Do you ever feel guilty for not being productive?

Like, if you’re not doing, you’re somehow failing?

In this week’s Ask Me Anything: Finding Your Fun Fix session, Treena sits down with Shelly — a mom of two newly launched college kids — who’s stepping into the world of empty nesting and trying to rediscover her kind of fun… guilt-free.

Together, they talk about the invisible weight that many women carry in this stage of life — the constant doing, caregiving, and achieving — and how that can push fun to the very bottom of the to-do list.

✨ How to prioritize fun (and let go of the guilt that comes with it) 📋 How “tick-boxers” can turn their productivity habits into tools for fun 💡 Why fun isn’t frivolous — it’s fundamental to mental and physical wellness

Shelly shares how she’s learning to replace her daily checklist with moments of joy — from starting a Fun Board to launching a 30-day photo project that helps her see beauty in her new phase of life.

Treena reminds us that if fun came in a pill, we’d all take it daily. It boosts our mood, strengthens resilience, balances hormones, and even helps us sleep and digest better.

Fun doesn’t erase your responsibilities — it helps you carry them better. When you make fun a daily habit and a true priority, you don’t just lift yourself up — you lift the world around you.

Thank you to the lovely Shelly Niehaus for sharing her quest for finding FUN in her life and host of Midlife Made Simple: Faith and Purpose for Christian Women. This is a podcast for women 40+ navigating midlife transitions—from empty nest and caring for aging parents to menopause, reinvention, and beyond. Host Shelly Niehaus offers faith-based encouragement, practical tools, and soulful strategies to help you rediscover your identity, simplify life, and find purpose in this season.

If this speaks to you, have a listen!