Do you sometimes feel that Life is a Circus and you are the Ring Master?
I recently wrote this guest post about my midlife circus for a lovely Australian blogger whom I met through a blogger friend of hers via a Pinterest group. Her name is Sue of “Sizzling Towards Sixty & Beyond“. My post went live on her site last week, so I am re-posting it here on my blog in case you missed my mention of it on my Facebook page.
Please also visit Sue’s blog for the original posting of my submission and to see what Sue has to offer – You will find great content on her site, she has been blogging for a few years now and has been a great help and inspiration to me. You can link to Sue’s blog HERE.
Midlife Circus Ring Master
It has been said that “Life is a Circus”. And my mother always used to say, “life is a merry-go-round, hang on or you’ll fall off”. After living under the big top of life for almost 58 years now, I find myself wanting to become reacquainted with who I am and to take things more lightly as I ease into this next phase of the three-ring circus – becoming a very new over-50 blogger wanting to exercise my writing skills has been a real eyeopener. After just 12 weeks into this new adventure, the circus analogy came to me for thoughts and reflections on my own little sideshow that may connect with you as well.
Circus Ring #1
In my teens and early twenties, I was the star of the show — the Opening Act, as novice Ring Master. Even though parts of it felt like being shot out of a cannon, the excitement of youth and a thriving career helped build necessary skills to juggle the balls and twirl all of the plates of what was yet to come. We had technology in the workplace but left it behind at the end of the day. Simpler, unplugged times where we connected with each other in person in a more tangible way.
Circus Ring #2
Marriage came in my late 20s, with children in my early 30s, the Main Event. We made the decision that I would be a full-time mother, boom! I had never done any babysitting and had zero experience with babies. But, I joyfully transferred my work ethic into on-the-job training for motherhood. When our first daughter was born, it was a scary high-flying trapeze and walking a tightrope with full focus to make sure I did all of the right things — with no safety net, I wanted to figure it out on my own. I gradually gained my balance, but I missed my career, A LOT. There were a few small creative businesses that filled that void for a while then eventually ran their course.
Circus Ring #3
In the blink of an eye, the big brass band from the Main Event kept marching along until one day the tuba tooted its last note and the girls became adults and started their own lives. While simultaneously being impacted by the loss of dear parents, friends and beloved pets, I quickly realized that Tim and I were approaching the Grand Finale. Not in the sense of our final performance, LOL, but, in the sense that this is the biggest show of all where we still have a few more acts ahead of us!
Tim is still working and wants to put in his maximum time for retirement. I have chosen blogging as a creative mental engagement and writing outlet to connect with other 50-somethings who may have things in common with what I feel and describe. I also feel the need to stay current with technology and don’t want to feel like I am struggling to understand it or am falling behind in some way. Becoming a published author is also woven into all of this as well, in its own timing, a bucket list item.
The blogging learning curve was, and still is, steep at times for me. A different type of technology and language that I expected to click more quickly than it did. My blog is based on reinventing ourselves over 50. I realized that I could not re-create myself, so I had to reinvent what and who I wanted to be now, another Novice Ring Master. I offer frugal, wearable fashion and lifestyle inspiration that can suit the majority of body types and personalities who are looking for something refreshing and updated. “Find Your Flair, Be You” is my theme.
The Social Media Circus
Taking a high dive leap of faith, I dove headfirst into the world of blogging. Being discovered as a blogger online means offering helpful quality content that readers want and enjoy. Exposing the blog to gain these readers meant that my blog needed to engage with social media platforms. Quickly discovering that social media can be a circus all on its own, I put on my tall man stilts to view these arenas from a distance, trying to keep it in perspective.
There is kind of a noisy freak show happening online. Averting my eyes and sifting down to the useful things that don’t suck me into the elephant’s trunk have been useful, enjoyable and helpful.
Social media has also shown me how others choose to announce and express midlife. There are roars from the crowd shouting “rebellion”, “fierce”, “unshackled”, “warrior” and other phrases relative to being a female entering life over 50. If this works for some and it feels good, wonderful!
As for myself, I am more of a steady drive trying to keep it between the lines without too many clowns jumping out of the car at one time, LOL!
How is your circus going? I would love to hear about it, leave a comment!
I recently wrote another post about midlife that you may find of interest HERE.
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16 Comments
I just love your spirit! Great advice about diving head in. Seems your advice is about staying vital and living without fear. I needed to hear this today. Started doing some new stuff online and learning a new software was making my eye twitch! LOL
Hey, Teri! Hahahahaaaa! Well, the WordPress experience keeps me twitching all over, and I thought I was quite techy and current, NOT, ha! I actually cried a couple of times going through the learning curve, no help other than reading online until my head exploded. Still more to learn, but taking it easy because this is suppose to be “fun”. Thanks for visiting and for “getting me”, I always hope my humor and light sarcasm is taken in a fun way, there are never any hidden meanings in what I have to say. Trying to keep it light and live “inside out” whenever possible. Hope to see you again! 😀
Lori Jo
Life is a circus and blogging is its own circus as well. You have the three rings on writing content, promoting content and enjoying content from others. It’s a juggling act for sure. But a fun one!
So true, Jennifer! I am only about 3 months into this blogging world and calming it down to stay true to who I am. It can really consume and confuse if I am not careful. Like I said, a steady drive between the lines, ha! I am keeping it fun, helpful and genuine and I hope that shows. Thanks so much for visiting and commenting 😀
Lori Jo
Never would have thought of it this way but found myself nodding my head the whole way through. And I just love the pictures!
Hi, Karen! This post was so much fun to write and so many of us can relate. I turned 58 last week on the 17th, and I have to keep a light touch on looking back since the only option now is forward, right? Ha! I choose laughter whenever possible. I am still learning about blogging, but I am determined. I bought a backdrop and Canon quick shoot camera with timer and a tripod and take my own pictures — since my blog is about reinvention and fashion updates, I thought what the heck and dressed as a ring master, why not, ha! Thanks so much for visiting and commenting 😀
I’ve been ring mistress for 55 years of an ever changing circus! It’s never boring. Great post!
Hey, Margot! This post was so much fun to write and so many of us can relate. I turned 58 last week on the 17th, and I have to keep a light touch on looking back since the only option now is forward, right? Ha! All in our attitudes, I choose to laugh whenever possible and try to not stay down for too long. Thanks so much for visiting and commenting 😀
Lori Jo
Your analogy couldn’t be more perfect! Life is ever changing like it or not. We can enjoy the ride or not…I’m a little excited about ours right now! 🙂
Hey, Stacey! So good to see you, I’ve had a couple of busy weeks. This post was so much fun to write and so many of us can relate. I have to keep a light touch on looking back since the only option now is forward, right? Ha! All in our attitudes, I choose to laugh whenever possible and try to not stay down for too long. Thanks so much for visiting and commenting 😀
Love the circus analogy! I guess the moral of the story is to always be the ringleader! Great post Lori Jo
Hi, Diana! Glad you enjoyed the post – striving for balance, calm and quality things as I roll forward is my daily practice, I try 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting !
Lori Jo
“There is kind of a noisy freak show happening online.” Oh My Goodness! I laughed at loud and shook my head in agreement. But then I wonder, if all this social media had been around when I was a young mother, would I have taken part in it? What kind of blog or instagram would I have had?
Hi, Leah! Thanks so much for reading the post. I agree with you, would we have been enveloped in all of it as young moms? Back then, I did enjoy email and light “surfing” but didn’t live online. I have always leaned toward minimalism and not jumped on “the thing”. If not for my blog, I would not be on Instagram or Twitter, I see them as tools and a glimpse of what some dare to “expose”, and I say that in the literal sense, LOL. I was content with Facebook, email and texting with my 2-year old smartphone, having recently switched from a slide-keyboard Samsung. We withheld cell phones from our girls until they were driving and no smartphone until their junior year in college. Having lived for almost 6 decades now, I know what it was like before we became a digital society — unplugging regularly is a good thing! Thanks again for visiting and commenting 🙂
Lori Jo
Hi Lori Jo thank you for being my guest in the Over 50 & Thriving Series. I appreciate the effort you went to for the right photo and you look fabulous! My readers enjoyed your thoughts and agree that sometimes life really is a circus. Have a beautiful day and look forward to you being a future guest again.
Thank you so much. I owe you the bigger thank you, Sue! I appreciate your invitation to me to be a guest blogger on your blog. I am just approaching my 4-month mark at blogging and am still kind of shaky. I appreciate your advice, help and encouragement more than you will ever know. We will see where my theme and writing goes with all of this, it is a good mental challenge to say the least! Talk soon, friend 🙂
Lori Jo