Guest: Courtney Townley — coach, speaker, host of Grace & Grit, author of The Consistency Code: A Midlife Woman’s Guide to Deep Health

Episode overview: Consistency isn’t rigid routine — it’s consistent self-honouring. Angela and Courtney unpack how midlife can be a woman’s power years by swapping perfectionism for progress, removing unnecessary stress, adding intentional stress, and leading yourself with curiosity over judgement.

• Consistency vs perfectionism: why “do it the same forever” fails, and how to practice consistent self-honouring day to day

• Grace and grit: finding the sweet spot between compassion and discipline

• Getting radically honest: simple daily check-ins (hand on heart) to “insource” your needs

• Barriers to midlife consistency: poor self-awareness, over-scheduling, ignoring the nervous system’s need to oscillate

• Perfectionism as a hiding habit — and how to start smaller (on purpose) to win bigger

• The Victory Log: tracking micro-wins to fuel follow-through

• Joy-spotting: training your brain to notice what puts more life in your life

• Midlife physiology 101: less oestrogen/progesterone = tougher cortisol management — what to change

• Two-part “stress strategy”: remove unnecessary stressors + add intentional stressors (e.g., strength training, honest conversations)

• Power years mindset: living in integrity, self-leadership, and defining health beyond weight or lab numbers

• 01:46 Consistency redefined: “consistent self-honouring”

• 03:00 Grace & Grit: why either extreme backfires

• 04:50 The 10-second check-in that changes your day

• 07:57 Organising your day to honour your nervous system

• 10:22 Perfectionism = a hiding habit

• 13:55 The Victory Log (and why it must change daily)

• 17:06 Why midlife stress tolerance shifts (the hormone piece)

• 18:56 Remove unnecessary stress; 19:22 add intentional stress

• 35:53 “Anchors/logs” to rekindle the fire: sleep and 10-minute day design

• 39:31 You can’t be curious and judgmental at the same time

• 41:16 Self-leadership beats cookie-cutter programs

• 44:42 Midlife as your power years — integrity over image

• 60-second audit: Hand on heart, ask: How am I really? What do I need?

• Choose your anchor: Prioritise sleep tonight; tomorrow morning, spend 5–10 minutes setting your intention and three non-negotiables.

• Start smaller: Pick the “minimum viable action” on hard days (a 10-minute walk, 1 set of lifts, a veggie with each meal).

• Victory Log: Capture 3–5 specific wins each day (no repeats).

• Joy-spotting: Actively look for tiny moments that “put more life in your life.”

• “Consistency is not sameness — it’s consistent self-honouring.”

• “Perfectionism is a hiding habit. Progress requires rumbling with messy.”

• “You can’t be curious and judgmental at the same time.”

  
  

  Courtney’s book: The Consistency Code — details & retailer links at theconsistencycode.com

  Grace & Grit podcast by Courtney Townley