Rebranding the Midlife Crisis

The term "Midlife Crisis" needs a rebrand, especially for women in business. The cliché of affairs and red convertibles is not only tired and unhelpful—it's far from the truth for many successful female entrepreneurs.

Midlife is when the real magic happens. It's when we've lived enough to know what truly matters, and we're still young enough to pursue it with delight and wonder. For many women entrepreneurs, it’s also a time when our children are older and we’re able to focus more on ourselves and our businesses.

Esther Perel, speaking with Miranda July on her podcast said:

"So many women struggle to retrieve the woman behind the mother because motherhood has to come with certain sacrifice and abdication of oneself for the wellbeing of all the others. So a mother that is selfish is a woman."

When I heard her say this, I felt it deeply in my body and had to rewind and listen to it again.

I had to navigate a divorce and wait for my son to enter his teens before I could truly start prioritizing myself and my business.

Do I have regrets?

No. Regrets are unhelpful.

And you know what? Better late than never.

So what do we call this time?

Is it a Midlife Awakening? Midlife Transformation? Midlife Expansion? 

These phrases feel trite and simplistic. But I can tell you I’m definitely not experiencing midlife as a crisis.

I’m 47 years old and I’ve never felt more alive.

This time should be about looking at our lives with fresh eyes and asking, "What do I really want?" And then having the courage to pursue it.

So here's to midlife successes.

To embracing change. To understanding that our accumulated experiences are our greatest assets. To knowing it's never too late to start a new chapter.