Latest / The Midlife Momma Podcast - Empty nest mom, Parenting adult children, Midlife transition, Christian mom / 203. Embracing Aging: Six Strategies for Confidence and Peace in Midlife

Transcript

203. Embracing Aging: Six Strategies for Confidence and Peace in Midlife · The Midlife Momma Podcast - Empty nest mom, Parenting adult children, Midlife transition, Christian mom

• 0:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Christian parenting.
• 0:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hey mama, I'm Pamela Hinklman and you're listening to the Midlife Mama Podcast.
• 0:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: The show for Christian moms who want to let go with grace and actually enjoy their empty nest.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm a certified empty nest coach, speaker, and mom of five grown kids.
• 0:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know the challenges this season brings from letting go to setting healthy boundaries, to rediscovering your purpose, and reconnecting with your husband.
• 0:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Each week I'll be your guide.
• 0:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: offering heartfelt conversations, faith-filled encouragement and practical strategies to help you thrive in this next chapter.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: My husband and I are loving the emptiness years and I have strong growing relationships with my adult kids and I want the same for you.
• 0:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Don't miss the end of each episode.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll share a quick coaching tip you can apply right away to improve your relationship with your kids or your spouse.
• 1:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: One favor before we dive in.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you find this episode helpful, would you leave a rating and review?
• 1:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: It helps other moms discover the show.
• 1:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a link in the show notes with instructions.
• 1:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Make sure you're following the podcast, so you don't miss a single episode.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, let's get started.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to the Midlife Mama Podcast, the place for faith, friendship, and real talk for emptiness moms.
• 1:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Today we're diving into a topic that touches every single one of us.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aging.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Some days the mirror surprises us we notice a new line, a little extra softness, a face that's changing faster than we expected, and it's so easy to believe the lie that aging means you're fading shrinking or becoming less valuable.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: But what if that's not the truth at all?
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: What if aging is actually one of God's sweetest gifts?
• 1:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a season filled with purpose, wisdom, and confidence that we didn't have in our
• 1:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: In today's episode, I'm sharing six powerful strategies to help you feel more content grounded and hopeful as you age.
• 2:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: These aren't quick fixes or beauty hacks.
• 2:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: These are hardships.
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Soul-level truths, ways you partner with God, to view this season through a lens of grace and abundance not fear.
• 2:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: So grab your coffee and settle in, let's talk about how aging can become one of the most meaningful chapters of your story.
• 2:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe this has been you.
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I got my reflection in the mirror this morning, gray hair shimmering like threads of wisdom, softening around my jawline.
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: What is it about these jowls I know have?
• 2:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it told me that tells the story of babies carried and years lived.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: When did all this arrive?
• 2:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: And those laugh lines, they're showing up proudly around my eyes and mouth proof that joy has visited me often.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Still, sometimes the changes catch me off guard.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's easy to fixate on the physical as we move through our 40s, 50s and 60s.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: The shift in our skin and shape happens right before our eyes.
• 3:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: But mama, what if aging isn't something to battle, hide, or fear?
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: What if it's an invitation?
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: What if we looked beyond the mirror and saw the woman we've become?
• 3:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: The wisdom we carry, the resilience we've built, the faith that's been tested and strengthened, the love we've poured into our families, those aren't signs of decline, they're signs of growth, Don Barton writes in her book, Midlife Battle Cry, as long as we keep believing a Hollywood story that tells us each year we become less.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: that we are part of the problem.
• 3:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ah, she's right.
• 3:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's time to rewrite the narrative.
• 3:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Midlife Mama, you're not fading, you're flourishing.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And these years can be some of the most fruitful joy filled and deeply content years of your life.
• 3:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: So let's talk about those six powerful strategies that can help you embrace aging with confidence and peace.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: strategy number one recognize you are more than your looks.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, Mama, we spend so much energy critiquing our reflection.
• 4:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: We tug at the loose skin, sigh at the softening belly and wonder where those once perky parts disappeared to.
• 4:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: I get it, I'm right there with you.
• 4:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: But hear me clearly, you are not the sum of your wrinkles, your waistline, or your dress size.
• 4:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your value was never rooted in looking young.
• 4:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Looking young was never the assignment.
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: God has always cared more about the woman you're becoming than the mirror you're facing.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aging invites us to cultivate a richer, deeper inner life, the place where you meet with God, where your roots sink into his love, where intimacy grows in ways your younger self-condu, imagined.
• 4:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Remember, this is who you are, a beloved daughter, chosen, cherished, hell, always his, and when that truth lands in your bones, it brings a peace, no cream, or number on this scale could offer.
• 5:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: The second strategy to accept aging is to practice acceptance.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's tempting to drift back to who we used to be.
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: The younger body with the quicker metabolism, but chasing a former version of ourselves only steals the joy of who we are right now, acceptance is a holy invitation to stay present.
• 5:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: to honor this season and to love the woman you're becoming.
• 5:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you practice exempted, you stop living in the rear view mirror.
• 5:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: You let the past be in the past.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: You recognize that you did the best you could with the wisdom resources and maturity.
• 5:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: You had at the time and that's enough.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: You choose to show up fully in this moment.
• 5:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: The only place
• 5:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right here is where you feel his nearness.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right now is where Grace flows.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you embrace this moment, instead of mourning, the one you've left behind, peace starts to take root.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: You stop striving to rewrite your story and start living the chapter you're in with gratitude and open hands.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Acceptance isn't giving up.
• 6:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's growing up.
• 6:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: The third strategy
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: to accept aging is to acknowledge your confidence.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mama, one of the most beautiful gifts of midlife is the quiet confidence you now carry.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: You don't shrink back like you once did.
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're not rattled by every opinion in the room.
• 6:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've lived enough life, walked through enough valleys, and climbed enough mountains, to know that you can handle whatever comes.
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: And here's the best part.
• 6:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your confidence isn't rooted in ego.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's rooted in God's faithfulness.
• 6:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: You have seen him show up too many times to doubt his presence now.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Every battle you've survived, every prayer you've prayed, every heartbreak he's carried you through, has settled something deep inside of you.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: You are not alone.
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this confidence feels like standing steady when others crumble.
• 7:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's the kind of strength that comes from knowing God's power flows through your veins.
• 7:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: You walk into a room differently now because you walk in with him.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's not arrogance, that spiritual maturity, and this is the fruit of a woman who has lived endured and trusted God every step of the way.
• 7:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Parenting is busy.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Chaos happens when the coffee finish is brewing, and that's why our friends at Christian Parenting created Morning Minute, a concise, bearish, scripture-rooted email.
• 7:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: For busy parents and grandparents, it's a quick pause at the start of your day.
• 7:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: In each week day morning, you'll get one verse, just strengthen your spirit, one parenting inside, grounded in Christlike wisdom, and one short action item.
• 7:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: to guide your heart and your kids and one resource to help you go deeper.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It takes just three minutes to read, but the encouragement lasts all day and it's free.
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Don't miss out.
• 8:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Subscribe now at morningminute.org to get this quick encouragement in your inbox every weekday.
• 8:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's morningminute.org or click the link in the show notes.
• 8:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, let's get back to our conversation.
• 8:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: strategy number four to accept aging.
• 8:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: You want to harness your wisdom.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: You didn't wake up one morning full of wisdom.
• 8:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: This came from years of showing up, seeking God, and rocking through things that could have broken you, but didn't.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: You earned this hard one wisdom through tears, prayers,
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: and all the moments of trusting God when you couldn't see the way forward.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: This isn't worldly wisdom or intellectual achievement.
• 8:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is Spirit-shaped wisdom, the kind that grows from staying close to God's heart.
• 9:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've learned to recognize His whisper in a noisy world.
• 9:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: You followed his not just when it didn't make sense, you obeyed his leading even when it stretched you.
• 9:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: And because of that, you now carry a depth of discernment that younger woman look for.
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: You see situations clearly.
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: You sense what's right.
• 9:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know when to speak and when to stay silent.
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: You don't rush decisions because you've learned that God's timing is never late.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your judgment is sound because your roots run deep.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your counsel carries weight.
• 9:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because it's soaked in scripture, prayer, and experience.
• 9:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: People lean in when you speak, not because you're allowed, but because your life has proven trustworthy.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Wisdom is one of the greatest gifts to you in mid-life, embrace it, and steward it well.
• 9:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Strategy number five is to embrace productivity.
• 9:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Here's a truth that might blow your mind, your most productive years are still ahead of you.
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know.
• 10:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Listen to this.
• 10:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Research consistently shows the highest-producing decade of a person's life is between ages 60 to 70.
• 10:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Imagine how happy I felt reading that after turning 60 this year.
• 10:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: The second most productive ages 70 to 80 and the third ages 50 to 60.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Think about that for a moment.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: the average age of a Nobel Prize winner is 62.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: The average age of CEOs leading major companies is 63, and the average age of pastors shepherding the largest churches in America, 71.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: So if you're in your 40s or 50s, guess what?
• 10:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: You haven't even hit your peak yet.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your greatest impact is still unfolding and doesn't that fill you with hope?
• 10:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Midlife isn't a slow fade.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a launching bad.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: The season is ripe with clarity, wisdom, experience, and God-given purpose.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're not too old, too late, or too behind.
• 10:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: You are perfectly positioned for God to do something powerful through your life.
• 11:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let this truth settle in.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: You are still becoming, you are still growing, and you are still capable of great kingdom impact.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: hand your gifts, time and energy to God, and let him weed you into the work that excites your soul.
• 11:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: You have decades of purpose in front of you, Mama, and embrace that with joy.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: The last strategy is to appreciate the richness of connection.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: One of the greatest gifts of aging is the deep, meaningful connections you've built along the way.
• 11:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: You were never meant to walk this life alone and thankfully you don't have to.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Look around, your husband, your grown kids, your grand babies, your siblings, your church family, your neighbors, your girlfriends, your coworkers.
• 11:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: These relationships are threads God has woven into your story, creating a tapestry of loving belonging.
• 11:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: You fought for these connections.
• 11:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: You forgiven when it was hard.
• 12:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've shown up when you were tired.
• 12:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've tried again when things felt fragile.
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Why?
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because you know the beauty that comes from doing life besides others.
• 12:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've learned that community strengthens you, encouragement lifts you, friendship studies you, and the love you give and the love you received
• 12:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've grown software at matters and strong where it counts, and here's the truth.
• 12:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: You are richer because of the people God has placed in your life.
• 12:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: They don't just surround you, they strengthen you.
• 12:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Life really is better together.
• 12:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mama, it is time to release the old and accurate story culture tells us about aging.
• 12:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: This season isn't a slow fade.
• 12:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a sacred unfolding in each year.
• 12:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're giving another opportunity to grow in wisdom, strength, and purpose.
• 12:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when we recognize the beauty and power of this stage of life, our hearts open wide to the good God is still writing in our story.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aging is not a sign that your impact is diminishing.
• 13:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's proof that God is carried you, shaped you, and prepared you for more.
• 13:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not over.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Kat's not finished, and truly, some of your most meaningful purpose-packed days are ahead.
• 13:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Lift your chin and soften your heart and step boldly into the future.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: He has for you.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're just getting started.
• 13:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mama, I hope today's conversation encouraged you to see aging in a new life giving way.
• 13:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're not diminishing your deepening.
• 13:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're growing wiser stronger and more rooted.
• 13:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: in the woman God created you to be, this season is not something to dread, it's something to embrace, because God is to work at work in you, breathing purpose, calling, and joy in every single day you're given.
• 13:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: So as you go into the rest of your day, remember this, you're more than your looks.
• 13:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: You have permission to accept where you are.
• 13:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: You carry God, given confidence, you walk in deep wisdom.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're stepping into your most productive years and your relationships are richer than ever.
• 14:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: If this episode encouraged you, would you please share it with another midlife mom who needs this reminder?
• 14:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: And don't forget to rate review the podcast.
• 14:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: It helps more women find these messages of hope and faith.
• 14:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And until next time, mama, remember, you've got this and God's got you.
• 14:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for spending time with me on the Midlife Mama Podcast.
• 14:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I hope you leave each episode feeling a little more encouraged, equipped, and seen, because that's what this space is all about.
• 14:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Through the stories, insights, and conversations we share here, I'm coaching you through the ups and downs of the empty nest.
• 14:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Helping you rediscover purpose, deepen faith, and enjoy this new season of life.
• 14:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're ready for an even more personalized support, I'd love to invite you to book a free connection call.
• 14:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: The link is in the show notes and we'll talk about how I can walk alongside you as your coach.
• 14:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And let's stay connected.
• 14:50
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