.✨Follow Ryan @ryanlloydhaynes📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday - subscribe so you don’t miss one
So here's something a little different...Weirdly Personal, a new type of episode where it’s just me, no guest, no structure, just whatever’s going on in my weird little brain at that point. Voice note energy meets midlife spiral.This one’s about moving house, and how it unexpectedly cracked me open. I thought I’d feel pure bliss…and I am excited don't get me wrong but I’ve unexpectedly been feeling like a bit of a failure. Cue overthinking, weird shame, and questioning whether I’m actually doing any of this right.If you’ve ever had to have a 10-minute stare at the ceiling questioning your life mid-flatpack assembly, this one’s for you.🚀 New episodes drop every Tuesday! Subscribe so you never miss one.👀 Watch full episodes on YouTube and Spotify.🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast
What if you’re not lost, you’re just meant to roam?This week, I’m joined by my vivacious friend, fashion & travel writer and digital nomad Tess Pollard, who’s built a career across 117 countries, no office required. Tess didn’t go freelance to become a #girlboss; she did it because the idea of four weeks’ holiday a year was holding her back from her true calling.We get into what it really means to build a life around freedom, why constant travel isn’t always glamorous, the tension between movement and milestones, and why living out of a backpack is far less romantic than it sounds (spoiler: she hates it).If you’ve ever felt like life is nudging you to go, but fear, full calendars, or five-year plans are holding you back, this one’s for you.✨Follow Tess @fashiontravelwriter📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes every Tuesday — subscribe so you don’t miss one
What if the thing that slows you down ends up being the thing that makes you stronger?This week, I’m joined by chronic illness coach March Hollingbery. As a woman who’s been navigating hospitals and hard decisions since childhood, she's built a mindset of gratitude and resilience which honestly I am hoping to achieve one day. March didn’t choose chronic illness, but she did choose how to respond to it, with grit, wisdom, and a radical refusal to hustle through pain (although she's always working on that balance).We talk about boundaries, burnout, and what it really means to listen to your body when the world expects you to perform. If you’ve ever felt like life’s moving too fast and your body (or brain) is quietly screaming “do less, I beg” this episode is your permission slip.✨Follow March @march_on__📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theweirdyearspodcast🚀 New episodes drop every Tuesday! Subscribe so you never miss one.👀 Watch full episodes on YouTube and Spotify.🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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