F*ck, I'm Nearly 50

>> SEASON 2 > EPISODE 7 <<
🎙️ F*ck, The AI Revolution is Already Here!
Why experience matters more than ever and how to start using AI with Dawid Naude.
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Artificial intelligence is often discussed as though it’s something coming in the future.
It isn’t.
It’s already here.
AI can help us write, learn, analyse, design, solve problems and turn ideas into reality. It can now control computers, navigate websites, complete tasks and take an idea from problem to prototype in hours rather than months.
For some people, that feels exciting.
For others, especially those of us who built our careers before this technology existed, it can feel like the world is changing faster than we can keep up.
But what if being in your 40s or 50s isn’t a disadvantage?
What if the experience, judgement, relationships and ability to read a room that we’ve spent decades developing are exactly what make AI so powerful in our hands?
In this episode of F*ck, I’m Nearly 50!, Dom talks to Dawid Naude, Founder and CEO of Pathfindr, one of Australia’s leading AI innovation studios.
Dawid helps organisations move beyond the hype and use AI in practical, meaningful ways. More importantly, he makes an intimidating subject feel exciting, accessible and genuinely human.
This isn’t a conversation about robots taking over the world.
It’s about what happens when intelligence is suddenly available to almost everyone.
Together, Dom and Dawid explore how AI is moving from adviser to operator, what this means for professional services and why trust, judgement and human relationships may become more valuable than ever.
They discuss the opportunities for small businesses, how AI could provide world-class education to anyone with an internet connection and why it may become one of the most powerful tools for creativity, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning we’ve ever seen.
Dawid also explains why learning to use AI is relatively easy, while accumulating 20 years of judgement, resilience and human understanding isn’t.
Perhaps we’re not too old for this revolution.
Perhaps we’re arriving with exactly what it needs.
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❤️ This episode is for you if:
✔️ You’re curious about AI but don’t know where to begin.
✔️ You’re wondering how your career or business might change.
✔️ You’ve assumed AI is mainly for younger or more technical people.
✔️ You want to reduce the boring work draining your time and energy.
✔️ You’re ready to experiment and discover what’s possible.
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🎧 Inside this conversation:
🤖 Why AI is moving from adviser to operator.
⚡ How ideas can become working prototypes within hours.
💼 How AI could transform professional services.
🤝 Why trust, empathy and relationships will remain essential.
🇦🇺 The opportunities for Australian small businesses and entrepreneurs.
🧠 How AI can become a personalised universal tutor.
❤️ How Dawid uses AI for reflection, resilience and leadership.
🔥 Why being in your 40s or 50s could be an advantage.
🖥️ How AI secured Dawid an insurance refund.
🔐 What to understand about subscriptions, privacy and your data.
✨ Three simple habits that dramatically improve AI’s answers.
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🎯 Try this:
Choose ChatGPT or Claude and ask it to help you solve one real problem.
Before it answers, say:
“Ask me five questions so you have the context needed to give me the best possible answer.”
Use the microphone to talk through your responses. You can ramble, change your mind and add details as you remember them.
Don’t try to master everything.
Solve one problem and build from there.
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🌐 Connect with Dawid:
Pathfindr: https://www.pathfindr.ai
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawidnaude/
Start Learning AI: https://startlearning.ai
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Looking for more conversations about technology, reinvention, work and confidently navigating the next chapter of your life? Explore the topics below.
🏷️ Tags
Dawid Naude, artificial intelligence, AI revolution, Pathfindr, OpenAI, ChatGPT, generative AI, agentic AI, AI agents, future of work, jobs and AI, AI for beginners, AI after 40, AI after 50, midlife careers, career reinvention, small business AI, Australian business, lifelong learning, AI education, AI productivity, vibe coding, technology, innovation, human connection, trust, resilience, curiosity, personal growth, future skills, work readiness, career change, midlife, midlife podcast, confidence at 50, Dom Hind, F*ck I’m Nearly 50, Australian podcast, designing your life

Let me know what you'd love to hear about next.
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🔥 Let’s keep the conversation going…
If this episode made you think differently, I’d love you to be part of the F*ck, I’m Nearly 50! community.
⭐ Loved the episode? Leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is one of the best ways to help more people discover these conversations.
🌐 Explore more: Visit www.fckimnearly50.com to find your next conversation. Explore the Start Here guide, browse episodes by topic, and discover practical tools and resources to help you navigate the second half of life.
💌 Subscribe to F*ck Notes for behind-the-scenes reflections and practical ideas inspired by each conversation.
📺 Watch on YouTube, and let’s keep the conversation going on Instagram (@fckimnearlyfifty) or LinkedIn. I’d genuinely love to hear what resonated with you.
❤️ If someone came to mind while you were listening, send them this episode. Midlife is better when we figure it out together.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50… and isn’t that amazing? 🚀
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SEASON 2 • EPISODE 6
🎙️ F*ck, My Bones Matter Now!
The Truth About Bone Density, Muscle, Nutrition & Ageing Well with Karen Van Esveld
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💭 "The biggest health mistake most of us make is waiting until something goes wrong."
For years, I thought eating well and exercising was enough.
Then Karen Van Esveld asked me one simple question...
"Have you ever had a DEXA scan?"
I hadn't.
I barely knew what one was.
But after having my first scan, I suddenly saw something I'd never been able to measure before.
My bone density.
My muscle mass.
My body fat.
My visceral fat.
For the first time, I wasn't guessing anymore.
I had real data.
And it completely changed the way I think about ageing.
Karen Van Esveld is the founder of Wellset Nutrition & Pilates, where she helps people move beyond generic health advice and understand what their body actually needs through nutrition, movement, blood testing and metabolic health.
In this conversation we unpack why muscle matters more than the number on the scales, why bone density deserves your attention long before menopause, why protein bars aren't the answer, and why ageing well isn't about luck.
It's about paying attention.
If you've ever wondered whether you're doing the right things for your future health, this episode could completely change the questions you're asking.
Because longevity isn't built in your seventies.
It's built today.
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❤️ This episode is for you if...
✔️ You're in your 40s or 50s and want to age well.
✔️ You don't know your bone density or muscle mass.
✔️ You're overwhelmed by health advice on social media.
✔️ You want practical, evidence-based nutrition advice.
✔️ You want to stay strong, independent and healthy for decades to come.
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🎧 Inside this conversation
🦴 Why bone density matters long before menopause.
💪 Why muscle is one of the biggest predictors of healthy ageing.
🥩 How much protein women actually need.
📊 Why everyone should consider a DEXA scan.
🧠 What your blood tests can (and can't) tell you.
😴 Why sleep might be your most underrated health habit.
🚫 The health myths Karen wishes we'd stop believing.
🌿 Why simple habits beat expensive supplements every time.
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🩺 Fact or Fiction?
❌ Myth: Bone health only matters once you're old.
✅ Fact: Peak bone mass is reached around your late twenties. The earlier you protect it, the better your long-term health.

❌ Myth: You can tell if you're healthy by looking in the mirror.
✅ Fact: Blood tests, body composition and bone density often tell a very different story.

❌ Myth: More supplements automatically mean better health.
✅ Fact: Test first. Then treat what your body actually needs.
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💛 Dom's Take
This conversation genuinely changed the way I think about my health.
Getting my first DEXA scan gave me something I'd never had before.
A baseline.
Instead of wondering whether I was doing enough, I finally had data to work from.
For me, that's what healthy ageing is really about.
Not fear.
Not perfection.
Just making smarter decisions, earlier.
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🎯 Try This Before You're 50
Book one health test you've been putting off.
Maybe it's blood work.
Maybe it's a DEXA scan.
Maybe it's finally seeing the specialist you've been meaning to call.
Future you will be incredibly grateful.
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🌐 Connect with Karen Van Esveld
🌍 Wellset Nutrition & Pilates
💼 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram
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🏷️ Tags
Karen Van Esveld, bone density, osteoporosis, osteopenia, DEXA scan, muscle mass, healthy ageing, women's health, menopause, perimenopause, nutrition, protein, longevity, metabolic health, visceral fat, strength training, Pilates, functional nutrition, blood tests, health optimisation, wellness, ageing well, Dom Hind, F*ck I'm Nearly 50, Australian podcast, longevity podcast, healthspan, preventative health, bone health, women's nutrition
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Let me know what you'd love to hear about next.
--------
🔥 Let’s keep the conversation going…
If this episode made you think differently, I’d love you to be part of the F*ck, I’m Nearly 50! community.
⭐ Loved the episode? Leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is one of the best ways to help more people discover these conversations.
🌐 Explore more: Visit www.fckimnearly50.com to find your next conversation. Explore the Start Here guide, browse episodes by topic, and discover practical tools and resources to help you navigate the second half of life.
💌 Subscribe to F*ck Notes for behind-the-scenes reflections and practical ideas inspired by each conversation.
📺 Watch on YouTube, and let’s keep the conversation going on Instagram (@fckimnearlyfifty) or LinkedIn. I’d genuinely love to hear what resonated with you.
❤️ If someone came to mind while you were listening, send them this episode. Midlife is better when we figure it out together.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50… and isn’t that amazing? 🚀
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SEASON 2 > EPISODE 5
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In this episode of F*ck, I’m Nearly 50!, I’m joined by wellbeing coach, PSYCH-K® facilitator, Reiki practitioner and founder of Be Your Happy, Elkie Hughes.
And honestly… this conversation challenged so much of what I thought personal growth was supposed to look like.
Because like a lot of women, I’ve spent years trying to become a better version of myself.
A fitter version.
A more productive version.
A more successful version.
A calmer version.
A more organised version.
But what if the goal isn’t to become someone better?
What if the goal is to stop rejecting the parts of ourselves we’ve been trying so hard to fix?
Elkie believes that so much of the pressure we put on ourselves comes from subconscious beliefs we picked up long before we were old enough to question them.
Beliefs about being good enough.
Being lovable.
Belonging.
Being worthy.
And often those beliefs are quietly driving our decisions, relationships, reactions and happiness without us even realising it.
One of the biggest takeaways for me?
The idea that we’re not broken.
We’re programmed.
And once we understand the stories we’re carrying around in our metaphorical backpack, we have the power to choose whether we keep carrying them.
✨ If you’ve ever thought:
“Why do I keep reacting like this?”
“Why do I care so much about what other people think?”
“Why do I feel like I’m constantly trying to improve myself?”
“Why can’t I just accept myself as I am?”
“Why do I feel exhausted trying to be everything to everyone?”
This episode is for you.
THIS EPISODE GETS INTO:
🧠 What subconscious limiting beliefs actually are
🎒 The “backpack” we all carry from childhood experiences
💭 Why we’re operating from our subconscious far more than we realise
⚡ How seemingly small moments can shape us for decades
❤️ Why the pursuit of the “best version of yourself” can actually create suffering
🌗 The importance of accepting both the light and the shade within ourselves
👧 How childhood experiences influence our sense of worth and belonging
🔍 Why awareness is often the first step towards freedom
🫁 The power of pausing before reacting
🌊 How self-acceptance is about going with the flow rather than constantly resisting reality
💔 Understanding trauma beyond the big dramatic events we usually associate it with
🧬 How PSYCH-K® works to help shift subconscious beliefs and stored trauma
✨ Why healing isn’t about becoming someone else, it’s about reconnecting with who you already are
🌱 The difference between thinking your feelings and actually feeling them
👣 Practical ways to start connecting with yourself in everyday life
🔥 Why women underestimate their own strength
🕯 How just one minute of stillness each day can begin changing your relationship with yourself
❤️ What it really means to become whole
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION
What I loved most about this conversation was how much permission it gave.
Permission to stop striving.
Permission to stop trying to optimise every part of ourselves.
Permission to acknowledge that life isn’t meant to be all joy, positivity and perfectly curated moments.
Elkie talks about something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.
The idea that we spend so much time chasing happiness somewhere outside ourselves that we forget to listen to what’s already inside.
There was one moment that really stayed with me when she said:
“The whole is the perfect.”
Not the polished version.
Not the edited version.
Not the Instagram version.
The whole version.
The messy bits.
The beautiful bits.
The grief.
The joy.
The uncertainty.
The confidence.
The fear.
All of it.
Because maybe self-acceptance isn’t about finally fixing what’s wrong with us.
Maybe it’s about realising there was never anything wrong with us in the first place.
ABOUT ELKIE HUGHES
Elkie Hughes is the founder of Be Your Happy and works as a PSYCH-K® Facilitator, Reiki Practitioner and Integrative Health & Wellbeing Coach.
After a successful career in advertising and production, Elkie followed a very different path, dedicating her work to helping people identify and shift subconscious limiting beliefs, release stored trauma and reconnect with their authentic selves.
Through a combination of science-based and holistic approaches, she supports women to navigate stress, anxiety, grief, self-worth challenges and major life transitions.
Her philosophy is simple but powerful:
You are already whole.
And sometimes the greatest transformation comes not from becoming someone new, but from accepting all of who you already are.
🌐 Website: https://www.beyourhappy.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyourhappy.co/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elkie-hughes-72ba18222/

Let me know what you'd love to hear about next.
--------
🔥 Let’s keep the conversation going…
If this episode made you think differently, I’d love you to be part of the F*ck, I’m Nearly 50! community.
⭐ Loved the episode? Leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is one of the best ways to help more people discover these conversations.
🌐 Explore more: Visit www.fckimnearly50.com to find your next conversation. Explore the Start Here guide, browse episodes by topic, and discover practical tools and resources to help you navigate the second half of life.
💌 Subscribe to F*ck Notes for behind-the-scenes reflections and practical ideas inspired by each conversation.
📺 Watch on YouTube, and let’s keep the conversation going on Instagram (@fckimnearlyfifty) or LinkedIn. I’d genuinely love to hear what resonated with you.
❤️ If someone came to mind while you were listening, send them this episode. Midlife is better when we figure it out together.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50… and isn’t that amazing? 🚀
--------

SEASON 2 > EPISODE 4
In this episode of F*ck, I’m Nearly 50!, I’m joined by coach, facilitator, speaker and all-round bullshit detector Vashti Whitfield.
And honestly… this conversation felt less like an interview and more like a mirror.
Because over the past few months I’ve been doing Vashti’s Radical Reframe program and it has challenged me to look at some things I’d never really stopped to question before.
The stories I’ve been carrying.
The beliefs driving my behaviour.
The patterns that have quietly shaped my relationships, decisions and sense of self for years.
And one of the biggest realisations?
You can be successful. You can be capable. You can be high-functioning. And still be running on old code.
✨ If you’ve ever thought:
“Why do I keep doing the same thing over and over?”
“Why do I know what I should do but still don’t do it?”
“Why do I feel like something’s off, even though my life looks pretty good on paper?”
“Why do I keep putting everyone else’s needs before my own?”
This episode is for you.

THIS EPISODE GETS INTO:
🧠 What a Radical Reframe actually is
💭 How our thoughts become beliefs and our beliefs become behaviour
🔍 Why it’s so hard to see our own patterns
⚡ Why so many people reach their 40s and 50s and realise they’ve been living on autopilot
❤️ The powerful concept that your behaviour is your beliefs
📖 Looking at your life in chapters and what those chapters reveal
🎯 The difference between attachment and commitment
💡 Why replacing “should” with “could” creates more freedom and choice
📝 How a Bucket List and a Fuck It List can expose what you truly want
🎭 The inner characters and stories that hijack us when we’re stressed, scared or threatened
🫁 The power of pause, breath and creating space before reacting
🌱 Why personal growth isn’t about becoming someone else, but remembering who you are
💬 What it means to live intentionally rather than automatically
❤️ Grief, resilience and rebuilding life after loss
🎬 The story behind Vashti’s beautiful documentary Be Here Now
👩‍👧‍👦 What she learned about presence, perspective and raising two young children after losing her husband Andy to cancer

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION
What I love about Vashti is that she doesn’t tell you what to do. She helps you see what you’re doing. And once you see it… you can’t really unsee it.
There were a few moments in this conversation where I found myself thinking: “Shit… I’ve been doing that for years.” Not because anything was wrong.
But because some of the ways I’d learned to operate no longer fit the life I’m trying to create.
What Vashti’s work has reminded me is that awareness isn’t the end goal.
Choice is. The ability to pause. To notice. To question.
And then consciously decide who you want to be in that moment.
Because maybe the next chapter of our lives isn’t about becoming someone new. Maybe it’s about letting go of everything we’re not.

ABOUT VASHTI WHITFIELD
Vashti Whitfield is an executive coach, facilitator, speaker and creator of Radical Reframe, a transformational coaching program that helps people uncover the beliefs, patterns and stories shaping their lives.
Following the death of her husband Andy Whitfield from cancer, Vashti became known for her powerful documentary Be Here Now, which chronicles their family’s journey through illness, grief, love and resilience.
Today she works with individuals, leaders and organisations helping people navigate change, challenge old thinking and create lives that feel more aligned, intentional and meaningful.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.vashti-whitfield.com
🎬 Watch Be Here Now: https://www.beherenowfilm.com
🎙 Listen to the Radical Reframe Podcast
Connect with Vashti on insta
Connect with Vashti on LInkedIn
Let me know what you'd love to hear about next.
--------
🔥 Let’s keep the conversation going…
If this episode made you think differently, I’d love you to be part of the F*ck, I’m Nearly 50! community.
⭐ Loved the episode? Leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is one of the best ways to help more people discover these conversations.
🌐 Explore more: Visit www.fckimnearly50.com to find your next conversation. Explore the Start Here guide, browse episodes by topic, and discover practical tools and resources to help you navigate the second half of life.
💌 Subscribe to F*ck Notes for behind-the-scenes reflections and practical ideas inspired by each conversation.
📺 Watch on YouTube, and let’s keep the conversation going on Instagram (@fckimnearlyfifty) or LinkedIn. I’d genuinely love to hear what resonated with you.
❤️ If someone came to mind while you were listening, send them this episode. Midlife is better when we figure it out together.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50… and isn’t that amazing? 🚀
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SEASON 2 > EPISODE 3
Dr Mark Williams
In this episode of F*ck, I’m Nearly 50!, I’m joined by neuroscientist, author and speaker Dr Mark Williams, one of Australia’s leading voices on the impact of screens, devices and technology on the brain.
And honestly… this conversation scared me a little.
Because I went into it asking a question I think a lot of us are quietly wondering:
👉 Is my screen time making me less sharp?
👉 Is it making my kids less focused?
👉 Are we losing our ability to think deeply, remember things, be bored, connect properly and just… be?
And what Mark makes really clear is this:
It’s not just about screens.
It’s about what screens are replacing.
Stillness.
Boredom.
Face-to-face connection.
Movement.
Sleep.
Nature.
Real conversations.
Real life.
✨ If you’ve ever thought:
“Why can’t I focus anymore?”
“Why am I always reaching for my phone?”
“Is this affecting my kids more than I realise?”
“Am I modelling the behaviour I’m trying to stop?”
This episode is for you.
THIS EPISODE GETS INTO:
🧠 What screens are actually doing to our brains
📱 Why phones, notifications and constant switching are making us more distracted
👧 Why children’s developing brains are especially vulnerable
🚨 Mark’s view that this generation may be the first to be “dumber” than their parents
🏫 Why screens in schools and edutech may not be helping kids learn
😬 The link between screens, stress, cortisol, behaviour and attention
💬 Why real-life social connection is one of the best things we can do for brain health
🌿 Why nature, boredom and unstructured time are essential, not optional
🔕 Why turning off notifications is one of the simplest ways to improve focus
🍽 Why phones don’t belong at the dinner table, in bedrooms or in bathrooms
💡 Why social media isn’t actually social
🤖 What Mark really thinks about AI, smart glasses and the next wave of tech
💪 Why creatine may help with memory, attention and brain energy for some people
❤️ Why volunteering, community and “gas bagging” might actually help us live longer
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION
Mark doesn’t make this feel like a guilt trip.
He makes it feel like a wake-up call.
Because this isn’t about being anti-technology.
It’s about using technology well.
It’s about remembering that our phones are supposed to work for us, not the other way around.
And the bit that really stayed with me was this:
When we choose presence over distraction…
Connection over convenience…
Real life over constant scrolling…
We’re not just managing screen time.
We’re shaping how our kids think, feel, connect and experience the world.
And maybe we’re also giving ourselves back something we didn’t realise we’d lost.
Our attention.
Our memory.
Our creativity.
Our calm.
Our ability to just be.
ABOUT DR MARK WILLIAMS
Dr Mark Williams is a neuroscientist, author and speaker who helps people understand how the brain works and how modern technology is changing the way we think, learn, focus and connect.
His book Screen Smart Children is a practical guide for parents who want to help their kids thrive in a world that never switches off.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.drmarkwilliams.com/
📘 Read Mark’s book: Screen Smart Children

Let me know what you'd love to hear about next.
--------
🔥 Let’s keep the conversation going…
If this episode made you think differently, I’d love you to be part of the F*ck, I’m Nearly 50! community.
⭐ Loved the episode? Leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is one of the best ways to help more people discover these conversations.
🌐 Explore more: Visit www.fckimnearly50.com to find your next conversation. Explore the Start Here guide, browse episodes by topic, and discover practical tools and resources to help you navigate the second half of life.
💌 Subscribe to F*ck Notes for behind-the-scenes reflections and practical ideas inspired by each conversation.
📺 Watch on YouTube, and let’s keep the conversation going on Instagram (@fckimnearlyfifty) or LinkedIn. I’d genuinely love to hear what resonated with you.
❤️ If someone came to mind while you were listening, send them this episode. Midlife is better when we figure it out together.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50… and isn’t that amazing? 🚀
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