Milestones for Today, Insights for Tomorrow
A Midlife Reflection on Change, Growth, and Staying Vibrant
spring landscape; a time for hope and new beginnings
May 21, 2017
As moms, we spend so many years marking time by our children’s milestones. First steps, lost teeth, birthday candles, driver’s permits, and graduations — each one a snapshot of a stage we’re moving through, ready or not. Some stages we wish would hurry up, others we want to hold onto forever.
But as our children grow, so do we. And midlife has a way of bringing that truth front and center.
The Milestones We Celebrate — and the Ones That Change Us
On May 14th, we celebrated our oldest son's college graduation. It was a milestone worthy of every bit of pomp and circumstance. Our whole family was there — cheering, crying (okay, mostly me), and taking in the moment.
What surprised me was how different this felt from his high school graduation four years earlier. That one left me teary for months. It marked the end of his childhood chapter — the one where he lived under our roof, where I knew his daily rhythms, his friends, his habits. I would relive those 19 years in a heartbeat.
College, though? That four-year window passes quickly. And college graduation is less an ending and more a doorway. It’s a beginning filled with new independence, new challenges, and new adventures. Maybe the reason my tears didn’t pour this time was knowing he was coming home to Oregon for graduate school — only 130 miles away instead of 2,078.
Still, I felt the shift. Another milestone. Another reminder that our roles as mothers evolve, too.
The Midlife Realization: Age Is More About Choice Than Years
As my son moved into his next stage, I found myself asking a familiar midlife question:
“How can I already be the mother of a college graduate?”
Then I remind myself — age is just a number. What matters is how we feel, how well we care for ourselves, and how committed we are to staying vibrant and engaged.
I’ve watched my own mother model this beautifully. At 75, she got down on the floor to play with my boys because she wanted them to remember her. Today, at 94, she still walks to get her mail, plays bridge, reads voraciously, goes out to dinner with friends, and stays socially connected even when her body moves a little slower. She even played golf until age 91 — and she earned two holes-in-one along the way.
She is my blueprint for aging with intention: stay mobile, stay connected, stay curious.
A picture of my mom in 2015 at the age of 92.
Navigating Midlife Transitions With Strength and Self-Compassion
Women in our 50s often find ourselves standing in two directions at once:
Our children are launching into adulthood and need us in new, lighter ways.
Our parents may be aging and need us more.
And somewhere inside, we’re changing too.
These transitions can stir up joy, pride, grief, identity shifts, and questions about what’s next. I didn’t have my health-coach training in 2017, but looking back now, I can see how clearly this season calls us to anchor ourselves in nourishing choices — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Because the truth is:
How we care for ourselves today shapes the milestones we’ll be able to enjoy tomorrow.
Choosing a Healthy Future — Starting Now
Back in 2017, I wrote this with a hopeful heart:
I want to be able to get down on the floor with future grandchildren, take them hiking, chase them across a playground, and be fully present for all the stages still ahead.
Those desires haven't changed.
This is why I choose real, whole foods.
Why I move my body and stay strong.
Why I protect my energy and make space for joy.
And why I encourage the women I coach to do the same — not out of pressure, but out of possibility.
Midlife is not the end of anything. It’s the beginning of a powerful new chapter.
Honoring Every Milestone — Past, Present, and Future
Whether you're celebrating a graduation, adjusting to an empty nest, supporting an aging parent, or rediscovering who you want to be in this next stage — your milestones matter too.
Be grateful for the ones behind you.
Celebrate the ones right in front of you.
And nurture the habits that will carry you into the milestones still to come.
Here’s to staying vibrant, connected, and beautifully alive in every season.
Stay Connected to Your Own Vitality
If this reflection speaks to you, I’d love for you to enjoy my free Vitality Blueprint — a guide I created to help women in midlife reconnect with energy, clarity, and a sense of grounded resilience. It’s available to download anytime, no subscription required.
If you’d like to stay connected, I also invite you to check the box for news and updates. I’m launching a simple, twice-a-month newsletter filled with encouragement, practical tools, and gentle reminders to keep your vitality in focus — and I promise never to overwhelm your inbox.
You’re welcome here, and I’d love to keep walking this midlife journey with you.