By Candice Lombardi
For women, midlife can be a time of creative revolution and reinvention, a time of freedom and renewed purpose in life.
That was the message of the speakers who gathered on a rainy March evening at Wainwright House to discuss “Navigating Midlife and Beyond,” an examination of the challenges faced by aging women.
Four experts took turns identifying the forces that work against women in midlife: the powerful anti‑aging beauty industry, a persistent and frustrating lack of information and research about perimenopause and menopause, and the general sense of shame that often surrounds aging.
The panel was moderated by Fiona Jalinoos, a yoga therapist who led the 30 attendees in a few minutes of chair yoga to get things started.
The message of the panelists was urgent.
“We need to normalize the conversation around getting older,” said panelist Dina Aronson, author of “Midlife Private Parts,” a book of essays on aging.
Her co‑author Dina Alvarez said many women gain freedom in midlife as empty nesters and are generally less concerned about others’ opinions of them, a change that can fuel renewed sense of purpose.
“Midlife should no longer be about doom and gloom,” she said. “Embrace your confidence and wisdom and silence the negative thoughts that held you back when you were younger.”
Executive coach Mary Olson‑Menzel focused on career pivots and the journey of self-discovery in midlife. Her book, “What Lights You Up? Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career,” is a guide for career change and growth. She said the COVID pandemic prompted many to take stock of their lives, resulting in both forced and planned work changes.
Menzel urged trusting intuition and filtering out doubt. “Ask yourself: what are my natural gifts? What do I love to do?” she advised. She encouraged turning passions into concrete plans so leaving an unfulfilling job becomes a realistic option.
“It’s never too late to reinvent yourself — it takes passion, patience, and a plan,” she said.
Lisa McDonald, director of policy and advocacy at The Pause Life, a menopause education and awareness organization, spoke about the health issues aging women face.
Menopause is a whole‑body transition with hormonal shifts that can affect sexual health, cognition, and cardiovascular risk, she said. Yet some studies show that fewer than five percent of women in the United States are on hormone replacement therapy. McDonald, who also co-chairs the Menopause Committee, a national advocacy group that helps shape menopause policy at the federal and state levels, said more women should use hormone replacement therapy now that studies critical of the therapy have been proved wrong.
These are matters of women’s longevity and overall health, she said, encouraging women to be their own health advocates. She added that many clinicians receive little training on menopause, and research in the field is limited.
Greater financial stability for women is one of the reasons for rising “gray divorce” rates and is another trend that is changing how midlife looks.
The panelists agreed that “midlife” needs a “rebrand.”
They closed with a clear message: women can reshape the narrative around midlife by reinventing themselves in their relationships, friendships, community, and careers, and by taking control of their own health and well‑being.
