Midlife Crisis or Just Time to Change?

For many of us, midlife happens about the time we become empty nesters.  Midlife is also about the time that we begin to question our life.  What have we accomplished?  What is our life’s purpose?  What are we going to do with the years that we have left?  Does it matter if we continue on as we are or is it time for a big change in our life?  So many questions tend to come up during this time period.

It’s no wonder that women make big changes in this time of their life.  Your role as mother has gone through a drastic change.  You’re not needed in the same way that you have been for the past 18+ years.  You’re left to wonder what your future will look like and if you want to change things.

Where do you start?  What do you change?  What do you keep the same?

These are all great questions!  I’m a firm believer that you already have these answer inside of you.  You just need to take the time and space to listen to your own inner wisdom.  Maybe you’re ready to change careers now that the pressure of raising your children has eased.  Maybe you’re ready to take on a hobby that you’ve not had time for in the past.  Or, maybe you’re ready to make new connections with other people.  Now that you are or are about to be an empty nester, what friends would you like to spend more time with?

There are so many different paths that you can take at this time of life.  I’m in this period right now and I find it to be both exciting and scary at the same time.  My kids are mostly out of the house.  I’ve started a business that I love.  However, the connections that I have with friends have changed as I’ve changed.  I’m taking new paths and seeing what is going to show up on the paths.

Can I answer all of those midlife questions right now?  No, not really.  I’m not sure where my current path is leading me but I do know that I want to keep on it.  The new connections that I make every day continue to feed me in this time of life.  I’m moving forward and getting a little closer to a clearer picture of my next steps each day.

However, I do feel that as I’ve entered this period of life that my goals have changed rather drastically.  In my midlife, I no longer have to spend so much time raising kids & I can now devote that time to other interests.   I feel very fortunate to be entering this period with a general idea of what I want to do and accomplish.

Not every woman has an idea of what’s next for them.  I can see how this period of life would be scary for people who don’t know their next direction or their next goals.  Not knowing where you are going or what you are doing next can leave you feeling very uncertain.  It’s that uncertainty that has you trying all kinds of different things to fill up the space that you now have available.  Maybe that new car or hobby is just a place filler for now & you’ll soon discover there needs to be a bit more in your life in order to be fully satisfied.

It’s no  surprise that we hear about people going through a midlife crisis.  We often know that we need a change but we don’t always know what that change needs to be.  It’s unsettling to be in the place of uncertainty for too long.

So how do you begin to decide on the changes that you need to make in this time of life?  Well, I always say that you need to go back to your body.  Ask it what it needs or wants.  You hold so much wisdom in your body.  You just need to listen to it more often.  This is what I’m doing each day.  I ask it what it needs and what I can do to support it.  Sometimes those answers are expected, but sometimes those answers are completely out of the blue.  Both types of answers have value & learning to listen to my body gets me closer to a path that is right for me.

To begin to listen to your own inner wisdom, schedule a session with me.  I can do a session in person or online.  Both ways will help you begin to deepen that connection to your own inner wisdom.