Daisy Goodwin: The Internal Fire Alarm — Anxiety, Ambition and a Second Adolescence

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Daisy Goodwin, novelist, screenwriter and creator of Victoria, who joins Kaye and Karen for a candid conversation about anxiety, ambition and what life really feels like in your 60s.

Daisy has spent decades creating powerful stories about women, but in this conversation she turns the lens on herself. From a childhood shaped by her mother leaving when she was five to building a prolific creative career, she explains how what’s now called “high-functioning anxiety” became both her challenge and her driving force.

The three discuss the strange mismatch between outward success and inner self-doubt, why many women never feel quite as confident as they appear, and how getting older can bring a surprising kind of freedom. Daisy describes this stage of life as a “second adolescence”, a time when children have grown up, routines loosen and curiosity returns.

They also talk honestly about breast cancer, creative insecurity, the pressure success can place on children, and the relief of learning to be a little less hard on yourself.

Whether you’re rediscovering independence, questioning the stories you tell yourself, or simply wondering if anyone else still feels like a teenager inside, this episode is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t stop at 60.

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com.

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