THE MIDLIFE AWAKENING: ‘WHY I LEFT MY CAREER AT 45’
By Emma Lagerlow
I used to sit at my kitchen bench at the end of a long day, when the chores were finally done and the house had gone quiet, wondering if this was just what life was going to be now. I had the career. I had the family. From the outside, it looked like I was ticking all the boxes of success.
I’d worked in finance and marketing for over 25 years, raising four kids alongside it all. But on the inside, something felt deeply out of sync. I was secretly wanting more, which often led to resentment and reactivity towards the people I loved most. Then came 2020.
When the world paused, so did I. The pandemic collided with the early stages of menopause, remote work, and the chaos of homeschooling teens. It was overwhelming in every sense, but in that forced stillness, a light cracked through. For the first time in decades, I had space to reflect and ask a question I had long avoided: What do I really want? That question uncovered another: Who am I, really? And that moment sparked a transformation I never saw coming.
At 45, I walked away from the career I’d spent my adult life building. I let go of corporate stability and stepped into the unknown. What emerged wasn’t just a new career path, it was a new way of living. I became a coach, an author, a podcast host. But more than anything, I became myself again. Before I could fully reconnect, I had to grapple with life’s next big question: How do I get what I really want?
The Midlife Awakening No One Warns You About
Midlife is often portrayed as a crisis, but for me, it became an awakening. The hormonal shifts of perimenopause were real. My energy fluctuated, sleep became elusive, emotions surged. But those same shifts cracked me open and brought forward confidence, clarity, and strength. As I navigated the intensity of raising teenagers, each with their own challenges, I realised how many women lose themselves in service to others. We carry the weight of nurturing everyone around us, often forgetting to nurture ourselves. Somewhere in the blur of motherhood, career, and expectations, I had lost connection to my own desires. That realisation was the wake-up call I needed.
From Chaos to Calm
Change didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a slow, unfolding journey of letting go and learning to listen to the quiet voice within. I invested in coaching, training, and inner work. I learned to meditate. I journalled, wrote blog posts, cried, rested. Eventually, I felt gratitude, and I healed. Writing a book was part of that healing. It wasn’t about money. It was about redefining what wealth truly means. For me, wealth now includes time to walk barefoot on the beach, the freedom to work on my terms, and the joy of peaceful, present connection with the people I love. I used to believe my worth was in my productivity and I wore busyness as a badge of honour. Now, I know it lives in my intention and presence.
It’s Not Too Late, It’s Just the Beginning
We often tell ourselves that change is for the brave or the lucky. That once we’ve walked a certain path, it’s too late to turn around. But I’m here to remind you: it’s never too late. Midlife isn’t the end of your story. It’s a powerful chapter, one where you get to edit, rewrite, and realign. You get to ask: Is this still right for me? And you get to choose again. Since making this shift, my life isn’t perfect, but it is aligned. I prioritise my wellbeing. I surround myself with people who lift me up. I’ve created work that lights me up from the inside.
Today, I coach women who are standing at their own turning point, ready to stop settling and start living in alignment. I share tools for navigating change with grace, for finding calm in chaos, and for reconnecting with a deeper sense of self-worth. So, if you’ve ever sat at your own kitchen bench wondering if there’s more, let this be your sign. It’s not too late. In fact, it might just be the perfect time.
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE WORDS
Emma Lagerlow is a wealth and mindset coach, author of Worthy & Wealthy: Discovering Abundance and Fulfilment Beyond Money, and host of the podcast It’s a Mindset. She helps women redefine success on their own terms and create lives that feel as good as they look.
MUSE PAPER
ISSUE 06