In this powerful conversation, Wendy Valentine sits down with habits and identity coach—and recovering perfectionist—Monica Packer to unpack why perfectionism keeps midlife women stuck on the sidelines and how to choose progress over perfection. Monica shares her 2015 “aha” moment, explains the perfectionism pendulum (overachieving ↔ underachieving), and shows how self-compassion—not shame—creates sustainable change. You’ll hear practical ways to quiet the inner critic, navigate the messy middle, set healthier boundaries, and take brave, bite-sized action with Monica’s simple Do Something List. If you’re tired, busy, or overwhelmed but still want to grow, this episode gives you freeing, relatable tools to move forward—imperfectly and authentically.   What You’ll Learn The “perfectionism pendulum” and why both all-or-nothing and doing nothing are the same trap How self-compassion outperforms self-criticism for lasting habit change A 3C toolkit: Compassion, Courage, Curiosity to navigate the messy middle How to spot and reframe your inner critic in real time Why validation ≠ apathy—and how acceptance jumpstarts momentum Practical steps to start small: create a Do Something List and celebrate micro-wins How perfectionism strains relationships—and the role of boundaries and invitations to change Identity shifts: moving from outcome-based worth to values-aligned action in midlife 🎧 Tune in now at https://TheMidlifeMakeoverShow.com or wherever you listen to podcasts!   👉 Connect with Monica! www.aboutprogress.com   🌟 Explore All Things Midlife & More https://wendyvalentine.com   📖 Order Your Copy of Women Waking Up https://womenwakingup.com   📸 Follow My Midlife Adventures on IG! https://www.instagram.com/wendy_valentine_/   📝 Get Weekly Midlife Inspiration on Substack https://wendyvalentine.substack.com/