It wasn't all that long ago when I realized people in their 20s were referring to people my age as old. It was a bit jarring because I thought of myself as ageless. In some ways we are ageless. Our spirit and essence of who are is ageless. But our bodies aren't and even our thoughts can represent getting old if we don't pay attention.
So I put a little thought into it and wondered, how do I identify right now?
Do any of these terms resonate with you?
· Midlife
· Middle-aged
· Second adulthood
· Adulthood 2.0
· Over the hill
I found, as a 50-year-old woman, that none of these really make me think, “Hey, that’s me!”
But I'm middle-aged and sitting squarely in midlife. I don’t perceive myself as growing older. I believe I am growing wiser.
That said, I’m not in denial that I’m roughly halfway through my life. This is very humbling but also incredibly inspiring. No time to waste!
It's a time filled with both challenges and opportunities for growth and self-discovery. You get to decide what you want to let go of, what’s next, and how you want to spend your time.
How do you know when you’ve entered midlife?
Quite honestly, it’s very individual. In Western culture, it usually lands between the ages of 40-60. But I’ve talked to several people younger and older who clearly identify as being in midlife.
Why is midlife so individual?
The number of years you live isn’t the only indicator. It’s a feeling you get. You may find yourself questioning your priorities, seeking a deeper sense of purpose, and yearning for a more fulfilling existence. You may also be unwilling to put up with things you were allowing earlier in your life. Your values and things you hold a strong position on are changing.
Midlife connects to life events as well. Have you lost someone close to you? Are your kids on their own or getting ready to leave? Have you deeply invested in a career and wondered what’s next? These events and questions are part of midlife. Even if you have 30-50 more years to live, you can be in midlife.
It’s not an easy time. It's common to feel overwhelmed, disconnected, and unsure of how to align your mind, body, values, and purpose.
If you’re anything like me you have a list of podcasts you turn to for insight and inspiration. You’ve read books and magazines providing health tips, mindfulness tricks, and healthy habit hacks. But even with all this information, your actions aren’t in alignment with how you want to feel physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
The short version?
You don’t feel truly connected to yourself and your purpose.
I tried to figure this out on my own as I’m sure you have. But it’s incredibly challenging and too easy to get distracted and then discouraged by your inability to make the changes you know you are capable of. You know you would be so much happier with yourself and how you’re showing up in your life if you could stay focused and not mentally beat yourself up or compare yourself to other people.
That's where a midlife coaching program comes in. My program, The Aligned Self, provides personalized guidance and support to help you navigate these challenges and unlock your true potential. You, my friend, are meant to make a meaningful impact in the world.
You don’t need to change the world (unless you want to) but you can make a big difference in your and your loved ones’ lives by connecting to your wisdom and purpose.
Aligning Your Mind and Body
As you reach midlife, the demands and pressures of your personal and professional life can take a toll on your well-being. More responsibilities including finances, relationships, and life maintenance can knock you out of a healthy routine. Before you know it, you feel like you're losing options and opportunities. Life just feels a little out of your control or stuck. Instead of seeing opportunities, your mind may become cluttered with worries, regrets, and doubts.
It doesn’t stop there either. Your body is changing, and at times it feels like you have no control. Is fitness a struggle? Are you gaining weight but not doing anything all that different? Is sleep inconsistent? All these factors can impact your overall sense of wellness.
That’s why I designed The Aligned Self coaching program to address these struggles by helping you quiet your mind, connect to your body, cultivate mindfulness, and establish a deeper connection with your inner wisdom.
What does coaching with me look like?
Everybody is different and I’ve learned that transformation and personal growth are not a straight line. I help you connect to your inner wisdom, and purpose, and take wise action.
Together we work within four pillars depending on what you want and where you are in your personal journey.
Mindfulness: Connect to Your Inner Midlife Wisdom
You possess a wellspring of wisdom within you that can guide you through the transitions of midlife. Through introspective practices such as meditation, journaling, and self-reflection, midlife coaching helps you silence the noise of external expectations and reconnect with your authentic self. By gaining a deeper understanding of your values, passions, and strengths, you can uncover your life purpose and create a roadmap for a more meaningful and fulfilling future.
Discovery: Root into Your Values and Purpose
In midlife, it's natural to question the alignment of your values with your current circumstances. Midlife coaching provides a supportive space for you to explore these values, reassess your priorities, and ensure that your actions are in alignment with your core beliefs. By understanding what truly matters to you, you can make intentional choices that create effortless motivation and clarity.
Clarity: Finding Clarity and Removing Distractions
Amidst the busyness of midlife, it's easy to get distracted and lose sight of what's truly important to you. Midlife coaching helps you gain clarity by identifying and eliminating these distractions. By examining your habits, thought patterns, and external influences, you can let go of what no longer serves you and focus your energy on what truly matters. This process empowers you to live a more intentional and purposeful life.
Wise Action: Take action, test, and adjust
Midlife coaching is not just about self-reflection; it emphasizes taking tangible action towards creating the life you desire. Each coaching session is uniquely tailored to your needs and aspirations, providing you with practical tools, exercises, and strategies to implement in your everyday life. These practices empower you to strengthen your mental and physical well-being, enhance your relationships, pursue meaningful goals, and make a positive impact in your community.
Bonus features in the coaching program - Individualized Practices and Exercises
Your journey through midlife coaching is highly personalized. Each coaching session is designed to address your unique circumstances and goals. You will be introduced to a range of practices and exercises that can be seamlessly integrated into your daily routine. From mindfulness techniques and self-care rituals to goal-setting exercises, visualization, affirmations, and action plans, these practices will strengthen your resilience, self-awareness, and ability to navigate challenges with grace and purpose.
If you join the program, you receive your personalized mindfulness starter kit. Within each kit are anchors to create a daily ritual for intention setting: sage for energy cleansing, green quartz for focus, a feather for connection to a higher power, and a vial to hold a little water to stay fluid. You also get a journal and herbal tea.
If you’re impatient like me and want change sooner rather than later, a coach may be exactly what you need. Personally, I wouldn’t be where I am right now without one.
This is an exciting time! Embrace this transformative phase of midlife. Let’s leverage your years of experience and wisdom to connect your mind, body, values, and purpose.
If you're ready to unlock your true potential and live a midlife with fulfillment and purpose sign up for your 30-minute Discovery call. My promise on this call is to focus in on what's happening for you right now and actions you can take after the call to get some traction.
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