I’m 50. And I genuinely love that. Not in a “trying to convince myself” way. Not in a forced age is just a number way either. I mean it properly, in my bones. Turning 50 in December hasn’t felt like a loss at all — it’s felt like a gain. More wisdom. More acceptance. More life experience. More trust in myself. More me.
Somewhere along the line, ageing picked up a bad reputation. As if getting older is something to fear, hide from, or apologise for. But from where I’m standing, ageing feels like levelling up. You don’t lose yourself — you shed what was never really yours in the first place.
Ageing Isn’t Decline — It’s Expansion
I don’t feel like I’ve reached some sort of peak and am now heading downhill. Quite the opposite, actually. I feel like I’ve expanded.
At 50, I know what matters.
I know what doesn’t.
And I no longer feel the need to explain myself either way.
There’s a confidence that comes with having lived. With having loved, lost, tried, failed, survived, started again, and kept going. You stop chasing approval and start listening inward. And that shift alone is so powerful.
Ageing brings perspective. It brings calm. It brings a deep sense of enoughness. You realise you don’t need to become someone else — you just need to come home to yourself.
Midlife Has a Way of Waking You Up
Midlife has a funny way of tapping you on the shoulder and saying, Are you actually living the life that feels true to you?
For many of us, it coincides with big internal changes — menopause, hormonal shifts, emotional recalibration, spiritual questioning. It can feel uncomfortable, confusing, even painful at times. But I don’t think it’s random. I think it’s purposeful.
This stage of life strips away what’s no longer aligned. The people-pleasing. The hustling. The versions of ourselves we built to survive rather than thrive. It invites us to slow down, tune in, and ask deeper questions.
That’s why I see midlife as a power portal. Not an ending. An initiation.
My “Midlife Crisis” Car (That Is Absolutely Not a Crisis)
One of the most liberating things I’ve done recently is buy myself a fast little car. I jokingly call it my midlife crisis car, because apparently that’s what women are supposed to say when they do something fun for themselves at this age.
But honestly? There’s no crisis here.
If anything, it feels more like a midlife awakening car.
Driving it makes me feel light, free, a bit mischievous. It reminds me that I’m still allowed to enjoy things purely because they make me smile. That joy doesn’t have an age limit. That pleasure, fun, and spontaneity don’t expire at 50. I’ve driven it every day this week, any excuse to hop in and go for a drive. And every time I do, I light up, I grin. I can’t help it!
It’s not about proving anything or chasing youth. It’s about choosing experiences that make me feel alive in my body and present in my life. And sometimes that looks like putting your foot down on a quiet road and grinning to yourself like a teenager.
Creativity Has Come Flooding Back
Something else that’s surprised me in the best possible way is how creative I’ve become lately. Not in a pressured, productive, this has to be useful kind of way — but in a playful, absorbed, childlike way.
I’ve started making dolls, and it’s quietly become one of my favourite little passion projects.
There’s something deeply soothing and magical about it. Getting lost in the process. Working with my hands. Letting intuition lead instead of a plan.
So far, I’ve made:
- A mermaid called Tabitha, named by my youngest niece
- A gothic Día de los Muertos doll named Eleanor
- And I’m currently working on a denim witch, lovingly named Beatrix by my eldest niece
I love them all so much. There’s no end goal, no need for them to become anything other than what they are. They don’t have to be perfect. They just have to exist.
And that feels very symbolic of this stage of life too.
This Is What Midlife Magic Looks Like for Me
Midlife magic doesn’t look dramatic or glossy. It looks like:
- choosing joy without explaining it
- following creative nudges just because they feel good
- allowing myself to evolve without apology
At 50, I’m not shrinking. I’m expanding into things that feel playful, soulful, and true. I’m saying yes to fun, yes to creativity, yes to versions of myself that maybe didn’t feel “sensible” before — and realising they were always waiting patiently for me.
If that’s a midlife crisis, then honestly… I’ll take it.
Menopause, Wisdom, and Becoming Softer (and Stronger)
Let’s be honest — menopause isn’t always fun. There are hot flushes, mood swings, physical pain that comes from nowhere, tired days, emotional waves that come out of nowhere. But alongside all of that, something else happens too.
You become more honest with yourself.
You stop tolerating what drains you.
You start choosing rest without guilt.
There’s a quiet strength that emerges when your body forces you to listen. You learn that slowing down isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom. That softness and strength can exist together. That you don’t have to push so hard anymore.
I feel wiser now. Not in a know-it-all way, but in a I trust myself way. And that trust is everything.
I Don’t Miss Who I Was — I Honour Her
I don’t look back at my younger self with longing. I feel gratitude for her. She did her best with what she knew at the time. She got me here.
But I wouldn’t trade the woman I am now for the woman I was then.
At 50, I’m more compassionate. More intuitive. More at peace with imperfection. I cry more easily, laugh more freely, and care far less about fitting into boxes that were never made for me anyway.
This version of me feels lived-in. Weathered in the best way. Rooted.
If You’re Standing at the Edge of Midlife…
If you’re approaching this stage and feeling unsure, let me tell you this: you’re not losing anything essential. You’re gaining access to yourself.
Midlife isn’t about fading away. It’s about stepping forward — with clarity, depth, and self-respect. It’s about choosing what feels right instead of what looks right. It’s about letting go of the noise and listening to your own quiet knowing.
Ageing is not the enemy. Disconnection is.
And if there’s one thing I know for sure at 50, it’s this:
There is so much magic in becoming more yourself.
P.S.
I’m also very excited to share that my new book, The Enchanted Midlife: Awakening the Witchy, Wise & Wonderful You, will be launching on International Women’s Day, March 8th — which feels especially meaningful.
It grew out of everything I’ve written about here: midlife, awakening, intuition, creativity, and coming home to yourself. I’ve already received some deeply honest and heartening feedback from early readers, and I can’t wait to share it more widely. The Enchanted Midlife is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
P.P.S
If you’re a blogger or active on social media and feel drawn to share about the book around launch time, I’d be so grateful. Just drop me a message and I’ll happily send over the details — and if not, that’s completely okay too.
