What is considered midlife anyway? It is often defined as starting between ages 35-40 and extending to ages 60-65. That’s a long time to be in a “phase” of your life. Decades ago, midlife had a much shorter and earlier time window. With innovations and developments that have extended longevity, health and vitality, you can continue to be productive and successful well into your 60s and beyond.
What does that mean for you? Here are some points to ponder:
- Give yourself time to rethink how you view success for yourself.
- Recognize that you can combine all your talents, skills and experience to create success on your terms.
- It’s never too late to redefine yourself and undertake something meaningful.
- Don’t go through the motions of life without regard for your own happiness and fulfillment.
NEW PHASE, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
If you broach this subject with other women, you likely will receive a varied set of responses. Basically, all women have thoughts on this subject. Whatever your notions might be, midlife comes in many stages with many roles – and often with a myriad of opportunities to define yourself. These are just some of the many roles you can have at any one time:
- Wife, partner or significant other
- Mom with children
- Caregiver for a parent or other family members
- Friend
- Professional/leader
- Entrepreneur/business owner
- Volunteer
Within each phase or role of your life, carve out a layer of time – one for the sole purpose of pursuing your dreams.
Don’t forget to set your all-important goal: to achieve both the harmony you desire and success as you define it.
Want to make the most of midlife? Here’s four places to start:
- Think of activities that make you feel as if you get lost in them and you let go of everything else. These are activities that keep you in your “zone.”
- Consider where you might be doing a bit too much for others and pull back a little to free up some time for yourself. Try to approach this “pulling back” without guilt.
- Make a “wish list” of things you want to do but feel like you never have time to do. Let’s not talk “bucket list”; just start with simple things that bring you joy.
- Think of your professional life or business, and if you can, enlist someone to take over some of the things that drag you down — making room for more pressing personal or professional pursuits.
