I’ve been asking questions in the Women Living Well After 50 Facebook Community and over the next couple of weeks I will be highlighting one for us all to reflect on and answer. As always I would love to hear your thoughts on the question and any feedback you have. We support each other through sharing and learning.
Recently I asked the question: What is the one thing holding you back from Living Life Your Way and today, I’m sharing some of the responses with you. I also shared this as my Question to Ponder in my weekly Living Well Letter to subscribers.
What is the one thing holding you back from Living Life Your Way?
We all have reasons, or to be blunt, excuses for what holds us back from living life on our terms. I asked this question in the WLWA50 FB Group and some of the answers included:
- I am still trying to learn and discover what “life my way” looks like for me at this stage.
- Guilt – Mother guilt, parent guilt, child guilt – taking time out usually feels “selfish” when we have other commitments, obligations and responsibilities
- Insomnia – see below for a podcast link on Menopause and Sleep
- Fear of being passed over once again, totally lacking motivation these days
- The affects of COVID – lockdown,
- Menopause
- Loss of mojo -I just don’t feel like exercising atm and healthy eating had gone out the door too.
- Lack of friends. Actually no friends at all. I gave them up to focus on my girls and now that one has flown the nest and the other one started high school, I feel somewhat isolated with no one to really connect and talk to. I just feel kind of lost now… and just have work to focus on with nothig else really
Do any of these resonate with you?
Some things are certainly out of our control, such as lockdown BUT and this is a big BUT…… most things are in your control and you can do something about making changes to start Living Life Your Way.
In a recent Micro Mondays 2-part series I discussed the #1 thing stopping you from moving forward in your life & part 2 In both episodes I discuss 10 signs of self-sabotaging behaviour. And yes, we all have many of these behaviours, I know I do if I’m honest.
So today I’m asking you to reflect on the question What is the one thing holding you back from Living Life Your Way? and take some time to journal your thoughts. This will bring clarity and show you the areas that need your focus.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject so reply to this email and share with me.
4 Comments
I absolutely love these questions that you ask, Sue. I also greatly appreciate that you share the answers of others.
Both your questions, and the answers, make me think deeply.
As a general rule, I don’t feel held back in life. But when I do, it’s fear that holds me back.
Fear that it will be too hard, fear that it will use up too much money, fear that I don’t have enough time, fear that I should be doing something else instead, fear that….well you get the picture.
I look forward to continuing to follow this series.
Your questions are always interesting Sue as they make me think! It’s interesting seeing the responses to them too and I often see my thoughts reflected in someone else’s answer. I agree with Donna, fear holds me back and at the moment it’s uncertainty. I don’t know when i can travel again to see family overseas, I can’t make plans for travel within Australia without worry that Covid will destroy my hopes, it’s just hard to stay positive at times but I do try hard! Great to see so many engaging and getting a discussion going, it’s an important issue.
Sue, I think my #1 response would be simply because I don’t want to rock the boat. Life is good and I feel fulfilled and happy most days. Sure, there is always the question, ‘what if,’ but I don’t know that I would be willing to face my fears and discover the answer.
This is a great question, Sue, and immediately made me stop and think. Your initial quote gave me goosebumps…always a good sign how it hits home. Two resonate with me “guilt” (as a Mother) and “insomnia” (affects my energy to handle challenges). A few more: am I spending my time wisely (I realize one of your posts focuses in on time); I do not want to leave my daughters with too much of my physical “stuff” yet we have family storing their “stuff” at our place, too. I love posts which help me reflect and rethink some of the patterns in my life. I extra like your word, “clarity.”xx