Empower Your Midlife Journey: The Art of Vision Creation and Goal Setting

As another year is underway, you may already have a waning interest in their New Year's resolutions. You reflected on the past year, acknowledged areas where you want to improve, and set ambitious goals for the future. 

While this tradition is well-intentioned, it often leaves people feeling discouraged and disheartened by mid-February. So, what's the secret to making lasting changes and reinventing your life to flourish in midlife? It all starts with a shift in mindset from resolutions to creating a vision and setting goals for how you get there (your future).

Creating a new vision begins with evaluating your identity. What type of persona best describes the person you want to be? This identity is not just about setting goals but redefining who you are and what you stand for. A shift in mindset propels you towards your vision for life. When you think about it, every goal we set is fundamentally about becoming someone different, someone better, someone more aligned with our aspirations.

Your vision is to become a healthier, more active individual. Setting specific health and fitness goals is a crucial step, but it's equally essential to embody the identity of a healthy, active person. You're not just chasing a goal; you're becoming a "fit" person who prioritizes your health, makes mindful choices, and enjoys an active lifestyle.

Your identity, the beliefs you hold about yourself, is the foundation for your goals and vision. When you genuinely believe you are that person, your actions become natural extensions of your identity. You don't just exercise because it's on your to-do list; you do it because it's part of who you are. So, in your journey towards a fulfilling vision, remember that crafting a new identity is the linchpin that makes the entire process more seamless and sustainable.

Here are several tips inspired by Atomic Habits author James Clear and his approach to changing your identity and vision:

• Start with Small Votes for YOU: Implement small, manageable habits that align with your desired identity. These microchanges may seem insignificant individually, but they collectively shape your self-image over time.

• Focus on Consistency Over Intensity: Focus on consistency with your new habits rather than pushing for immediate, dramatic changes. Consistency reinforces your identity and builds momentum.

• Create Identity Statements: Create affirmative "I am" statements that reflect your desired identity. Repeat these statements daily to reinforce your self-image. For example, "I am a healthy and active person."

• Surround Yourself: Surround yourself with people who embody the identity you're striving for. Their influence and support can reinforce your commitment to change.

• Visualize Your Ideal Self: Spend time visualizing your ideal self, living your desired vision. This mental rehearsal can strengthen your belief in your new identity.

• Journal: Write about your progress, reflecting on how your new habits align with your vision. This journaling practice can deepen your connection to your evolving identity. We’ve made it easy for you to create the life of your dreams with our 90-Day Vision Journal.

• Learn Continuously: Seek knowledge and skills related to your desired identity. The process of learning and growth reinforces your sense of self.

• Embrace Setbacks: Understand that setbacks are a natural part of change. Instead of viewing them as failures, see them as opportunities to refine your identity and vision.

• Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements along the way. Each milestone reinforces your new identity and motivates you to keep moving forward.

• Establish a Feedback Loop: This will help you assess your progress and adjust as needed regularly. This continuous improvement cycle helps maintain alignment with your vision.

If you want additional feedback and encouragement, consider our email course. Our year-long Vision Course guides you through setting your vision and weekly exercises to practice living your desires. By the end of the course, you will have done the work to ensure your desired changes stick and can be sustained. Don’t pass up this opportunity to finally live the life you desire, not just think and dream about it! 

As a midlife woman, you have the wisdom and experience to make profound life changes. Rather than making fleeting New Year's resolutions, embrace the power of embodying the persona of the identity of an individual who already does the behaviors you desire to do and create a compelling vision for your future. With a clear purpose and the determination to follow your roadmap, you can reinvent your life and flourish in midlife. 

Remember, it's not about perfection but progress, and your journey is worth celebrating every step of the way. It requires patience and commitment, and we can help! By implementing these tips and staying true to your desired identity, you can gradually reshape your life in line with your vision. 

Embracing Joy and Sorrow: A New Year's Resolution to Open Your Heart

As we approach the holidays and the end of the year, many of us reflect on the past and contemplate resolutions for the New Year. It's a time to assess unachieved goals, revise previous aspirations, or set new ones. At this mid-stage of life, the holiday season takes on a unique significance – for some, it's a bustling time filled with family and festivities, while for others, it may become quieter and more introspective.

In my (Karyn) reflections this year, I've been pondering one of my meaningful traditions – choosing a guiding word for the upcoming year. With its mix of excitement and poignant memories, Christmas catalyzes contemplating the ebb and flow of joy and sorrow in our lives. 

This year, I am embarking on a new tradition: embracing joy and sorrow and carrying this duality into the New Year with an open heart. My chosen word for the upcoming year is "openhearted," a conscious decision to live a life of joy, zest, and full experiences.

The journey began with a practice inspired by the ancestral altars I encountered during a trip to Vietnam, a tangible reminder of the love, wisdom, and the inevitable grief that comes with loss. Creating an altar for my ancestors becomes a way to honor their legacy and acknowledge the void left by their absence, providing a bridge between past and present. If this interests you, reading more about deepening your connection with your ancestors may be helpful. 

In addition to honoring my ancestors and facing the grief of missing them during the holiday season, I’m working to cultivate joy and openness. I've introduced a daily practice I call the "Remembrance of the Beloved." Like a gratitude journal, this practice involves reflecting on cherished memories, people, places, or items that evoke joy. The deliberate use of the term "beloved" adds weight and texture to the things I hold dear, making this practice a powerful exercise in mindfulness. I’ve written down my beloved item or memory and its significance each day in my Rumblings ‘beloved journal.’ 

Often viewed as a solitary and private experience, grief has the transformative potential to deepen your capacity to hold both sorrow and suffering. Rather than attempting to transcend or escape grief, I advocate for facing it head-on, creating a spaciousness within ourselves to accommodate the weight of sorrow. Our culture's tendency to stifle grief can lead to a narrow aperture for empathy and compassion, preventing us from fully engaging with the suffering in the world.

By befriending grief and acknowledging its continuous presence, you open yourself to healing. Grief is not something to overcome but a companion to walk alongside, shaping an ongoing relationship with your soul and the world around you. This companionship with grief becomes a source of warmth, kindness, care, and compassion, enriching your internal life.

In avoiding or minimizing grief, your heart risks closure, limiting your ability to address both personal and global suffering. Recognizing that you also keep your heart open to joy by welcoming grief is crucial. The vulnerability inherent in facing grief allows you to connect with others more deeply, fostering meaningful relationships and a sense of shared humanity.

As I age, I have realized that strength alone does not sustain me, as it fails to address the emptiness within. In embracing my vulnerabilities, I’ve rediscovered my connection to the common threads of humanity. The actual work is not merely to seek happiness but to fully embrace the richness of being alive.

 My 2024 word — openheartedness—will be my guide, and the work is my daily practice of honoring my ancestors and celebrating the beloved treasures that bring me joy. 

When you find the spaciousness in your heart to accommodate joy and sorrow, you can create harmony and authenticity this holiday season and carry this openness into the New Year. 

Join me in the journey towards a more openhearted and fulfilling life.

I’ll leave you with a few lines from Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher, about the meaning of life that accommodates this duality. ‘As deeply as man sees into life, he also sees into suffering.’ ‘Was that life? Well then! Once more!’

Pick your word(s) for the upcoming year with our guide. By setting words, you become more intentional about how you want to live your life, which helps you be more successful in living well and reaching your goals.