YOU ARE NOT

There are so many things we "are" - why worry about the things we are "not"? #midlife #youarenot

WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU'RE NOT IN MIDLIFE

I read a poem a while ago by a young woman named Erin Hanson and it was titled You Are Not. It was addressed to women who are probably younger than most people who read my blog, but I think we can relate to it because sometimes in Midlife we get caught up in the physical, the fading, the not so lovely. We think about what we've lost, rather that what we've gained. 

In contrast to the words of the poem, it got me thinking about all the blessings we should be acknowledging and how they should be what define us. So, on that note I wrote a little something about what we're not in Midlife, and what we are.


YOU ARE NOT   

Your extra few grey hairs,
your slowly failing eyes,
your wrinkles and your crinkles,
or your turkey wattle neck.


YOU ARE NOT

Your ski slope breasts,
your widening waist,
your thickening thighs,
or your less than lovely feet

NO... YOU ARE MORE

You are the wise woman,
you are the compassionate listener,
you are the sunshine in your smile,
and you are living life out loud.

YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE

You are the heartbeat of your family,
you are the lap for your grandchildren,
you are the committed friend and lover,
you are the amazing woman you've become.

YOU ARE MORE.....SO MUCH MORE!

There are so many things we "are" - why worry about the things we are "not"?

There are so many things we "are" - why worry about the things we are "not"? #midlife #youarenot

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There are so many things we "are" - why worry about the things we are "not"? #midlife #youarenot

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48 comments

  1. Perfect Leanne! Thanks for reminding me to think about the positives. I love all of your thoughts on both what we are NOT and what we ARE. You just get better and better! Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks so much Sue - your encouragement and kind words mean the world to me x

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  2. Just what I needed to read, Leanne! And thanks for recommending Canva! It's great and they've been so helpful. Can't wait to explore more. :)
    https://meinthemiddlewrites.com/

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    1. Hi Mary Lou - glad I could help - Canva is an amazing tool - I just love it :)

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  3. Love this. Thank you for an uplifting Monday morning.

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    1. My pleasure Jennifer - it's nice to know that it gave you a positive start to the day :)

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  4. We're on the same wave length with our thoughts this wonderful Monday! Love your perspective!

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    1. I thought so too Peggy - it's funny how great minds think alike! I had made a similar comment on your post :)

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    1. I don't think you'll ever have to worry about your thighs or your midline Carla! But I'm glad it struck a chord x

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  6. A lovely, important reminder. Thank you.

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  7. Realistically I know all this it was just nice to see it and timely for me, thank you

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    1. Me too Heidi - it's just something that popped into my head over the weekend and I had to put it down somewhere - I'm so happy others are enjoying it.

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  8. Thank you, Leanne. All of us should pause when we hit those credit and debit moments of aging to realize: Forget who you were while you were hoping to become who you probably are right NOW. If you're not there, you're probably damn close.

    I love about age, that for everything that doesn't seem important now, so much seems possible.

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    1. I agree Susan - we only have this moment to be happy in - why waste it thinking backwards or forwards - just appreciate what we have and get on with enjoying life x

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  9. How true this is. I actually love so many of the gifts of aging!
    CArol
    v http://carolcassara.com/enough/

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    1. Me too Carol - and your post today was amazing - such a great reminder that we don't have to keep striving because we are already there x

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  10. The was beautiful Leanne! We forget this all to often.

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    1. Thanks Rena - it was a thought that stuck in my head because I think it's so important x

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  11. "Living life out loud". Yes, indeed. :) Thanks for the morale boost! :)

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    1. I hope we're all living out loud Debbie - otherwise who is going to sing the song of midlife? :)

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  12. This is very lovely! Thanks for sharing on a Monday such uplifting thoughts!!

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    1. I'm glad you liked it Haralee - I think it's something we all need to remember sometimes.

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  13. I love this! It is really beautiful and very empowering. Thank you for the reminder!

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    1. Thanks Ellen - it was a thought I had that I needed to get out there because it's what this blog is all about.

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  14. We know these things, but we can never say or read them enough. Thank you.

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    1. It's so easy to focus on the physical and forget the things of the heart isn't it Brenda?

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  15. So very beautiful! What else can I say? Each of us should engrave that on our mirrors and read it daily! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    1. I know I need to Alana - I only see the flaws most mornings - not the achievements!

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  16. So beautiful, Leanne! All these fashion posts I've been doing have made me hyper-sensitive about every little roll and bump. I needed this today!

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    1. I admire you for doing them Cathy - I don't think I have the confidence to put myself out there in all my "glory" but you do it really well.

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  17. Very inspiring and uplifting. What a lovely way to think of ourselves. Thanks.

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    1. thanks so much Rebecca - it was on my heart :)

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  18. Oh my gosh, I love this! Very well done, Leanne! Sharing EVERYWHERE! :)

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    1. I think it's something we all need to remind ourselves of regularly Wendy - thanks for the shares!

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  19. I think women of all ages need a list like this. We are so pre-programed to only see the things we are not. we fail to recognize all we are. Thank you for sharing this.

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    1. I so agree Melissa - we have "perfection" waved under our noses every day - maybe less than perfect is something we should claim and be proud of :)

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  20. So lovely, Leanne. I find as we age, we lose the ego. I guess we must. But with that comes other gifts -- wisdom, experience, and joy in living. Thanks for this great reminder.

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    1. I love the idea of losing ego as we age Laurie - and replacing it with things that are even more valuable and worthwhile :)

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  21. I love this, it is a message we need to hear every now and then. Most days I feel great about my time in life but every now and again I feel diminished in some way.

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    1. Age seems to diminish us in the eyes of the world but I think we can stand proud and own our worthiness - and then maybe the world will catch up with us!

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  22. Perfectly said Leanne! We are so much more than what can be seen externally! Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. What's inside is so much more valuable isn't it Mary?

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  23. Hi Leanne,
    I love this. You are not... Your back riddled with arthritis, LOL? Or something like that.
    Thanks for sharing at Blogger's Pit Stop last week.
    Janice, Pit Stop Crew

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    1. Exactly Janice! We all have those things that we focus on - we need to look beyond them and see our worth and our beauty don't we?

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  24. Leanne, the Pit Stop crew have chosen this post to be featured on Friday. Well done.

    Kathleen

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    1. Thanks so much Kathleen - it's always an honour to be featured on Pit Stop :)

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