between the decades
between the decades
Episode 1: Two friends, two decades, and a candid look at getting older
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Episode 1: Two friends, two decades, and a candid look at getting older

Embracing milestones, redefining ‘midlife,’ and sharing honest conversations on turning 30 & 40

Listen on Apple Podcasts, watch on YouTube, or tune in with YouTube Music (for Android users). Alternatively, if you'd like to add this Substack Podcast to your preferred podcast app, here’s how!

Disclaimer: Due to recent controversies, we have chosen not to upload our podcast on Spotify. We no longer wish to support them as a company.


Welcome to the very first episode of between the decades, a podcast where we dive into what it really feels like to step into the big 30s and 40s. We’re your hosts, Tuğba—a Turkish-Greek artist, writer, and success manager—and Caoilainn, an Irish writer and product marketing manager. With this podcast, we hope to break the silence around age-related anxiety and invite more open, honest chats about finding our way in life.

In this debut episode, we share personal stories about hitting these milestones, unpack the worries tied to labels like “midlife crisis,” and explore how social media and technology can both help and complicate the process of getting older. We also talk about the excitement and nerves of turning the page on a new decade, the ways our backgrounds shape our outlook, and why having a supportive community makes such a difference.

We’ve designed our episodes to be short and sweet, so you can listen on your morning commute or coffee break. Listen in — we’d love to hear your take.

In our conversation, we discuss:

  • Turning 30 vs. turning 40
    The mix of excitement and uncertainty that comes with hitting milestone birthdays, and how society frames these experiences.

  • The term “midlife”
    Why “midlife” is often paired with “crisis,” and how it could be reclaimed as something positive instead.

  • Backgrounds & living abroad
    How growing up in our cultures and moving to different countries shapes our perspectives on career, creativity, and life choices.

  • Societal pressures & personal goals
    Balancing the desire for change—like moving to a new city or pursuing creative interests—with the fear of leaving familiar communities.

  • Information overload & technology
    The impact of constant online advice about health, wellness, and aging, and how it differs from previous generations who had fewer resources.

  • Open, honest conversations
    Why it’s crucial to talk about aging openly, to ease the stigma and share mutual questions and discoveries without feeling isolated.


Where to find us


Referenced in this episode

as slow as possible
I googled midlife crisis
I’m Tuğba, a Turkish-Greek artist living in Berlin - as slow as possible is a newsletter exploring the in-between spaces of our lives that we see but often do not notice. Interested in reading more of my work…
Read more

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