Are you feeling stuck in a toxic work environment, struggling to let go of an old identity, or blaming yourself when things just aren't working out? You’re NOT alone — and it is never too late to pull up your roots and replant yourself.

In this Changemakers episode, licensed therapist, speaker, and author Mary Rothwell joins me to share her journey of leaving a 32-year career in higher education after a leadership change turned her beloved job into a nightmare.

Mary shares the messy reality of midlife entrepreneurship and how she eventually found her true path by combining her mental health expertise with her deep love for nature . If you are ready to stop forcing yourself to bloom in the wrong soil — and want to learn how to honor your "essential nature" — this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn:

✔ The Physical Toll of Toxic Jobs: Why we often blame ourselves when a boss treats us poorly, and how to trust the physical signs (like stomach aches) telling you to leave

✔ Abandoning Your Identity: The grief and challenge of walking away from a successful 32-year career to start completely over

✔ Plant Wisdom: How to figure out if you are a "shade person" or a "sun person" and why you shouldn't apologize for your environment needs

✔ Forest Bathing for Beginners: The science-backed benefits of immersing yourself in nature to lower anxiety, and how to do it even in an urban setting

🎯 OMG Moment:

If you see a houseplant or a tree struggling to grow, you look at its environment. You check the light, the soil, the water. You never look at a struggling plant and think, "My goodness, that is a lazy plant. It's not trying hard enough." Yet, when we struggle in an environment we weren't built for, the first thing we do is blame ourselves .

Take Action Today:

• Connect with Mary: Visit her website at maryrothwell.net to learn about her "Build and Burn" coaching membership .
• Join the Launch Team: Go to maryrothwell.net/launchteam to get early access to audio chapters as Mary launches her new book, Nature Knows.
• Try Micro-Forest Bathing: Find your favorite tree on your way to work, put your hand on the bark, and use your senses to connect and ground your nervous system.
• Grab the Story Cycle Resource: If you are struggling to process your emotions around a career change, download my free tool at

Find all the information on the Being Profile assessment at cherylpfischer.com/coaching - and use promo code PROFILE50.

*Start your day with Energy Fizz and GreenSynergy Elixir: cherylpfischer.com/recommendations (and use the code ARBONNE10)

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?

• Book a free Mindset Coaching / Intro Call: cherylpfischer.com/coaching

Let’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, Midlife Coach: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website

Are you a woman over 40 feeling anxious about bladder leaks when you sneeze, laugh, or jump? You’re NOT alone — but you don't have to just live with it. In this episode of Mind Your Midlife, certified health coach and Pfilates instructor Patricia Linderman joins me to break down pelvic floor health, the reality of prolapse, and the real muscular mechanics behind why we leak and how we can stop it.

What You’ll Learn:

✔ How your core acts like a "can" and why deep, three-dimensional breathing is like taking your pelvic floor for 10,000 steps

✔ Why a tight pelvic floor can cause just as many problems (like pain and cramping) as a weak one

✔ Practical steps to properly perform a Kegel using the "rolled-up towel" method

✔ What women REALLY need to know about the "partner muscles" (glutes and inner thighs) that turbocharge your pelvic floor strength

✔ How to use "bracing" to prevent leaks in the exact moment you are about to cough or sneeze

🎯 OMG Moment:

A shocking reality check: There are more incontinence pads sold in the United States than menstrual pads. Even more staggering, serious incontinence is one of the primary reasons women are forced to enter assisted living. Leaks might be common, but they are an indication of muscle weakness, not an inevitable sentence of aging.

Take Action Today:

• Connect with Patricia at fierceafter45.com and explore Pelvic Floor Pilates at pfilates.com
• Listen to the episodes on breathwork and on talking to your doctor
• Choose ONE small step to build your mind-body connection this week, like taking three deep breaths without hunching over your phone

Why This Episode Matters

Midlife is a powerful turning point. We are often sold the message that pads and surgeries are our only options. By understanding how to train this hidden muscle group just like we train our shoulders or biceps, we reclaim our bodily autonomy and our quality of 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?

• Book a free Mindset Coaching / Intro Call: cherylpfischer.com/coaching

Let’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, Midlife Coach: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website

Are you a woman over 40 or 50 feeling stuck in analysis paralysis, second-guessing every decision from your career to your kitchen renovations, or trapped in a loop of "what if it goes wrong?" You’re NOT alone. In this episode of Mind Your Midlife, I’m sharing the story of my coaching client, Mandy—a highly successful entrepreneur who suddenly found herself unable to move forward on even simple projects.

We are diving deep into the Being Profile to uncover why smart, experienced midlife women get trapped in "mental traffic." We’ll explore how an unhealthy relationship with fear, anxiety, and peace of mind creates overwhelm, and why your subconscious brain is working overtime to keep you safely stuck.

If you are ready to stop researching and start doing — and want to trade constant inner friction for ease and flow — this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn:

✔ The critical difference between Fear (past threats) and Anxiety (future worries) and how they disguise themselves as "preparation"

✔ How to measure your Effectiveness and why constant struggle isn't a badge of honor

✔ The danger of "Mental Traffic": How repeating "it's never going to work" in your head physically stops you from making decisions

✔ Why connecting to a Higher Purpose is the secret to pulling yourself out of short-term comfort traps

🎯 OMG Moment:

You caught yourself telling yourself all day that it wouldn't work? Catching yourself is good, because imagine how long that would have kept going. Awareness is the first step to rewiring your subconscious .

Take Action Today:

• Book a Free Coaching Call: Grab one of the limited discount codes this spring to take your own Being Profile assessment and uncover what's keeping you stuck at cherylpfischer.com/coaching .
• Dream Without Limits: Find a quiet spot, calm your nervous system, and write down exactly what you want your outcome to look like without worrying about the "how" .
• Adopt a "Stuck" Affirmation: Next time you are spiraling in analysis, use a pattern interrupt like tapping or repeating the affirmation: "I can figure it out."
• Listen to episode 70.

Midlife women have decades of lived experience and success—we are experts at navigating life . Yet, when our internal "peace of mind" is low and our fear is high, we forget our own capability.

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?

• Book a free Mindset Coaching / Intro Call: cherylpfischer.com/coaching

Let’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, Midlife Coach: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website