This year has been a real year of transition for me and i’m feeling the weight of midlife more than ever. I don’t know about you, but i often find myself living in a space of discontent or negativity. And then I shame myself for feeling this way and end up in a shame spiral because that’s NOT who I am or the way that I want to show up in the world but, I am, admittedly, having a hard time digging myself out.

That's why I found the conversation with our guest today, Christina Smith, so refreshing and it has given me a new way to approach life that is so simple, yet transformative. Instead of asking ourselves what we want in midlife (you know...the house, the perfect relationship, the dream job), Christina, instead, encourages us to ask ourselves how we want to feel. Because, you see, if we approach life from this perspective it makes it easier to align or lives with these intentions. It provides us a frame of reference in how we show up to life.

Christina is a life coach specializing in confidence and self-love in midlife so that women can finally truly like themselves and how they show up for themselves and their relationships, their jobs, and their lives. She's helped people move through tough transitions in coaching and with her book, Inviting Shift. Her focus is on helping women to empower themselves so they can make their second half of life the best half by dropping the people-pleasing and perfection and stepping into desire, authenticity and joy.

Christina is also the host of The Inviting Shift Podcast - a place for midlife women to embrace their uniqueness and truth with confidence. Her mission is to help women reinvent midlife so we can revolutionize how we see aging and ourselves as we age. She encourages people to be more gentle with their humanness so they can truly shine the way they choose to without gratitude lists or toxic positivity.

If you're struggling with midlife...

1. Midlife is full of dizzying choices. Instead of asking yourself what you want to do ask yourself how you want it to feel. All the things on our proverbial vision boards are there because of the way they will make us “FEEL”
2. When we identify the way we want to feel or whar are our intentions (Christina’s feelings for the year are “Bold, Open, and Love)”, these things will guide you. You can use these feelings as a frame of reference and can align your choices with how you want to FEEL.
3. Knowing how we want to feel allows us to control what we can. We can’t control what happens around us in this world, and often judge ourselves by the things that happen that are out of our control. But we CAN control how we show up and from what emotional place we approach life. In this space, we can begin to self-validate by reflecting on moments when we show up in this chosen and authentic way.
4. If you want to be happy when you get there, to the place or “thing” you know will make you happy, you have to bring happy with you. You have to make choicOwn your time and spaes for your happiness every day, rather than waiting until that moment when you think you’ve arrived at your goal or vision.
5. Surviving is running away from. Thriving is about running TOWARDS something. However, our brains are trained for “safety” and survival and running away. The intentional words move us towards what we want. And focusing on these helps to build new neuropathways. So, ask yourself if something is unsafe OR uncomfortable. There is growth in the uncomfortable.

To find more of Christina:

Website | Christina-Smith.com

IG | @Christina_smith_xoxo

And if you are like us and struggling with all the ups and downs midlife has to dish out, join us on our journey to figure it all out. Follow this podcast and leave us a review. You can join our tribe of badass women on Facebook or Instagram.