Lara (pseudonym) spoke just a few sentences, but her words landed like a stone in still water. We were gathered in the yurt—twelve midlife women, each carrying invisible stories, joys, and sorrows. Lara shared a tender belief about her lifelong feeling of unworthiness. No one interrupted. No…
When my mother Jackie started developing dementia, I did not want to accept that this was her reality. She was a tireless leader, wife, mother, grandmother, and beacon of her community. I was pained even thinking about my mother being confused, uncertain, or dependent….
I’m answering emails and half watching the 2024 Emmy Awards on TV, mostly to see the fancy dresses and gorgeous humans. I gaze up from my laptop as Niecy Nash-Betts accepts her trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress, proudly raises it to the sky, and yells “I’m…
At my recent “Day of Embracing the Middle,” I asked the participants to bring along symbols of their current midlife experience. You know, things like reading glasses, wrinkle cream, or an empty nest image. When the women arrived, I had them place their objects on…
Embracing “Being” Goals Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were awash with joy and ease. In all likelihood, with the beckoning of a new year, many of you have contemplated resolutions. And, if so, it is probably something you aspire to do (i.e., exercise, meditate, begin that…
Embracing Each and Every Birthday The Many Gifts of Age This Thursday, March 3rd is my birthday. Yay! I will be 57. Yikes. That’s a biggish number. It’s entering the late 50s, with 60 in the not-so-distant horizon. It’s a number that, in my younger years,…
Lessons from Eddie Timeless Wisdom from a Life Cut Too Short Eddie, my awesome brother and very close friend, passed away ten days ago. He was working in his yard like any other Saturday, had chest pains later in the evening, and was gone by…
I recently reached out to my Zen teacher Diane. I was frustrated, yet again, grappling with a very old issue around self-acceptance. Despite my many years of personal growth efforts, this ancient and sticky issue keeps showing up. As Diane and I only talk intermittently,…
Part 1: Survey Says: We’re NOT So Vain! Midlife…. ahhhhh… such a rich, multifaceted time. Peaks of ease and depths of challenges. I’m personally and professionally fascinated with the gamut of the female midlife experience. My curiosity propelled me to launch a survey this past…