A Possible Life Map to Help Your Midlife Journey

Are you looking for ways to reboot your post-pandemic life as a midlife woman? Do you feel everything has changed? Or are you in a rut and crave change?

If so, you're not imagining it and you're not alone. The pandemic changed the way many of us do life. And midlife demands change. But one thing has not changed. God still promises to lead and guide us. 

For myself in the pandemic, relationships were cut off. My gym routine ceased (I now exercise at home mostly or the local YMCA via drop-in payments). I hadn't been to church for three years in person. 

I am an introvert and worked from home most of my life so staying home seemed easy to me. But I did eventually miss the connection with "real live people" as opposed to those on social media. 

Fortunately (can you believe I'd say that?), my husband and I were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  And that led to another new way of living. We cut sugar out of our diet. We started medication. And then, my husband and I signed up for the YMCA's Diabetes Fit program. Their first in-person program since the pandemic would be in Spring 2022. It was perfect timing for us as I had felt my world shriveling. 

The program was covered by Sun Life Insurance and was free to us. Many of us still masked up because having diabetes meant we were in a high-risk category. But participating in that weekly program was our first time being in a group setting again since 2020 and it felt good. I felt the mental health benefits immediately. And the new exercise regime sparked us to focus on fitness again.

Artwork by Rosalie Garde

"Do not despise these small beginnings, 

for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." Zechariah 4:10 NLT

What Else Do I Do Lord?

And as I sought other in-person outlets, there were few. Most activities were being held online. And so I committed my need for new stimulation to God. 

I had also been praying for several years to find a church with afternoon or evening service times due to my inability to do mornings.  (Every church in my city has 9 am 10:30 or 11 am service times.)  

And then, it happened. God answered my prayer for a church with an afternoon time! After 3 years of wandering through online services, I ventured out alone to a new church with a 3 pm service time--one God had set out just for me. 

I tried not to over-examine the new church as most of us do, I simply attended to feed my soul and nurture my spirit. 

God Said "Be a Rebel"

I had spent the summer enjoying the warm weather. I focused on caring for my property and my love of the outdoors.

But in the evenings, the gap was there again--a longing to be a part of something bigger. And so I spent late-night hours searching online for options. (We are a people of unrest.) 

And amid this chronic searching, the Lord said: Here's what you're to do. Rest and Recover (my body was chronically achy from all my gardening). 

Enjoy life. Be present rather than scurry through life. Experiment to keep yourself inspired. Learn new things. 

When I looked at the first letters of each of these words, I saw the acronym REBEL. And so I created this as a life-map. 

I know this life map won't suit every woman as our midlife journeys vary. But could this Be a REBEL life map help you right now?