Midlife Matters: Linda Butler
Reclaiming yourself in midlife isn’t about starting over; it’s about coming home to the woman you’ve always been, and finally letting her lead.
Midlife isn’t about becoming someone new – it’s about uncovering the real you that’s been waiting.
Let me be clear: I’m here, at midlife, and I’m not chasing a dramatic overhaul. I’m not chasing youth, relevance, or a glossier version of myself. I’m not here with the intention to “fix” myself.
What I’m doing is reclaiming HER.
That sounds bold, maybe even glamorous. But in real life? Reclaiming yourself is more subtle than that. More private. More layered. It’s less like a firework and more like a slow burn. It’s also messier than Instagram highlight reels make it look.
If you’re in midlife and feeling the internal nudge to live more honestly, be fully yourself, this might be your season of reclamation, too. And in case no one has told you what that really looks like, let me go first. If you’re ready to release what no longer fits before you reclaim what’s next, start with Letting Go After 50: Why Fall Is the Perfect Time to Reset.
4 Truths About Reclaiming Yourself in Midlife (and Why It Matters Now)
1. It Doesn’t Feel Powerful at First; It Feels Awkward
Reclaiming yourself doesn’t usually begin with bold declarations. It starts with small, uneasy shifts. Decisions that feel more vulnerable than powerful. Like the choice to stop coloring my hair and let it go natural – salt-and-pepper, just as it is. I changed my mind more than once. It took years before I committed.
At first, it felt strange; watching the transformation unfold slowly in the mirror. The woman with dark brown hair I’d known for decades was fading, and someone unfamiliar was taking her place. Would this version of me be accepted? By friends? By family? By strangers?
Now, I love it. I see myself more clearly than ever, not in spite of the change, but because of it.
Or maybe it starts with something quieter: The first time you pause before automatically saying “yes”. The moment you stop smoothing things over. The hesitation before you offer your help, out of habit. You review the decision in your mind, again and again. What will they think? Did I do the right thing?
Or the first time you ask yourself what you actually want, and let that answer lead. It doesn’t feel like empowerment in those moments. It feels unfamiliar. Exposed. Maybe even selfish. But discomfort isn’t failure. It’s a signal. It means you’re stepping into something new. It means you’re growing.
2. It Might Make Other People Uncomfortable
When you start reclaiming yourself, not everyone will clap.
Maybe you’ve always been the dependable one, the fixer, the one who keeps the peace. And when you stop overfunctioning? When you stop filtering your opinions? It can rattle the dynamic.
That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re showing up differently. And that shift can stir up emotions and feelings in others, especially when the roles you’ve played no longer feel the same or provide the same output.
Reclamation will sometimes look like disappointing people who are used to the more convenient version of you. Do it anyway.
3. You Might Miss the Old You–Even If She Was Exhausted
There’s a strange grief that comes with growth. Even if the old roles were suffocating, they were familiar. You knew how to be her: the overachiever, the people-pleaser, the one who held it all together. Letting go of that identity, even by choice, can feel like a loss.
You don’t just walk away from old versions of yourself. You release them gently. You thank them. You appreciate them. And then you move forward.
Reclamation isn’t a rejection of your past. It’s an integration of everything that got you here. But with an allowing of even more of you to come forward. And a sense of excitement for what’s ahead.
4. The Power Comes Slowly, But It’s Real
At first, you might wonder if any of it is working. You set the boundaries, but the guilt lingers. You speak the truth, but you worry about what others may think. You follow your instincts, but the old doubts whisper. And then one day, you notice something. You’re not overexplaining. You’re not scanning the room for approval. You’re not shrinking to make someone else comfortable.
You’re still you–but you’re not performing anymore. That’s what real power feels like. Not loud. Not flashy. Just rooted.
Reclamation can be a true return to self-integrity; that quiet, powerful moment when who you are and how you live finally begin to fully align. And when that happens? You become visible simply by being real.
That’s what reclaiming the spotlight for yourself truly means. Not performing for approval. But showing up with truth. With presence. With self-respect that doesn’t shrink to fit.
Because once you reclaim yourself, fully, unapologetically, you take up your full space.
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About the Author:
Linda C. Butler, a former HR executive turned entrepreneur and coach, is passionate about empowering midlife professional women to become the CEOs of their own lives. After navigating her own transformative journey following a layoff at age 50, Linda now leverages her extensive corporate leadership experience and neuroscience-based coaching expertise to help women redefine personal success on their terms.
She focuses on uncovering and overcoming limiting beliefs, embracing authentic leadership styles, and establishing healthy boundaries. Her holistic approach ensures a harmonious blend of career, family, and personal health and well-being for a more fulfilling second chapter. Linda’s mission is to inspire midlife women to stop settling and become the architects of the future they truly deserve. You can find Linda here, on Linden Lotus Consulting.
