Why Is Midlife Important
To Female Executives?
Adult development is inevitable. Time
passes and we gain experience, insight and wisdom. And yet, for
many of us midlife takes us by surprise. It is a time that can
be characterized by turbulence and confusion. And yet, the gift
is the experience of making meaning of life in such a deeply
elegant and graceful way.
Our work environments operate on the assumption that the people
in them will act in calm, logical and predictable ways. There is
not recognition or support for developmental transitions that be
confusing and turbulent, especially the leaders who are supposed
to be ensuring the calm, logical and predictable work
environments. As a result, this exquisite period of
self-re-visiting and re-integration happens behind the scenes,
That is, unless and until it doesn't! The prospect scares us
sometimes and it certainly scares those who fear women in
leadership and the possibility of out of control emotions.
Midlife is a time of reflection. It is a time when we are
compelled by our true selves to explore where we are in our
lives at the present time and to listen to our inner voice of
wisdom. It is a normal development stage in all adults and it is
a time when we deal with questions of who we truly are, who we
ant to be and how we want to lay the groundwork for our future
in the face of the growing realization that we are indeed
mortal. This is a rich and magical time that comes with it's own
set of opportunities and challenges. It is a time to achieve
great clarity about your wants and needs and to create momentum
in the direction you wish your life to go during the next stage
of your life.
The central question of midlife is about meaning. We may choose
very different measures to evaluate who we are, how we want to
live our lives and how we want to contribute to the world. The
process can be of variable intensity and duration. It is
non-linear and different for everyone.
The better the understanding we have about this time in adult
development, the less likely we are to experience irreparable
disruptions in our personal and professional lives.
For more information about this topic, visit the Personal
Programs section on midlife.
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