Reclaiming Your Power: Midlife Meditation & Journaling

This is a journaling meditation for self-love,

Wisdom,

And manifesting a dream life.

This practice is for women in particular who are in mid-life.

Reflecting back on the journey of the life we've lived up to this point,

And also looking ahead to the second half of life,

Maybe with a different perspective,

With lessons learned.

And so I invite you to find a journal or just something to write with.

I always recommend handwriting,

Even if that's not your preferred method,

Because there's something about the connection between the brain and the hand and the words on the page that gives us a little more time to pause and reflect.

Sometimes if we're typing,

We can actually type faster than we're thinking.

And so the pen or pencil to paper really gives us an opportunity to reflect and connect.

And so as we begin this practice,

Just finding a place that's really comfortable for you.

Maybe it's a cozy chair,

Maybe it's your desk,

Somewhere that you enjoy spending time.

And we'll get comfortable here,

Maybe even a cup of tea or coffee.

And we'll just start to connect with the breath,

Settling into this moment here and now.

Feeling the breath in the body,

Feeling comfort and ease in however we're sitting.

And maybe just for a moment now,

Closing the eyes,

Or at least just softening the gaze downward.

Taking a deep breath in through the nose,

Exhaling slowly through the mouth.

And again,

Breathing in deeply and releasing completely.

Begin to notice the weight of your body,

Feeling yourself supported by the earth beneath you,

Feeling held,

Feeling supported.

You are exactly where you need to be.

In this moment,

You're stepping away from all of the roles that you play,

The caretaker,

The parent,

The professional,

The friend,

The partner.

Right now you are simply here as yourself.

For yourself.

So bring your awareness to your natural breath.

Notice the gentle rise and fall of your chest,

The expansion of your belly.

Knowing that there's nothing to fix,

Nothing to know,

Nothing to change.

Just breathe and be.

And as you continue breathing,

Bringing your awareness to this moment in your life,

This beautiful,

Powerful midlife chapter,

You stand at a remarkable threshold,

Carrying years of experience like treasures.

Think about the young woman that you once were.

See her clearly,

Full of dreams.

Maybe she's uncertain.

Maybe she's even afraid.

Maybe she thinks she has all the answers.

Send her your love.

Thank her for your courage and for every risk that she took,

For every fear that she faced.

And now bring to mind the journey between then and now.

All of the seasons that you lived through,

The joys that have made your heart sing,

The challenges that have brought you to your knees,

The losses that reshaped you,

The victories,

Both quiet and loud.

Breathe in now and acknowledge,

I have lived fully.

Every laugh line around your eyes is a map of joy.

Every gray hair is a strand of wisdom.

Every change in your body is evidence of a life richly lived.

Your body has carried you through everything,

And it's been your most loyal companion.

Placing your hand on your heart now,

Feel its steady rhythm.

This heart has loved,

It's broken,

It's healed,

It's opened again.

Let gratitude wash over you for all of the lessons that you've learned,

The relationships that taught you about boundaries,

The failures that taught you resilience,

The pain that taught you compassion,

Even the confusion that taught you trust.

You are not the same woman you were five years ago,

10 years ago,

20 years ago.

You have been refined by life itself.

And so as we begin this journal practice,

This reflection of where you've been and where you're going,

I invite you to reflect on two or three significant experiences that have offered you lessons and opportunities for growth through your journey to midlife.

How have these lessons,

Even if they were painful,

Transformed the way you see yourself,

The way you make decisions,

Or the way you show up in the world?

What wisdom do you carry now that your younger self desperately needed?

So take some time to reflect on these significant experiences in your life.

The lessons,

The opportunities for growth,

The transformations,

How you show up in the world.

What wisdom do you now have that your younger self desperately needed?

And now write about a challenging period or an obstacle that you've overcome that you're most proud of surviving.

What strengths did you discover in yourself during that time?

How does remembering your resilience change the way you approach current challenges?

What are you most proud of surviving?

What strengths did you discover within yourself?

And how does remembering your resilience change the way you approach current challenges?

And now finding gratitude for this journey,

However challenging it may have been.

Complete this sentence.

When I look at how far I've come,

I'm most grateful for.

.

.

And focus here on your internal growth rather than external achievements.

What parts of you have you reclaimed or healed or discovered?

Who have you become along this journey?

What am I most grateful for when I look at how far I've come?

Imagine your ideal life one year from now.

Describe it entirely through feelings and sensations rather than accomplishments or possessions.

How do you want to feel when you wake up each morning?

How do you want to feel in your relationships,

In your body,

In your daily life?

Use rich sensory language,

Maybe peaceful,

Energized,

Free,

Passionate,

Grounded,

Playful,

Alive.

Describe your ideal life.

How do you want to feel in your life?

And now begin to describe an ideal day in this ideal life of yours.

Living the life that your soul has been whispering about.

Describe in detail this dream life by focusing on the sensations and the feelings,

Not just what you want to have.

You can include those things,

But how do those things make you feel?

Maybe start the sentence with,

In my dream life,

I feel,

And then just let your pen flow.

Do you feel deeply peaceful,

Wildly alive,

Full of purpose,

Confident and certain,

Present in your body,

Creatively expressed,

Surrounded by love,

Financially secure and free?

Passionately connected?

Describe every aspect of the emotional landscape of your ideal existence.

What does freedom feel like in your body?

What does fulfillment feel like in your heart?

Paint a picture of the feelings that you're calling into your life.

Nothing is impossible in this dream life of yours.

And now letting go of your pen,

And as you hold this vision for your future,

Say to yourself,

I am manifesting the life of my dreams.

I am worthy of joy,

Of pleasure,

Of success and love.

I trust the journey ahead.

I trust in divine timing.

And as you hold this vision,

Feeling rooted in your body,

Connected to all of life,

You are planting these dreams and you are anchoring them in reality.

With each inhale,

Drawing in possibility and courage and trust.

With each exhale,

Releasing doubt and fear and a need to know all the answers right now.

You are not wishing or hoping,

You are declaring.

And you are aligning your energy with the life that you're creating.

Feel yourself as a magnet,

Attracting everything that's meant for you.

The right opportunities,

The right people,

The right experiences,

They are already on their way to you.

You don't have to force or struggle.

You simply need to stay aligned with your truth,

To follow your joy and to trust in your own intuition.

The very gifts that deepen with age and experience.

Placing both hands on your heart now and making a commitment to yourself.

I choose myself.

I honor my wisdom.

I trust my journey.

I embrace this powerful season of my life.

I am ready for everything that's coming.

I am ready to live fully,

To love deeply and to shine brightly.

I'm beginning to deepen your breath now.

Connecting back into your body in this space and time,

Bringing your awareness back into this room.

Carrying the sense of empowerment and clarity and love with you.

When you're ready,

Opening your eyes and welcoming in your most powerful chapter yet.