The Mindful Midlife Mom - Mindfulness Practices and Techniques for Mentally Exhausted Moms in the Sandwich Generation
Are you an overstretched midlife mom juggling kids and aging parents while feeling mentally exhausted and losing yourself in the process?
You're not alone in this overwhelming season. As someone currently living in the sandwich generation with my dad in assisted living while my kids are in school, I understand the unique burnout that comes from caring for everyone except yourself.
This show offers practical mindfulness tools specifically designed for moms navigating caregiving responsibilities while raising kids.
Tune in twice a week for:
- 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
These bite-sized practices fit into your chaotic schedule and help you show up as the calm, present mom you want to be.
Start with our fan-favorite Episode 97: "Midlife Slump? You Deserve Better— 'I Am' Affirmations for Self Worth" to begin transforming how you see yourself today.
The Mindful Midlife Mom - Mindfulness Practices and Techniques for Mentally Exhausted Moms in the Sandwich Generation
135 | How to Be Present This Holiday Season: The P.A.U.S.E. Practice for Sandwich Generation Moms
This holiday season might look completely different than you expected. Maybe your parent is in a new care facility. Maybe their health has declined. Maybe you're celebrating in ways you never imagined—and the grief of that change threatens to steal your presence from the moments that matter most.
In this deeply personal episode, Valerie shares her experience moving her dad into elevated care right before the holidays and why she's determined not to let distraction and busyness rob her of fleeting, precious moments with him. Because these small moments—holding his hand, making eye contact, brushing his hair—won't always be available. And one day, they'll become the core memories she cherishes forever.
You'll discover:
- Why we distract ourselves with meaningless tasks when grief feels overwhelming—and how to recognize when you're doing it
- The P.A.U.S.E. practice: a gentle, 5-step method to press pause on busyness and reconnect with what matters
- How to practice presence now so you're building the "presence muscle" for all your important moments
This isn't about forced positivity or avoiding your feelings. It's about acknowledging that both sadness and joy can exist on the same day—and choosing to be present for the fleeting moments that will become tomorrow's treasured memories.
Press play now to learn how to capture the small moments that matter most—because presence is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your parent this holiday season.
You’re listening to the right show, formerly known as the Mindful Life Changes or Mindful Career Change. We’ve pivoted through the years, but finally landed on the right path: content for moms in the ‘Sandwich Generation’, because midlife disruption doesn't have to break you.
New episodes drop on:
- Sundays: 20-min episodes addressing common midlife challenges with practical strategies plus a mindfulness practice (affirmations, mantras, or meditations)
- Wednesdays: Bite-sized episodes to reinforce Sunday's mindfulness technique & 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.