In midlife, you can face it head on or plant yourself in a rocking chair on the front porch with a quilt across your legs and a cat on your lap. Which would you choose?
You wanna know what midlife looks like?
Gwyneth Jain-Legener
The natural and normal transition of maturing known as midlife can leave many women feeling discontent and confused. This rite of passage comes with its own set of challenges that can be overwhelming for some. Gwyneth Jain-Legener is a “rare bird” who takes on life and its sometimes unexpected terms and has not faced any major challenges which she has had to overcome.
At almost 50 (she reaches that milestone this May), Gwyneth, who works in sales support, is a woman who is not defined by what she does for a living. “I like my job but it doesn’t define who I am. It’s simply a means to an end.”
While she works hard and takes pride in a job well done, catch her outside of her regular 9-to-5 grind, peel back the layers and you begin to uncover the real Gwyneth. She embraces her golden moments of leisure and puts every minute to good use. There’s practically nothing about midlife that slows Gwyneth down and it’s unlikely that a single blade of grass will grow under her feet. On the off chance that it does, she’s bound to stomp it into submission as she’s running—literally—from one activity to another.
“I run. In fact, this is my first year to run the Atlanta Peachtree Road Race—a 10k run.”
When Gwyneth pounds the pavement this July 4th at the Peachtree Road Race, she’ll likely be zipping about in her barefoot running shoes (think gloves for feet…). While her feet may transport her across a variety of terrains, Gwyneth also eases through life with another, sleeker mode of transportation: on a motorcycle. She rides with her husband of six years, Jim (yes, new love can be found in midlife) … on her own bike. She’s also actively involved in the GA Peaches Chapter of Women in the Wind, a group that brings together women motorcyclists to help promote a positive image of women on motorcycles. The group, which has over 90 chapters in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Great Britain, not only rides together, they also participate in fundraisers, charity events and more.
Gwyneth plans to start a blog soon about the motorcycle trips she and Jim will be taking. In it, she’ll share stories and musings about their short rides, getting lost, how to pack for a week-long trip and the like. While not a motorcycle enthusiast, I nevertheless look forward to this bird’s eye view of the open road.
If that weren’t nearly enough, Gwyneth also takes boxing lessons, occasionally practices yoga and is mom to three German Shepherds—Sophie, Maggie and Churchill. Even with all of that excitement buzzing around her life, Gwyneth does find the time to put on the brakes and slow down. In her quiet moments of relaxation, she can be found acting on one of her impulsive urges, knitting, while enjoying her cocktail of choice, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. However, when the rigors of life grate on her last good nerve and her stress-o-meter reads 9.9, she turns to a double lemontini to smooth out the bumps of the day.
An empty nester, Gwyneth is the mother of two children—a 25-year old daughter and a son who turns 21 in August. The process of transitioning from a full house to an empty one was a gradual process for Gwyneth. She and her ex-husband never subscribed to formal weekend visits. The children were able to spend time with either parent whenever they wanted. Now that it’s just Gwyneth and her husband, life takes on a new dynamic.
Asked if she is happy with the woman that she has become in midlife, Gwyneth’s candidness also serves as sage advice to women who have yet to reach midlife. “Yes, I’m happy. I’m more comfortable in my skin than I was say 20 years ago. I no longer worry what others think and I am simply myself.”
The quiet but effective message here is to embrace the woman that you become as you grow older. This seems in stark contrast to women who go about reinventing themselves. Not so with Gwyneth who, in acquiescing the woman that she has become, has no need to make herself over…she simply grows with her life.
“No reinvention here, just the ongoing process of life and the process of self-acceptance.”
Gwyneth has this advice for women approaching or in midlife who find the journey difficult to navigate:
“Keep a part of the child alive in you to discover new things. I started boxing at 48, bought my first motorcycle at 49 and will run my first 10K at 50. Don’t ever think you are too old to begin a new chapter in your life.”
It’s not reinvention – it’s discovering her true self.
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Enthusiastic. Active. Wise. Wife. Mother. Selfless.
This is Gwyneth. She faces life head-on and, if necessary, will beat it to a pulp.
When it comes to Gwyneth Jain-Legener, this is what midlife looks like.
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If you believe you or someone you know should be featured in “This is What Midlife Looks Like,” please don’t hesitate to contact me and let me know.
