FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®: MAKE SELF-LOVE YOUR DEFAULT MODE

If you’ve visited any retail environment in the past few weeks, you know it’s hard to miss the pink hearts and red roses that signify Valentine’s Day is near. I like to use these commercial icons to inspire a month of self-love and self-care - wanna join me?

I assume you answered with some version of a ‘hell, yeah!’, so be sure to read each of my Wednesday emails this month for different nudges that help you deepen self-love and practice self-care. Don’t receive my emails? You can sign up at this link.

Midlife and beyond has a way of asking you to choose yourself more intentionally. What if self-love wasn’t something you had to remember, but something you naturally returned to?

This episode explores why it’s important to foster self-love in this season of life, what gets in the way, and how to nurture it. 

Can’t wait for you to join me inside the episode!

xo Karli

_______________

Join myFLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE® email community

Become a member of ELEVATE - resources and community connection to help you boost your well-being in midlife and beyond

📩 Got thoughts? Email me at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com.

Transcript

0:00

Midlife and beyond has a way of asking you to choose yourself more intentionally. What if self-love wasn't something you had to remember, but something you naturally return to? This episode explores why it's important to foster self-love in this season of life, what gets in the way, and how to nurture it. Hi there, my friend. It's me, Karli, your favorite Gen X dealer of positive vibes, Life and Wellness Coach, and founder of FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®, a community for women in midlife and beyond. I am so grateful for you joining me here. It truly fills my heart and soul to know you're listening, learning, and feeling inspired. You know I like to keep my episodes short and sweet, so let's move into today's core content. I'm here to walk you through why self-love in midlife and beyond is so important, and share how it can be a solid foundation you stand on. Let's start with why self-love matters in midlife and beyond. We are surrounded by messages that tell us aging is something to avoid, hide, or rail against. Without a solid sense of self-love, it's easy to internalize those messages and start believing that you're not worthy, deserving, or enough just as you are. This is not a season of decline, my friend. This is a season of expansion where you fully realize who you are, and lean into the wisdom you embody. Self-love is essential in midlife and beyond because so much is shifting. Your body feels different, your roles are changing, your energy, priorities, and tolerance levels are evolving. Self-love allows you to meet those changes with compassion instead of self-criticism. Now let's move on to what gets in the way of self-love in midlife and beyond. Often it isn't a lack of wanting to feel self-love. Many women have deeply ingrained habits, a lifetime of conditioning, or external forces tearing them down rather than lifting them up. If you see yourself as the one who holds everything together or takes care of everyone else, a tendency to put yourself last can erode self-love. A negative mindset or lack of awareness related to your critical inner dialogue can be barriers to self-love. Guilt gets in the way of self-love in midlife and beyond. And those external forces I mentioned earlier? Think about the content you consume, the colleagues you work with, and the social circles you frequent. If you aren't uplifted by these interactions, then they don't deserve your attention. I'll say that again. Listen closely, my friend. They do not deserve your attention. None of this means you're doing anything wrong. It simply means you have an opportunity to unravel old patterns and discover new positive ways that clear the path to self-love. Try these three things to make self-love your default mode. First, build awareness around your inner dialogue. You'll never eliminate your critical inner voice you're human after all. But you can enhance your listening skills and notice when she shows up. When she does, practice gentle observation and curiosity rather than judgment. Is what she's saying true? Do I really believe it? Why might she say this? How can I comfort her? What can I ask her to say instead? When you get curious and seek to understand your inner voice, you become aware. And awareness is a doorway to change. Second, practice self-love in small, consistent ways. Self-love isn't a one and done declaration. It's built through everyday practice. Think of self-love as an accumulation of opportunistic moments. Choose rest before you get to the point of exhaustion. Speak kindly to yourself when you look in the mirror. Set a boundary without overexplaining the reason behind it. Change your mind when you feel like it. Small actions like this repeated over time, create a way of living that's grounded in self-love. Third, protect your energy on purpose. Notice what lifts you up and what leaves you feeling drained. That includes conversations, environments, media, and commitments. For self-love to be your default mode, intention is required. Place your time, attention, and emotional energy where you receive positive payback. These steps don't require perfection, my friend. They require presence. Practice them consistently and self-love blossoms. From there, it can become your default mode. Self-love in midlife and beyond isn't about fixing yourself or becoming someone you aren't. It's about honoring who you are now and treating yourself with the same compassion, care, patience, and respect you so freely offer others. This month, I encourage you to notice the opportunities that arise for you to foster self-love. Thanks again for joining me here today. I'd love to know your thoughts about self-love and this episode. Reach out to me at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com to share. Join me next Wednesday when I share a few ways to make self-care feel sustainable and guilt-free here in midlife and beyond. I can't wait to meet you here for it. Take care, my friend, and be well.