FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®: REFLECT ON YOUR FRIENDSHIPS

In the past 4 episodes, we've explored different facets of friendship in midlife—meeting new friends, being a valued friend, navigating disagreements, and celebrating the women who matter most.

In this episode, I invite you to pause and reflect. Inside are three thoughtful prompts to help you check in with your current friendships, notice where you feel most connected, and explore where you might want to shift your energy moving forward.

⏲️Find the prompts starting at 01:11.

This is your gentle nudge to reflect, realign, and continue nurturing the meaningful connections that bring joy and depth to your life.

xo Karli

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📩 Got thoughts? Email me at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com.

💻 Explore ELEVATE, my membership for women in midlife and beyond, and get your first month for $10: https://www.flipsideofmidlife.com/elevate-membership

📧 Join my free email list at https://karli-newman.myflodesk.com/podcast-link-2025

🌐 Visit my website flipsideofmidlife.com 

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Chapters

• 0:00 FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®: REFLECT ON YOUR FRIENDSHIPS
• 1:11 Marker

Transcript

FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®: REFLECT ON YOUR FRIENDSHIPS

​In midlife and beyond, our friendships continue to enrich our lives. They provide a space to share and understand the unfamiliar things happening with our bodies. They help us get through difficult life events. They fill a deep need for human connection. 

We also form habits and routines within our friendships that can lead to complacency. Keep listening for prompts that help you reflect on your friendships, and to hear my recent realizations about my friendships in midlife and beyond. 

{MUSIC INTRO}

Welcome to FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®. I'm Karli Newman, your favorite GenX dealer of positive vibes and life and wellness coach for women in midlife and beyond.

Thanks for being here with me.  

The past four episodes of FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE® explored friendship from different angles- how to make new friends, what it means to be a valued friend, how to handle disagreements with a friend, and the importance of celebrating your friendships. 

Now, I encourage you to pause to reflect on it all.

Here are three prompts to help you notice how you feel about your friendships and where you might want to make some shifts as you move forward.

TIME MARKER 01:11

Prompt number one, in which friendships do you feel most authentically yourself? And why?

Prompt number two, what qualities do you appreciate most in your closest friendships? 

And prompt number three, what is one intentional step you can take in the next month to nurture and grow your friendships?

Use these prompts to illuminate the elements to look for as you form new friendships, notice how to deepen your existing friendships, and prioritize friendship in your life. 

For me, female friendships have ebbed and flowed throughout my seasons of life.

I have close girlfriendships that have lasted since childhood, others formed in high school and college, and some throughout my various professional experiences. I've also had friendships that were present in my life for a few months or years, but we are no longer in touch. Our lives shifted and no longer aligned.

I'm grateful for all of it.

I find midlife and beyond a season of building new female friendships. I also have an increased capacity to nurture my existing friendships. Fostering and deepening my social connections with women feels very important to me right now. 

No longer do I refrain from complimenting another woman when one comes to mind. I notice I'm more patient and understanding of differences, focusing instead on what we share. It's easier to sit back and allow space when it's needed in a friendship. I am a better listener. 

Essentially, my life experience has shown me how much I gain from being curious in a friendship, and how it pays off to approach my friend, and myself, with love and kindness.

I've learned to release expectations and be in the moment within a friendship.  

One of my favorite things about female friendships in midlife and beyond is to be 100% authentically me and provide enough space for her to be her true self. By doing this, I've been inspired and stretched my capacity for true friendship.

It is a beautiful experience to compare notes on the unfamiliar things happening with our bodies. It is meaningful to help each other through difficult life events. The friendships we form now, in this season of life, will continue to impact us for years to come.

If you crave genuine connection and want to adopt a positive midlife and beyond mindset, I invite you to join ELEVATE, my monthly membership designed specifically for women in midlife and beyond. Inside ELEVATE is a private community, relevant tools like prompts and affirmations, and monthly virtual gatherings, all created to help you nurture positive connections, expand your confidence, embrace your authentic self, and love this chapter of life.

Visit the link in the show notes or transcript to learn more about ELEVATE and get your first month for only $10. You belong here, my friend.

I'd love to know what came up for you as you worked through these prompts. If it feels right, share your thoughts with me at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com. 

Thank you for listening, my friend. As always, I'm here cheering you on as you travel through midlife and beyond.

I'll be back next Wednesday with another episode of FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®. 

Until then, enjoy reflecting on your friendships. 

{MUSIC OUTRO}