Being at Home in Yourself
The moment you realize you’re no longer willing to live in the box you never even asked for.
Midlife is not a crisis. It’s an awakening. It’s the moment when so many of us finally begin to turn inward and notice: I don’t have to keep living by the old “shoulds” and borrowed definitions of success.
This 5-part series is an invitation to pause each week and reflect on who you truly are. It’s about noticing the shifts, honoring your resilience, and giving yourself space to grow into the person you’ve always carried inside.
Each week we’ll walk together through themes that matter deeply in midlife:
Recognition- seeing the masks we’ve worn and the truths that lie beneath.
Voice- finding the courage to let our true voice be heard.
Belonging - learning the difference between fitting in and being welcomed as who we are.
Compassion - offering ourselves the kindness we need to grow, so we can extend it to others.
Permission- stepping into our light, free from judgment, with courage and authenticity.
Each week you’ll find a short reflection, questions to sit with, gentle practices to try, and space to share your own thoughts. None of this is about “fixing” yourself. It’s about coming home to the wholeness that’s been with you all along.
So come with me. Let’s take this time together. Let’s make space for what’s real, what’s true, and what’s already waiting inside you.
Recognizing Yourself
When I was 30, I was *sure* I knew what I wanted in life, and I came fairly close to the idea in my head at the time. If you’d told me where I’d be today, I probably would have laughed in your face.
What I couldn’t see back then were the masks I was wearing in order to fit into my imagined life. The stories I told myself about what success should look like. I didn’t question them. They just felt like the truth.
Over time, (30 years!) I began to notice the gap between those *shoulds* and what really fit me. Little by little, I turned away from the stuff that jarred with my sense of self. In doing that, I am slowly moving closer to alignment with who I truly am.
Alignment? This isn’t about “people alignment,” where we bend ourselves to meet other people’s expectations. It isn’t “purpose alignment,” where we chase an abstract idea of meaning and call it purpose.
It’s alignment with the self, the part of us that has always been there, waiting to be recognized. It takes some experimenting, and often a little courage, to step into it. My desire for this series of posts is to help clear a path for you to explore what alignment looks and feels like in your own life.
Jodie Foster said, “Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.”
Recognition is the first step toward seeing that truth within yourself.
Only you can know when alignment feels right, and it often takes a little courage to live into it.
Being aligned means living as yourself, even if you aren’t quite sure what that means all the time. You know it when you feel it though.
Sometimes feeling in alignment comes as a gentle surprise, a quiet ah-ha moment or epiphany.
Sometimes it’s more like a voice in the back of your head asking: WTF am I doing here?
Sometimes it’s finding yourself deeply engrossed in something that feels right but is wildly different from what you thought you wanted.
Those are moments of recognition. When you realize the old definitions no longer fit.
Don’t forget to stop to notice how it feels and give some thought to what you want to do next. Listen to your heart and sit with it.
CELEBRATE every moment that shows you a peek of insight into yourself.
Try a little self-investigation with the reflections and practices below and see what sparks for you.
Reflections
· Where in my life do I still wear masks to keep the peace?
· When have I felt most aligned with myself — even if just for a moment?
· What’s the difference between “fitting in” and truly belonging for me?
· What parts of myself are asking to be seen now?
Gentle Practices
· Name a Mask: Notice one way you still soften, shrink, or over-please. Just naming it is powerful.
· Tiny Alignment Check: Once this week, pause and ask: Does this choice feel like me?
· Journal Prompt: Write about one time you felt a surprising sense of alignment — even if it was brief.
· Micro-Act of Authenticity: Do one small thing this week that reflects who you really are.
What Do You Say?
Recognition isn’t about tearing everything down. It’s about honoring the moment you see clearly, maybe finally, that you don’t have to live behind masks or follow the old “shoulds” anymore. You can stand in the truth of yourself, exactly as you are.
Can you feel a spark of recognition in your own life?
I’d love to hear what that looks like for you! Share your reflections in the comments, jump in on the chat, or send me a message.
Sometimes the simple act of naming what we notice in a place like this can open a door for someone else too. Come and play for a bit.
Let’s explore what it means to be in this next phase of our lives — not rushing past it, not apologizing for it, but allowing ourselves to take the time to find our own alignment. Together, we can discover how good it feels to be at home in ourselves.
Next week, we’ll talk about that tiny (or humongous and raucous) voice in your head that just might be telling you something you can’t ignore. Stay tuned...