A QUIET SENSE OF HAPPINESS PERVADING MY LIFE

Midlife has brought me many blessings. One of the most delightful is the sense of peace, and calm, and quiet happiness that pervades me life.

MIDLIFE HAS BROUGHT ME PEACE

Midlife has brought me many blessings, and I have ten years of blog posts to confirm that. One of the most delightful is the sense of peace, and calm, and quiet happiness that pervades my life every day. It's like a little secret joy that I hug to myself when I notice it settling around my shoulders. 

For so many years I was focused on pushing forward and keeping all the balls in the air, I didn't have a lot of time for "me". I'd never had huge expectations or big dreams, but I also didn't have the mental space to know whether that was because I didn't want them, or because I was too busy to find time for them. Retirement has given me the time to figure all that out...

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WHEN YOU'RE NO LONGER DROWNING IN DRAMA

Trust your gut, if something feels wrong then step away from it before it becomes worse. Don't embroil yourself in problems that aren't yours.

THE COURAGE TO MOVE FORWARD

A year or so ago I was neck deep in a situation that was making me question my beliefs, my commitment, and my ability to ride the waves that life can throw my way. I remember writing about it and wondering if my expectations were too high, or if I'd lost hope somewhere along the line. I was sitting in a pool of disappointment that wouldn't resolve itself.

Admitting that it wasn't working for me was quite daunting at the time - nobody (especially me) likes to admit they've failed in some way, but sometimes you just need to step away to breathe freely again.
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LIFE AFTER 50: TRADING THE EMPTY NEST FOR AN OPEN SEA

LIFE AFTER 50: TRADING THE EMPTY NEST FOR AN OPEN SEA

INTRO

I often read blog posts from my fellow Midlifers about the wonderful cruises they've been on and how relaxing they are. Today on the blog I have a collaboration with a big fan of the cruising lifestyle - and it sounds absolutely delightful. I hope you enjoy their recommendations for cruising for the over 50's who want something a little more special...
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WHEN SENSIBLE, SAFE, STABLE, AND SECURE NEED TO BE RE-THOUGHT

The second half of life can bring a new found freedom from always making the most frugal of choices. It can be the time to spoil yourself a little.

THAT OLDEST DAUGHTER MINDSET

As I've mentioned many times here, I'm an oldest daughter - I'm super responsible, super conservative, super practical, and basically super boring. When it comes to life choices, I will always play safe - I'm not a risk taker and I don't handle change well.

That mindset can work really well when there's the need to have your nose to the grindstone to get established in life and to build a secure foundation for the family. But it also makes me feel like the killjoy and the person who rains on the parade when my husband (a youngest child) gets one of his great ideas and I'm shooting it down for all the risks, rather than letting him run with the rewards.
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CURATING A VILLAGE MENTALITY IN A DIGITAL WORLD

If you're doom scrolling and being driven by algorithms, maybe it's time to step back and focus on the village around you instead.

LIVING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

So many people I know spend vast amounts of time keeping up online with all the goings-on in the world. They have opinions on the politics of most countries, they are experts on how to end wars, and they're often quite intense in their responses to the latest news updates. They're instantly impacted by global happenings that they'd never have known about in years gone by until they read it in a newspaper a day or so later.

They really like being informed about everything, but I sometimes wonder if it's good to be so instantly in touch with everything - and can you really trust everything you read online? 
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HOW TO CREATE A HAPPY AND STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR CAT

Luna and Flit

INTRO

Today on the blog I have a great collaboration with a fellow cat lover. I don't often get to share the joys and responsibilities of cat ownership, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity. So I'll leave you a picture of my delightful cats as an introduction to this interesting post...

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MY THREE DELIGHTS FROM AUGUST

As I mentioned at the beginning of January when I chose "Delight" as my Word of the Year, I thought I'd round off each month with three delights.

MY AUGUST DELIGHTS

As I mentioned at the beginning of January when I chose "Delight" as my Word of the Year, I thought I'd round off each month with three delights. August has been a month of rainy days mixed with a sunshiny day here and there to keep our spirits up. It's also been a month where both of us have been sick with a flu-y virus that has left a lingering cough behind. Give it another week or two and I'm sure we'll be back to full health - and grateful that the cold season is in the rearview mirror. 

So, without further ado here are my three delights from August...a family travel delight, a family combined birthday delight, and a family member delight, with a delightful quote to round it all up....

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THE BACKPACK THEORY IN MIDLIFE

The backpack theory, also known as the rucksack theory, is based on the idea that we all carry with us a pack full of our experiences and expectations

THE BACKPACK THEORY

The backpack theory, also known as the rucksack theory, is based on the idea that we all carry with us a pack full of our experiences and expectations, and these influence the way we think, feel and act. This backpack has a different feel and weight for each of us, and we get to choose whether to discard some of the contents, add to them, or exchange them for a more comfortable load. 

I think Midlife is the perfect time to rummage through our packs and see if we're carrying unnecessary items and to adjust the contents.

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HOW TO MAKE KETO COOKING SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS

A Keto eating plan can be a lot more simple and delicious than you expect.

INTRO

Today on the blog I have a slightly different topic than what I usually write about. I was invited to share a collaboration on Keto cooking, and I thought it would be a great topic for those who are interested in exploring and changing things up a little in their food prep and cooking. 

Our daughter and her husband are both big fans of the Keto way of life and are so much healthier and slimmer as the result. They often mention the health benefits that have come with making the change and how it gets easier to maintain as you settle into the eating plan.
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IF REACHING OUT ISN'T WORKING, MAYBE IT'S TIME TO START REACHING IN

It's good to reach out in stressful times, but often you need to reach in and do some inner work too.

REACHING OUT OR REACHING IN

I saw a quote a while back on Tiny Buddha that said:

On my darkest days I couldn't reach out.
Let's stop telling people to reach out,
And start to reach in.

It struck a chord in my heart as I look back on the times I struggled with my difficult job, and with another environment I was in that had become untenable for me. When I think about it all now, I spent too much time reaching out, and took far too long to start reaching in...
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