Episodes

Quick Summary: Cheryl talks with Cortnee White, a sports therapist, mental performance coach, and owner of The Athlete Mind, about the mindset side of starting a sport in midlife. You’ll learn why being a beginner feels so vulnerable, how to get better without making your hobby feel like work, and how to choose a “mind stance” that helps you enjoy the game whether you win or lose.


Intro:
Maybe it’s pickleball, golf, tennis, or a running club. Starting a sport as a hobby in midlife is good for...

Quick Summary: In this episode, Cheryl explores what happens when a midlife marriage quietly drifts into a “roommate” relationship, and why gray divorce is rising. With archival clips from couples expert Dr. Jackie Black, you’ll learn the early signs of disconnection and simple daily habits that help you reconnect, even if you feel like the only one trying.


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You’re not fighting. You’re not unhappy, exactly. But somewhere between the busy kid years, work, and aging parents, your marriage...

Quick Summary: In part one of a two-part mini-series on the men in our lives, Cheryl talks with James Davis, a coaching psychologist, men's health advocate, and author of The Midlife Male Handbook, about what men go through in midlife. You'll learn what andropause is, why many men withdraw instead of talking, and how to gently start a conversation that brings you closer.


Intro:
We talk a lot on this show about what we're going through in midlife: hormones, adult kids, aging parents, career ch...

Quick Summary: In this episode, Cheryl talks with Helen Rayner, a camera confidence expert and professional photographer, about why so many women in midlife dread being photographed and what to do about it. You'll learn why phone cameras distort your face, simple posing tricks that flatter, and why the most important thing is simply to be in the picture.


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We've all been there. The group photo gets taken, everyone huddles around the phone, and suddenly it's "Oh, not that one!" Most of...

Quick summary: In this solo episode, Cheryl explains why so many women drift through midlife on autopilot, and why it's your brain conserving energy and seeking safety, not laziness. You'll learn how tiny compromises and blame keep you stuck, what "taking 100% responsibility" really means, and simple changes, like brushing your teeth with your other hand, that wake your brain up.

Intro
Have you ever driven to work or the store, pulled into your parking spot, and suddenly realized you don't reme...

Quick Summary: In this Changemakers episode, Cheryl talks with Dr. Ann Marie Peters, an executive coach, organizational psychologist, and author of We'll Be Right Back, about returning to work after a career pause. You'll learn why the "part-time myth" catches so many women, how to recognize the skills you built while you were away, and why many women in midlife choose authenticity and balance over climbing the ladder.


Intro:
Returning to the workforce after a career pause is somewhat common ...

Quick Summary: In this episode, Cheryl talks with Laura Lambe, a menopause practitioner and founder of the free Menopause Lab, about why menopause advice feels so overwhelming and how to cut through it. You'll learn why Laura says most women need to do less, not more, how to audit the supplements and routines you're using, and why eating enough and lifting weights come before trendy fixes.


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It is overwhelming to navigate midlife when your body is changing and everyone is giving confl...

Quick Summary: Episode 100 of Mind Your Midlife is a solo celebration. Cheryl Fischer shares behind-the-scenes bloopers, revisits the listener-favorite episodes on memory, movement, hydration, complaining, decluttering, body image, community, people-pleasing, and getting clear on what you want, and previews what's coming this fall. The message running through all of it: it's not just you, and you can roll with the messy parts of midlife.


Intro: Reaching episode 100 of Mind Your Midlife is a m...

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...

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...

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 pe...

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 di...

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...

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 t...

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 ...

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 b...

We know that meditation could help with the stress and upheaval of midlife (or we've at least heard that somewhere). Yet, so many of us feel like we just can't stop our brains from running a mile a minute, leaving us feeling guilty that we can't get meditation right. Today energetic wellness strategist and yoga teacher Lauri Stern joins me to help. Lauri is the host of The Real and the Woo podcast and the founder of Custom Designed Wellness. We discuss a totally different approach to mi...

Has anyone ever suggested you write down three things you're grateful for every night—and you totally resisted the idea? We've all heard the buzz about gratitude, but sometimes it just feels like another chore on our to-do list, or worse, a push for "toxic positivity." In this episode, we are busting the myths surrounding gratitude. We'll explore why feeling thankful doesn't mean ignoring life's hard stuff, and how simple practices can literally rewire your brain to help you feel calme...

When we hit our forties and fifties, we often look around, realize our lives are pretty good, and still notice a sense of dissatisfaction or restlessness. Then, we feel guilty for feeling that way because we know how blessed we are to have families, friends, and careers we (at least) like.


In this Changemakers episode, I'm joined by Christina L. Woods, a clinical hypnotherapist, subconscious transformation expert, and former corporate executive. Christina specializes in helping high achievers...

Have you ever wondered why two people who are both 55 years old can look and act completely different, with one appearing ten years younger and the other seeming far older? In this episode, we explore the fascinating connection between our minds and the aging process to ask: are we actually thinking ourselves into old age?


Drawing inspiration from the book Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, we're talking about how accepting the artificial belief that we are "old" causes us to slow down, whi...

Do you feel like your body is changing, nothing fits right, and it’s easier to just wear pajama pants with a professional shirt for your Zoom calls? Giving up on getting dressed takes a heavy toll on how we feel about ourselves.


In this episode, I welcome style expert Jennifer Mackey Mary. Jennifer is the founder of Everyday Style and host of the top 10 podcast, The Everyday Style School. We dive into why mindset is the critical first step to style, how to confidently dress a changing midlife...

Have you ever thought about how often you say or think the phrase, "don't get your hopes up"? In midlife, dealing with career pivots, aging parents, and changing bodies, we often use this concept as a shield to protect ourselves. But what if lowering your expectations actually hurts you more? In this episode, I dive into why "don't get your hopes up" is one of my least favorite phrases and why it's time to start getting excited about life again. We explore the evolutionary psychology b...

Many women in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s tend to suffer in total silence when navigating changes in intimacy. We often carry shame around our shifting desires and changing bodies, falsely believing we are the only ones struggling or that we are somehow broken.

In this episode, I welcome Jennifer Marie Summers, a board-certified sexologist, certified sex coach, and menopause coach who has been doing this work for nearly two decades. We dive deep into why smart, capable midlife women experienc...

Have you ever set a big goal, started taking action, and then completely self-sabotaged? You are not alone. In midlife, we often feel ready to make a significant change, whether it is a career pivot, starting a new business, or getting in shape. But then procrastination sets in, and we slide right back into our old habits. What if this self-sabotage isn't a sign of weakness, but a predictable, biological, psychological process that you have control over?

In this episode, we dive into the concep...