104 | Why Mother’s Day Isn’t Always Joyful for Midlife Moms—And How Mindfulness Helps You Cope

Does Mother's Day stir up more emotions than you expected—joy, sorrow, guilt, or longing?Whether you're celebrating, grieving, navigating a complicated relationship, or simply surviving the day, this episode offers a peaceful, honest space to reflect on the truth of motherhood in all its forms. No pressure, just presence.

• Hear a deeply personal story of caregiving and complex love that reflects the real emotional landscape of this day.
• Practice a grounding mantra and gentle affirmations that validate every feeling—joy, sadness, guilt, and grace.
• Learn how to create small rituals to anchor yourself in peace when emotions run high.

🎧 Press play to make space for the full truth of your experience—and find compassion no matter what this day looks like for you.

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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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Today's Mother's Day mantra.
Being a mom is never easy, butalways worth it.
Mother's Day, A day that carriesso many different emotions for
each of us.
For some, it's a celebrationfilled with brunches and
handmade cards, but for others,and perhaps for all of us at
different points in our lives,it brings complicated feelings

(00:23):
to the surface.
Maybe you're missing your momwho is no longer here, whether
through loss, distance, orcomplicated circumstances
perhaps.
You're doing your absolute bestas a mother yourself, carrying
the weight of endlessresponsibilities while
questioning if it's enough, oryou might be on a difficult

(00:44):
journey to motherhood.
Facing challenges and heartachealong the way.
This day can stir up sadness,annoyance, guilt, or even reopen
wounds that were never fullyhealed.
It can make you ache for themother you miss, or the mother
you wish you had.
Today's episode isn't aboutdiminishing anyone's joy or

(01:07):
celebration.
Those moments of appreciationare precious, especially for
mothers who rarely hear thankyou, or get a moment to
themselves.
But this episode is a sanctuaryfor all the other feelings too.
A space to acknowledge thatmotherhood in all its forms is
complex, challenging, and deeplypersonal.

(01:30):
Whether you're celebrating,grieving, striving, or simply
getting through the day, Iinvite you to join me in finding
a moment of peace with ourMother's Day mantra.
Never easy, but always worth it.
A simple truth that honors boththe struggles and the profound
value of a maternal journey.

(01:52):
Whatever form it takes in yourlife right now.
Hello and welcome to the MindfulLife Changes podcast.
We dive deep into the challengesand transformations shaping our

(02:15):
lives from shifts in our rolesat home, and work to the
transitions we navigatephysically and mentally as we
gracefully age.
I'm your host Valerie Mekki, acareer change guide and
mindfulness enthusiast.
Before we dive into our mantrastoday.
I want to share that thisMother's Day feels different for

(02:36):
me too.
I'm living part-time with my momright now, supporting her as she
cares for my dad in an assistedliving home.
I'm not with my husband on thisday, and in some ways neither is
she.
It's complicated.
A word that perfectly describesso many aspects of motherhood
and our relationships with ourmothers, and that's exactly why

(02:58):
I believe in today's mantra.
Being a mom is never easy, butalways worth it.
This simple truth acknowledgesboth the challenges and the
profound value of a maternaljourney.
Whatever form it takes in yourlife.
So let's take a moment to centerourselves with this mantra.
Find a comfortable position,whether you're sitting,

(03:18):
standing, or lying down.
If it feels right, close youreyes or soften your gaze.
Take a deep breath in throughyour nose and exhale fully
through your mouth, letting anytension you might have and
letting it go.

(03:40):
I'll recite our mantra threetimes.
Simply listen and let the wordswash over you.
So let's begin.
Being a mom is never easy, butalways worth it.

(04:03):
Being a mom is never easy, butalways worth it.
Being a mom is never easy, butalways worth it.

(04:27):
Now, as you continue to breathedeeply, I'll guide you through
some affirmations that honor thefull spectrum of motherhood
experiences.
After I say each one, take amoment to repeat it to yourself,
either silently or aloud,whatever feels comfortable to
you.
So let's begin.

(04:49):
I acknowledge that motherhoodcomes with joy and sorrow often
intertwined.
I honor my complicated feelingsabout Mother's Day without

(05:12):
judgment.
I am doing my best, and my bestis enough.

(05:39):
I release any guilt or pressureI feel to experience this day in
a certain way.
I allow myself to feel whateverarises today.

(06:01):
Sadness, love, longing, orpeace.
I am worthy of compassion,especially when motherhood feels
overwhelming.

(06:30):
I celebrate the strength ittakes to nurture others even
when it's difficult.
I find peace in knowing thatlove persists even amidst the
complications.

(07:02):
I embrace the perfect, beautifuljourney of motherhood, whether I
am a mother, have a mother aholdthe absence of one.
Let's return to our centralmantra for today.

(07:23):
Take one more deep breath in andlet all the air out.
Being a mom is never easy, butalways worth it.
Take one deep final breath inand out.
And when you're ready, slowlybring your awareness back to the

(07:45):
present moment.
If it feels comfortable to you,place your hand over your heart
to help seal this practice withself-love and care.
This mantra and theseaffirmations are yours to recite
whenever Mother's Day or any daybrings complicated feelings to
the surface.
You might find it helpful torecite the mantra in the

(08:07):
morning, especially if youanticipate emotional challenges
throughout the day.
You might also create a smallritual around the mantra.
Perhaps light a candle, hold ameaningful object, or simply
take a quiet moment to yourselfas you recit it.
The keys to create a moment ofpeace and connection with
yourself amidst whateveremotions arise.

(08:28):
For a deeper experience, Irecommend listening to episode
52, where we explore a guidedbody scan and transformative.
'I am' and'you are' affirmationspecifically designed for moms.
That episode offers additionaltools to help you calm your
mind, celebrate your strength,and remind yourself of your
incredible worth.

(08:48):
It is a beautiful way to expandthis moment of peace and
continue nurturing yourself.
There is no better way todevelop a healthy habit than by
setting yourself up for success.
Subscribe to this podcast andbookmark this episode so you
have it handy whenever you needa moment of peace.
A miss complicated feelings.
If you found this episodehelpful, please share it with

(09:11):
someone who might be strugglingwith Mother's Day emotions or
show your appreciation by givingus a rating wherever you listen
to podcasts.
Your support helps othermidlifers discover our content,
allowing this podcast to growand blossom.
Thank you for sharing this timeand space with me.
Every moment you dedicate tobeing mindful is a step towards

(09:31):
a more fulfilled and vibrantlife.
Remember that.
However you experience Mother'sDay with joy, sorrow, or complex
of emotions, your feelings arevalid and you are not alone.
I look forward to our nextmindful gathering.
I'll talk to you soon.