The Butterfly Journal

Stories of transformation, travel, and becoming.

A Call to Adventure: My Midlife Journey of Transformation

menopause & mindset midlife transformation retreat reflections tools & resources travel stories Jan 01, 2025

Standing in a tiny boulangerie in France at just 11 years old, I felt a spark of independence ignite within me.

I mustered all the courage I had to order a baguette in French. The thrill of being understood, of stepping into a world so different from my own, filled me with a joy I couldn’t quite explain.

Little did I know, that tiny spark would grow into a lifelong love affair with travel—a passion that would one day become the foundation for my personal and professional transformation.

By my teens, I found myself on a Mediterranean school tour, standing at the helm of a cruise ship, feeling the first waves of true freedom. The Acropolis in Greece. The sacred stones of Jerusalem. Archaeological sites in Crete. My worldview expanded, and I realised something powerful: life could be more than the roles and routines we’re handed.

In my 20s, I threw myself into the world—living, working, and learning across cultures. In my 30s, life shifted again: career demands, emigration to Australia, and the incredible journey of motherhood. But change was never far away.

Then came menopause.

That transition hit me harder than expected. My son was preparing to leave home, I felt exhausted by work, and most of all—I had lost the thread of me.

Who was I outside of the roles I’d spent decades perfecting?

I didn’t know the answers. But I knew where to look.

So, I took a sabbatical, packed a bag, and boarded a flight. Travel became my sanctuary, my mirror, my teacher. From Japanese forests to Vietnamese mountains, Indian temples to Bornean reefs—I walked, wandered, reflected, and healed.

Each journey peeled away layers of fear, doubt, and expectation. I wasn’t returning to the woman I once was—I was discovering a new version entirely.

And that’s when it hit me:

Midlife isn’t a crisis. It’s a calling.

A call to adventure. A rite of passage. A powerful moment to pause, pivot, and rewrite the story.

So, if you’re standing at your own crossroads—wondering what’s next—know this:

✨ It’s never too late to dream again.
✨ The next chapter is yours to shape.
✨ And your journey can begin with just one small, courageous step.

This is your call to adventure. Will you answer it?

 

 

Ready to explore how travel can help you reinvent your next chapter?
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