Taking a "grown up gap year" with Monique van Tulder
In this episode I chat with Monique van Tulder; author, wellbeing and travel writer, certified nutritionist, and long-time advocate for making space to breathe!
Do you ever wish you could run away… just for a bit?
After decades building a successful career and raising a family, Monique made a bold decision to hit pause. She took what she calls a “grown up gap year” — a long break from the daily grind to travel, reflect and reimagine what life could look like next. That journey became the foundation for her new book, A Grown Up’s Gap Year, and in this episode, she joins me to share how she did it, what she learned, and why we all need to make space to breathe.
This is a conversation about burnout, boundaries, reinvention, and rediscovering joy. Whether you’re dreaming of a sabbatical, craving a career reset, or just wondering if there’s more to life than your to-do list — Monique’s story is packed with inspiration and wisdom for your next chapter - and a whole lot of honesty.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
Highlights of the conversation:
Why Monique took a gap year in midlife: After years of “being everything to everyone,” Monique realised she had lost touch with her own identity. A turning point came after the death of a friend, and one magical moment sipping hot coffee in silence, that led her to question what she really wanted next.
What her grown up gap year looked like: From North Queensland to Croatia and the Austrian Alps, Monique shared how slow travel helped her reflect, reconnect with herself, and clarify her values, like freedom, curiosity, and connection. She even took a literal leap, paragliding off an alpine cliff.
Turning herself into a project: Monique treated her gap year like a personal reset — a structured, reflective process where she actively reconsidered her life, relationships, and career. She describes the three emotional phases of reinvention: dawning, euphoria, and return.
Hormones, health & the invisible woman: We talk candidly about perimenopause, emotional exhaustion, and how invisible many women feel in midlife. Monique opens up about how HRT, health check-ups, and setting boundaries became essential tools in rediscovering her confidence.
Reinventing her career at 57: From applying for jobs she didn’t take to rediscovering her joy in writing and coaching, Monique shares how she rebuilt a portfolio career and why midlife is the perfect time to explore what else you’re capable of.
The power of saying no: Her best souvenir? Boundaries. Monique learned to say “no” and mean it without guilt. That lesson, she says, changed everything.
What she hopes others take away: “If she can, I can.” Monique wants women to feel seen and to know that it’s not too late to live the life you want. Her book A Grown Up Gap Year is a roadmap for anyone craving change but unsure how to begin.
From Bec’s Desk
This week I have only one big thought to share, and it’s inspired by the retirement of the legendary investor, Warren Buffett. This is a man who used to say he ‘tap danced to work’ and that he’d never retired. But this week he actually did. And as he did so, he published a farewell letter. And there was four poignant messages on his farewell letter. I made a little video about them. If you want to watch - pop on over to my Facebook page and spend two minutes with me.
The other exciting thing to talk about is that the new completely revised and improved edition of How to Have an Epic Retirement is coming out next week. It got a full refresh! Eeek! How exciting. And this new edition is better than ever!
You can order your copies at all the major booksellers - in fact this link has all the stockists for you to choose from. Or just pre-order on Amazon here.
It’s been reworked to include:
🔴 Clearer financial guidance across a whole lot of areas I’ve covered and built education on since writing the first book (safe spending, super breakdowns, and how to find good advice)
🔴 Updated data on longevity and retirement trends in both countries
🔴 New Zealand–specific content for the whole system - KiwiSaver, NZ Super, investing, estate planning and care systems
🔴 Access to new resources and tools
🔴 And links straight into our Epic Retirement Club and AU/NZ newsletter community
This isn’t just a reprint — it’s a regionally tailored, digitally connected, fully modernised guide for how we actually retire now.
Enjoy my chat with Monique! She’s one very courageous woman.
And make your Prime Time count!
