Feeling Everything and Nothing: How to Navigate Midlife Emotions
One moment, you’re fine. The next, you’re in tears because you can’t find your car keys. Or you’re suddenly furious at the way someone chews. Or you feel nothing—disconnected from the world, as if you’re watching your life from the outside.
If you’re somewhere in the middle of life, chances are you’ve Googled things like:
Why am I feeling so emotional in midlife?
Why do I feel numb and disconnected?
Why am I crying over nothing?
Why am I suddenly so angry?
Welcome to midlife emotions. They are real. They are complicated. And they are absolutely worth paying attention to.
Why Midlife Feels Like an Emotional Rollercoaster
Midlife isn’t just a chapter—it’s an entire genre of feelings. This stage of life brings with it shifts in hormones, identity, responsibilities, and relationships. It’s a time of reevaluation, a moment where what once felt certain can suddenly feel shaky. And all of this shows up in our emotions.
Here’s what you need to know about emotions in midlife:
1. Your Emotions Are Not Random (Even If They Feel That Way)
If you’re feeling more emotional—or even less emotional—than usual, there’s a reason. Midlife is full of hormonal shifts (hello, perimenopause), life transitions, and deep-seated reflections on who you are and where you’re headed. Your emotions are responding to these changes, not appearing out of nowhere.
2. It’s Not Just Hormones—It’s Identity, Too
Yes, perimenopause and hormonal changes can impact emotions, but midlife is also a time of identity shifts. You might be reassessing your career, your relationships, your purpose. This kind of deep questioning can bring up feelings of uncertainty, grief, or even restlessness.
3. You Might Feel More Everything or More Nothing
Some people describe midlife as feeling emotionally raw, like everything is too much. Others describe it as feeling emotionally disconnected, like they’re floating outside their own lives. Both experiences are valid. Neither means something is wrong with you.
4. Anger and Grief Are Common (Even If You’re Not Sure Why)
Midlife has a way of unearthing unprocessed emotions. You might feel anger at things you once tolerated. You might grieve past versions of yourself, old dreams, or relationships that no longer feel aligned. These emotions aren’t here to derail you—they’re here to show you what matters.
5. You Don’t Have to “Fix” Your Emotions—You Need to Understand Them
Midlife is not about erasing difficult emotions; it’s about making space for them. The goal isn’t to feel happy all the time but to better understand why you feel what you feel, and what those emotions might be asking of you.
So, How Do You Navigate This Emotional Terrain?
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. There are practical ways to move through this:
Journaling or Co-Journaling: Writing down your thoughts can help untangle emotions and bring clarity. Sharing reflections with a trusted friend can add an extra layer of insight.
Moving Your Body: Emotions aren’t just thoughts in your head—they live in your body, too. Gentle movement, walking, or even stretching can help process feelings.
Talking It Through: Whether it’s with a coach, therapist, or friend, speaking emotions out loud helps release their intensity.
Letting Go of the ‘Shoulds’: Midlife is a time to stop carrying expectations that no longer serve you. Feel what you feel, without judgment.
How Emotions Coaching Can Help
If you feel like midlife emotions are overwhelming, confusing, or leaving you feeling stuck, emotions coaching can offer a way through.
Here’s how it can help:
It gives you space to explore and understand your emotions. Instead of pushing emotions away or feeling lost in them, you’ll learn to get curious about what they’re telling you.
It helps you work through emotional blockers. Maybe it’s self-doubt, fear, or guilt that’s holding you back. Coaching helps you recognize and navigate what’s keeping you stuck.
It deepens your relationship with specific emotions. Whether it’s anger, anxiety, or joy, coaching helps you understand how emotions impact different aspects of your life.
It supports you in midlife and perimenopause. This is a stage of profound change, and coaching helps you navigate the emotions that come with it, rather than feeling at their mercy.
It acknowledges that wellbeing is messy and imperfect. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need a way to move through this chapter with more understanding, more ease, and more self-compassion.
Ready to Feel More Grounded in Your Emotions?
Midlife emotions don’t have to be something you battle against. They can be something you work with. If you’d like support in making sense of them, our emotions coaching sessions can help.
Find Out More About Emotions Coaching Here.
If you’re local to Bath, check our Events Page for in-person midlife emotions coaching at either the Somerset Rooms or SoulSpa.
