7: 4 Things Midlife Women Can Confidently Leave Behind

Are you feeling weighed down and less than enthusiastic about preparing for your next chapter of life? Does thinking about what’s next make you feel tired and overwhelmed?

If you’re having trouble opening yourself up to what God has next for you, even though you deeply desire to make the most out of the years ahead, it could be because you’re holding onto things from the first half of life that no longer serve you.

In today’s episode, I’m talking about four things you can confidently leave behind in midlife so you can travel more lightly into the second half with greater clarity about the things that matter most.

It’s time to let go of what’s getting in your way so you can start living the second-half life God created you for.

Find the full transcript for this episode and other resources for navigating midlife at bloominginthemiddle.com/7.

Jody Cates is a faith-based life coach who helps Christian women navigate the changes and challenges of midlife and step into the joy-filled second half God created them for. Her 90-minute Midlife Strategy Session is a personalized coaching experience designed to help you gain clarity, confidence, and direction for your next chapter.

Learn more about how you can work with Jody to find your focus, renew your purpose, age with confidence, and grow satisfying relationships in midlife and beyond at BloomingintheMiddle.com.

Grab your free copy of Midlife Reframed, Jody's practical, faith-filled guide that will transform the way you think about midlife by replacing four common midlife myths with empowering biblical truths.

Transcript

Are you feeling weighed down and less than enthusiastic about preparing for your next chapter of life? Does thinking about what’s next make you feel tired and overwhelmed?

If you’re having trouble opening yourself up to what God has next for you, even though you deeply desire to make the most out of the years ahead, it could be because you’re holding onto things from the first half of life that no longer serve you.

In today’s episode, I’m talking about four things you can confidently leave behind in midlife so you can travel more lightly into the second half with greater clarity about the things that matter most.

It’s time to let go of what’s getting in your way so you can start living the second-half life God created you for.

Find the full transcript for this episode and other resources for navigating midlife at bloominginthemiddle.com/7.

I love to travel. 

Weekend getaways. Cross-country adventures. Even the occasional journey to another country. Sign me up!

Through all my traveling, I’ve learned that packing light is the best way to go.

It doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’ve learned that lugging along too much stuff can spoil everything. I get distracted and worried about keeping track of it all. It makes me really tired and cranky

Nobody wants to drag over-stuffed suitcases from terminal to terminal, in and out of hotels and taxis or rental cars. It’s just not fun.

And while I’m busy juggling all the things that I refuse to leave behind, I miss out on the adventure I very much want to enjoy.

One day, this truth about traveling with too much stuff got me thinking. Somewhere in all my coming and going, I wondered if I was doing this in other areas of my life.

I asked myself, “Am I carrying around a bunch of baggage every day that’s weighing me down and keeping me from enjoying my life?”

Are You Lugging Around a Load That’s Too Heavy to Carry at Midlife?

I started looking at some of the things I just couldn’t seem to let go of and was shocked to see that I’d been stuffing things like disappointment, hurt and unrealistic expectations into a suitcase that I needed to sit on top of to keep it closed.

I had to get serious about unpacking and letting go of the things that no longer served me so I could step into what God had next.

How about you? Are you carrying things around at midlife that you need to leave behind?

You’ve lived long enough to have collected a few things that might feel like they’re a permanent part of you. Things that feel impossible to lay down.

But whatever you’ve experienced, there’s freedom in learning how to let go and leave behind the things that hold you back in the second half of life.

Four Things You Can Confidently Leave Behind at Midlife

Let’s look at four things that you can confidently leave behind in midlife so you’re free to receive and hold and carry everything God has for you in your next chapter. 

Striving for Perfection

Striving for perfection might feel like a worthwhile goal. But it actually keeps you stuck in the disappointing cycle of focusing on how things should be (in a perfect world) instead of experiencing and enjoying life where you are, as you are.

It puts unhealthy pressure on you and everyone around you to meet some unrealistic expectation. It’s a burden that distracts you from finding joy and meaning in the second half of life.

I say more about this in Episode 4, where I dive into how to find the meaning you’re looking for in the second half of life—not by striving and doing more, but by doing less and noticing more. You can listen at bloominginthemiddle.com/4.

The next thing to leave behind on your midlife journey:

 Unforgiveness

This is a tough one if a person, circumstance, or life event has hurt you badly. But playing the blame game only weighs you down. 

I’ve seen the power of forgiveness to heal and restore the heart of the giver both in my own life and in my 16+ years of working with women navigating big life changes, hurts, losses, and disappointments.

Don’t keep holding the heavy bag full of things that happened to you. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness in the second half of life, and you’ll open up more room in your heart for what’s to come.

Another thing to take out of your midlife bag:

Unspoken Apologies

This is the other side of the forgiveness coin. If you can’t stop thinking about someone you need to apologize to, it’s never too late.

It’s not easy to go back to someone you’ve hurt and admit you were wrong. But with age comes wisdom, and perhaps you’re better able now to see the part you played and want to take responsibility.

A sincere apology can restore trust, mend broken relationships, and remove an emotional burden that keeps you from moving forward.

And one more thing you don’t need to bring on your midlife journey:

Regret Over Missed Opportunities

We all have them. Missed opportunities that aren’t coming back.

Remind yourself that you made decisions based on the information you had at the time. Maybe you would have chosen differently if you’d known what you know now. But that’s a waste of good energy and the experience you’ve gained.

Turn your regrets into information you can use to inform your future decisions.

Say Goodbye to the Emotional Burdens That Weigh You Down at Midlife.

Leaving behind the emotional burdens that weigh you down at midlife allows you to experience more of what God created you for.

Just like planning and packing for a trip, you’ll need to think carefully about what to bring and what to leave behind in midlife. Of course, leaving emotional burdens behind isn’t as easy as choosing what shoes to leave at home when traveling. 

But when you take time and pay attention to the extra baggage you’ve been carrying around, you’ll free yourself from worrying about things that only weigh you down and tire you out.

Then you can you set off on your midlife journey feeling lighter and prepared for the adventure. You’ll be less distracted. Less prone to say or do things out of fear or anger. Able to bring the energy and attention you need to move into this new season.

If you’d like to go deeper on this topic, my Blooming in the Middle Signature Program can help you discover what’s holding you back so you can align with who you are now and who you want to be in this season and the future God is calling you to.

Because He’s not finished with you yet.

It’s your time to shine.