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 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!
https://open.spotify.com/show/1se1r8xUZofKtPjx128HNw?si=c587d525a31242e1
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✉️ Get more stories, tips + tools on building fun habits right to your inbox → www.minddoodles.ca
🚀 Ready for a deeper dive? Join my Fun Formula Program (14-day kickstart or 90-day coaching) → email me at treena@minddoodles.ca
🌍 Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that fun is a must-have, not a nice-to-have
🎵 Music by Allstar musicians Per Hoffman and David Hilton Clark
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