It’s All About Balance Baby!
Balance can look like allot of things, and during midlife, balance can bounce all over the place leaving us in unsavory spaces we never thought we would visit.
I am not talking about the ability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds (although this is a pretty critical goal to maintain as we age so we do not fall or accelerate cognitive decline) - I am talking about the amount of balls you are juggling while remaining emotionally in control and sane - that kind of balance.
When we are balanced our moods are good, we sleep well, our libido's are mostly online, we can cope with stress better and you don't sweat the 'small stuff'.
Women in midlife have more stressors due to looking after parents and kids still at home, changing relationships with a partner, health issues, menopause, finances and rediscovering a sense of self. So much change hey and we often do not even notice all these balls are in orbit around us.
As midlife women, we are 'searching for balance in the midst of co-occurring stressors while coping with losses and transitions.' It is ALLOT!
So here are a few ideas to help you regain some balance:
🧘🏼♀️ Gratitude - practice being grateful and marvel at how the world looks. I know it’s hard to be thankful all the time, especially when things are going poorly or you feel like you’re at the end of your rope, but that’s the best time to do it. Gratitude is grounding and humbling - it calms you and allows you to see the bigger picture
🧘🏼♀️ Keep a journal - it is a great way to cope with stressful situations - try using prompts based on how you are feeling to get you started
🧘🏼♀️ Remind yourself not to panic - panic is completely normal and nothing to be ashamed of, but it often leads to poor problem solving and even more emotional distress
🧘🏼♀️ What's your body got to say about this? Your body has allot to say and we often do not take heed - if you don’t take the time to maintain balance and take care of yourself, your body will make you pay attention eventually
🧘🏼♀️ How are your coping skills? When you have healthy coping skills, you can keep your moods level and it helps you stay calm even while problems are arising
🧘🏼♀️ Let others solve their own problems - this can be a tough one for us mama's and women looking after aging parents - you need to make sure you reserve your own energy first and remind yourself that solving everyone else's problems is not an option and will just end up leaving you zero time to care for yourself
🧘🏼♀️ Ease up on your control switch - sure being in control makes life appear easier but what if you allowed others to take control and help you - what is the worst that could happen? Like practicing healthy coping skill like taking a walk - setting healthy boundaries or talking to a trusted friend and letting go of control will reserve your energy not drain it
🧘🏼♀️ Seek help & talk to someone - you do not need to suffer in silence or be alone. Asking for help, whether it’s from a friend or family member, a doctor, a therapist, a coach, a spiritual guidance person or even a stranger is a courageous act that can be greatly beneficial
Your beautiful midlife will continue to shift and evolve with new problems, joys and a myriad of circumstances arising and you will no doubt search for balance again - it is a cycle after all. By remembering the benefits of balance outlined above, you can always find your way back. Pick one and see where it takes you!
🎯 I’m Rani & I work with women in midlife building positive intelligence & mental fitness for a powerful next act - thank you for being here! I’m in Vancouver, Canada!