Over 45? Congratulations! You’ve made it to middle age!
In the past, even recently, our western culture would have had us worn out and dried up and not much good for anything, except for babysitting the grandkids.
The attitudes are changing……slowly!
Thankfully it’s happening!
The average age for women to go through menopause is 51 according to ‘Menopause – StatPearls. There is a whole lot of life still to live. Right?
So… what now?
Well, this is the age when we can reinvent ourselves. Our priorities often have changed quite drastically. The kids have grown up and flown from the nest, we may want to change our work situation or start a new business or travel more and do things that cater better for our current lifestyles.
This time of life can be seen as an opportunity for renewal, or even a rebirth!
With menopause, comes the lifting of the ‘hormonal veil’ as Dr Christian Northrup calls in in her wonderful book ‘The Wisdom of Menopause’. After menopause, women are no longer programmed by their hormones. From puberty to menopause we are programmed for sex, reproduction and nurturing. That takes absolute priority. After menopause, we have an opportunity to take stock of where we are now and what we want for the future.
With this, however, many women feel lost, confused and redundant. They have been so used to doing what they have always done that they don’t remember who they are or what they want anymore.
Studies have shown an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms during the menopause process. Depression is a complex issue and could be related to changing hormones, emotional stress and life changes.
I have met many women in this situation who have come to me for help. I am pleased to say that when they have finished a coaching program with me, they feel so much better and have put in place plans for their bright and exciting futures, becoming who THEY want, doing what THEY want and having what THEY want.
So ask yourself…. ‘what do I really want for myself now?ʼ Go beneath the surface and get really honest with yourself. Meditate on it. Take down notes when you get ideas. Have fun with it! Get really clear on what you want. And, just to emphasise, it is what YOU want. Not your husband, not your children nor your boss!
The next question to ask yourself is ‘how can I have thisʼ. Again, get creative and figure out some options. Brainstorm it. Write down everything that comes into your mind, even the things you may think are unrealistic. Again…have fun with it.
Just to give you an example of how life can change, my sister lives in Perth and I live in Sydney. She had children whereas I did not. So, it was always me who schlepped over to Perth to visit during holidays. She was so tied up with raising the kids, working and managing the lives of 5 people that it was almost impossible for her to come and see me in Sydney when her kids were young.
She had often wanted to jump on a plane to spend the weekend with me in Sydney, but it never happened because of her responsibilities. Now that her children have grown up and she is now a grandmother of 6, her life had completely changed…for the better.
She could have chosen to view her divorce and children growing up and leaving as a tragedy. Many women do!
With some coaching (from me), my sister completely flipped the script. We now see each other often and we even travel together (a passion we share). She has also found a wonderful new partner. They love going for trips away on his Harley Davidson. She says her life has never been better.
My sister is living proof that there is a great new life on the other side of midlife and menopause.
You just need to flip the script. I can help you with this by the way!
Whatever it is that you want for yourself, one particular theme that keeps coming up with my clients is that they want to travel more. Often, they have either not travelled much or not done the travel that THEY want.
So… let’s focus on travel as one way of ‘flipping the script’!
If you are anything like me, travel is one of the most freeing and adventurous things to do at any age. Midlife is a particularly great time to do it as this is when you are more likely to have the time and resources and still have your health.
In my opinion, travel is food for the soul. To experience other places, people and cultures takes the emphasis off me and my issues. I feel like I am a part of something so much bigger than just myself when I travel. I see a much bigger picture. I also feel like I am a part of a much bigger story for some reason. In short…it feels great!
Nowadays, there are so many options with overseas travel. You can do it full on with going business or first class or even do it on a shoestring.
If you are on a budget and want to travel, here are some hacks you could use.
There are many websites that sell cheap flights. I Know the Pilot is one such website. Basically, they are just filling the empty seats on flights at a fraction of the normal cost as the business model as it is better to have a bum on a seat than to let it go empty. I have seen flights to Bali return for less than $200. There are so many flights with different airlines to different places.
House sitting is another way to save money. Many people have pets (as I do) and when they go away, they want someone to look after their pets. Aussie House Sitters is a platform where you can stay for free at someone’s home. I use this when I go away and I want someone reliable to look after my cats. Win-Win! There are other platforms internationally that so the same thing.
If you are less mobile, cruising is the way to go. Everything you want is right there.
If you would like some help with making your life what you want it to be, whether travel is your thing or not, book in for a quick chat with me using my online calendar https://calendly.com/gcmitchell58/quick-chat
References:
Peacock, K. Ketvertis, K. ‘Menopause’. StatPearls Publishing USA, Jan 2019: Accessed 2nd June 2019:
Northrup, C. ‘The Wisdom of Menopause’. Piatkus Books Ltd UK, 2009: Accessed 2nd June 2019:
Freeman, E. ‘Depression in the Menopause Transition: risks in the changing hormone milieu as observed in the general population’. Women’s Midlife Health, 2015: Accessed 2nd June 2019:
About The Author - Gina Mitchell
Gina Mitchell, best-selling author, midlife expert, certified coach, NLP and Matrix master practitioner and hypnotherapist, stands for women being empowered and owning their own lives while going through midlife and menopause. Gina is the founder and CEO of Midlife Coaching for Women. She has been supporting her clients to reach their goals since 2011. Her niche is coaching women over 40 because of her own challenges with midlife and menopause. She is not okay with the fact that many women suffer and struggle through this stage of life and beyond. She wrote a #1 best-selling book about female midlife relationships called ‘Ignite the Spark’. Gina’s mission to help midlife women live their true potential comes from over 35 years as a scientist and science teacher. Her other passions include her family, pet cats, travel, advocating for animal rights and the environment. ‘Not just surviving menopause and midlife …..but thriving’ - Gina Mitchell