In less than 11 months, we’ve produced 100 episodes of our Midlife Chrysalis podcast with nearly 2 million downloads (today’s episode with Elizabeth White is dynamite!). For those of you who want to explore some of our most popular episodes this year, I’ve ranked my top 20 episodes in terms of how much I enjoyed it and how much positive feedback I’ve received (these interviews go live each Monday and Friday). Beyond these, we have the 20-30 minute Wisdom Wednesday episodes in which MEA CEO Derek Gehl and I talk about a particular topic in more depth so make sure you check those out as well.
Brian Chesky: My Airbnb boss and mentee. Yep, you read that right. This insightful, revealing episode shows how the cofounder and CEO of the world’s most valuable hospitality company has evolved.
Dr. Caryn Lerman: I’ve been living with stage-3 metastatic cancer for 3+ years and am going back into treatment so this episode, which choked me up, gives a hint about our MEA Cancer Thriver workshops.
Ricky Williams: This was my favorite episode of the past year as this Heisman Trophy winner and NFL great revealed what it took to emotionally shed that identity as he forged a new, more humanistic path.
Arthur Brooks: Arthur has such a wide range of interests that my convos with him are always deep and meaningful. He’s got two Santa Fe workshops in June, including this couples workshop June 19-22.
Gavin Newsom: I’ve been mentoring California’s Governor for 30 years since before he was a politician. He sheds a tear in this episode and talks about his midlife crisis before he was Governor.
Martha Beck: Want to hear me personally advised by one of the world’s best-known coaches (who used to coach Oprah)? Martha comes back to teach “The Way to Integrity” Oct 11-15.
Ari Weinzweig: Can you be both an anarchist and a capitalist? That’s the kind of fascinating conversation I had with Ari and why I’m co-leading “Radical Wisdom” with him in Santa Fe May 24-28.
Pico Iyer: The deep, worldly Pico is teaching again this summer in Santa Fe (“Seasons of Life: Finding Grace and Beauty in Change”) after his remarkable supporting acting role in “Marty Supreme.”
Rich Roll: This large public event in which podcaster Rich Roll and I talk about his relationship with midlife gives you an inside look at how this ultra-marathon striver has adapted with age.
Maria Shriver: My favorite “moral beauty” in the world, Maria reveals quite a bit about herself in concert with the launch of her book “I am Maria” and we’re hoping to have her on our workshop schedule in 2027.
Elizabeth Gilbert: Another “moral beauty” and one of our most popular MEA faculty members, Lizzy talks about recovering from co-dependency and sex and love addiction in this episode.
Rachel Greenwald: I’m not sure any podcast episode drove more people to Rachel’s “Modern Love” workshop than this one as this Harvard MBA is so smart when it comes to midlife dating advice.
Rainn Wilson: Dwight from “The Office” has become a friend as we love talking about the role of soul in our lives and he’s also considering an MEA workshop for next year.
David Whyte: What a joy to teach back-to-back workshops with David in Santa Fe recently and this episode with the depth of his poetic voice doesn’t disappoint.
Krista Tippett. She’s one of my heroes with her OnBeing program and her ethereal yet grounded way of looking at spirituality. She’s coming back to Santa Fe Oct 25-29 for “Becoming Wise”
Michael Franti: We’ve been friends for 35 years, which comes through in this episode when the award-winning musician bares his soul in front of an MEA workshop cohort.
Seth Godin: Such a joy reconnecting with my long-time friend and co-author to talk about how we can rebrand midlife.
Barbara Waxman: MEA’s longest-serving guest faculty member racked up one of the most listened-to episodes as she’s become a longevity expert. She’s teaching “Designing Longevity” in June and August.
Hoda Kotb: The long-time Today Show host shed a couple tears and pulled out a guitar and played Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” as she illuminated why midlife is all about trying something new.
Not seeing a guest who tickles your fancy? Here’s a bunch more you might consider: Olympian Greg Louganis, Whole Foods Markets founder John Mackey, Spanx founder Sara Blakely, author Anne Lamott, Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell, author Dan Pink, poet Mark Nepo, author Susan Cain, journalist Don Lemon, Blue Zones’ Dan Buettner, and author Marianne Williamson. Enjoy!
-Chip