The Antidote to Midlife Malaise (Rewild Your Well-being Series, Part II)
Have you ever felt a sense of quiet dissatisfaction? A feeling that after years on a well-defined path, your life has become too predictable, too routine, or you’ve lost a bit of your spark? That feeling of midlife discomfort is a signal that your own wild, vibrant nature is yearning for something new.
In the first article of this series on Rewilding Your Well-being, we began to explore why your midlife transition is the most powerful invitation you’ll ever receive to imagine and create your most fulfilling chapter yet. In this article, we're diving deeper into the concept of rewilding your midlife and how to reclaim your innate resilience and instinct.
At its heart, rewilding is a powerful concept from the world of ecology – a process of rebuilding and restoring an ecosystem to its natural, wilder state after a major human disturbance so it’s fully functioning and self-sustaining. It’s the antidote to an overly controlled, managed or damaged system.
A classic example of this is the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s. This wasn't just about the wolves; it was about understanding how a missing piece could impact an entire ecosystem. Their return reduced overgrazing by elk, which led to the regeneration of trees and vegetation, which in turn stabilized soil and even altered the course of rivers. This one act of bringing back a primary ecosystem element was vital in rewilding an entire landscape.
More recently, during the height of the pandemic lockdowns, it was reported that the unexpected pause from constant human activity and intervention in the largest cities gave nature an opportunity to roam beyond its usual boundaries. There were observations of reduced pollution, visible wildlife and increased bird activity as we all tried to find a new kind of equilibrium.
These examples demonstrate that when we step back, something remarkable can happen. Just as a wild ecosystem bounces back from disruption, we too can build an inner landscape that can adapt, thrive and find balance without constant external direction. This is where the idea of rewilding our lives becomes so intriguing. It's about consciously choosing to reconnect with the more natural, intuitive and untamed aspects of ourselves.
So how does this impact what you may be experiencing? Midlife can often bring a sense of stagnation and repetitiveness. Just like an ecosystem can become depleted through overuse, your personal landscape can lose its natural vitality. You may even find yourself with some deep questions like “Is this all there is?” or “What’s my true purpose?”
Rewilding your midlife is about welcoming these whispers and shedding any external expectations that may have held you back. It’s a process of returning to a more intrinsic state, one that recognizes that life is dynamic and constantly changing. By welcoming the natural flow of life, you can find a new kind of freedom.
Most importantly, it’s about connecting to the wildness within you. Consider these three ideas on how you can start this process:
Replacing predictability with possibility: Possibility begins in the realm of discovery and exploration – like a door opening to a new realm. Keep a running list of things that sparks your curiosity. This will help you pay attention to moments that unexpectedly capture your attention—an observation in nature, something that emotionally moves you like a poem or a song, or a documentary that makes you pause. Once you find a spark, ask yourself: “What’s the smallest, most playful step I could take to explore this further?”
Reclaiming your self-agency and innate wisdom: Reflect on the times when you felt most alive. Perhaps you traveled to another country or tried skydiving or witnessed the birth of your child. Think about the qualities of that experience and how it added to your resilience and self-reliance. This exercise isn't just about recalling a memory; it's about seeing what qualities were awakened in you at that moment. By reconnecting with those inherent strengths, you can begin to reclaim your true nature and embody the wisdom that has always been yours.
Finding rootedness and purpose: As you embark on your rewilding journey, it's helpful to have a personal anchor—and nature is the perfect place to find one. You don't have to spend hours in the wild, but selecting an outdoor setting where you can sit and be present will be helpful. You'll find that by returning to this place repeatedly, you’ll create a space for quiet reflection and connect with your innate primal instincts. This simple, consistent act allows you to navigate transitions with resilience and confidence and step into new roles that only the rewilded you can fill.
This entire process is an adaptive one, dependent on monitoring and feedback. It's about paying attention to your own signals. When you feel a sense of discomfort or malaise, recognize it as a sign that your personal landscape is in need of change.
Just as a forest heals and finds balance when given the chance, so can you. By reintroducing those "key species"—like that curious, intuitive, or playful part of you that got buried—you can restore your own natural processes and build an inner landscape that can adapt and thrive.
In the previous article, I suggested that you learn about the land you’re living on and notice the flora, fauna, and animals that inhabit it. Today’s “Try This” exercise will help you deepen that connection to the land, in the comfort of your own kitchen.
This rewilding practice was inspired by one of my favorite scenes from the movie Sideways, where the main character, Miles, meets a woman, Maya, who shares his passion for wine. As they enjoy a glass and get to know each other, Maya explains how she likes to think of wine as a living thing, imagining what was happening in the fields when the grapes were picked. Who tended the soil? What was the weather like on the day of the harvest? She imagines that wine as an evolving, complex life, including its peak and eventual decline. This deep connection with the wine’s life arc adds to her understanding and enjoyment as she sips.
In this spirit, I invite you to choose a meal and imagine where the ingredients were sourced. For example, as I sip my morning coffee, I may envision where the beans were grown. I can visualize rows of plants in dry soil with coffee cherries being ripened by the hot sun. I can go deep on the weather and hard physical work of those who plant, tend and harvest the crop. There are those who process and package the beans, along with traders, exporters, buyers, transporters, roasters, marketers and retailers.
Just reflecting on this complex supply chain ecosystem that includes nature and humans is enough to bring a healthy dose of gratitude to your morning cup of joe. By taking this type of imaginative journey, you’re not just consuming food, you’re connecting with the earth’s natural processes and the intricate web of life that sustains you. It’s hard not to feel blessed after this simple reflection.
As we conclude, I hope you feel that the work we've started is a vital step toward reclaiming your innate resilience and instinct. Play with these concepts and have fun exploring.
Your midlife discomfort may feel like an ending, and in a way it is – like a final chapter to a life that no longer fits. But it’s also an important signal. By reconnecting with the wildness within, you have the power to instinctually navigate any transition with a deep sense of resilience.
And as you begin practicing this way of living, you'll find that you can move through the natural ebbs and flows of your own life's seasons with clarity and purpose—a topic we'll explore in-depth in our next article.
Journal Reflections: What are the lost “key species” in your life? What are the qualities of your aliveness? How can you reintroduce them into your life today?
Links:
Free PDF: Outdoor Wellness Integration Checklist
YouTube: The Athena Wellness Channel
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Email Kathy: hello@athenawellness.com