May 23Second SpringMiriam, 43 I wake up as suddenly as if someone has yelled into my ear. For a moment, I’m disoriented, befuddled with sleep, trying to get my bearings. It’s still dark outside, and everything is quiet. What woke me? Then I become aware of the warm stickiness. Shit. I switch…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
May 8Coming In — Queer in MidlifeFrancesca, Age 53 I didn’t come out, I came in. Into myself and the truth that called me. Into a new beginning that felt familiar. Into midlife as a queer woman. I was born in a small town on the south coast of England, miles away from any sense of…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
Apr 24Planning AheadMelissa, Age 49 I started this year preparing for the next. Next year would be my 50th birthday, and I was already thinking about how I would spend it. Did I need to go to a part of the world I hadn’t been to before? Did I need a fruity…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
Apr 10Still HereRaquel, Age 39 I’m almost 40 and still here. What’s so big about that, right? Well, at age 20, I didn’t think I’d still be here, for one. And now that I’m one year away from the big 4–0, I can tell you; it’s not scary to think about. …Midjourney3 min readMidjourney3 min read
Mar 28Melodies of Midlife: Finding Joy Through MusicSelena, Age 54 I have always had a burning desire to fit in. This influenced my taste in music as I never ventured further than what played on the radio. I’d tap my foot and roll my eyes, happy to be up to date with current trends but never connected…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
Mar 10Youthful Memories Are PricelessChidinma, 53 At 50 I realised my mid-life crisis had, in fact, been a whole-life crisis. My parents migrated from Lagos, Nigeria to Europe in the 80s. I turned twenty-two and saw my first snowflake which sparked a curiosity that never ceased: who will I be in this new land…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
Feb 27ExtraordinaryRachel, 49 My name is Rachel. I’m a 49-year-old native New Yorker and an American Ex-Pat based in Spain. I am going through the deepest and most profound transition of my life. Because of this moment, I have had time to reflect and acknowledge how extraordinary I am. Over the…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
Feb 20Falling off the corporate ladder and landing on my feetClare, 47 In 2014, I returned to work after several weeks of maternity leave. I sat by the window, nursing my second son. I was frustrated, not because he wouldn’t latch, but because I hadn’t finished the PowerPoint presentation due the next day. It almost feels like a betrayal to…Midlife Women3 min readMidlife Women3 min read
Jan 30Motherhood, All Over AgainCeri-Ann, Age 40 I have two daughters: a 23-year-old and a 2-week-old. No, this is not an episode of Maury. This is my life at 40. My approach to life and motherhood is just as separate as their age. …Midlife Women2 min readMidlife Women2 min read
Jan 23My New Midlife Motto: Keep going ’til you hear a crashAnis, 50 So there’s something about turning fifty that’s decidedly…time-ticky. When I turned forty, I performed some mental gymnastics to convince myself I was not yet near the midway point of my adult life (which I decided started at 20, just for the sake of keeping the math simple). Not…Midlife Women4 min readMidlife Women4 min read