Your Second Wind is Closer Than You Think

I hear this a lot, and it’s so ironic. 

Women reach this next chapter, one with more options, more open than ever, and suddenly feel tired.  It’s not just I need a good night's sleep tired. It’s the deeper kind.

• Tired of the same routines.

• Tired of being responsible for everyone else.

• Tired of putting their own wants at the bottom of the list.

• Tired of doing what is expected while quietly wondering, Is this really it?

So, we tuck away the ideas, interests, and adventures.

If this sounds like you, here’s what I can offer: give it a little time.

Because sometimes, underneath the tiredness, there is something else.

A flicker. A curiosity. A desire.

A little voice saying, “Hey, I’d really like to…” 

Let the breeze in.

I think about what happens when you open a door after being inside for a long time.

At first, you simply notice the air.

Then you feel the breeze. You take a deeper breath. 

You look outside.

Something shifts, and you begin to move.

Can you rest? Absolutely.

You can slow down. 

You can recover from years of giving, doing, achieving, and caring.

But you don't have to quietly disappear into the next chapter.

There is fresh air waiting.

A second wind.

A resurgence of energy that comes not from pushing harder, but from finally having room to breathe.

And then comes the wonderfully uncomfortable part.

When you have more freedom to choose, you also have more responsibility for what you choose.

That's exciting, perhaps a little daunting. 

You get to decide.

• What have I outgrown?

• What gives me energy?

• What kind of work feels meaningful now?

• What does a fulfilling life look like to me?

• What would I do if I stopped worrying whether it was impressive enough, or interesting enough?

Those are big questions. You don’t have to answer them today, but let yourself ask them. See where it takes you.

Remember, your next chapter doesn't have to look like your last one.  

Perhaps this is not the time to become busier.

What if it’s time to become more you?

More willing to follow the desires and ideas that make you feel something - excited, inspired, alive - again.

Maybe this is your most vibrant “Yes, and…” chapter. 

One where you can be spacious and ambitious.

Quiet and expansive.

Joyful and genuine.

This work has taught me that I can be calm and purposeful. 

You can build something new. You can change direction. You can pursue an idea you've carried for years. You can explore.

This is your chapter to define.

And that may be the most exhilarating—and liberating—possibility of all.

So open the door.

Take a breath. Feel the breeze.

You may find you’re more energized, more ready, than you think.