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Pursue Your Spark: Midlife Fitness & Mindset for Women Feeling Stuck

Pursue Your Spark: Midlife Fitness & Mindset for Women Feeling Stuck

Heike Yates 100 Episodes Jul 23, 2026

Pursue Your Spark is a midlife fitness and mindset podcast for women who feel stuck in the in-between seasons of life—when old routines and habits no longer fit. Each week, it explores patterns like people-pleasing, perfectionism, self-doubt, and body changes, offering a fresh perspective instead of just telling you to try harder. Hosted by midlife fitness expert, author, and coach Heike Yates, the show blends honest conversations with practical wisdom drawn from over 40 years of coaching experience. It aims to help listeners rebuild self-trust, move through midlife with confidence, and fully embrace the next chapter of life. Every episode provides one new perspective, one practical step, and encouragement to keep going.

Episodes

266. You Took Care of Everyone Else… But Lost Yourself | Denise Drinkwalter
266. You Took Care of Everyone Else… But Lost Yourself | Denise Drinkwalter Jul 23, 2026 31:13 Losing yourself in midlife can happen so gradually that you don't even notice it. One day, you realize you've spent years taking care of everyone else, but you've lost touch with yourself. In Episode 266, You Took Care of Everyone Else… But Lost Yourself, Denise Drinkwalter joins me for an honest conversation about why so many women reach this point and how they can begin finding themselve
265. The Midlife Body Disconnect No One Talks About
265. The Midlife Body Disconnect No One Talks About Jul 9, 2026 34:48 What if the problem isn't your body? What if the real reason you feel frustrated with your changing body has nothing to do with motivation, discipline, or getting older? In Episode 265, The Midlife Body Disconnect No One Talks About, I explore why so many women lose touch with their bodies during midlife—and why reconnecting with the body you have today may be the missing piece to rebuilding
264. Why People Pleasing and Perfectionism Keep You Stuck in Midlife | Cindy Payne
264. Why People Pleasing and Perfectionism Keep You Stuck in Midlife | Cindy Payne Jun 25, 2026 38:08 You say yes when you want to say no. You take care of everyone else first. And no matter how much you accomplish, it never feels like enough. Sound familiar? In Episode 264, "Why People Pleasing and Perfectionism Keep You Stuck in Midlife," I sit down with therapist Cindy Payne to explore why People Pleasing in Midlife keeps so many women exhausted, disconnected, and feeling stuck. For
263. You Know It Doesn't Work: Why Women Keep Repeating the Same Habits in Midlife
263. You Know It Doesn't Work: Why Women Keep Repeating the Same Habits in Midlife Jun 11, 2026 20:38 Have you ever caught yourself going back to the same habit, routine, or plan even though you already know it doesn't work? If so, you're not alone. In Episode 263, You Know It Doesn't Work: Why Women Keep Repeating the Same Habits in Midlife, I explore one of the most frustrating patterns I see in women today: knowing what isn't working yet continuing to return to it. In this episode, I take
262. Midlife Anxiety: Doing All the Right Things… and Still Feeling On Edge| Dr. Nicole Cain
262. Midlife Anxiety: Doing All the Right Things… and Still Feeling On Edge| Dr. Nicole Cain May 28, 2026 41:35 You're eating well and exercising, trying to stay positive, and holding everything together. Yet somehow, you still feel anxious, overstimulated, exhausted, or emotionally on edge. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. In Episode 262. Doing All the Right Things… and Still Feeling On Edge, I sit down with Dr. Nicole Cain to talk about why anxiety often changes during midlife and w
261. Why You Keep Starting Over and Still Feel Stuck in Midlife
261. Why You Keep Starting Over and Still Feel Stuck in Midlife May 14, 2026 18:25 Do you keep telling yourself, "I'll start Monday again," only to end up frustrated, overwhelmed, and stuck in the same place a few weeks later? In this episode of the Pursue Your Spark Podcast, 261. Why You Keep Starting Over and Still Feel Stuck in Midlife, I'm unpacking one of the biggest hidden reasons women in midlife struggle with consistency, healthy habits, midlife wellness, and motiv
260. How Good Girl Rules Keep Women Feeling Stuck in Midlife / Sue Willoughby
260. How Good Girl Rules Keep Women Feeling Stuck in Midlife / Sue Willoughby Apr 30, 2026 41:49 You've gotten really good at being the one who adjusts—and in midlife, you start to feel the cost of it. In Episode 260, How Good Girl Rules Keep Women Feeling Stuck in Midlife/ Sue Willoughby, I sit down with Sue to explore how good girl rules in midlife quietly shape how women think, act, and show up—often through patterns such as being agreeable, accommodating, and always putting others
259. Why Your Midlife Fitness Routine Stopped Working (It's Not Discipline)
259. Why Your Midlife Fitness Routine Stopped Working (It's Not Discipline) Apr 16, 2026 25:31 Why does it feel like no matter how many times I reset my routine… nothing sticks anymore? In this episode, Why Your Midlife Fitness Routine Stopped Working (It's Not Discipline), I dive into a pattern I see again and again—and one I know personally: the reorganization loop. I keep trying to fix things by organizing better. Moreover, I adjust my schedule, rebuild my routines, and create new
258. How to Get Organized in Midlife Without Feeling Behind / Tracy Hoth
258. How to Get Organized in Midlife Without Feeling Behind / Tracy Hoth Apr 2, 2026 29:38 How to get organized often feels impossible when you're already mentally and emotionally overloaded. For many midlife women, organizing isn't just about clutter — it's about exhaustion, pressure, and the quiet belief that they're somehow "behind." That belief alone can keep you stuck far longer than the stuff itself. In Episode 258 of Pursue Your Spark, How to Get Organized in Midlife
257. Midlife Confidence: Why Speaking Up Still Leaves You Feeling Small
257. Midlife Confidence: Why Speaking Up Still Leaves You Feeling Small Mar 19, 2026 23:23 Have you ever said exactly what needed to be said—calmly, clearly, respectfully—and still walked away feeling smaller afterward? Not because the conversation went badly. But because something inside you felt unsettled… like you handled it well, yet it still didn't feel right. In Episode 257, Midlife Confidence: Why Speaking Up Still Leaves You Feeling Small we're looking at a pattern many w
256. Why Midlife Women Quiet-Quit Their Relationships / Colette Fehr
256. Why Midlife Women Quiet-Quit Their Relationships / Colette Fehr Mar 5, 2026 33:59 You're not unhappy, but something feels off. You avoid bringing things up. You tell yourself it's not worth the tension. You slowly become the easier one in the relationship. Over time, staying quiet starts to feel normal—even though it's costing you connection, energy, and a sense of being truly seen. In Episode 256 of Pursue Your Spark, Why Midlife Women Quiet-Quit Their Relationships, I ta
255. How to Get Unstuck in Midlife When You've Been Playing Small
255. How to Get Unstuck in Midlife When You've Been Playing Small Feb 19, 2026 14:54 If you've been telling yourself "I'm fine" but something still feels off, you're not alone. Many women struggle to get back on track in midlife when their confidence quietly slips. In this episode, we explore how to get unstuck in midife and how playing small can hold you back from building consistency in midlife — and how to move forward without starting over or waiting for motivation to return. 

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