Part 2: 9 Essential Qualities of a Midlife Renaissance

In part one of this 3 part series, I shared the first 3 qualities that are essential to a midlife renaissance: creativity, adventure and connection.

Today is July 4 here in the United States, a day to celebrate freedom and independence. I think these are two qualities we are seeking to recover in our midlives and why a renaissance is necessary. Midlife is a period of life, especially post 50 years of age, when many women find themselves seeking reinvention and reconnection to their authentic self.

These 9 qualities of life will help you to step out of the midlife murky messiness and into your personal renaissance.

I've also included a few journaling prompts for each quality to help you consider your level of satisfaction in this area of your life.

3 Essential Qualities of a Midlife Renaissance

Curiosity: Midlife is a time you find yourself reflecting on your life so far and you have a strong desire to continue learning and exploring, both your inner life and outer life. Cultivating curiosity allows you to expand your knowledge, engage with new ideas, and maintain a vibrant intellectual and personal growth. As long as you stay curious on the journey, you will always see possibility and trust that there is light at the end of the midlife tunnel.

Journaling Prompts for Curiosity:

• Do you think you are a curious person?
• Do you approach life with an open curiosity and interest in learning, growing and exploring more of your inner life as well as your outer life?
• Do you practice asking yourself open-ended questions or looking for the answer beneath the obvious answer?

Purpose: In my private coaching work, this is often the most pressing issue! It's common for women in midlife feel a need to find or redefine their sense of purpose. You may find yourself reflecting on your life's meaning, seeking realignment with your core values, and wanting to pursue activities that bring a sense of fulfillment and contribution to the greater good. If this is you and you seeking support in this area, check out my Vibrant Vision coaching program.

Journaling Prompts for Purpose:

Do you feel your life has meaning and you are living/creating with intention?

• Do you have a cause you care about and make a contribution to?
• Is your work/career/retirement fulfilling and meaningful?
• If you could change one thing right now to feel more aligned with your purpose, what would it be?

Emotions: Midlife can be a time of emotional introspection and self-discovery. You may experience a wide range of emotions and seek to understand and navigate them effectively. Emotional well-being and self-care become important priorities. Suddenly you can no longer hide from, avoid or numb out your deep feelings. And those feelings are like a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. Learning to name your emotions and express them in healthy ways is essential to a midlife renaissance. I created a course to help you do this in a simple, fun and creative way using color called Color Coded Emotions. This is a short and easy course for only $17.00, inspired by Dr. Seuss' My Many Colored Days.

Journaling Prompts for Emotions:

• How comfortable are you with experiencing a full range emotions?
• Do you share your feelings with others?
• Do you use your creative expression like writing, dance or art-making to connect to your emotions?

Let me know in the comments below which of these three qualities is speaking most to you today!

You can read part one of this series on 9 essential qualities of a midlife renaissance here.

Thanks for reading!