The gift that keeps on giving. No, I’m not talking about a STD, but a life season that first appears as a quandary, but is actually a gift.
Let me explain…
When you think of midlife do you first think of crisis? These days a midlife crisis is not reserved for men in their 40’s and 50’s, but women are also throwing all caution to the wind for what makes them feel young and carefree. Not to be outdone, the millennials are now claiming a quarter life crisis for different reasons. GEESH.
So, what is this really all about? According to John Mayer, it might just be a stirring of the soul. The quandary seems to be, am I living it right?
Ditching responsibility for fun seems to be the answer to the stirring of the soul at midlife, at least for those souls who misunderstand the gift.
Biker Babe
Ditching responsibility certainly felt right while on the back of Jeff’s Harley Davidson riding through the Blue Ridge Mountains with the wind blowing through my hair.
Ok I’ll admit, I had my own melt down in my early 40’s. Jeff and I were dealing with the housing crash of 2008. Real estate investing was yet another business I tried and failed at. It was a very stressful time for both of us.
Thankfully, we were able to ride out the stress together, on the back of Jeff’s Harley. I loved escaping life on his Harley! I felt like a badass biker babe in all my leather gear.
Harley Davidson has some of the best commercials. And just like this commercial, Jeff and I were going where the wind took us, believing in going our own way. It was a time to buck the system that was built to smash individuals like bugs on a windshield. And God knows I wanted to stick it to the MAN! OH, FREEDOM! {Jeff might come home to a new Harley… forgot how much I loved it}
The problem was that when we returned home from trips to the Blue Ridge Mountains, we still had major problems to solve.
The Gift
This biker babe believes that midlife is what you make it, and it can be one hell of a ride! It is THE gift that keeps on giving if you choose to believe your best years are ahead.
If life expectancy is around 100, you may have approximately 50 years of life ahead, with the invaluable advantage of life experience behind you. Think about it.
What are the gifts of midlife?
1. Financial Freedom
Generally speaking, midlife is a season with more disposable income than ever before.
I can remember balancing the checkbook after Jeff got paid as a young airmen in the Air Force. We often had $15 to our name for the next two weeks, of which we’d go get pizza. Thank God, thirty years later we don’t have the pressure of lack. Jeff and I make more money than we could have imagined in our twenties.
On top of earning more than we once thought was possible; Jeff and I have learned from our epic financial failures. Don’t get me wrong, I am still uncovering faulty money beliefs, but I have the time and resources to work through them!
The gift of midlife is that you can afford to relax the fear of lack, using your well earned financial maturity to fully live. So, there is money to travel or invest in hobbies, or take off on a Harley!
2. Time Freedom
Even though the house is eerily quiet, you’ll notice this season offers autonomy.
The kids have flown the coop {or you did – see my story}. You are retired, or close to it. Although, I found that I am getting up earlier than I did when I was forced to follow a schedule, there really is no need for an alarm clock.
Once you get past the shock of an empty nest, you start to fill your time with things you’ve always wanted to do. There is now freedom to develop your own circadian rhythm and to explore what sets your heart free.
God forbid the kiddos move back home, then move out, then move back home, and finally move out again. You LOVE them, but you start to thoroughly enjoy freedom of time!
3. Failure Freedom {aka wisdom}
We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us. ~Marcel Proust
Hopefully, you have figured out by midlife that a failure is just a stepping stone, a lesson learned. You aren’t a failure because you have a set back. It is an event.
Ok, I know you don’t get a mystic pass from failures at midlife. It is naive to think you can avoid them, but failure do not paralyze you any longer.
In addition to midlife wisdom, the opinions of others simply don’t factor into our choices as much as they once did. What other people think of your decisions is none of your business. In fact, some of us badass midlife women relish in giving “them” something to talk about! {ok… maybe that’s just me}
You get it, but can’t quite embrace it
You may want an interesting life, just without the midlife crisis. Me too! Although, I am scheming ways to get Jeff a new Harley, so we can escape into the sunset. 🤔
Viewing midlife as a gift might make sense, but are you still unsure that you can embrace it? Is there still a sneaky feeling that you missed the window of opportunity, as if dreams are reserved for the youth?
This is where I can help! As a master of reinvention, I can help you get past your own bullshit to believe it is possible to create your life. If you hang out with me long enough, I will convince you that your best years are ahead!
I offer a FREE session to those of you who have a stirring in your soul. I’d love to chat with you about where you are currently and where you’d like your life to be. I can help you rise about your own BS to start creating!
As always, I am dedicated to those who can’t be caged. Here’s to midlife freedom, the gift that keeps on giving!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
