Mind Your Midlife | Women Over 40, Menopause, Self Care, Mindset, Empty Nest, Aging Parents, Healthy Habits, Self-Talk

Cheryl Fischer, Life Coach for Midlife Women, Podcaster, Corporate Trainer
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Did you wake up one morning and realize you’ve officially hit midlife? Welcome to your forties and fifties! You probably thought by now you’d have your retirement fund maxed out, the confidence to speak up at work, and a perfect relationship with your body. Instead, you might be feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and ready to numb the stress with wine and Netflix. If you are a woman over 40 who is tired of toxic positivity, exhausting "5 AM club" routines, and self-help advice that just doesn't stick, you are in the right place. Mind Your Midlife is a global top 2% podcast dedicated to real midlife transformation. We explore how actual mindset shifts, emotional intelligence, and authentic self-talk can create lasting change—without adding more exhausting tasks to your daily to-do list. Join award-winning teacher, Life Coach, and trainer Cheryl Fischer as she helps hundreds of women find success, confidence, and clarity in their "second act." Each week, Cheryl and expert guests share practical advice on how to: Navigate perimenopause and feel confident and beautiful in your changing body.Master your self-talk to eliminate comparison and self-doubt.Build the career success and financial confidence you deserve.Wake up energized and looking forward to the day, instead of hitting snooze.Set and achieve your boldest second-act goals. Change comes from the inside, and your next chapter can be your best one yet. Subscribe to Mind Your Midlife today to start creating a life you actually love! (Formerly OMG Teach Me podcast) -Listen Notes global top 2% score- Popular topics include: mindset for women over 50, menopause and perimenopause, hormone balance, self talk and self confidence, redefining aging for women, mindset shifts, midlife crisis, midlife body positivity, energy in midlife, confidence in midlife, finding community after 50, midlife isolation, staying active in midlife, mental benefits of movement, healthy habits for midlife women, Gen X women, adult children, sandwich generation, can’t sleep, pulled muscles, stiff joints, hot flashes, brain fog, making friends, retirement, retirement prep, adult children, aging parents, caring for parents, empty nest, grandma hobbies

  1. 17h ago ·  Video

    99. Is Wine Your Coping Mechanism? It's Not About the Alcohol, with Colleen Freeland

    There is a middle ground with alcohol that affects so many of us in midlife: we're not dealing with addiction, but we often wake up feeling guilty, tired, and stuck in a cycle of habitual drinking. We tell ourselves we’ll stop, only to pour another glass to take the edge off a stressful day.  In this episode, I welcome Colleen Freeland, founder of Emotional Sobriety Coaching and host of the It's Not About the Alcohol podcast. We discuss why high-functioning women use alcohol to cope, the difference between positive and negative reinforcement, and how to retrain your brain using mindfulness rather than willpower.  What You’ll Learn:  The Root of the Habit: Drinking too much is not self-indulgent. It is actually a symptom of self-neglect and a way to cope with running on a deficit.The Restriction Trap: Using willpower to avoid alcohol can feel like a Chinese finger cuff, where the harder you pull away, the tighter it gets. If you do not solve the underlying pattern, you will simply switch to another coping mechanism. The "Delay, Don't Deny" Strategy: You can learn to delay pouring a drink by taking five to fifteen minutes to do something else that invites pleasure. This practice helps retrain your brain and rebuilds neural pathways without requiring strict, all-or-nothing abstinence.   Links & Resources: Episode Sponsor Vitamin G (Use code MINDYOURMIDLIFE for 10% off at Cherylpfischer.com/vitaminG) Colleen's Quiz and Website: emotionalsobrietycoaching.com Colleen's Podcast: It's Not About the Alcohol Colleen's Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Take Colleen's quiz: What type of drinker are you?Episode 83: Tricia Nelson on Emotional Eating Episode Chapters:  00:00:00 - The Wine Guilt Cycle 00:01:33 - Sponsor Break Vitamin G 00:02:07 - Midlife Sleep And The Tipping Point 00:04:40 - Meet Colleen And Emotional Sobriety 00:06:53 - Too Much Drinking As Self Neglect 00:10:06 - Positive Vs Negative Reinforcement 00:14:17 - Why Cold Turkey Can Backfire 00:18:10 - Delay Don’t Deny And New Pleasures 00:22:21 - Nervous System Tools Over Willpower 00:25:21 - Mindfulness And Reconnecting To Your Body 00:29:55 - Where To Find Colleen And The Quiz 00:34:27 - Key Takeaways And Closing Reflection Why This Episode Matters By recognizing that your drinking habits might just be a coping mechanism for a busy, stressful life, you can strip away the guilt and start giving yourself the grace you deserve.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife. Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    99. Is Wine Your Coping Mechanism? It's Not About the Alcohol, with Colleen Freeland

  2. Aug 21 ·  Video

    98. The Truth About Friendship Loss and Changing Social Circles in Midlife

    Friendship change or loss is something that we rarely talk about enough during our 40s and 50s. We often feel guilty when we realize we are outgrowing the people we used to spend our time with, or we wonder why we simply don't have the same energy to maintain our social circles.  In this episode, let's talk about the complicated evolution of midlife friendships. Shifts are happening as our kids grow up, after the pandemic, and even as hormone changes happen. I finally learned to evaluate which relationships were uplifting and which were actually draining my energy. If you've been wondering why you just don't have the bandwidth for certain friends anymore, this episode will give you the permission you need to let go gracefully and without guilt.  What You’ll Learn: The Midlife Friendship Shift: How kids getting older, moving out, and changes in post-COVID life naturally alter the people we spend time with The Hormone Factor: Why dropping levels of estrogen and oxytocin can make you biologically less inclined to nurture as many relationships The Zero Tolerance Milestone: How recognizing your time and energy as limited resources empowers you to stop shrinking yourself in imbalanced friendships Evaluating Your Inner Circle: A simple, judgment-free method to check how you truly feel—before, during, and after—spending time with a friend Gracefully Letting Go: The difference between taking a friendship "breather" due to circumstances versus moving on using "warm detachment" Links & Resources: Vitamin G Sponsor: Use code MINDYOURMIDLIFE for 10% off at CherylPFischer.com/vitaminGCoaching: Midlife Recharge: CherylPFischer.com/recharge Episode 61: Mahjong in MidlifePodcast Sponsorship Info: CherylPFischer.com/mymsponsorinfoWhy This Episode Matters By dropping the guilt and honestly evaluating how your friendships make you feel, you can completely change your social circle to one that truly supports you.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife. Episode Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Friendship Question In Midlife 00:00:57 - Sponsor Break Vitamin G 00:01:33 - Why Friendships Change With Kids 00:03:59 - COVID And Moving Disrupt Connections 00:07:12 - Hormones And The Zero Tolerance Shift 00:11:55 - Trying To Fit In As A Mom 00:14:03 - The Before During After Feelings Test 00:18:22 - Space Or Over Signs Of Imbalance 00:22:12 - Fade Out Or Have The Talk 00:26:31 - Guilt And Disenfranchised Grief 00:28:11 - Group Friends And Warm Detachment 00:31:18 - Making Room For Better Community 00:32:20 - Coaching Invite And Closing Notes Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    98. The Truth About Friendship Loss and Changing Social Circles in Midlife

  3. Aug 14 ·  Video

    97. Are You One Of The People You Try To Please (Part 2 of 2), with Lori Montry

    People pleasing is a habit that affects so many of us in midlife, often masquerading as kindness or duty. While we all want to care for our loved ones, it becomes a problem when it constantly drains our energy, causes stress, and negatively impacts our nervous system.  In this episode, which is part two of our two-week focus on the topic, I welcome Lori Montry. Lori is an author, a somatic practitioner, an educator, and the founder of the You're Not the Problem movement. We dive deep into why people pleasing is actually a nervous system adaptation designed for safety, why simply trying to force boundaries usually backfires, and how midlife provides the perfect opportunity to finally step into the starring role of your own life.  What You’ll Learn: The Safety Strategy: Why people pleasing isn't a character defect, but rather an evolutionary adaptation wired into our DNA to keep us safe and connected. Alignment vs. Capacity: How to evaluate your "yeses" by asking yourself not only if a choice aligns with your values, but if you actually have the energetic capacity for it. The Midlife Shift: How the decline of estrogen and the natural transitions of our 40s and 50s give us the internal push to explore what we truly want in our next phase of life. Links & Resources: Sponsor: Get 10% off Vitamin G with code MINDYOURMIDLIFE Lori's Website & Free Resources: lorimontry.com Lori's book: You're Not the ProblemListen to Part 1: Episode 96 Cheryl's Midlife Recharge: cherylpfischer.com/rechargeEpisode Chapters:  00:00:00 - Intro To People Pleasing 00:01:11 - Sponsor Vitamin G 00:01:47 - Part Two Focus And Guest 00:04:16 - Lori’s Pivot From Law 00:09:42 - What People Pleasing Really Means 00:12:39 - When Pleasing Becomes A Safety Plan 00:16:13 - Why You Cannot Just Stop 00:20:01 - Stop Being A Supporting Character 00:21:31 - Midlife Pressures And Hormone Shifts 00:23:34 - Change Without Fighting Yourself 00:27:25 - Values Versus Capacity In Real Life 00:31:03 - Weekly Review And Body Wisdom 00:32:47 - Somatics And Where To Find Lori 00:39:07 - Closing Thoughts And Intuition Reminder Why This Episode Matters By understanding that your people-pleasing habits were originally designed to protect you, you can stop fighting yourself and start gently guiding your nervous system toward true authenticity. It’s time to stop being a supporting character and become the main character in your own life.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife. Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    97. Are You One Of The People You Try To Please (Part 2 of 2), with Lori Montry

  4. Aug 7

    96. How to Stop People Pleasing and Start Trusting Yourself in Midlife (Part 1 of 2)

    There is a habit that drains the energy of so many women in their 40s and 50s, yet we struggle to break free from it: people-pleasing. We often spend our days managing what other people are feeling, worrying about being perceived as rude, and agonizing over every decision so we don't upset anyone.  In this episode, we tackle the exhaustion of constantly accommodating others and avoiding conflict. This is part one of a two-part series on people-pleasing (so stay tuned next week as well!). We dive into why Generation X women were often conditioned to be agreeable "good girls," how always saying yes drains your self-trust, and actionable ways to shift from simply being "nice" to being truly kind.  What You’ll Learn: The Root of People-Pleasing: Discover how "good girl" conditioning and a subconscious desire to control other people's emotions drive us to be accommodating. The Hidden Costs of Always Saying Yes: Learn how saying yes when you mean no builds up a "resentment account" that eventually leads to passive-aggressive behavior or burnout. The Erosion of Self-Trust: Understand how constantly deferring to other people's instincts and decisions causes you to stop trusting your own gut feelings and opinions. How to Stop Over-Apologizing: Get practical strategies to replace unnecessary apologies with expressions of gratitude, and learn why it is not your job to fix it when someone gets upset about your boundaries. Episode Chapters:  00:00 - Are You A People Pleaser 04:01 - Rude Vs Nice Vs Kind 09:42 - Why We Default To Nice 14:35 - The Hidden Costs Of Pleasing 22:15 - Spot The Pattern In Real Time 26:43 - Let People Feel Their Feelings 31:20 - Midlife Is Too Short Links & Resources:  Cheryl's Midlife Recharge: cherylpfischer.com/coaching Episode 93 with Ellen Baker: Good Girl Conditioning Episode 95 with Stephanie Malia Krauss: Dealing with Depletion and Burnout Episode 97: Somatic Healing for People-Pleasing (Coming Next Week!) Why This Episode Matters By learning to stop managing other people's emotions, you can rebuild your self-trust and stop draining your mental energy on worry.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife. Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    96. How to Stop People Pleasing and Start Trusting Yourself in Midlife (Part 1 of 2)

  5. Jul 31

    95. Depletion vs Burnout and How to Reclaim Your Energy in Midlife, with Stephanie Malia Krauss

    The constant, crushing overwhelm of modern life affects so many of us in our 40s and 50s, yet we tend to internalize it as if it's our personal issue. We often feel like we are failing to balance it all, caught between caring for aging parents and raising children, all while dealing with our own midlife body changes, career pressures, and a 24-hour news cycle designed to keep us hooked.  In this episode, I welcome author, speaker, and strategist Stephanie Malia Krauss. Stephanie is the author of How We Thrive, a book exploring the urgent need to protect our "human essentials"—like sleep, connection, and play—which modern life constantly restricts. We dive deep into why midlife feels like "compressed, catastrophic living," the four "storms" of modern life that are depleting us, and how to practice "rehumaning" to finally replenish your energy.  What You’ll Learn: ✔ The Four Storms of Modern Life: How being overtapped, overworked, overstimulated, and overwrought combine to create extreme volatility and drain our energy. ✔ The "Third Quarter" Squeeze: Why navigating a 100-year lifespan means midlife women are managing complex obligations for themselves as well as loved ones in their first, second, and fourth quarters of life. ✔ The Practice of Rehumaning: How to protect your 14 human essentials through reflexive, routine, radical, and rapid everyday choices. ✔ Depletion vs. Burnout: The empowering realization that feeling depleted is not the same as being burned out, meaning you actually have the power to be replenished. Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Constant Stress In Modern Midlife 02:25 - Grab The Self-Care Menu 06:10 - Why These Storms Hit Caregivers 12:30 - The Four Over Conditions Explained 20:10 - Humane Tech And Breaking The Hook 26:20 - What Rehumaning Means In Practice 33:40 - Easy Wins For Sleep And Connection 39:50 - Reflexive Routine Radical Rapid Rehumaning 44:40 - When You Need Help Or Change 47:20 - Depletion Not Burnout Final Takeaway Links & Resources: Cheryl's Free Self-Care Menu: cherylpfischer.com/selfcaremenuStephanie's Website & Free Resources: rehumaning.com Stephanie's Book: How We ThriveWhy This Episode Matters By understanding that your exhaustion isn't a personal failing, but rather a reaction to an unnatural modern world, you can begin to reclaim your human essentials. Small, simple shifts can right-size your life and replenish your spirit for the decades to come.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife.  Find the GreenSynergy Elixir and Energy Fizz duo at cherylpfischer.com/greens. Grab your water bottle, add these, and enjoy! Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    95. Depletion vs Burnout and How to Reclaim Your Energy in Midlife, with Stephanie Malia Krauss

  6. Jul 24

    94. Resilience and Hope When There Is No Happy Ending

    Many of us in midlife are navigating situations with no happy ending. We struggle with how to stay positive when facing the harsh realities of aging parents, chronic illness, or deep loss.  In this episode, a follow-up to the popular conversation on "getting your hopes up" (Episode 86), I explore what happens when the hard thing happens anyway.  I'm sharing my personal journey of navigating my mom's Parkinson's diagnosis, the ongoing grieving process we face as caregivers, and why falling into the pessimism trap only makes things harder. We dive into redefining hope, understanding true resilience, and how to safely process the heavy emotions that come with midlife challenges.  What You’ll Learn: ✔ Scalable Hope: How to redefine getting your hopes up when there isn't a magic fix by looking forward to small moments✔ The True Meaning of Resilience: Why bouncing back doesn't mean ignoring pain, and how having a healthy relationship with resilience prevents you from feeling defeated ✔ Processing Pain Safely: Why shoving down negative emotions leads to physical symptoms, and actionable tools—like tapping, journaling, or finding "glimmers"—to help you feel and release the hard stuffEpisode Chapters: 00:00:00 - Getting Hopes Up Part Two00:02:29 - Why Lowering Expectations Hurts Twice00:04:00 - When There Is No Happy Ending00:05:45 - Caring For A Sick Parent00:09:39 - Redefining Hope In Small Wins00:13:11 - What Resilience Really Means00:17:55 - Stop Ignoring The Hard Feelings00:25:59 - Glimmers Self Care And Next StepsLinks & Resources: Episode 86: Don't Get Your Hopes Up Story Cycle Resource: The Wheel of Emotions Menu of Self-Care Options: cherylpfischer.com/self-care-menuMidlife Coaching: cherylpfischer.com/rechargeWhy This Episode Matters By stripping away the pressure to just "be happy" and instead allowing ourselves to process pain, we build the true resilience needed to navigate midlife's toughest challenges.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife. Find the GreenSynergy Elixir and Energy Fizz duo at cherylpfischer.com/greens. Grab your water bottle, add these, and enjoy! Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    94. Resilience and Hope When There Is No Happy Ending

  7. Jul 17

    93. Escaping the Good Girl Trap and Rewriting Your Midlife Story, with Ellen Baker

    There is a perfect storm of transitions that hits women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s: kids leaving home, aging parents, prep for retirement, and menopause. With so much happening at once, it is completely normal to feel frustrated, unfulfilled, or a little bit lost. We often spend our days running on an exhausting loop of "I have to" and forget that we actually have a choice.  In this episode, I welcome successful novelist and mindset coach Ellen Baker. Ellen is the author of four novels, including her latest release, Summerland Cove, and the creator of the Next Chapter Studio. We dive into how the "good girl" conditioning keeps us playing small, why we need to stop outsourcing our authority to others, and how to rewrite your beliefs so you can finally become the main character in your own life.  What You’ll Learn: ✔ "Good Girl" Conditioning: How ingrained beliefs to stay small, blend in, and constantly prove ourselves keep us stuck in an exhausting cycle. ✔ Outsourcing Authority: How to recognize when you are giving your power away by constantly scanning the room to fix everyone else's problems. ✔ The Power of a Small Pivot: Why making a tiny, one-degree shift in your choices—like asking yourself what you need in the moment—can completely change the trajectory of your life. Episode Chapters: 00:00:00 - Escaping The 'Have To' Loop00:01:05 - Inner Circle And Support Space00:02:13 - Why Midlife Can Feel Lost00:04:38 - Ellen Baker’s Reinvention Story00:12:51 - Emotions Point To Misalignment00:16:46 - The Belief That Blocks Rest00:23:25 - Author Your Life With Authority00:27:31 - Trading Obligation For Choice00:31:10 - Fictional Mirror And Tiny Pivots00:34:02 - Find Ellen And Closing ReminderLinks & Resources: Ellen's Website: Ellenbakernovels.com The Next Chapter Studio: EllenbakerNovels.com/studioEllen's Instagram: @EllenBakerNovels Ellen's Book: Summerland CoveWhy This Episode Matters  By checking in with your own needs and changing your internal narrative from "I have to" to "I choose to," you can reclaim your agency and find peace even amid midlife chaos.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife. --------------- Find the GreenSynergy Elixir and Energy Fizz duo at cherylpfischer.com/greens. Grab your water bottle, add these, and enjoy! Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    93. Escaping the Good Girl Trap and Rewriting Your Midlife Story, with Ellen Baker

  8. Jul 10

    92. Assuming What Others Think is a Trap; The Story in Your Head May Be Wrong

    Have you ever been in a situation where you are absolutely convinced, 100% convinced, that you know what someone else is thinking about you? I think the answer to that for all of us is yes! We convince ourselves we know what our partners, bosses, or friends are thinking, and it causes us a lot of unnecessary struggle.   Today we're diving into the mind-reading cognitive distortion—the false belief that we know exactly what is going on in someone else's head. Drawing on insights from Tara Mohr's book, Playing Big, we explore why women are so conditioned to care about what others think, how we project our own insecurities onto the people around us, and actionable ways to step out of this mental trap.   What You’ll Learn: ✔ The "Mind-Reading" Distortion: Why we falsely believe we know what someone else is thinking and why we almost always assume it's negative. ✔ The Projection Trap: How our own uncomfortable feelings and insecurities—like worrying about our changing midlife bodies or learning new skills—are often projected onto others as a defense mechanism.  ✔ The Power of the "Boring" Explanation: How to challenge your assumptions by looking for simple, everyday reasons for someone else's behavior.  ✔ Unhooking from Criticism: Why the feedback you receive actually tells you more about the person giving it than it does about you.  Episode Chapters: 00:00 - The trap of being convinced you know what others are thinking  03:43 - Real-life struggles and the "mind-reading" cognitive distortion  07:10 - How we project our midlife insecurities onto our spouses and bosses  10:52 - Lessons from Tara Mohr's Playing Big and unhooking from praise  13:41 - Relational focus, good girl conditioning, and why we care so much  19:11 - Finding the evidence and the "boring" explanation for people's behavior  20:50 - Changing your perspective on negative feedback and trusting your gut  Links & Resources: Grab Tara's book Playing Big here: cherylpfischer.com/read  Why This Episode Matters By recognizing that you cannot truly know what other people are thinking, you can free yourself from the exhausting cycle of seeking external validation. Trust your gut, trust the simplest explanations, and avoid letting imagined judgments hold you back.  Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife.    Find the GreenSynergy Elixir and Energy Fizz duo at cherylpfischer.com/greens. Grab your water bottle, add these, and enjoy! Support the show 🌸 Liked this episode? Share it with fellow Gen X women navigating hormone balance, an empty nest, and/or self-confidence! 🫶 Love this show? Leave a review to help more women over 50 find us. 💡Want menopause advice, mindset shifts, or support with midlife transformation? Find out more about the Midlife Recharge at cherylpfischer.com/rechargeLet’s talk health after 50, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women. Connect with Cheryl: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website --------------- 💡If you are a brand or business wanting to reach an audience of women in their 40s and 50s who are focused on health, success, and taking care of themselves and others well in this stage of life, consider sponsoring Mind Your Midlife podcast.  More information here.

    92. Assuming What Others Think is a Trap; The Story in Your Head May Be Wrong
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Did you wake up one morning and realize you’ve officially hit midlife? Welcome to your forties and fifties! You probably thought by now you’d have your retirement fund maxed out, the confidence to speak up at work, and a perfect relationship with your body. Instead, you might be feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and ready to numb the stress with wine and Netflix. If you are a woman over 40 who is tired of toxic positivity, exhausting "5 AM club" routines, and self-help advice that just doesn't stick, you are in the right place. Mind Your Midlife is a global top 2% podcast dedicated to real midlife transformation. We explore how actual mindset shifts, emotional intelligence, and authentic self-talk can create lasting change—without adding more exhausting tasks to your daily to-do list. Join award-winning teacher, Life Coach, and trainer Cheryl Fischer as she helps hundreds of women find success, confidence, and clarity in their "second act." Each week, Cheryl and expert guests share practical advice on how to: Navigate perimenopause and feel confident and beautiful in your changing body.Master your self-talk to eliminate comparison and self-doubt.Build the career success and financial confidence you deserve.Wake up energized and looking forward to the day, instead of hitting snooze.Set and achieve your boldest second-act goals. Change comes from the inside, and your next chapter can be your best one yet. Subscribe to Mind Your Midlife today to start creating a life you actually love! (Formerly OMG Teach Me podcast) -Listen Notes global top 2% score- Popular topics include: mindset for women over 50, menopause and perimenopause, hormone balance, self talk and self confidence, redefining aging for women, mindset shifts, midlife crisis, midlife body positivity, energy in midlife, confidence in midlife, finding community after 50, midlife isolation, staying active in midlife, mental benefits of movement, healthy habits for midlife women, Gen X women, adult children, sandwich generation, can’t sleep, pulled muscles, stiff joints, hot flashes, brain fog, making friends, retirement, retirement prep, adult children, aging parents, caring for parents, empty nest, grandma hobbies

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