Pimples at 50 and other midlife surprises

Pimples look pretty cool under a nice magnification mirror in midlife, don’t they?

I’m not sure exactly how old I was when I discovered how much fun and also how scary a magnification mirror could be. It was decades ago!

I think it must have been when I was about 12 or 13 years old, when I first started plucking my eyebrows. I’ve since been told that the correct terminology is tweezing. We’re not plucking chickens afterall….

By 14, my eyebrows were just about absent from my face. Pencil thin.

Horrible.

Even then, I knew the magnification mirror had special powers.

Then I discovered a make-up mirror – the perfect combination of magnification and lighting!

Once up that close, it’s easy to take a closer look at many things on your face, including acne.

Pimples.

Zits.

There they were, up close and personal. Staring right back at me.

Calling my name.

Calling my tweezers.

Fast forward a few decades.

Now, in my 50s, I’m quite surprised to see that I have yet to grow out of getting pimples.

https://www.suzyrosenstein.com/over50Shocked actually.

Doesn’t really seem fair that you have to deal with age spots and pimples at the same time.

But there I sit, magnification mirror and tweezers in hand, exploring the landscape of my face with the utmost of scrutiny.

Easy to see all kinds of things…including some black hairs….ok, I’ll say it….WHISKERS.

Sheesh.

Feels like insult to injury.

That’s not the only surprising thing about midlife. Let’s head a few inches south, shall we?

My neck.

I’m surprised there are any changes at all because there’s really not any fat there! I’ve never even worried about my neck at all.

And while on the topic of fat, I’m finding it quite surprising how different weight loss is these days.

First, the weight gain seems to move up a bit, so it’s now above my belly button as well as below it.

Second, it’s definitely more challenging to lose weight at this age, for me anyway.

There’s another strange occurrence….something is missing…on a regular basis.

Nouns! I don’t know where they went or why they left, but they just aren’t accessible the way they used to be. Maybe they are with the other lost thingies.

Sigh.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how easy menopause has been.

Only two freaky outbursts of anger early on and then that was it.

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE not having my monthly visitor.

No more scheduling out my cycle to see if my romantic vacation plans will be ruined.

And how about wisdom? I definitely feel OLDER and WISER.

I see things more clearly (with reading glasses, that is). I love the subtle confidence that comes with knowing more things.

Did I mention how great it is to have older kids?

Love hanging with them, love having more flexibility with my time.

But what about our thoughts about getting older?

There’s no question that ageism is alive and well.

And when you are really honest with yourself, you might be surprised with the thoughts that emerge from your own head.

“I’m running out of time.”

“People see me as old.”

“I’m not pretty anymore.”

“It’s downhill from here.”

“I’ll have fewer exciting opportunities now that I’m older.”

My clients have told me they have these thoughts.

Sure, it’s fine to complain about pimples at 50 and a saggy neck, wrinkly neck, but the thoughts ABOUT aging can be the really scary part.

Even scarier than those crazy black whiskers.

These thoughts don’t make you feel good.

They can create fear, anxiety and sadness. And the results won’t be positive either.

All we have to do is take a look at our results – our outcomes -for clues to our thoughts.

The good news is that with practice and intention, we can change our thoughts and create new thoughts that make us feel good.

More positive.

More excited.

We can’t just snap our fingers though. It’s not as simple as “thought swapping.”

All feelings are worth experiencing. But we need to take a close look at what we’re thinking and understand how it makes us feel.

Also….I, personally, don’t feel over 50.

 

 

That’s what my coaching practice is all about. Making the midlife chapter a more intentional one – helping my clients live the life the want to live.

Thoughts are the key to creating what we want. That’s what I mean by “busting out of a midlife funk.” When you’re in a funk, you’re generally frustrated and stuck.

You’re not able to bust out of it so easily.

Start to dream.

Start to live intentionally.

Busting out of a midlife funk is all about learning to dream a life, believe a life, and live a life that’s in sync with what you really, really want.

On purpose.

DEFUNKIFY!

Ready to roll? Here’s how to start! CLICK HERE and grab your free guide, 9 Secrets to Get Unstuck in your 50s!

 

 

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