Midlife Musings June
Life Lately, Showing Up, Ask A Therapist, Offerings
Welcome to your June edition of Midlife Musings!
I’m delighted to be back in your inbox with this month’s blend of insight and encouragement. This edition is designed to inspire your midyear. So I invite you to carve out a little time for it. Light a candle, make a cup of iced tea (my obsession), and settle in.
Inside this month’s edition, you’ll find:
Life Lately — A peek into my world and current inspirations
Reflections on Taking the Stage — Putting ourselves out there
Ask A Therapist Q&A — Pursuing those midlife dreams
Offerings — Support for your midlife journey
Substack Lives —Mini Midyear Reset for paid subscribers & Coterinas today. Travel, Transformation, and the Art of Midlife with Sacha Cohen on June 18.
As shared in this welcome post, each month I offer reflections tailored to this stage of life plus weekly episodes of Tranquility du Jour Season 2 which wraps on my 52nd birthday, June 30!
Looking for even more support? The paid subscription is overflowing with multimedia resources! Here’s what current paid subscribers are saying:
Now let’s begin. Take a deep breath, open your heart, and join me for our 17th edition.
PS I hope you enjoyed your previous Midlife Musings newsletters and have a chance to peruse additional posts waiting for you here, too.
Life Lately: A Peek Inside
Please join me in taking a pause to consider your own life lately: highlights, observations, and challenges.
What I’m working on:
Fine-tuning my ballet solo with extra rehearsals and mental run-throughs on walks, in bed, and everywhere in between
Ongoing healing journey: acupuncture, therapy, PT, journaling, rest, cortisone shots, anti-inflammatories, MRIs
A “52 Things I’ve Learned by 52” post and our Season 2 finale releasing on June 30
What I’m loving:
Early evening strolls with hydrangeas in bloom
Paris dreaming (I have news to share on Wednesday’s Substack Live. Join us!)
My new built-in cabinet and closet adding charm and storage to my tiny condo (IG reel here)
What I’m consuming:
Nectarines = love!
Watching And Just Like That (I know, I know)
Read A Life of One’s Own by Joanna Biggs and Dear Writer by Maggie Smith
Reading The French Ingredient by Jane Bertch and Everything I Wish I Could Tell You About Midlife by Mikala Albertson, MD
Sorbetto from our local gelato shop
What I’m wearing:
Flowing skirts and wrap tops for rehearsal days—easy, elegant, and dance-ready
Ballet pink nail polish (a nod to pointe shoes)
Comfy-chic pieces from my capsule wardrobe—breathable bamboo, ballet flats, and palazzo pants
What I’m noticing:
That tiny steps toward what we love matter more than perfect timing
The beauty of becoming, even when it’s messy
That courage doesn’t always feel bold—it often feels like showing up quietly, again and again
Here’s a peek at my May in Review.
Now, your turn. What are you working on, loving, consuming, wearing, and noticing? Spend some time with your journal and check in. Your soul will thank you!
Taking the Stage
Reflections on putting ourselves out there.
In just a few days, I’ll step into this ballet costume, pin my hair into a bun, and walk into the wings of a stage to perform a solo I’ve been rehearsing for seven months.
I’m not a professional dancer. I didn’t spend time at the barre beyond junior high. I spent 20 years glued to a yoga mat. I’ve had hip surgeries. And yet, here I am—at 51—choosing to perform at an international adult ballet festival for the fourth year.
Why?
Because I believe in showing up for the things that make us feel alive.
That moment before the music begins—when my heart races and I want to run back into the shadows—is where the magic lives. It's the edge of becoming. And whether I wobble or soar, it’s in that first step that I reclaim a piece of myself.
Putting yourself out there is never comfortable. But it is transformational.
We’re led to believe that midlife is a time to slow down, to stay safe, to settle. But what if it’s actually a time to rise? To risk? To rediscover the courage we had in our twenties, tempered by the wisdom we’ve gathered since?
This isn’t just about ballet. It’s about your stage—whatever that may be.
Maybe it’s…
Submitting that writing piece you’ve been hiding in your journal
Signing up for a painting class even though you feel “out of practice”
Launching the podcast or Substack that’s been on your heart
Applying for the job, the grant, the artist residency
Saying yes to something that scares and excites you in equal measure
Putting yourself out there doesn’t mean being fearless. It means being willing.
It means trusting that your voice, your presence, your expression is worthy. That you don’t need permission or perfection. You just need a bit of nerve, a sprinkle of moxie, and maybe even a good playlist.
💗 A Midlife Prompt:
What “stage” is calling you—and what might open up if you stepped onto it?
Remember, the stage isn’t reserved for the young or the flawless. It’s for the curious, the courageous, the becoming. It’s for you.
With grace, grit, and a touch of sparkle,
Kimberly
PS I’ll be sharing peeks from the ballet festival and behind-the-scenes reflections on what it feels like to dance in midlife. Follow along over on Instagram. And if you're on the edge of your own next step, I’m cheering wildly from the wings.
Ask A Therapist: Pursuing Dreams
Q: Is it too late to pursue a dream in midlife?
A: Absolutely not. In fact, midlife can be the perfect time!
You’ve gathered wisdom. You’ve weathered storms. You know yourself better than ever. That dream you’ve quietly carried? It’s not silly. It’s not selfish. It’s sacred!
Maybe it’s writing a memoir, learning watercolor, designing a dress, or living part-time in Paris (ahem). Whatever it is, give yourself permission to begin. Not all dreams require giant leaps. Often they start with a single brave step (like mine onto the stage soon).
And remember, your timeline is not too late! It’s right on time.
3 Tips for Midlife Dream-Chasing:
✨ Start Small + Stay Consistent.
Set a tiny, doable goal (15 mins a day!) that brings you closer to your dream. Tiny steps compound into transformation.
✨ Let Go of Perfection.
You don’t need to be the best—just willing to begin. Progress, not polish, is the path to fulfillment.
✨ Surround Yourself with Support.
Share your dream with a trusted friend, coach, or community. Being witnessed fuels momentum and accountability.
I like to think of midlife as a calling. What dream is asking you for attention right now?
PS You may also enjoy this Tea with Kimberly video on taking the stage.
Offerings
A variety of offerings to nourish your soul
Substack Live THIS Wednesay at noon ET! Join writers and Francophiles Sacha of A Good Vintage and me for a heartfelt conversation exploring how travel, introspection, and intentional living can shape our midlife journey. Plus, I have a fun announcement!
Doors open this summer! Save your spot on the Coterie waitlist and get immediate access to a 30-days of Tranquility challenge.
You're invited to a nourishing hour of midyear inspiration on Sunday, July 6 at 7 pm ET to help you reconnect with what matters most in this season of life. Save your spot here.
Digital Courses to nourish your midlife soul—explore the 5 TDJ Tenets, infuse your days with Parisian flair (no matter where you live), discover tools to support your mental health, and journey through Year of Tranquility with weekly lessons designed to inspire balance and beauty.
How I Can Support You
Subscribe to my Private Substack Collection
Shop tees and bags (Midlife is the new black tee shown below)
About Me
Hi, I’m Kimberly! I’m a psychotherapist in Washington, DC, author of seven lifestyle books (the next one’s all about midlife), and host of the Tranquility Coterie. I’m smitten with my 50s, ballet, pigs, pugs, and orangutans (a curious combo, but true!). I help women cultivate more balance, beauty, and tranquility in the second half of life. More at kimberlywilson.com and @tranquilitydujour.
With every offering, a portion is donated to Pigs & Pugs Project, Borneo Orangutan Survival, and 1% for the Planet. Thank you for being part of the impact!
I feel so blessed to have so many examples of women around me pursuing things for the first time in midlife...especially you, my dear! 🩷
J’adore the photo of you in your ballet costume!