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Turning 40 and trading safety for soulful
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What if your “successful” life started to feel like a slow, quiet heartbreak? In this episode, Steve Vincent shares how he went from burned-out high school vice principal to thriving freelance copywriter—by finally listening to the voice he’d been pushing down for years. He opens up about the emotional weight of staying in a life that looks good on paper but feels wrong in your soul—and how a couple of chance encounters cracked his world wide open. If you’re feeling stuck, restless, or wondering—‘is this all there is?’—this conversation will show you what becomes possible when you take the first brave step toward change.
Guest Bio
As a professional writer, teacher, spiritual coach, poet and author, Steve Vincent brings more than 33 years of experience to the table to help others overcome their challenges and live their dharma. A lover of sunsets, his search for the truth of our human existence has stretched from the sands of the Sunshine Coast to the hot springs of New Zealand, to the Peruvian Amazon for ayahuasca ceremonies, and has included many an energetic healing online and in person, and long hours alone pondering the meaning of life.
Originally a high school teacher, faculty head and vice principal then freelance journalist, copywriter, writing coach and marketing consultant, his journey inwards via his popular book “Finding You” has unlocked the pain of the human experience, which emerges in his words that are said to move women to tears and make men squirm. Steve has spoken to audiences as large as 1500 and has coached groups of all ages and sizes. He appears on a weekly international spiritual broadcast and contributes to several weekly self-improvement movements.
A father of 4 now adult children, he lives on the sub-tropical Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia and when not writing and mentoring others, can be found at one of the beautiful local beaches communing with Mother Earth or gazing out to sea.
Turning 40 and trading safety for soulful
What if the life you built—stable, successful, and safe—started to feel like a cage? This week’s guest, Steve Vincent, opens up about his courageous midlife transformation from high school vice principal to successful freelance copywriter. From the outside, Steve had it all: a leadership role in education, a loving family with four kids, a nice home by the water. But internally, he was wrestling with the quiet sadness of a life that felt too small for his spirit. In this conversation, Steve shares how he stopped ignoring that still, small voice and instead let it guide him toward a radically different—and much more fulfilling—path.
Episode Highlights
- 🌏 Growing up in Brisbane, Australia, with Catholic roots, and how early conditioning shaped his beliefs about success and security
- 🧠 The subtle but persistent feeling that “this isn’t working anymore”—and the deep sadness that came with pretending it was
- ✨ The power of seemingly small moments—like a passing comment at a seminar—that can flip the switch and open up new possibilities
- 💼 How Steve used long service leave to “test drive” his dream of being a full-time copywriter
- 🔄 The importance of motion: why getting unstuck often starts with simply doing something new
- 🧘♂️ Emotional wisdom: learning to accept all of life’s seasons—and finding peace even in discomfort
- 📋 A practical technique from Abraham Hicks—the “Placemat Process”—that helped Steve manage overwhelm and shift energy (and that Stephanie plans to try herself!)
Steve’s story is a beautiful reminder that courage doesn’t always look like a dramatic leap—it often starts with a whisper in your soul and a single, intentional step forward. If you’re feeling stuck, take a cue from Steve: get into motion. Go to the seminar. Read the book. Take the quiet time. And trust that the next piece of your path will appear. If this episode spoke to you, please rate, follow, and leave a review—we love hearing how these conversations are landing with you.
Guest Resources
Connect with Steve on Instagram
Do you have the Midlife Ick?
Download Stephanie’s guide to the Ick to diagnose whether you or someone you love is suffering from this insidious midlife malaise. www.thebigfouroh.com/ick
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