Healthy Living

Make friend with your mid life transition

Life is all about transition. Your mid life transition is perhaps the first where you get to take some meaningful control of what is going on.

You know yourself, you have a good idea of how the world works and you are starting to crystalise the values and goals that are most important to YOU (not to your parents, partner, children, boss, friends, the media or other external force!).

Mid life transition can start as an uncomfortable sensation

Mid life transition may manifest as any or all of the following:
  • Reduced interest in your usual activities
  • A sense of disconnection from career ambitions
  • Feelings of depression, irritability, anxiety about life
  • A sense of disconnection from friends, colleagues or even family
  • Restlessness, itchy feet or travel bug
  • Increased sense of judgement about how you or others SHOULD be living
If you are a person who has always felt driven or reasonably in control of things, these sensations can be disturbing. They are healthy, natural responses to your mid life. The best thing you can do is acknowledge them and where possible, talk to someone (preferably a neutral party such as a mentor, coach, counsellor or retirement planner). Left unattended, mid life transition feelings may spiral into stronger bouts of depression or agitation that can have a negative impact on you and those around you.

We’re living longer which means life takes on new meaning

We are only one of the first few generations to experience longevity of life. So we are still discovering the pathways and patterns that mid life and older age bring.

By mid life, the urgent activities of being a human are mostly over. If you have chosen to have children they are often reaching an independent age. Your career or life work may be well established. You have successfully fed and sheltered yourself and your family, ensuring survival of your blood line.

This means that we naturally seek new meaning and different motivators. Mid life transition is the starting point of this exploration.

The benefits of focussing on self

Paying attention to the ‘self’ can lead to great health and wellbeing benefits. Listening to our own bodies, minds, desires and motivations means we start living according to our own rhythms rather than in response to external pressures, expectations, demands and ambitions.

This can mean improved physical health (compare the stressed out 40 something with a healthy, active 50 something) as well as a greater sense of satisfaction and connectedness.

Engaging with other people in new ways

Mid life transition is also where we shift from seeing the world as a competitive space to be conquered and start engaging in a more constructive and visionary way.

This can lead to improved relationships and activities that engender great feelings of satisfaction (such as volunteer work, community and group activities).

Believe that your second half of life can be more successful than the first? We do!

Talk to us about planning your second half so you can reap the rewards, satisfaction and peace of mind that ageing positively brings.

 Click here for a no obligation, 30 minute consultation and make the most out of the second half of your life!