Acceptance of who we are is key to finding peace with ourselves. It’s hard to believe, but this year I will have lived half of my life in Germany, where I grew up, and half of my life in the U.S. How strange life is. When I came to America as an exchange student with a high school scholarship, I could not have imagined that it would mean that I would be living here now, 40 years later! The image above is the artwork an aunt of mine gave us for our wedding. It shows a handsome guy with a top hat taking his bride to a new continent. We have it hanging on the wall of our bedroom. It captured the moment well.
As a 16-year-old, I came to widen my horizons and see life from the perspective of another culture. I wanted to learn to speak and write English well. And then, I met my future husband and soulmate within the first ten days after arriving in Canton, Ohio, at a Michael Stanley Band concert at Blossom Music Center.
Of course, I loved my life in Europe. And yet here I am, living a full and happy life in America, though far away from my family that I miss dearly.
Are there things on your life path that turned out differently than you planned? Midlife can be a time of meaningful reflection that then contributes to deeper peace within yourself. How do you make peace with your past?
It requires honest and self-compassionate reflection. It requires honoring the good and the ugly. Each piece of your life needs to be embraced and allowed to stay with all of your heart. Taking time to slow down and reflect deepens your experience and allows you to make peace with your unique life path and who you are today.
As a business and reinvention coach, I work with entrepreneurs and people in midlife. I help them get out of their own way and find a life filled with joy, meaning, and authenticity.
#acceptance #midliferocks #reflection