How your beliefs affect your perimenopause and midlife experience

“Probably the happiest period in life most frequently is in middle age, when the eager passions of youth are cooled, and the infirmities of age not yet begun; as we see that the shadows, which are at morning and evening so large, almost entirely disappear at midday.” Eleanor Roosevelt 

I absolutely LOVE this quote.

Obviously. 

I work with midlife women and I see their incredible potential every day. 

But, what we most associate with midlife in women is ‘midlife crisis’ and ‘menopause’, alongside being perceived as over the hill, rarely represented in mass media, and on our way towards being obsolete. 

Now if I was going to get on my high horse I’d probably blame the patriarchal society we live in that favours youth and beauty in women over all other attributes.

But I won’t. 

What do you believe about your own midlife? What does it mean to you?

You have 4 or 5 decades of life experience. Maybe 30 years in the workplace. Perhaps 20 years of parenting. And so much life lived.

There is SO much life left to be lived.

I’ve been listening to the Magnificent Midlife podcast lately https://magnificentmidlife.com/podcast/ - feeling inspired by the incredible women interviewed on there (and setting an intention to be one of the one day). And also to Postcards from Midlife https://www.postcardsfrommidlife.com - more inspiration directly from and for midlife women. 

And it’s reminded me how much what we believe impacts on our behaviours and habits without us even thinking about it. 

So, if we strongly believe that by the time we are in midlife/perimenopause it’s too late to get fit, start a new career or business, apply for a promotion, find true love, start a family etc etc then it is VERY unlikely to happen. 

We might as well shrivel up and become a wallflower while we wait for retirement. 

If we believe that ageing equals wrinkles, aching bones, and health problems. 

Well we may well make that come true. 

Because those negative beliefs make it so hard to take action.

Alongside my Women’s Health Coaching Certification and 3rd Age Woman qualification, I am also a qualified NLP practitioner. Because so often these beliefs are holding my clients back from their potential. In the workplace, in their wellbeing, in how they manage their time and commitments. 

Because there is HUGE potential for us to use our wisdom, experience and our power at this stage in our lives. Whatever is happening to our hormones. 

I  happen to love much of Brene Brown’s work. And this quote of hers  sums it up well. 

“Midlife: when the Universe grabs your shoulders and tells you “I’m not f-ing around, use the gifts you were given.”

And this is an excellent reminder that we need to support ourselves well so that we can use our gifts, create the impact that we were born to make. If we are stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted it’s a LOT harder to see the potential in anything.

This is why so may midlife women might see therapists and coaches, read self development books and listen to podcasts. I mean, that’s how I got here! I wanted more from my life than the merry go round of school run and commute and collapse on the sofa.

And this doesn’t mean changing your whole world at once. Just making a positive impact on your own environment…whether at work, in the home or garden, in your community, with your family. We all have gifts. We can use them. 

Interested in how coaching might help you with this? Book in for a free 30 minute call to see if I can help you find the self belief to make the most of your midlife opportunities!