For decades, we’ve been told that life after 50 should get slower and we should be winding down. That’s a problem. Because women over 50 are the fastest-growing slice of the labour force today.
But, no one has to tell you the workplace feels different after 50. You can sense it. It’s not always overt. It’s not usually dramatic. But it’s there— A creeping sense of being passed over; of being excluded, even if you’re very competent and still playing the game.
There’s nothing’s technically “wrong,” yet something deep in your gut tells you you’re not where you’re meant to be anymore.
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Alison L. Schmidt turned 50 in the middle of the global pandemic and watched her thriving business crumble overnight. She could’ve panicked or hustled or try to patch it back together.
But she didn’t.
Instead, Alison got on her bike.
For two weeks, she rode in silence. No podcasts. No self-help. No plans. And in that quiet space, clarity emerged.
She realized what she had built no longer reflected who she really was today. Listen to her empowering story on Aging With Purpose And Passion
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The Moment Everything Shifts
When we feel uncomfortable we try to solve it by ‘doing’. We Google new careers, sign up for courses, tweak our LinkedIn bios—anything to silence that ‘noise’.
But transformation doesn’t come from chasing the next shiny object. It comes from pausing, listening and being brave enough to sit with the questions you’ve been too busy to ask.
Alison’s story isn’t about throwing it all away. It’s about stepping back just long enough to hear her inner voice —and trusting it to guide her forward.
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If You’re Feeling the Pull that Something is Off –
Try This:
MAKE SPACE FOR RECONNECTION – One afternoon without tech, tasks, or noise can be enough to let the real questions rise. Walk. Breathe. Let your mind wander.
ASK WHAT’S MISALIGNED – It’s not always about fixing the job, the schedule, or the title. It’s about noticing what no longer reflects you.
SLOW DOWN. Resist the urge to jump into action. Clarity responds to space. It may not be convenient. But it will be honest. Follow it.
When the external distractions fall away, you’ll finally see what you’ve been tolerating – the outdated roles, the old measures of success, the stories you’ve outgrown far too long.
The women I work with often don’t burn it all down. They reshape it to return to what’s always been true.
At this stage in your life, you have nothing to prove.
You get to choose.
That fork in the road is a turning point and you’re the one holding the map.
💬 If you have questions that you’d like to ask, I invite you to send me a message. Just a real conversation about where you are, and what’s quietly calling you next.
What’s one thing you’re ready to say ‘no’ to?
This piece was originally published on LinkedIn—but I know not everyone lives there and this message is too important not to share here.
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I help high-performing women to navigate transitions in both life and business, by taking clear, strategic, mindset-shifting action through a unique blend of emotional intelligence and strategic life design. My clients—professionals, creatives, influencers, founders, c-suite executives, coaches, and high performing women like yourself who want more — all of them understand that the most significant barriers they face are the ones they set for themselves.
