(video) – How to create your best life at midlife – Step 1

Are you a midlife woman and wondering, “What’s Next?”

Have you launched your kids, scaled down your professional life or completely retired from it, celebrated wildly and said Life Part 2 I am here! Then after you’ve swept up the confetti you were hit with the big questions. What’s next?  Where do I fit?

And the biggest one of all, Who am I?

Not something you were expecting.

I know.

So many of us have been there.

RED SHOE ZONE SUPPORTS WOMEN LIKE US

I created the Red Shoe Zone 4 years ago to support women like us…. super capable, multi-ball-jugglers who land in Life Part 2 resembling a deer in the headlight.  It’s not an easy transitioning from one chapter of life to another and especially this one.

As women we’re hard wired to take care of…we take care of kids, spouses, partners, bosses, employees, parents and even pets which is loving and generous and selfless but there’s not much left for us.  When we arrive at Life Part 2 and this time when we can do all- we’ve-ever-wanted-to-do……we come up blank because we haven’t been investing in ourselves over the past 20 or so years.  That’s why we get stuck at the launch pad.

REDISCOVER YOURSELF

So, we have to rediscover ourselves and that means uncovering what lights us up and the passionate, fearless spirit that we parked way back there before we started taking care of all the responsibilities of life.

So how do you rediscover yourself? Well that’s what I’m going to help you with. Every week for 5 weeks I’ll give you one small step in a short 2 minute video that will help get you do that.

You’ll be energized, optimistic and ready to start creating a Life Part 2 that is fulfilling and deeply meaningful to You.

Ready?

Here’s STEP ONE on the path to rediscovering yourself…

It starts with a question. When was the last time you did something for the first time something new? The first step to rediscovering ourselves is to break our entrenched routines and the thinking that goes along with it. So switch thing sup and in so doing you’ll light up the right side fo the brain that is creative and loves to play.

The word of the week is NEW

Every day you are going to do at least one NEW thing. NEW things create NEW eyes thru which we see the world.

What’s NEW? Anything you wouldn’t normally do. Here’s an easy and powerful one. Everywhere you go this week take a NEW route (so simple this heightens the senses… suddenly we are more aware…everything is firing and we’re firmly anchored in the present moment.)

The more NEW things you do the better.

You will be creating NEW eyes through which you see the world.

You’re going to feel like there is a shift is underway.

It feels energizing…uplifting…positive.

I love these quotes from Tony Robbins:

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.”

“By changing nothing, nothing changes.”

Do one NEW thing a day

Do you need some NEW ideas to get you going? Try these.

Read something NEW to you – If you normally read gardening magazines try fashion, travel or  wellness. If you read biographies check out the inspirational, self help or motivational sections of the library or book store.  Try something you would never read – thus expanding horizons and building knowledge even more.  Maybe it’s a book of poetry, a book you saw on TV, heard about on the radio or in the paper, a book out of your comfort zone or a book you should have read in your twenties.

Tickle the taste buds with NEW… Try different ethnic cuisines, new sensations will push boundaries.

Watch something NEW – Look for off the beaten path series, movies and documentaries. PBS stations always have interesting programming. Travel dvd’s are exciting and transport us around the world. TEDtalks is my go-to place for exposure to thought leaders in a wide range of fields.

Attend something NEW – Communities often run lecture series on a variety of topics or ask to audit classes at a local college or university. Try dance class, art class, cooking class, language class or using technology class! Try an online course some are short and can be completed in a couple days or a week. Look at the Udmey or Coursera catalogues. How about a yoga, spin, belly dancing or zumba class?

Listen to something NEW – How about  a podcast on a topic that interests you or try audio books while driving it could lead to exciting shifts. Here’s one to look into – Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Please pass this along to friends who want to create their best life at midlife and have a little rediscovering work to do.

Tell us all about the NEW things you’re doing and (most importantly) how they made you feel in the comments below.

Have Fun. See you next week for Step #2