6 Signs You're Ready for Midlife Authenticity

At some point, you reach an age where things change. The things you're willing to accept; the things you're willing to put time towards; the things that matter to you.

Hi! This is me on 11/5/24, working in my sunny space.

Midlife used to scare me. I was terrified to know I was “halfway there”––wherever there actually is. I’m 51 and I’m declaring myself at the halfway mark, so I sure hope you’ll stick around to watch me blow out 102 candles someday.

Now that I’m here, comfortably at the top of the hill, I realize the view’s just fine. It’s better than fine. I actually LIKE it. For the first time, I don’t give a horse’s patoot what people think. I’m chasing my own bliss and it is intoxicating. (To be honest, I’m not fully transcendent...I still look longingly at my size 2s and continue to allot them space in my closet as a masochistic form of hope. But, I’ve made a ton of progress.)

Are you here with me?

Are you finding yourself not in a state of existential dread, but in a state of enthusiastic liberation? Is midlife greater than you expected it to be? Are you stepping more fully into your real self? 

With 50% of my children now off at college, I’ve had more time to sit quietly and think. I’ve found that I can pinpoint six shifts that have been happening in my mindset and behavior. Taken together, I believe they’re evidence of a midlife evolution that’s turning me into a healthier version of myself. I’m curious if you’re experiencing something similar.