Can We Reinvent Ourselves?

One of the buzz words getting a lot of mileage these days is reinvention. As midlifers, our focus has done some shifting—for some of us, many times. We yearn for a life that energizes us and makes it easy to pop out of bed every morning. Growing frustration and boredom with the same old, same old makes the prospect of reinventing ourselves very attractive. But is it really possible?

The short answer is yes. You can take your life in a new direction with contemplation, courage, and conviction. Ask yourself:

• Am I dissatisfied enough with my life to do something different?
• If I knew I couldn't fail at something I've always wanted to do, what would that success look like?
• Am I willing to take even baby steps to make my dreams a reality?

The fact is, we are who we are today because of the choices we've made. We are constantly evolving and adapting, going through our day-to-day grind largely on auto-pilot. We can start paying attention to those choices, and once we're clear on what we want, we can make new choices toward what we are passionate about.

Ann Daly, PhD, a life coach and author of Clarity: How to Accomplish What Matters Most, says, "Clarity is your catalyst to action and a more gratifying life. When you feel clear, decisions become simple and next steps become apparent. You can move forward with ease and confidence."

I challenge you to get clear on what you truly want. Silence your inner skeptic and allow yourself to dream through your pen or keyboard. Dare yourself to be "unrealistic." Think about the ways you might fulfill your dream. In the act of contemplative writing, you are planning your journey. Then, take a deep breath and one baby step forward.
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Welcome to Still Rockin' It!

Welcome to my inaugural post for Still Rockin' It! A website for women in midlife who want to renew, rejuvenate, and reinvent themselves. I think of us as ripe, sweet, luscious tomatoes—always in season.

Today's midlifers don't lead the same kind of lives that our parents and grandparents did. We collectively encompass a whole range of "more." We're more active, more health conscious, more engaged, more tech savvy, more independent, more liberal/conservative, more vibrant, etc. We are also, therefore, more stressed out and more in need of resources that address our specific life experiences. I'm not going to have all the answers. But I am going to address the concepts, throw out ideas and suggestions, and ask for your input.

Here are just some of the topics we'll address on this blog:

* health * wellness * fitness * outlook on the future * family (kids, grandkids, and parents) * rejuvenation * reinvention * recapturing our youth * journaling * reaching out to family * after the kids are gone * when the kids return home * support for parents * support for adult kids * hobbies * learning new skills * unemployment * midlife jobhunting * adapting to change * dos and don'ts in dating * relationships * establishing and cultivating friendships * and anything else you think is important.

Have a question? Submit it to reluctantmidlifer@gmail.com, and let's see how we can help each other.

To learn more about me, check out the ABOUT ME tab above (beneath the blog header).

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