Your beliefs are changing. You are not.

When the belief system I'd held since childhood began to collapse under the weight of questions I could no longer ignore, I didn't just lose a religion. I lost the lens through which I'd interpreted everything about myself and the world. I lost the community that had organized my social life for decades. I lost the framework that told me what was right, what was true, and who I was supposed to be.

Is it a midlife crisis or identity crisis? When life feels chaotic in your 40s or 50s, the label matters less than understanding what's actually happening. Learn the real difference between midlife crisis and identity crisis, why both point to the same underlying experience, and practical tools for navigating major life transitions at any age.

Loss has a way of stripping away who you thought you were. When my marriage ended after almost 25 years, I didn't just lose a relationship—I lost the version of myself that existed in that relationship. When I was let go from the ministry leadership position I'd held for a decade, I didn't just lose a job—I lost the professional identity that had organized my days and defined my mission.

Looking back, I can see that the worst points in my adult life came after losing roles I'd tied my identity to. The end of my marriage felt like I'd failed as a person. Being let go from a job felt like I'd failed as a person. Losing a role felt like losing my sense of self.

Think about the last time someone half your age had to explain technology or a new saying to you. Did you feel defensive irritation, or a need to tell them how things "used to be"? That reaction feels like protecting your competence, but what if it's actually defending assumptions you inherited simply by being born when you were?

Struggling with mental loops that feel productive but go nowhere? Learn why awareness—your direct connection to present reality—offers a powerful alternative to repetitive thinking patterns that consume energy without creating change. Discover practical ways to shift from reactive mental habits to present-moment clarity.

Ever catch yourself thinking, 'My life would be better if those people would just change'? It's easy to point fingers when life gets hard. But when you make your happiness depend on changing other people, you've just given them control over how you feel. Learn practical steps to focus on what you can actually influence during major life transitions instead of staying stuck in blame patterns.

Major life changes can make you feel like you've lost yourself completely. When your job ends or your marriage falls apart, it feels like your identity disappears too. But here's the truth: your circumstances and your identity are different things. Learn what actually stays constant when everything else shifts.