E47 -Midlife: Crisis or Transformation? with Keri Mangis
Explicit content warning
04/23/25 • 70 min
What if midlife isn't a crisis at all, but a powerful opportunity for transformation? In this illuminating conversation, author and spiritual teacher Keri Mangis challenges us to flip the script on everything we thought we knew about this pivotal life stage.
Keri shares her extraordinary journey through breakdown to breakthrough, including a raw, vulnerable moment when years of suppressed emotions finally erupted in a primal scream that changed everything. She explains how women especially are conditioned to "keep the peace" at the expense of our authentic selves, storing trauma in our bodies until we finally create space for healing.
We explore the concept of the "liminal stage" – that messy, uncomfortable middle place between who we were and who we're becoming. Unlike Western culture, which provides little guidance for these in-between times, Keri offers practical wisdom for navigating these transformative spaces with grace and purpose.
From her solo pilgrimage to Myanmar that forever changed her relationship with identity, to her insights about releasing societal "shoulds" and reclaiming our authentic voice, Keri provides a roadmap for anyone feeling stuck, disillusioned, or ready for profound change. She reminds us that our purpose isn't some external achievement but authenticity itself – living true to our values regardless of whether it fits neatly into societal expectations.
Whether you're in the throes of midlife transformation or simply questioning the path you're on, this conversation offers compassionate guidance for breaking free from limitations, embracing uncertainty, and finally living life on your own terms.
Keri Mangis is more than just an author and speaker—she’s a guide for those seeking deeper meaning and transformation in a chaotic world. With over 20 years of experience as a wholeness advocate and spiritual teacher, Keri understands the frustration of feeling stuck and disconnected. Through her writing and teachings, Keri helps people break free from limiting beliefs to rediscover their true essence and align with their core values.
Her spiritual and personal growth studies and certifications have run the gamut over the years from yoga, Ayurveda, energy work, and meditation. Most recently, she has taken on studying Alchemy, Jungian Psychology, archetypes, and rites of passage. She has completed courses with Sharon Blackie, Michael Meade, and the Center of Applied Jungian Studies.
She is a current writer for Spirituality and Health Magazine, and a top 50 writer at Elephant Journal. Her first book, Embodying Soul: A Return to Wholeness, received multiple awards, including the 2020 IPA award for Mind, Body & Spirit and the 2020 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal in Non-Fiction Spiritual and Supernatural. She is currently working on her second book, an illuminating exploration of personal and collective transformation that will empower readers to evolve their consciousness for an uncertain future.
Let's Connect!
Keri Mangis:
5-Day Self-Talk Awareness Challenge
Halfway To Dead Podcast
email: [email protected]
What if midlife isn't a crisis at all, but a powerful opportunity for transformation? In this illuminating conversation, author and spiritual teacher Keri Mangis challenges us to flip the script on everything we thought we knew about this pivotal life stage.
Keri shares her extraordinary journey through breakdown to breakthrough, including a raw, vulnerable moment when years of suppressed emotions finally erupted in a primal scream that changed everything. She explains how women especially are conditioned to "keep the peace" at the expense of our authentic selves, storing trauma in our bodies until we finally create space for healing.
We explore the concept of the "liminal stage" – that messy, uncomfortable middle place between who we were and who we're becoming. Unlike Western culture, which provides little guidance for these in-between times, Keri offers practical wisdom for navigating these transformative spaces with grace and purpose.
From her solo pilgrimage to Myanmar that forever changed her relationship with identity, to her insights about releasing societal "shoulds" and reclaiming our authentic voice, Keri provides a roadmap for anyone feeling stuck, disillusioned, or ready for profound change. She reminds us that our purpose isn't some external achievement but authenticity itself – living true to our values regardless of whether it fits neatly into societal expectations.
Whether you're in the throes of midlife transformation or simply questioning the path you're on, this conversation offers compassionate guidance for breaking free from limitations, embracing uncertainty, and finally living life on your own terms.
Keri Mangis is more than just an author and speaker—she’s a guide for those seeking deeper meaning and transformation in a chaotic world. With over 20 years of experience as a wholeness advocate and spiritual teacher, Keri understands the frustration of feeling stuck and disconnected. Through her writing and teachings, Keri helps people break free from limiting beliefs to rediscover their true essence and align with their core values.
Her spiritual and personal growth studies and certifications have run the gamut over the years from yoga, Ayurveda, energy work, and meditation. Most recently, she has taken on studying Alchemy, Jungian Psychology, archetypes, and rites of passage. She has completed courses with Sharon Blackie, Michael Meade, and the Center of Applied Jungian Studies.
She is a current writer for Spirituality and Health Magazine, and a top 50 writer at Elephant Journal. Her first book, Embodying Soul: A Return to Wholeness, received multiple awards, including the 2020 IPA award for Mind, Body & Spirit and the 2020 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal in Non-Fiction Spiritual and Supernatural. She is currently working on her second book, an illuminating exploration of personal and collective transformation that will empower readers to evolve their consciousness for an uncertain future.
Let's Connect!
Keri Mangis:
5-Day Self-Talk Awareness Challenge
Halfway To Dead Podcast
email: [email protected]
Previous Episode
E46 -Enough: Finding Peace in a World of Distractions, Hustle, and Expectations with Barbara Burgess
What if the path to inner peace wasn't about doing more, but recognizing you're already enough? Barbara Burgess joins us for a soul-stirring conversation that might just revolutionize how you approach midlife.
Barbara shares how leaving a 20-year toxic job created space for profound self-discovery. With disarming honesty, she reveals how we become trapped in "small yeses" that drain our energy and pull us away from our authentic path. Her concept of "bulletproof grace" offers a transformative approach to handling difficult people without absorbing their negativity.
The most powerful moments come when Barbara explains how our bodies hold wisdom our minds often ignore. Research shows our physical reactions provide more accurate guidance than our thoughts, yet we've trained ourselves to disconnect from these internal signals. Through simple practices like pocket phrases ("Let me think about that"), we can create space to check in with our bodies before committing to things that don't serve us.
Barbara's perspective on "staying in your energy lane" provides a refreshing antidote to comparison culture. When we stop trying to mimic others' journeys and protect our boundaries from others' expectations, we discover a natural flow state where meaning and joy emerge effortlessly. Her stories about connecting with strangers and finding delight in small moments demonstrate how slowing down—even amid busy lives—reveals opportunities for genuine connection.
Whether you're struggling with boundaries, feeling overwhelmed by others' expectations, or simply seeking more peace in daily life, this episode offers practical wisdom wrapped in midlife realness. Join us to discover how honoring your "enough-ness" might be the most revolutionary act of self-care you can practice.
Barbara Burgess is an author, mother, executive, and unapologetic dark-chocolate lover who’s embraced the beautiful messiness of life. She founded Corluma (cor = heart, luma = light), a Chicago-based consulting firm, wrote and performed a one-woman show “The Extraordinary Experience of Being Ordinary” and most recently wrote her first book, Enough: Finding Peace in a World of Distractions, Hustle, and Expectations.
Known for her humor, vulnerability, and practical wisdom, Barbara shares simple shifts to help people remember they are enough and have enough. Her ego is kept in healthy check by two teenage children and career adventures that included selling candy bars for Nestle Foods, launching Grainger into internet commerce, a brief marketing stint at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and most recently overseeing operations, marketing, and finances as the COO of a non-profit. Like all of us, Barbara says, she’s still figuring it out.
Let's Connect!
Website: www.corluma.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/barbaraburgess1
Book: www.beenough.com
Halfway To Dead Podcast
email: [email protected]
Next Episode
E48 -Sorry, Not Sorry: When Your Soul Says No
When a podcast interview goes terribly wrong, it becomes the perfect opportunity to get crystal clear about what truly matters on our spiritual journey. In this unexpected solo episode, I share the raw, real experience of having to stop an interview and dismiss a guest who revealed deeply problematic views that conflicted with everything my podcast stands for.
This challenging moment prompted me to pull back the curtain on my own spiritual evolution – from growing up between two different Christian denominations to teaching Sunday school, and eventually finding a more authentic spiritual path that transcends religious limitations. With complete transparency, I share my current spiritual beliefs: that we're all connected through divine oneness, that judgment and marginalization have no place in spiritual growth, and that authentic living is our true purpose.
What makes this spiritual awakening in midlife so liberating? For me, it's the absolute freedom from fear – especially fear of death. I explore why I no longer believe in hell, how I view Jesus as an ascended master while leaving behind religious dogma, and why I'm actually excited about eventually returning to divine love (though I'm in no rush!). This journey has taught me that setting clear boundaries with people whose paths don't align with mine isn't just acceptable – it's essential for spiritual growth.
Whether you're questioning your religious upbringing, feeling drawn to explore spirituality beyond doctrine, or simply trying to live more authentically, this episode offers permission to trust your intuition and honor your unique spiritual journey. Join me for this unfiltered conversation about standing firm in your truth, even when it means walking away from situations that don't serve your highest good. Ready to reclaim your spiritual journey on your own terms?
Halfway To Dead Podcast
email: [email protected]
Halfway To Dead, A Midlife Spiritual Journey - E47 -Midlife: Crisis or Transformation? with Keri Mangis
Transcript
Hey friend , welcome to the halfway to dead podcast . I'm your host , jen Lovell . Listen , you and I have reached that age where we are done with the bullshit . We know that midlife is our chance to flip the script and experience life on our own terms . It's time to reconnect with our higher selves and reclaim our inner peace .
Speaker 1Are
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/halfway-to-dead-a-midlife-spiritual-journey-641655/e47-midlife-crisis-or-transformation-with-keri-mangis-89876575"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to e47 -midlife: crisis or transformation? with keri mangis on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy