You have to create the life you want...
I can't count how many people have said to me, "I wish I had the courage to do that!"
I've written many articles on change, adapting, and creating a fulfilling life while still managing responsibilities such as raising children, paying bills, and handling all the "boring" tasks. Taking a mid-life break can be a perfect way to stay happy, maintain a marriage, and nurture your passion.
In today's fast-paced world, it's becoming increasingly important to take a step back and reassess our lives and priorities. This period provides an opportunity for rejuvenation, exploration, reevaluation of life goals, establishing boundaries, and getting to know yourself—the most essential ingredients for a creative and fulfilling life.
While many people dream of taking time off mid-career, few actually do. However, the number of individuals taking lengthy sabbaticals later in life is on the rise (so I hear). I hope companies will start offering sabbaticals to their employees (hint hint to any CEO who has taken time out to read my blog!).
Leaving my art career and closing the Sophie Mill School of Art (for a year or two) to work as a flight attendant may have impacted my career, but I realized that I couldn't keep giving endlessly without taking a break. Creativity does not flow from an endless source.
On June 28, 2025, I began painting again on my mother's birthday, two and a half years after her passing. I truly believed I would never be able to paint again; grief consumed me. My grandmother used to say that time takes care of things. While I still get teary at times, I have learned to laugh, enjoy life, and paint once more.
The commissioned art piece required me to paint an outdoor bar area, and the requirements were quite strict: use only two colors, balanced, structural, abstract, but not chaotic, and complement the landscaped garden. I thought to myself, "Okay, I can do this!"
My feelings have changed since I started painting again. I signed a year-long contract to work as a flight attendant, which will end in October 2025. At the age of 57, I plan to embrace another change. This year has taught me that just because I made a significant change in my life once, it doesn't mean I have to remain in that position!
I made all these changes because of Elizabeth Gilbert's words in her memoir, "Eat, Pray, Love": “It’s an honor to be in grief. It’s an honor to feel that much, to have loved that much.” I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has come before me—those who have written quotes, books, created podcasts, and delivered TED Talks. Without their words of wisdom, I might still be stuck in the same situation, crying myself to sleep.
So..... the moral of this story is, 'Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. Lao Tzu.
Until the next time, keep well and healthy.
Kind thoughts, Sophie Mill