Navigating Midlife Transitions: Finding Purpose and Balance [Ep 35]

Ready to embrace a new chapter in your life but unsure how to make it happen? This episode offers the guidance you need to move forward with purpose! Lisa dives deep into the challenges and opportunities that midlife transitions present. Reflecting on her own experiences after retiring from a long-held position, she shares practical advice on how to navigate significant life changes, redefine your purpose, and create a routine that aligns with your current goals and aspirations. Whether you're facing a career shift, lifestyle change, or just feeling adrift, this episode offers insights to help you embrace the unknown and design a life filled with purpose and balance.

Episode Highlights:   

• The Challenge of Change (00:02:08)
• Creating a New Routine (00:04:14)
• Reassessing Your Life Goals (00:07:57)
• The Power of Perspective (00:10:19)
• Taking Actionable Steps (00:16:41) 

Mentioned in this episode: 

Episode on Creating Your Vision
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Transcript

[00:00:00] I really found myself at a crossroads with just so many directions to consider. And I know I'm not alone in this. Many women in their 50s are facing similar crossroads, whether it's in their careers, their personal lives, or their health and wellness pursuits. Maybe you're adjusting to a career change, moving to a new environment, navigating different relationship dynamics, or just feeling adrift without an established routine.

[00:00:26] Today's episode is all about finding your way back to a sense of purpose and balance based on these transitions. Welcome to Midlife Mojo. The podcast all about how to be fit and flourish in your fifties with me, your host with over 25 years of experience in the health fitness and wellness industry, Lisa DuPree.

[00:00:46] We'll be talking about all the things that support living life to the fullest. Let's dive in.

[00:00:58] Hello. Hello. Welcome to another episode of Midlife Mojo. As the days start getting shorter and you begin to see that fall and Halloween decor popping up in stores, there's that familiar pull to get back into a routine as summer winds down. But what happens when that routine no longer fits? Maybe you've outgrown it or perhaps your current situation doesn't align with the old way of doing things.

[00:01:23] For over 20 years, the end of summer meant my daughter heading back to school and me launching my classes in my full time role as a director of an academic program and teaching undergraduate health. And my life had a really predictable rhythm from September through December. But this year? Everything is different.

[00:01:43] My daughter graduated from college, started her first real adult job, which is amazing, and I've retired from my full time position in the college. Suddenly, that well worn path to the end of the year is gone, and I really found myself at a crossroads with just so many directions to consider. And I know I'm not alone in this.

[00:02:08] Many women in their 50s are facing similar crossroads, whether it's in their careers, their personal lives, or their health and wellness pursuits. Maybe you're adjusting to a career change, moving to a new environment, navigating different relationship dynamics, or just feeling adrift without an established routine.

[00:02:26] Today's episode is all about finding your way back to a sense of purpose and balance based on these transitions. Let me share a little bit more about my experience. When I retired, I knew I would have to redefine what my day to day life looked like. My identity had been so wrapped up in my job. Like, my job title, my daily responsibilities, even the little routines, like parking in the same spot https: otter.

[00:02:53] ai These small, seemingly insignificant things that were happening in my day really had become anchors and really anchored my life. And so when I stepped away from that role several weeks ago, it was like those anchors just had suddenly lifted and I had this vast ocean in front of me of opportunities and time.

[00:03:23] Which was Both exhilarating and terrifying. I could wake up whenever I wanted, I could plan my days however I saw fit, I could pursue hobbies, different interests, things that I put on the back burner for years and years. That's super exciting, but after a couple of weeks, this initial excitement began to wear off, and I started to feel just lost.

[00:03:48] Unmoored, I think was the way that I described it. Unanchored, unmoored. Adrift. Unmoored. And without that structure that my job provided, I really was left questioning like, well, what now? And I realized I needed to create a new routine that just didn't fill my time, but brought meaning and fulfillment into my life.

[00:04:14] And that's what I want to talk to you about today is how to navigate these changes, whether it's changes in the season, changes in bigger ways, like changing jobs, moving, and, and how to come out on the other side of that change in that transition with a life that feels not just full, purposeful. So let's talk about these moments when you feel stuck, uncertain, or just plain overwhelmed because that's.

[00:04:46] One of the indicators that there may be a change coming or that it's time for a change. And so whether that's due to a midlife career transition or other significant lifestyle change, it, it could be either one. These moments can be something that are like really challenging in our lives because It's not that we lack the ability to change, but because we've spent so long in a certain routine, the thought of disrupting that routine is daunting.

[00:05:20] Even if you're uncomfortable, it's a known uncomfortable. So you're comfortable in your uncomfortableness. And the thought about change is an unknown uncomfortable. So take a moment to think about your own life, your own current situation. How many years have you spent building a career, raising a family, sticking to a lifestyle in different habits that at the time made perfect sense?

[00:05:47] Well, it's not uncommon to wake up one day and realize that the things that once fulfilled you no longer do. Maybe your career no longer excites you, it's no longer challenging, you're not having opportunities for growth, or perhaps you're finding it harder to stay motivated in your fitness routine. So it's a bit like having that favorite pair of shoes, and they become worn out over time.

[00:06:12] They still fit, but they're just no longer comfortable. But again, they're familiar. So the feeling is particularly common during midlife. You might start to question if this is really what you want to be doing over the next decade or more. So maybe you're thinking about like big pivot in career or just an overhaul of what you're doing in your work day to day life.

[00:06:39] Um, you maybe think about moving to a new city, moving to a new section of town, moving Or you could be re evaluating your health and fitness goals. So these are big changes and it's totally normal to feel overwhelmed by them. But remember, like, these are the moments of uncertainty that are also opportunities to reassess and realign your life with what truly matters to you now.

[00:07:06] So for me, I decided to just go all in and do all three of these things. I retired from my full time job that I've been at for 17 years. I am now spending most of my time at my house in Florida, which is in a completely different state. So I'm in a new environment here. And then I'm also training to prepare for a Zeke competition sometime in the future.

[00:07:34] I haven't exactly decided when, but it's sometime in the future. And when I started to feel lost and overwhelmed with all this change, I really had to dig deep and ask myself some tough questions. And those questions were like, what do I want my life to look like? What do I want to spend my days doing?

[00:07:57] What brings me joy and what fulfills me now, as opposed to what I did in my 30s and 40s? And that's not easy to think about, honestly, it's not an easy process. And there were days that I felt more confused than ever, and shed more than a few tears about it. But really slowly, I began to see this transition as just a blank canvas.

[00:08:22] An opportunity to proactively design a life that truly reflects who I am today. And who I want to be for the next five, ten years. I've always been a big fan of the five year plan and so every year I sit down, usually at the beginning of the year, or right, right toward the end of the year, in anticipation of the beginning of the year, and look at, okay, what does this year ahead look like and how am I on my trajectory to accomplish this five year plan?

[00:08:59] And And this time in my life, this summer was the culmination of my five year plan from five years ago. It was delayed a little bit because of COVID, so it took maybe six or seven years to get there. But now I'm like, okay, now what's my next five year plan? And I really wanted to be meaningful and proactive and purposeful with that.

[00:09:25] So this process is something that I encourage. You know, everybody to go through as well for my coaching clients, this is something that we do when we first start meeting is like really creating that vision of what do you want your life to look like long term. So we usually go out about a year or a little bit more, but it's like, what is the ideal situation?

[00:09:53] What is the ideal outcome? What would you want your life to look like? Who do you want to be with? Who do you want to show up as? Who do you want to be around? What do you want your environment to look like? What do you want to be doing day to day? And so those are some of the things to, to think about. And so when you're navigating big transitions, how do we do it?

[00:10:19] How do we move from feeling stuck or uncertain? To really embracing change and creating a life that feels aligned with who we are now. That first step is to change the way we look at these transitions. Instead of seeing them as obstacles or disruptions, it helped me to change my perspective and view them as opportunities.

[00:10:43] Chances to rediscover yourself and what you truly want. So. This is that time for self reflection and also exploration. Thinking about what new interests or passions have emerged for you over the past several years that maybe you haven't been able to take advantage of because you were in a very specific routine or in a situation.

[00:11:06] And what parts of your life no longer serve you? That's a hard one to look at because sometimes, again, you're comfortable with the uncomfortable, you're familiar, but it's no longer serving you. And then what do you want to invite more of into your life? And for me, it was really about realizing I didn't have to have everything figured out right away.

[00:11:26] I allowed myself to try new things. I'm still experimenting with different routines. I have not got it all figured out. Um, I'm only, what, four weeks in. So, yeah, I think it's going to be a while. It's going to take me a little bit of time. But I'm okay with the fact that some things might not work out. And I'm okay with the fact that I don't have a set routine.

[00:11:47] I'm revisiting old interests and hobbies. Reconnecting with old friends. I'm leaning into my coaching. business and consulting, but also I'm going to start a cottage baking business because why not? I love baking. I always have. I'm going to give it a try. What's the worst thing that could happen? I don't sell anything.

[00:12:07] Who knows? I'm going to learn a lot. I've already learned a lot. And it's all because I just gave myself permission to explore without the pressure of getting it right from the start. I'm treating everything as a learning experience and somewhat of an experiment to see what do I like that? I like baking for myself.

[00:12:26] Am I going to like baking? You know, for hours and hours a day. I don't know. I love coaching. Love it. Love it. I know it. I've done it for a long time. I'm gonna lean into that and I'm gonna do more of that. Yeah, it's an exciting time, but also a little bit scary because the unknown. Creating a routine though is, I think, important during this time because here's the thing.

[00:12:46] It doesn't have to be perfect. And in fact, it probably won't be, and that's okay, and being okay with that. The goal is to find a rhythm that supports your new goals, your new priorities, and start with small, manageable changes. And maybe that's incorporating a 20 to 30 minute walk into your daily routine.

[00:13:06] It could be something like setting aside time each morning for a short meditation or doing something like morning pages, or it could be like something like blocking out a few hours each week or a specific day of the week to explore a new hobby. What's important is that your routine reflects who you are now, not who you were or where you were five, 10 or 15 years ago.

[00:13:32] If fitness is a priority for you at this time of your life, make time for it. If you're focused on career right now and either making a career change or getting promoted, taking on more responsibility or letting go of some responsibility, like setting aside dedicated time to work on a strategy for that, for networking and for skill building.

[00:13:58] And remember, it's okay for your routine to evolve as you do. And thinking about as we move through these transitions, because it's not just one and done. It's not like flipping a switch. It's a process. It's essential that we look at aligning our career and our lifestyle goals so that they complement each other rather than compete.

[00:14:19] And for many of us, the, the idea of work life balance. It's been more of a work life juggling act. You've got lots of balls in the air and it's just every day trying to keep them all moving in sync without dropping. So now we have the opportunity to redefine that balance in a way that works for our overall wellbeing.

[00:14:42] Think about what a fulfilling career and an optimal fulfilling lifestyle looks like for you at this stage of your life and project that for a few years. What do you want to be doing? How do you want to be spending your days? What kind of work really brings you that satisfaction and joy? What does your wellness routine look like?

[00:15:08] These are the questions that can guide you to navigate this transition and into a new chapter. For me, aligning my career and lifestyle goals meant stepping back from the demands of a full-time job to focus on my health coaching and teaching. It meant finding work that was flexible and that allowed me to prioritize my well being.

[00:15:31] It meant creating a routine that supported not just my physical health but my mental and emotional well being as well. Imagine a day in your life where you are working and your habits, your lifestyle, they are in harmony. How do you feel at the end of that day? Do you feel energized? Do you feel fulfilled?

[00:15:53] Do you feel at peace? And use this vision as a guide for the decisions you make moving forward. And remember, it's okay if this vision changes over time. What's important is that you're moving forward in your life in a way that feels fulfilling and aligns with your current values and what you want to be doing at this point in your life.

[00:16:16] I have a podcast episode from season one that covers creating a vision in more depth. And it includes a free worksheet that walks you through the process of creating a bigger picture, longer term vision. I'll add that link to the show notes. All right. We've covered a lot today from understanding the challenges of midlife transitions to taking actionable steps toward creating a new routine that supports your goals.

[00:16:41] And I hope this has given you some insights and perhaps a bit of inspiration to start reclaiming your routine and purpose. As you move forward, I encourage you to take things just one step at a time, small manageable steps towards your goals. And whether it's starting a new fitness routine, exploring a different career path, or simply setting aside time for self reflection, every step you are taking brings you closer to a life that feels meaningful and balanced.

[00:17:11] As a next step, I want to offer you a free resource, your jumpstart checklist for energy, strength, and confidence. This checklist is designed to help you increase strength, boost your energy and confidence, all essential components of a routine that supports both your career and lifestyle goals. You can download that free checklist at LisaDupreeCoaching/checklist.

[00:17:33] com slash checklist. I'll also put the link in the show notes for your ease of finding it. If today's episode resonated with you, I would love for you to follow the show, leave a review, And share it with anyone who you think might benefit from this. Your support helps me continue to create content that inspires and empowers women to live their best lives over 50.

[00:18:01] In the next episode, we're going to be diving into practical tips and strategies for creating a balance routine that works for you until then get out there and keep your mojo rising.