RESILIENCE IN MID LIFE & OLDER YEARS
How to actually be resilient....
Hello There, you lovely lot
Happy New Year! I hope you had the most marvellous Christmas and New Year, and are ready to face what 2025 may throw at us.
When I use the term “throw at us” I use that wisely. I’ve gone on record saying previously that I don’t think 2025 will be an easy year in the UK. Without getting too political, there’s far too many resources that are struggling to breaking point, and when this happens it not only affects the resource that is struggling, but other resources or agencies that integrate with it. Think social services and the NHS.
Thinking about that only makes me anxious and worried about the future, so one of the ways I’m trying to uplift myself is to look at ways to make me (and you lot, too) more resilient to navigate the waves that may come our way.
And truthfully, even if the current status quo was totally hunky dory (have you ever know that in your lifetime, though?) big waves can hit us in our personal lives just as much.
That’s the way life is, isn’t it?
So, although it’s January and traditionally the theme for January is “New Year, New Me”, I’m flipping that and having “Resilience in Mid Life” as my theme for January (and possibly longer - dependent on what good content I can find and whether I think it’s relevant to my fab 45 Not Out community).
So, all my 45 Not Out social media posts will be around resilience. And if you want to track down my social media platforms, you need to be looking at my private Facebook Group (you will need to ask to join this - please mention you subscribe to the newsletter), Instagram and TikTok. If you’re on any of these platforms, please pop over and say hi!
So, resilience then. What have I found out?
Well, like most things worth having, you have to work at it and it doesn’t happen overnight. And there will be a whole series of things you need to do to get yourself to a place where you can battle whatever storms come your way.
As I mentioned above, I’m going to be covering this for a while, so I’m going to give you tips and hacks over the next few newsletters.
So where would I have you start? Well, to reflect the ethos of 45 Not Out, the first one is where you use your vast experience and knowledge. Gleaned from years of being on this earth and navigating whatever storms have come your way previously.
Let me explain:
Your Wisdom, Your Strength
Being in midlife and older isn't a crisis - it's a catalyst! You've collected decades of experience, and that's your secret weapon. Cultivate resilience by:
Reflecting on past challenges you've overcome. A good exercise in this area is to carve out an hour or two, get as relaxed as you can - think a room where you can be alone, no phone etc - and get yourself several sheets of paper. Do whatever you normally do to relax yourself first - yoga, meditation, breathing - and allow yourself to think back over previous years of where you’ve been in a bad situation, but battled through and come out the other side, victorious. Now, write this down on a piece of paper - it doesn’t have to be a novel - and fold the paper up into a small square and find yourself a nice jar or box you can put this memory into. Try to get as many instances as you can. Now, when you’re next having a wobble about how you’ll cope about a situation you’re facing, visit your jar or box, pull out one or two of the papers you’ve written and remind yourself of just what an awesome woman you are!
Journaling to process your emotions. This has been life changing for me. I’ve taken up the method outline by Dr Rangan Chattergee - a short 5 min x 2 per day practice - and I have talked about this method frequently. It’s a short practice - it barely takes me 5 mins morning & evening and it really has taken me to a better place. See the newsletter where I talk about it here
Connecting with supportive women who lift you up. Enough said! That’s the whole, whole reason I started 45 Not Out. And that happens nowhere more than the 45 Not Out Facebook group - see above :)
A short outline of ways to help you start to be more resilient. There will be more over the coming weeks. Watch this space :)
IN OTHER NEWS…
I’ve said for quite a while that I intend to develop my 45 Not Out platforms into something more substantial. And, I’m taking the first step in that later this month.
On 29th January, I’m launching a souped-up version of the existing 45 Not Out Facebook group. It will be a paid-for, monthly subscription group and will feature far more details about issues that affect us at this time of our life.
It will follow themes throughout the year and all content will reflect that theme. For example, can you guess what the January/February theme might be ;)? Yep, you’ve got it in one - it’s all about resilience. Yayy!
But seriously, the group will not just feature items and articles about the theme. There will be an interview with an expert in that particular theme. And I mean expert - the guests I have to appear in the interview will be researched and interviewed by me beforehand to ensure they really are “experts” and not just internet gobsh***s!
Paid members will be able to access this content from a private Facebook group, which will run very similarly to the free version, but with the added bells and whistles. And of course there will be the usual interaction between members, supporting and uplifting each other :)
As launch day is a while away, I’ve started a waitlist for more details about the group and you can join the waitlist here. And, being the kind individual I am, if you sign up to the waitlist, you can download my free e-book, “How To Be A Vital Woman in Midlife”. You’re welcome :)
So, a bit of an epic newsletter from me (well, it is the first one of the year, and I have so much to tell you!!). I hope it’s all useful.
That’ll be a wrap - I’ll see you in a fortnight’s time. But if you want to ask me anything or just to get in touch, just reply to this newsletter and it will find me :)
Till for a fortnight’s time
Una x