Client Success Story: How Coaching Helped Lisa Connect with a Like Minded Community, Rediscover Her Past Joy, and Choose Happiness in Midlife
Lisa Russell is a woman in the middle who enjoys the company of other women learning about themselves as she overcomes the emotional challenges of having an empty nest. She was stuck and quite ready to find happiness in midlife.
Getting Stuck in Midlife
Here’s her story. During her forties, Lisa’s life was more eventful than almost any other time. She got divorced at 41, later remarried, and was trying to find her place now that her kids were older. Now in her 50s, Lisa knew it was time to make a shift.
One morning, during a shower, she had a worrying realization about the monotony of her routine.
“And that’s when it hit me that that was not what I was talking about,” Lisa said. “It felt like starting my day was going to be a repeat of yesterday, like a groundhog day where nothing really interesting happened. Nothing exciting happened. It just was the same. And I didn’t want it to be that way.”
She also craved community. When her children were younger, she was often interacting with other moms, which allowed Lisa to connect with others over a common interest: their children. She eventually found The Life Coach School Podcast community, which led her to Suzy.
Getting Coached to Get Unstuck in Midlife
Lisa enrolled in my group program, fulfilling her desire for community with a group of women in similar places in life. This allowed her to navigate through the tedious nature of her life in pursuit of something new and exciting.
With my coaching, encouragement and focus on mindfulness, Lisa discovered that waiting for excitement to happen to her wasn’t going to work. She needed to start dreaming again and then make a plan!
I also coached Lisa around the idea of treating herself more fairly. Lisa began looking in her life and home for opportunities to spark joy, like wearing a tiara on her birthday and repurposing an old room to begin pursuit of an old hobby – sewing.
“For me, that was a small accomplishment that has actually been really big,” Lisa said. “Because it’s given me an opportunity to – 40 years later – relearn something new and get excited about it. It seems like such a little thing, but I’ve learned not to minimize it, because it really does bring me joy.”
Her Amazing Results
With coaching together and her community of like-minded women, Lisa began making changes in her life. First, she embraced the empty spaces in her home to pursue new hobbies.
Lisa was also able to work through minor annoyances and choose happiness. For example, when her husband would come home in the evening he’d want to talk . . . and talk. It was annoying to an introverted Lisa.
“What I realized is this is his way of transitioning from work to home,” Lisa said. “It is his way of showing me that he values me enough to share everything that happened during his day.”
One of the biggest takeaways Lisa had was around how to put herself first in her life.
“It really only takes a few minutes on the daily, to put yourself first,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be this deep, meaningful thing that you do for hours every day; you can set aside just a few minutes every day for yourself, it really makes a huge difference.”
Now, Lisa is taking control of her own routine with the support of a loving, like-minded community, and putting her happiness first.
Are you stuck too?
Lisa, like so many women stuck in the middle, was already on the right path, but it was hard to see through the loneliness she felt after becoming an empty nester. If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and unfulfilled, it’s time to get clarity and a new lens on what your life can be going forward. The Women in the Middle® Academy is an online program and community for midlife women, who are ready to create a life on their own terms and become the happiest, most free and fun version of themselves! Want to get unstuck too? Book your free, no obligation Momentum Call and let’s chat!
Suzy Rosenstein, MA is a master certified life coach and host of the popular podcast for midlife women, Women in the Middle, with over 1 million downloads. Having wasted five years being stuck herself, she knows how frustrating and painful it can be. She uses her upbeat approach with the serious topic of aging to help you get clear about what you want, get unstuck and live your best life. Girlfriend, there’s more fun to be had! She offers a free guide, 10 Questions to Reimagine your Life After 50.
