The Alchemy Blog
Turning Space into Meaning
Quiet Places
Do you have a special quiet space to go to when you need time to think? Is it a space in your house, a place to walk, or a state of mind? This is mine. I worked and fought for it these past few years, in a way. Not really “fought”, but I have had to use passive...
Permission to Feel: Breaking the Midlife Pattern of Emotional Postponement (FACTOR part 1)
Factor(Part 1)“It crept up on me, this slow deadening of my feelings. At first it felt like maturity. I wouldn’t tear up any more at movies, emotional stories, happy family milestones... I wouldn’t cry when I felt sad. I was in control! Wasn’t that evidence of...
Moving Forward: Taking Action, Being Optimistic, and Practicing Reflection in Midlife Transitions
FACTOR MODEL: Part 2Picking up where we left off (see Permission to Feel post for part 1) In the previous post, I introduced the first three steps in the FACTOR model; a process intended to support women in the midlife transition stage of adult development. The model...
Day 3 Step Into The Afternoon of Life
"Thoroughly unprepared, we take the step into the afternoon of life. Worse still, we take this step with the false presupposition that our truths and our ideals will serve us as going forward. But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s...
Day 2 Redesigning Your Ideal Daily Energy Patterns After 40
“Ah, that long jog after work was so refreshing and energizing!,” said no one. Except maybe me. It was me. In my early 40s, I started to jog and enroll in 5K runs. Initially, it was a way to get back into shape after three pregnancies, but I think the practice staved...
Day 1 Reclaim/Rediscover Forgotten Joys in Midlife
What activities once brought you joy or fulfillment that have quietly slipped away during these past few years? Which one calls to you to be reclaimed, if any, and why?By choice, and without bitterness for many years, my personal joy was scheduled in bits and pieces...