What if midlife isn’t something to “get through”…but something to lean into?

In this episode, Nicole Studt and I talk about all things midlife…identity, pivoting with intention, maps, payphones, and why the middle years may hold more meaning and growth than we expect.

Nicole shares her journey from corporate HR to self-employment, how flexibility became a gift during some of life’s hardest seasons, and why understanding ourselves (and each other) matters more than ever. We explore how tools like the Enneagram can deepen compassion, strengthen relationships, and reduce unnecessary friction…at work, at home, and within ourselves.

It’s a powerful reminder that we don’t have to wait for “someday” to live fully aligned lives. Midlife isn’t the end of the story…it’s often where clarity, courage, and self-trust finally start to click into place.

If you’re wanting to understand yourself more deeply, rethink what success means, or reduce friction in your life and work, listen in.

• Why the “middle age” narrative needs a serious reframe
• Making career pivots that prioritize flexibility, values, and real life
• The unexpected gifts of working for yourself (and with family)
• How the Enneagram helps us understand why we do what we do
• Navigating relationships through personality awareness
• Why the middle years deserve more credit than they get

• The Marvelous Middle-Aged Podcast
• Instagram

• Learn more about working with me at The DASH Mindset.
• Connect with me on LinkedIn.
• Have an idea for a future episode? I’d love to hear it!

If you love The DASH Mindset Podcast, I’d be so grateful if you’d leave a quick rating and review. On iTunes, scroll down, tap to give five stars, and hit “Write a Review.” On Spotify, just select “Rate Show.” Your support helps more people lead their lives…and lead others…in a way that truly matters.

Gratitude can feel annoying when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or just trying to get through the day.

This episode isn’t about forcing gratitude or pretending things are fine.

Instead, I share a list of 80 real-life things we tend to overlook…the kind we forget to notice when we’re busy getting through the day.

This isn’t a 5am, burn-sage, reach inner-peace kind of gratitude episode.

It’s a reminder that we’re often so focused on what’s next…or what’s missing…that we forget to notice what’s already working, what we’ve already handled, and how much we’ve already grown.

You don’t need a notebook. You don’t need to pause and reflect. You don’t need to “do” anything at all.

Just listen.

And if one thing on the list resonates, fantastic.

• A more realistic view of your progress…even if things feel messy right now
• Less pressure to constantly “fix” yourself or your life
• More appreciation for the small steps you’ve already taken
• A reminder that progress doesn’t have to be big and impressive to count

Progress doesn’t always look like a big, impressive moment.

If your brain tends to focus on how far you still think you need to go, that doesn’t mean you haven’t made progress.

It just means you’re human.

You can download the full list using the link below and revisit it anytime you need the reminder.

Thanks for listening!

You get one dash. Make it matter.

• Download the 80 Things to Be Thankful For list.
• Learn more about working with me at The DASH Mindset.
• Connect with me on LinkedIn.
• Have an idea for a future episode? I’d love to hear it!

If you love The DASH Mindset Podcast, I’d be so grateful if you’d leave a quick rating and review. On iTunes, scroll down, tap to give five stars, and hit “Write a Review.” On Spotify, just select “Rate Show.” Your support helps more people lead their lives…and lead others…in a way that truly matters.

After an unplanned podcast hiatus due to tech avoidance and a little story inflation, Sheri is back with an honest conversation about the stories we tell ourselves…and how they quietly keep us stuck.

In this episode, Sheri unpacks why manageable tasks turn into overwhelming “elephants,” how perfectionism and accountability (or the lack of it) fuel avoidance, and why progress almost always starts with a tiny, imperfect step. It’s a reminder that most of what we avoid isn’t actually as hard as we tell ourselves it is.

If you’ve been putting something off, overthinking a simple next step, or telling yourself a convincing story about why “now isn’t the time,” this episode is your nudge forward.

Because most of the things we avoid aren’t actually elephants at all. They’re more like squirrels…chaotic and distracting, but completely manageable.

What This Episode Might Shift for You

• A more realistic perspective on the thing you’ve been avoiding
• Less pressure to have it all figured out before you begin
• Permission to take a small, imperfect first step
• A more grounded, realistic story about what’s actually required

In This Conversation

• Why Sheri was MIA for a while… and what was happening behind the scenes
• How accountability (or the lack of it) impacts follow-through
• Why we avoid things we’re fully capable of doing
• How perfection turns small tasks into massive mental projects
• Four practical ways to shrink the story and move forward

• Name the thing you’ve been avoiding…out loud if possible
• Identify the smallest first step rather than focusing on the entire project
• Ask yourself: What’s the 60-second action I could take today?
• Give yourself permission to be a beginner and move forward imperfectly

And listen to my friend Sue’s podcast that I mentioned! Susan M. Barber at The Visibility Factor Podcast.

If something in your life has gotten bigger in your head than it actually is, this is your reminder: stories can be rewritten, and momentum starts small.

If this episode resonated, please share it, subscribe, and stay tuned…Sheri is officially back. The elephant has been eaten.

Thanks for listening! If you love The DASH Mindset Podcast, I’d be so grateful if you’d leave a quick rating and review. On iTunes, scroll down, tap to give five stars, and hit “Write a Review.” On Spotify, just select “Rate Show.” Your support helps more people lead their lives…and lead others…in a way that truly matters. Let’s Connect:

• Learn more about working with me at The DASH Mindset.
• Connect with me on LinkedIn.
• Reach out if you’d like to explore how I can be a resource for you.
• Have an idea for a future episode? I’d love to hear it!