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

From Pursue Your Spark: Strength & Forward Motion in Midlife by Heike Yates

June 11, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 263

About this episode

In this episode, Heike Yates explores why women in midlife often repeat ineffective habits and how to create new ones that align with their current selves.

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 a closer look at why so many women feeling stuck find themselves caught in a cycle of starting over. I discuss how old fitness routines, nutrition plans, and wellness habits can become familiar comfort zones, even when they no longer produce the results we want. More importantly, I explain why this pattern has less to do with willpower and more to do with our desire for certainty, control, and familiarity. As we move through midlife, our bodies, priorities, energy levels, and lifestyles evolve. Yet many of us continue trying to recreate the success we experienced years ago. When those old approaches stop working, frustration sets in. We begin questioning ourselves, losing confidence in our ability to follow through, and wondering why we can't seem to get back on track. Throughout this…

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Host: Heike Yates

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