"I'd love to do that."

"That looks great."

"We should definitely go."

Sound familiar?

Because there's loads of things to do once you're over 40. Restaurants, bars, gigs, holidays, days out, wellness, activities, new places to explore...

The problem isn't always finding something to do.

It's finding someone to do it with.

In this episode, Gem talks about why making friends and building a social life after 40 doesn't necessarily mean joining another club, taking up another hobby or filling your diary with organised activities.

Sometimes you don't want a new hobby.

You just want more life.

More people. More experiences. More reasons to get out of the house. More nights where you actually have something to look forward to.

We're talking about how friendships change as we get older, why we're all terrible at actually making plans, the fear of turning up somewhere when you don't know anyone, and why meeting new people doesn't have to mean replacing the friends you've already got.

Because you can love your existing friends and still want more people in your life.

You can be happy and still want more.

And you don't need to wait for a massive life change before you start doing things differently.

Sometimes you just need to stop waiting for somebody else to make the plan.

Think of one thing you've been saying:

"I'd love to do that."

But you haven't because you haven't got anyone to go with.

Book it.

Invite someone.

Or go anyway.

Because you never know who you're going to meet.

And you never know what can come from one yes.

If you're 40+ and based in South Manchester or Cheshire, find out more about the Next Chapter Society:

Next Chapter Society

"I'm so busy."

"It's been manic."

"I haven't got a minute."

Sound familiar?

Life after 40 can feel like one massive list of things that need doing. Work, family, kids, parents, appointments, errands, WhatsApp groups... and somehow the things we actually want to do keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list.

In this episode, Gem asks whether we're genuinely too busy — or whether we've simply forgotten to make time for the things that make life enjoyable.

Because there's a difference between managing your life and actually enjoying it.

We're talking about packed diaries, constantly being needed, feeling guilty about doing things for yourself, friendships that never quite make it out of the "we must meet up" stage, and why sometimes you just need to put the bloody thing in the diary.

Because the washing will still be there.

The emails can wait.

And that WhatsApp group definitely doesn't need your attention.

Look at your diary for the next month.

What's actually in there that you're looking forward to?

If the answer is "not much"...

Change it.

Put something in the diary that's just for you.

Something fun. Something social. Something that gets you out of the house.

Because we're not trying to be busy.

We're trying to live.

If you're 40+ and based in South Manchester or Cheshire, find out more about the Next Chapter Society:

Next Chapter Society

Everyone talks about the relationship ending.

The house. The finances. The kids. The dating.

But what about your social life?

Divorce can completely change who you spend time with, where you go, who you get invited out with and even how you see yourself.

Suddenly, the couple friends might not feel like your friends anymore. Holidays look different. Dinner parties feel different. And you can find yourself wondering:

"Right... who the fuck am I going out with now?"

In this episode, Gem talks about the less-discussed social side of divorce — losing friendships, finding new ones, rebuilding your confidence and learning to create a life that actually belongs to you.

Because rebuilding doesn't necessarily mean finding another relationship.

Maybe it's finding your people.

Maybe it's getting out more.

Maybe it's travelling, trying something new, having a laugh and making plans that don't involve anyone else's approval.

And maybe the goal isn't to recreate the life you had before.

Maybe it's to build something that works for who you are now.

If you're over 40 and want to meet people, discover new experiences and get a bit more life into your social calendar, find out what we're building at:

Next Chapter Society