Shifts in career pathways, family needs and personal goals frequently go hand-in-hand with the full body changes of perimenopause and menopause. As women arrive at midlife, the threads that held things together throughout the years of child-rearing start to unravel. While reaching for something new can interject uncertainty and contribute to anxiety at this life stage, the good news is that many women arrive on the other side of menopause with a more satisfying life overall.
It’s not uncommon to experience changes in career as women enter their 50’s. Some women begin to feel restless in roles that may be stagnating in terms of advancement or which simply do not seem challenging on a daily basis anymore. A chance conversation with a colleague or travel to a conference may get the wheels rolling, and a woman may find herself thinking about doing something entirely new. This can be an exciting prospect after years of holding things steady.
Other times women are impacted by ageism and “forced out” of jobs and industries where they might have thought they would finish their careers. Rather than seeing this as a failure, many women embrace the moment, seeing an opportunity to apply skills and knowledge in new ways. Harnessing their connections and networks from years in the work force, women can take on new roles that tap into their passions or offer more of a sense of fulfillment. Working in a non-profit, religious or artistic community or taking on a leadership role in the community may be possible now in a way that it was not in the past. The fact that these roles often demand a diverse skill set and life experience makes them ideal opportunities for women seeking a career change at midlife.
Aiding this moment of opportunity is the reality that, for many women, family life is changing too. By this point, the need to be devoted to the needs of children first is often waning. These former dependents are now launching their own adult lives and careers. With more young folks postponing marriage and family life, grandparent status and responsibilities are usually still on the horizon. For many women, this translates into the first opportunity in a while to take stock and consider whether daily commitments are truly meeting personal goals and needs.
The needs of aging parents enter the picture more commonly at this life stage. There may be significant illnesses or changes in cognitive or physical capacity that prompt decisions about living arrangements, support and medical treatment. These challenges may temporarily add complexity for women at mid-life. However, most women are able to parlay years of experience in balancing family needs into finding workable pathways for aging parents with aplomb. Seeing our parents age is also a reminder of the importance of our own longevity and can help some women commit to making larger changes in their own lives.
Relationships are also changing. Friendships that may have been instrumental through various ages and stages of the children’s development may no longer be as strong without the touch points of schools and activities. As retirement looms and the children launch, some families leave school districts for locations that offer more leisure activities. At the same time, marriages undergo a significant developmental transition from the family years to the empty nest chapter. There is often a moment of taking stock of the commitment to the marriage and each other. Sometimes this leads to separation and divorce if the relationship has not remained healthy over the years. For other couples, there is a doubling down on the commitment to each other and new awareness of the need to prioritize time together.
The bottom line is that menopause is truly a multi-dimensional life experience. Embracing change as part of the process serves women well.