15: The Three Seasons Every Woman Moves Through in Midlife

If you’ve been feeling ready for a change or unsure of your next steps, there’s a reason.

You’re not stuck.

You’re not behind.

You’re not losing motivation.

You’re in a season.

Once you understand the season you’re in, everything starts to make sense. Your priorities. Even the things you suddenly don’t have the capacity for anymore.

Last week, we walked through a grounded pivot plan for 2026. The idea was simple.

• Start what brings clarity.

• Stop what drains your energy.

• Carry forward the strengths you’ve already built over the decades.

Today we’re zooming out. Before you decide what to change, build, or let go of, you need to understand where you are right now.

Not where you wish you were.

Not where people expect you to be.

The actual season you’re in.

In midlife, every woman moves through one of three seasons: Growth, Grounding, or Rebuilding. Each one asks something different of you.

Let’s break each one down so you can see where you land.

Season One: Growth

This is the season when your energy comes back online. Your curiosity wakes up. You feel pulled toward something new, even if you’re not totally sure what it is.

Women in a growth season often say things like:
“I feel excited again.”
“I can tell something is shifting.”
“I think I’m ready for a challenge.”

Signs you’re here:
• New ideas excite you
• You want momentum
• You’re open to taking risks you avoided before
• You’re craving expansion or creativity
• You feel braver than you used to

What you need in this season:
Direction. Structure. Priorities.
Not ten new projects. Not more classes. Not another overloaded to-do list.

Growth feels good, which makes it easy to overcommit. I’ve done that myself. When I started my blog a year and a half ago and launched this podcast months later, I was signing up for every class and saying yes to everything. That’s how you know you’re tipping into overwhelm.

If you’re here, ask yourself: What’s the one thing I actually want to grow right now? For me, it’s my podcast and my website. Everything else is optional.

Season Two: Grounding

Grounding is where I’m living right now.

This is the season where you crave steadiness. Clarity. Routine. You’re not trying to rush into something new. You’re trying to understand what already exists.

Women in a grounding season often feel pulled toward things that calm and simplify life. You want fewer moving parts, not more.

Signs you’re here:
• You want your life to make more sense before you add anything new
• You’re simplifying your commitments
• You feel drawn to routines and consistency
• Your energy is softer
• You’re decluttering, organizing, editing your priorities
• You know your boundaries need work

Grounding is not about acceleration. It’s about stabilizing. It’s the “less doing, more integrating” season.

The biggest trap here: assuming something is wrong because it’s quiet.

Nothing is wrong. You’re strengthening, not shrinking.

Ask yourself: What needs stabilizing before I take my next step? For me, it’s processes and boundaries. I’m still saying yes too often, not just in business but in life.

Season Three: Rebuilding

Rebuilding is tender. It usually follows burnout, a major life change, or an identity shift you didn’t see coming.

Women in this season often feel like they’re shedding an old version of themselves but haven’t quite stepped into the new one yet.

You might think:
“I don’t feel like myself.”
“I know I’m changing but I don’t know what I want next.”
“I need a breath.”

Signs you’re here:
• Your confidence feels shaky
• Your energy is inconsistent
• You’re questioning your identity
• You’re drained
• You’re searching for direction, not motivation

Rebuilding requires honest compassion. Rest. Reflection. Slow steps forward. This is not a season you can push your way out of.

Your job here: take the smallest possible step that feels supportive, not stressful.
Trying to move at a growth-season speed will only drain you further.

How to Know Your Season

Here are a few questions to help you pinpoint where you’re at:

• Which description made you exhale or think, “That’s me”?
• Where is your energy? Expanding? Steadying? Recovering?
• What pace actually feels doable right now?
• Which season feels supportive rather than stressful?

There is no “right” season. There’s only the one you’re in.

What Your Season Means For Your Next Step

Here’s how to use your season to guide your next move:

If you’re in a Growth season:
Use the pivot plan to build momentum. Start what brings clarity. Stop what drains you. Carry forward what gives you strength. Slowly.

If you’re in a Grounding season:
Do a clarity check-in each week. Reduce noise. Trim commitments. Don’t add new goals yet.

If you’re in a Rebuilding season:
Stop what drains you first. Rest. Research. Reflect. And only carry forward what feels supportive.

If you want help figuring out your season

This is where my Second Act Pathfinder comes in. It walks you through identifying your season, asking the right questions, and mapping out next steps at a pace that matches your energy instead of fighting it.

I’m also building a long-term support system for women moving through these seasons together: a membership where we work through pivots, transitions, and the “now what?” moments side by side. Sign up for my email list below to stay up to date on the launch.

If today’s post helped you recognize your season, give yourself credit. Awareness is movement.

See you next week, and share this with a friend who’s trying to find her own pace too.