Welcome to April
Thank you for joining me here on Substack. I hope you loved your inaugural edition of Midlife Musings and have had a chance to peruse additional posts waiting for you here, too. And, I’m delighted to be back in your inbox again this month!
Along with the natural world, April invites us to shed our own layers of stagnation and bloom into our fullest selves. Spring is a season of transformation. The longer days and warmer temperatures remind us that life is a constant cycle of growth, renewal, and an opportunity to bloom anew.
Similar to midlife which can be a time of vibrancy and reinvention. It’s about embracing change, honoring our past, and crafting a future that resonates with who we are at this time in our lives. And that’s what we’re here to explore together.
As mentioned in this introduction post, I’ll share an assortment of midlife inspiration in this monthly newsletter. This month includes life lately, tips on merging slow with productive, ways to prioritize exploration along with my Borneo takeaways, and a well-being practice of a body scan.
I hope you enjoy our second edition of Midlife Musings. I’m so happy you’re here!
Life Lately: A Peek Inside
Please join me in taking a pause to consider your own life lately highlights, observations, joys, and challenges.
What I’m working on:
Hosting a Seasonal Soirée on April 27 live from Paris (you’re invited!)
Recording Year of Tranquility digital course (coming soon)
New website coming next month
This new Substack (lots of posts waiting here for you)
Ballet performances
Taking more pauses during the day
Prepping for the Coterie Tea Party at my home
Coordinating this free adult ballet class for you
What I’m loving:
Mookie (my pug) snores
Soundproofing I had added to our ceilings
Daffodils and pansies in my patio garden
Crawling into bed at night with a good book
A return to the yoga mat
Got tickets to see Air Supply in November
Planning my next week’s jaunt to Paris
What I’m consuming:
Read The Guest List by Lucy Foley and How to Be Old by Lyn Slater
Reading Midlife, New Life and Slow Productivity
Green smoothies galore (recipe)
Instagram reels of orangutans
Pots of jasmine tea
This Spotify playlist
Loving this publication, Ageist
What I’m wearing:
Layers of quick dry, lightweight fabric during my jungle time
Thrifted black crochet midi skirt over my ballet tights
Open-toed sandals and Hasbeen clogs
Supergoop moisturizer with sunscreen
Long strand of vintage glossy black beads
Warm-up suits for ballet like this one
What I’m noticing:
Birdsong outside my window
Pink petals everywhere
Waves of grief as we adjust to the “new normal” without Gizmo
Hormonal shifts
Constantly feeling cold
How journaling calms my nervous system
Deep Dive: Going Slow(er)
Let’s explore the idea of embracing the concept of slow to live with more intention in midlife.
On a two-hour flight from one orangutan sanctuary to the next last month, I read half of Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport and underlined most of it! You may already be familiar with his work through bestsellers such as Digital Minimalism and Deep Work. Well, this latest release does not disappoint!
As many of my longtime readers know, I’ve been an avid consumer and implementer of time management tools and even created planners over the years. Entering midlife (defined by American Psychological Association as 36-64) and especially since turning 50, I’ve been trying to redefine what productivity looks with less busyness and much more tranquility. Spoiler alert: I believe this will be a lifelong unraveling for me.
To bring you along on this simplifying journey toward more slowness, I’ve been sharing my recent efforts through Love Notes, the pause of my 18.5-year podcast, and 22-year clothing line.
I’ve found that going slow(er) serves as a gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and savor the present moment despite life’s ongoing demands. In a world that often glorifies productivity and constant activity, embracing slowness allows us to reconnect with our inner rhythms, listen to our bodies (more on that in the video at the bottom of this post), and prioritize our well-being.
It’s a way to give ourselves permission to move at our own pace, to linger in moments of joy and reflection, and to savor life’s simple pleasures (some shared in this Instagram reel)—a cuppa tea, a pug cuddle on the couch, a gentle breeze on your bare skin, wafts of lavender.
Below are an assortment of quotes from Slow Productivity that may inspire you, too, as we consider ways to infuse a splash of slow into our days:
“Principles of slow productivity: 1) Do fewer things, 2) Work at a natural pace, 3) Obsess over quality”
“Slow productivity supports legacy-building accomplishments but allows them to unfold at a more human speed.”
“Focusing intensely on a small number of tasks, waiting to finish each before bringing on something new, is objectively a much better way to use our brains to produce valuable output.”
“Limit missions, projects, and daily goals.”
“Mission is any ongoing goal or service that directs your professional life.”
“Projects are any work-related initiative that cannot be completed in a single session.”
"Daily goals are the projects you decide to make progress on during the current day.”
“Slow productivity requires that you free yourself from the constraints of the small so that you can invest more meaningfully on the big.”
“There will always be more work to do. You should give your efforts the breathing room and respect required to make them part of a life well lived, not an obstacle to it.”
“To create more reasonable workdays, I have two suggestions: first, reduce the number of tasks you schedule, and second, reduce the number of appointments on your calendar. In other words, cut back on what you plan to accomplish while increasing your available time.”
Phew, that’s a lot and I still have a bit of the book to finish!
Here’s how I’m trying to implement the nuggets so far:
Weekday time blocks for meetings, clients, ballet, creating, family time.
Weekend time blocks for ballet, creating, family and friend time.
Shutting down my weekday work by 8 pm (some days I see clients until 7:30 pm).
Starting my day intentionally with a soak in the tub, cup of an 8Greens, review of the day’s agenda, and a dog walk.
For Reflection:
What are my current projects?
Are there any projects that I could put on the back burner for now?
How do I blend slow and productive?
Is the way I’m starting and ending your days working for me?
What do I wish I had more time for?
Practicing the art of slow in midlife offers us an opportunity for introspection and self-discovery. It invites us to explore our values, passions, and priorities, and to make intentional choices that align with our authentic selves. What resonated with us a decade ago (or even last week) may no longer fit. Taking regular pauses to ask, “is this still me?” offers the opportunity to make space for shedding old beliefs, commitments, and habits.
May we remember that slow doesn't mean being stagnant or complacent. It's about finding a balance between being and doing, nourishing our souls, and embracing our journey at a pace that feels nurturing and sustainable.
What does slow productivity look like for me right now?
Well-Being: Body Scan
Struggling with insomnia, stress, or fatigue? This may help!
A body scan practice offers a multitude of benefits for mental, emotional, and physical well-being. By bringing attention to different parts of the body, this practice cultivates mindfulness and awareness of bodily sensations to help us develop a deeper connection to our physical selves.
Through regular practice, a body scan can reduce stress, anxiety, and tension by promoting relaxation and releasing muscular tightness. It also enhances self-awareness which allows us to recognize and address areas of discomfort or pain and acknowledge the connection between our body and mind.
Try this body scan for a sense of groundedness and presence in the present moment. You’ll find more tranquility tools over on the Tranquility du Jour YouTube channel!
I'd love to see someone like Cal Newport write a book about how to do this for folks employed by overdemading bosses who refuse to employ the correct number of staff - a huge ongoing problem for so many at the moment.