Midway in our life's journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood . . . . . . . Dante
Whether you're nearing 40 or coming on to 50, surely you've heard the news about midlife crisis. What will it mean for you? Imagine this, what if midlife is not a CRISIS. What if it's a creative time of transition when your deepest dreams and desires are ready to come forward?
By the way, it's not an age, it's a season. You may wake up at 35, or you may continue to slumber through your 40s. You may feel your own inner wisdom nudging you to make a change, or you may face a health crisis or career change that leaves you no choice. Your shadow and your demons may come to the forefront of your life, unexpectedly, and the dreams and desires of your youth may resurface. You may feel strangely vulnerable and alone.
Midlife transition is a very personal thing, but there are signposts and markers. For a woman, the years leading up to menopause may begin the initiation. For a man, the physical change may not be so obvious. Perhaps cholesterol and blood pressure numbers begin to creep up. Or perhaps the change is more immediate and powerful - a heart attack that comes out of the blue with no warning signs. The inner changes may be subtle - a feeling of confusion that comes over you when you think about planning for retirement, or a depression that begins with the loss of a parent or your youngest child leaving for college. Maybe you find that your job is no longer satisfying and you feel like you're just going through the motions. Perhaps what you thought was important yesterday now seems mundane and you are searching for . . . what?When I began going through the physical and emotional changes of midlife, I definitely felt confusion and stress. I thought I needed to start over, like everything I had learned so far was not enough. Then my father died and I was forced out of the job that had been so right for me and given me so much joy and companionship. Suddenly I was at a turning point in my life's journey. Going through the pain, feeling every emotion, and turning to my friends for comfort all helped. The new job was difficult and each day like climbing a steep mountain, never reaching the top. But after spending a full year climbing that mountain and feeling those emotions, I started over. I got a new job that was a blessed relief, and going to work each day was no longer so difficult. I took on a side job and used the extra money to pay for my life coach training. I got a coach who helped me stay focused and take care of myself, and I began to move forward.
Where am I now? My midlife crisis was not an easy one, but it opened up a new path for me. And I'm still on that path . . . still climbing the mountain some days, and other days stopping to enjoy the view. The sunlight shining down through the dark wood guides my way and I am happy to be alive.
Where will your midlife transition lead? It's up to you and the choices are many. Life is a challenge, but so beautiful and intense. Your own path through the dark wood awaits you . . . the sun is rising above the mountain top . . . join me for a walk?