Why Self-Care, Resilience & Community are so Important During Turbulent Times with Sheri Barnes
Episode #25: Show Notes
In this episode, I was joined by Sheri Barnes, founder of Pen Pedal Pose. Sheri is a Mind-Body Wellness educator and coach who helps midlife women prioritize their wellbeing. She’s also a passionate cyclist, vegan, and yoga practitioner.
Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and creating meaning out of hardship.
📖 Download the Episode Guide & Transcript of this episode here (PDF)
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A Season of Overlapping Challenges
Sheri shared that the spring of 2020 was a pivotal season in her life. At the same time the pandemic began, she entered the most intense stage of perimenopause while also realizing that her son was struggling deeply with mental health and substance use.
Supporting her son became her top priority. But the weight of those challenges required Sheri to find ways to preserve her own health and sanity while still working full-time at a university.
She found support through:
Hopestream Community, an online group for moms of children dealing with mental health and substance struggles.
Cycling, her long-time passion and a place for processing, problem-solving, and inspiration.
Yoga, which began as bedtime yoga to help her rest and eventually grew into a daily practice and certification.
These practices helped her stay grounded during a time when she had to let go of nearly everything else, including a long-running blog and a book project.
Creating Meaning Out of Struggle
As Sheri processed her journey, she held onto a Brené Brown quote: “One day you’ll tell the story of what you went through and it will become someone else’s survival guide.”
This inspired her to create Pen Pedal Pose, a business built from the three elements that sustained her:
Pen – sharing stories, writing, and communication.
Pedal – cycling and mindful movement.
Pose – yoga and daily self-care practices.
Originally envisioned as resilience coaching for parents of children facing mental health struggles, Pen Pedal Pose evolved into a broader mission: helping midlife women build self-worth, prioritize self-care, and take meaningful action.
Start with Small Self-Care Steps
Many women put their own needs last, especially during difficult seasons of life. Sheri reminds us that self-care doesn’t need to be perfect or overwhelming.
Something is better than nothing. Even small steps matter.
Hold yourself with compassion. Honest assessment without shame is the starting point.
We have the right and responsibility to use our gifts. Taking care of ourselves allows us to contribute more fully to our families and communities.
Supporting Loved Ones in Crisis
When someone close is struggling, it can be hard to know how to help. Sheri encourages friends and family to ask open-ended questions like, “How can I best support you?” instead of offering unsolicited advice.
This simple shift gives the person in crisis agency and opens the door for real connection.
The Power of Community
Though Sheri describes herself as an introvert, she spoke about the importance of community in her healing and ongoing wellness.
Hope Stream Community continues to provide her with strength and a place to give back.
Cycling groups like Biking Across Kansas (BAK) have become like family through shared experiences.
Vegan gatherings, yoga groups, and coaching circles provide belonging and encouragement.
Even introverts benefit from supportive communities where they can share stories and resources.
Text Reframing Negative Self-Talk
Language has always been powerful for Sheri, and she emphasized the practice of reframing. For example, instead of resenting the burden of grocery shopping, she reframes it as gratitude for having healthy food to bring home.
The key is learning to pause before reacting, shifting the inner dialogue to one of appreciation and possibility.
The “Not Yet” Mindset
Another powerful tool Sheri uses is adding the word “yet” to negative self-talk.
“I’m not making the money I need in my business… yet.”
“My son isn’t doing well… yet.”
That small shift introduces hope and keeps momentum alive when progress feels slow.
Blending Mindset and Action in Her Programs
Sheri’s work today combines mindset shifts with practical action. She offers several ways for women to engage:
Self-Compassion Toolkit – a free three-day course to help women assess where they are and approach themselves with love.
Personalized 16-Week Program – blending private yoga, mindset lessons, and customized action steps such as meal planning or scheduling rituals.
Priority Wellness Academy – a 6-week group program for women seeking community and accountability.
Self-Care Spark Program – an upcoming 16-day self-paced course at an accessible price point, offering quick tips to ignite wellness.
Her focus is on helping women identify their own needs and build realistic, sustainable plans.
Who Sheri Works With
Her programs are designed for women in midlife and beyond, broadly defined. These are often women who:
Struggle with perimenopause or menopause.
Feel like they “can’t, won’t, or don’t” take care of themselves.
Carry limiting beliefs that block self-care, such as “I don’t deserve this” or “people who take care of themselves are selfish.”
Sheri helps uncover those barriers, reframe the beliefs, and build plans that blend mindset with tangible action.
Rituals, Scheduling, and Accountability
A key element of Sheri’s approach is making wellness part of daily life through rituals and scheduling.
She shared her own example of planning cycling, yoga, and journaling into her weekly calendar and even sharing it with family for accountability.
This structure ensures that self-care isn’t left to chance.
Final Thoughts
Sheri’s journey shows us that self-care isn’t selfish. It’s what allows us to navigate life’s hardest challenges and create meaning out of them.
To learn more about Sheri’s work, visit PenPedalPose.com where you can sign up for her newsletter, blog updates, and community yoga opportunities.
Meet Our Guest: Sheri E. Barnes
Sheri E. Barnes founded PenPedalPose Mind-Body Wellness after a deeply personal journey. As she helped her son navigate years of mental health and substance use struggles, she learned firsthand the critical nature of self-care.
Now, as a mind-body wellness educator and coach, she helps other midlife women prioritize their own well-being. She empowers them to overcome feelings of overwhelm and unworthiness by creating and implementing a personalized wellness plan that fits their lives through a program that combines mindset and action.
With a background in higher education and nonprofit work, Sheri is also a passionate road cyclist, vegan, and yoga practitioner. She serves on the Board of Directors for Biking Across Kansas and lives in Andale, Kansas, with her family.
Connect with Sheri:
Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube
Resources we mentioned:
Hope Stream Community- support for parents of kids with mental health/substance use issues
Alternative Balance - business insurance, resources and support for wellness entrepreneurs
Meet Our Host: Jennifer Robin O’Keefe
Jennifer Robin serves as a relatable, down-to-earth, REAL Wellness & Success Coach. She’s not a fancy, perfect makeup, airbrushed kind of woman. She’s been told many times, in a variety of environments, that she’s easy to talk to, and makes others feel welcome and comfortable. Her mission in life is both simple and profound: to make others feel worthy.
Professionally, Jennifer holds several wellness certifications including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping, Thought Field Therapy (TFT) Tapping, Reiki, and more. She continuously expands her knowledge in the fields of Qi Gong, Xien Gong, Vibration/Energy Wellness and Natural Health. She also studied extensively with Jack Canfield, and serves as a Certified Canfield Trainer, authorized to teach "The Success Principles."
She’s an active reader and researcher who loves to learn, and one of her biggest joys is teaching and sharing what she’s discovered with others.
