The Mindful Midlife Mom - Mindfulness Practices and Techniques for Mentally Exhausted Moms Juggling Kids & Aging Parents

72 | Why Overthinking Keeps Midlife Moms Stuck (Try This Mindfulness Trick to Break Through)

• Valerie Mekki • Episode 72

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What’s stopping you from taking that first step toward your goals—overthinking or lack of motivation?

Midlife can bring a rush of responsibilities that make personal progress feel like a luxury. Even when you want to start something—whether it’s running, writing, or simply reading more—it’s often the mental chatter and self-negotiation that derails your momentum before you begin.

In this empowering episode, you’ll learn:

  • How to outsmart your overthinking brain with one simple setup shift.
  • The 3-2-1-Go method that transforms hesitation into confident action.
  • An energizing affirmation to help you commit to your goals and show up consistently for yourself.

Press play and start building your action-taking muscle—one powerful step at a time.

You’re listening to the right show, formerly known as the Mindful Life Changes or Mindful Career Change Podcast. We’ve made some pivots through the years, but we’ve finally landed on the right path: producing content for moms seeking calm within the chaos of midlife changes.

New episodes drop on:

  • Sundays: 20-minute episodes addressing common midlife challenges with practical strategies plus a featured mindfulness practice (affirmations, mantras, or meditations)
  • Wednesdays: Short guided practice sessions to reinforce Sunday's mindfulness technique and reset your week

More from The Mindful Midlife Mom:

Discover Valerie's articles on ohhellomidlife.com or watch her videos on Youtube @ohhellomidlife

This podcast explores patience, meditation, confidence, presence, and overcoming resentment while cultivating calm, peace, mindfulness, clarity, mantras, and addressing loneliness and burn out; it covers boundaries, caregiving, guilt, affirmations, working moms, self-care, midlife crisis, empty nesters, empowerment, people pleasing, compassion fatigue, family caregiving, stress relief, self-worth, stress management, and how to shift from reactive to centered when feeling short tempered, offering tools for self acceptance, easing mental exhaustion, building emotional resilience, harnessing inner strength, and preventing caregiver fatigue for those in the sandwich generation through expert advice on boundaries setting.

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Speaker 1:

Today's affirmation, I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. In our last episode, we explored the benefits of saying yes to trying something new or doing something for yourself just for a month, as an investment in personal development and growth. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, be sure to check out episode 70 after this one to learn how a month of saying yes could be a midlife resurgence you've been looking for. But don't worry, you can listen to this episode on its own and still gain valuable insights on how to stop the overthinking and take action instantly. Let's say you've recently decided to wake up early for a workout or a run, started to read again or begin a business plan or book. New commitments like these can easily be derailed by overthinking or talking yourself out of them. You might think it's too dark and cold outside, I can't go running or I don't have time to read right now. I'll do it later. And on and on, what started as a simple commitment turns into guilt for not following through. But what if there was a way to stay committed and prevent those thoughts from holding you back? In today's episode, I'll share three simple steps to help you take action effortlessly and fluidly, as easy as saying 3, 2, 1, go.

Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to the Mindful Life Changes podcast, where we dive deep into the challenges and transformations shaping our lives, from shifts in our roles at home and work to the transitions we navigate physically and mentally as we gracefully age. I'm your host, valerie Mechie, a career change guide and mindfulness enthusiast. We've all been there. You're in bed, it's dark, it's cold and you are supposed to go on that morning run or workout, but you start talking yourself out of it. Or that book you've been meaning to read still sits on your nightstand, yet every night before you go to bed, you find yourself scrolling on your phone instead. Then there's that business plan that you started working on, but instead of opening the file, you end up cleaning out your emails or doing something else. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? I can wholeheartedly say yes to all three.

Speaker 1:

I am guilty of all of them. I could blame lack of sleep time or energy as the goal-killing culprit, but what I truly believe is the real culprit is an overthinking mind. A clever mind can make deals and talk you out of doing something, even if that something could improve your health, well-being or professional growth. You have to be one step ahead of that clever mind by setting yourself up for success and adopting the 3-2-1-go method, helping you build the muscle for instant action. The 3-2-1-go method helping you build the muscle for instant action. Okay, let's start by being one step ahead of your clever mind and setting yourself up for success. The key word here is one step.

Speaker 1:

The most critical part of taking action on anything is starting with step one. The idea is not to overwhelm yourself with entire tasks, but to make the first step so easy that it's hard to ignore. When the first step is accessible, the second becomes much easier. It's all about setting yourself up to take action without overthinking. For example, if you're planning to go on morning runs or workouts, lay out your workout clothes at the edge of their bed the night before. That way, when you wake up, the first step is right there, ready for you. If you want to read more, carry your book with you so that when you have pockets of free time, it's right there. Waiting for your kid's soccer game to end, read in the car. Waiting for dinner to cook? Keep your book on the kitchen table. Actually, that's how I built the habit of reading and it led me to finish 16 books in one year. If you're working on a business plan or writing a book, one surefire way to get over the hump is to keep the document open on your desktop, maybe in a second browser. By keeping it open, you eliminate the first step of opening the file. It's already there, waiting for your wisdom and words. This makes it easier to jump right in whenever you have a moment to work on it. When you set up the first step, you're also eliminating overthinking, making the barrier to entry so low that you're more likely to follow through with the second step taking action.

Speaker 1:

Now that we've discussed setting yourself up for success, let's dive into the 3-2-1-go method. This is a simple yet powerful way to help you get out of your own head and into action. So here's how it works when you catch yourself overthinking or stalling on something you want to do whether it's going for a run, writing or tackling a task you start by counting down 3-2-1 and then immediately take action. I like to enhance this method by taking a deep breath through the nose during the countdown, and by the time I hit one, I exhale all the air out and I'm ready to go. At the same time, I like to physically count down with my fingers to strengthen that mind-body connection. So when you start at three, place your thumb against your index finger. Then you count down to two, touch your thumb to your middle finger and finally, at one, press your thumb to your ring finger. This movement helps reinforce that countdown. It can really solidify that connection needed to take action, both mentally and physically. So why is this method so effective?

Speaker 1:

The 3-2-1-go method interrupts the cycle of overthinking and hesitation. It forces your brain to focus on the countdown, creating a sense of urgency and eliminating room for any doubt. By the time you get to go, your mind is primed for action and you're much more less likely to talk yourself out of it. It turns hesitation into instant momentum. Try imagining you are a runner and you are at the starting line and you are setting yourself up and when you count down three, two, one, go you propel forward as if you are just running for the race of your life. Imagine that as you are saying three, two, one go to yourself, okay. So quick recap the key to stop overthinking and taking instant action actually starts with prepping the first step. When you set yourself up for success by making the first step so easy, you're more likely to follow smoothly into the action. And if you start feeling any hesitation or thinking about backing out, take a deep breath and count down to three.

Speaker 1:

With these simple steps, I hope it leads to healthy rituals and productive habits, which will ultimately help you stay motivated, take consistent action and reach your goals with greater ease. So, with that in mind, let's reclaim our commitment to ourselves and encourage ourselves to stay on track, getting us one step closer to fulfilling a promise or a goal for ourselves. We'll start our affirmation practice by priming our mind and body so you'll be open to this affirmation. Take a deep and cleansing breath in and out, releasing any energy that doesn't serve you in your mind and body. I'll begin by reciting the affirmation twice. While you listen to the affirmations, imagine you're writing this affirmation down on a whiteboard or you're watching someone write it down on the board for you. This will help with memorization.

Speaker 1:

So let's begin. I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. I'll repeat the affirmation again, but this time I want you to repeat it out loud to yourself so you can make a connection. I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. I'll repeat the affirmation again and once again, say it out loud to yourself I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. Now let's take a moment and visualize yourself in action towards a goal you've been wanting to start or follow through. Imagine counting down from three, two, one and taking action, like a runner who sets up their mark and at the sound of the shot, they propel forward and go. I want the same thrilling feeling for you. Visualize the scene in full color. I'll give you a moment to imagine this. As I repeat the affirmation I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. I'll repeat it one last time and give you a moment to let it sink in I commit to showing up for myself and staying on track. When you're ready, slowly open your eyes if you had them closed and, if it feels comfortable to you, place your hand over your heart to help seal in the affirmation practice with.

Speaker 1:

To recite and practice for 21 days once a day. It's most effective upon waking up, in the morning, before you start your day, or at night before you go to sleep. For 21 days in a row. To deepen your affirmation practice, consider making your affirmations sticky. This is an acronym that helps you craft more sustainable and effective affirmations. Refer back to episode one for more on this method, or write down the affirmation on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror as a daily reminder that you are committed to staying on track, or transform it into a mantra. I commit to showing up for myself and repeat it while working out, meditating or getting ready for the day. There is no better way to develop a healthy habit than setting yourself up for success.

Speaker 1:

Subscribe to this podcast and bookmark this episode so you'll have it handy whenever you need a quick guide to this affirmation. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend or family member, who may need some motivational support too, as they are starting something new in their life, or show your appreciation by giving us a rating wherever you're listening. Your support will help other midlifers discover our content, allowing this podcast to grow and blossom. Thank you for sharing this time and space with me. Every moment you dedicate to being mindful is a step towards a more fulfilled and vibrant life. Keep embracing your midlife journey with an open heart and remember you are not alone in this. I look forward to our next mindful gathering. I'll talk to you soon.