Life for women at midlife can be hugely challenging. It is a time of significant change not just physically as we experience peri-menopause and menopause, but emotionally as we transition into a new stage of life, and all the experiences associated with that. For example, children leaving home, having caring responsibilities for older relatives, continuing a demanding career, or considering how you can start to slow down, or perhaps your relationship with your partner is suffering as life changes.
Midlife is also a transformative phase of life for women, rather than feeling that ‘empty-nest syndrome’ some women experience a real sense of freedom and joy. Suddenly they don’t have to look after everyone else and that finally they get to make different choices; choices that don’t necessarily take everyone else into account first. They get to self-reflect, reprioritise, and decide on the second half of their life for themselves.
In my free ebook, the Top Ten Challenges for Women at Midlife, I outline the multiple challenges that women face, and how these can be reframed with a positive outlook instead of feeling negative and disheartened.
While the challenges and changes may feel overwhelming, there are several ways in which we can take control of this turbulent time. In my upcoming series of blog posts I will be outlining the ways in which we can help ourselves to make midlife a joyous and freedom-filled time. The first of which is through embracing positive daily habits.
Planning our time and organising the family tend to be excellent habits women harness during their lives, but we can sometimes forget the basics, such as planning our meals, planning exercise and planning time with friends and family. Eating well, exercise and connection are key pillars in maintaining our psychological wellbeing and reducing stress and anxiety.
When we don’t schedule or plan such activities, it is much easier to dismiss them. We end up eating sugary or high starch foods, or quick-fix processed dinners instead of cooking our own meals. We miss the gym or swim, and start to realise we are not as fit as we once were. The stairs at work become a little harder to manage and we use the lift more. These are exactly some of the habits I mention in my book “21 Days to Live Life Stronger”. Establishing positive daily habits and routines set us up with a great foundation for positive wellbeing. And if we want to live life stronger as we age, then we do have to make the effort now, I see it as investing now for healthy, active living into older age. Not only that, establishing positive daily habits now, means that we have the opportunity to enjoy life now, feeling healthier, happier, stronger and more resilient. When we feel like this, we can embrace a positive outlook on midlife and the incredible transformative stage of life that it offers for women.
Some good daily habits include journalling, meal planning and adding one tiny habit to your day, for example swapping biscuits for a healthy snack. Or adding in exercise such as walking up and downstairs while you wait for the kettle to boil. Tiny habits really can make an enormous difference to our health and wellbeing.
Daily journalling for me is an absolute must. I tend to do mine in the morning when I have my first cup of tea of the day. I write my goal, something I want to achieve over the next 3-6 months; my affirmations, to reinforce positive thinking and I write the daily steps I need to take to create the healthy lifestyle and positive outlook that I want to experience. You can find out much more about this in my book, "21 Days to Live Life Stronger", which is available by clicking this link.
Carving out moments of mindfulness is another technique that will help you to create positive wellbeing. Whether through meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply being present in the moment, practicing mindfulness helps us find balance, reduce stress, and gain clarity in our thoughts and actions.
Practicing gratitude and positive affirmations can transform our mindset and outlook on life. Taking a few moments each day to reflect on the things we are grateful for fosters a sense of contentment and appreciation. Similarly, incorporating positive affirmations into our daily routine can help cultivate self-belief, resilience, and a positive self-image. By rewiring our thought patterns, we can overcome self-doubt and embrace a more optimistic and empowering mindset.
And when all of these ideas and suggestions feel overwhelming, it is time to remember, there is no need to be perfect. We are all a work in progress. But each day we make a decision to live our lives with better health and wellbeing, we are creating the right conditions for a positive transformation in our midlife years.
Midlife is a beautiful and transformative period in a woman's life, offering a fresh canvas to paint our dreams and aspirations. By incorporating positive daily habits, we can navigate this phase with grace, strength, and purpose. Cultivating mindfulness, prioritizing self-care, nurturing relationships, and practicing gratitude are all powerful tools that can contribute to a fulfilling and joyful midlife experience. Let us seize this opportunity to rediscover ourselves, embrace our wisdom, and create a vibrant and fulfilling second act; and in doing so, we really can Live Life Stronger.
