Diversity Rules Magazine

As a Therapist, Educator and Posi ve Living Expert, Diane has dedicated her career to help- ing people turn their lives around and is now on a mission to help them develop a sustainable posi ve a tude that can actually turn one into an op mist, literally. Through her three books, "Crea ng Bal- ance & Finding Happi- ness", "Baby Steps: the Path from Motherhood to Career" and " Mind- fully Happy- waking up to life." Diane has been speaking and empowering people na onwide. She is also an Adjunct in Psychology at Mont- clair State University, where her college work includes mentoring students for personal issue advisement. As an expert in her fields of therapy, Lang has been featured in the Daily Record, Family Circle, Family Magazine, Working Mother Magazine and Cookie Magazine, seen on NJ 12 TV, Good day CT, Style CT, The Veira Network, CBS TV and "Fox & Friends". She has also par cipated in a reality based Internet show, ourprisoner.com, hosted Genera on X- net. The label midlife can mean something different for all of us. For many, it brings up images of our parents in Midlife, which isn't the same vision we have for ourselves in 2023. Midlife is a chapter only you can define. For me, Midlife brings up feelings of restlessness where I find myself pacing at night, ques oning what's next, looking for signs, and feeling a deep sense of emp ness. If I sum up Midlife, it's a shit show, a hot mess! Midlife feels like it's filled with chaos and trying to do everything you should have done or wanted to do but didn't due to circumstanc- es or fear. It's a mad rush to be the person you always wanted to be. Midlife is a beast that comes headfirst into your life. You know it's coming, but no amount of prepara on is enough for what you go through physically and emo onally. It brings with it: hormone changes, moodiness, weight gain, hot flashes, and insomnia. You wake up to find more gray hair and new wrinkles. You start to no ce the solitude in your house, and that causes a mix of peace and loneliness. You look at your spouse, who you have been co-paren ng with for years, and wonder who you are. It's been over 20 years since we had a date, and we didn't talk about the kids. It's the unknown world. On the other hand, Midlife is about bravery (doing the uncomfortable things), stepping out of your com- fort zone and taking risks, and feeling the fear but doing it anyway. If I don't do it now, then when? It is making a choice to choose bravery and awkwardness instead of fear. You feel a sense of newfound confidence that only comes with me and age. The wisdom that can only come with experience. The empathy and resilience you have developed through surviving and thriving. The growth one gets when they have setbacks, mis- takes, and failures. Midlife is a roller coaster ride. The mix of messiness and bravery is not for the faint of heart. What if we stayed in the restlessness, the unknown, and stopped trying to figure it out and Midlife - Con't on page 16 Who Am I? Finding Myself in Midlife By Diane Lang Diversity Rules Magazine| Mar 2023 | 13

• Cover