What does resilience mean to you?

Resilience is the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity, stress, or significant life changes.

For midlife and older women, cultivating resilience is essential—not only to navigate the unique challenges of this stage but also to thrive with greater emotional strength and well-being. And, during my research on the subject I’ve discovered that science shows that resilience is not a fixed trait but a skill that can be learned and strengthened, especially through certain lifestyle habits and mental strategies.

Life in our mid and later years is tough.  There’s not two ways about it.  So this article serves as an accessible guide to building resilience in midlife, grounded in research and practical tips tailored specifically for women in this vibrant life phase.

Understanding Resilience in Midlife

Research emphasizes that midlife is a dynamic period involving changing challenges and perceptions of aging. Women in midlife often juggle competing demands, hormonal changes (such as menopause), family transitions, and evolving careers or identities. Studies demonstrate a positive correlation between resilience, hope, and life satisfaction during midlife, suggesting that resilience directly supports well-being and a hopeful outlook.

Importantly, women’s resilience levels in midlife are comparable to men’s and can be cultivated regardless of age or educational background. This means it’s never too late to invest in strengthening your resilience.

Below are science-backed practices you can start incorporating today to build your resilience:

1. Prioritize Self-Nurture and Physical Health

Physical well-being forms the foundation of mental resilience. Midlife often brings changes that can affect energy and mood, so attending to your body is crucial.

• Sleep well: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly. Good sleep supports emotional regulation and cognitive function.

• Stay physically active: Regular exercise releases mood-enhancing endorphins and improves stress resilience. Even moderate activity like walking or yoga helps.

• Eat a balanced, varied diet: Nutritious foods, rich in antioxidants and omega-3s, support brain health and reduce inflammation linked to mood disorders. If you want to know what foods are best to eat to fulfil this requirement, take a look at this article to give you some help.

• Practice relaxation: Set aside time for soothing activities like meditation, reading, or listening to music to calm your nervous system. I especially like practising Yoga Nidra, which is a form of “yogic sleep” and is both very relaxing and, when practiced immediately before bedtime, can help you to sleep better.  You can find guidance for a Yoga Nidra session here 

Scientific studies show that women with higher resilience tend to report fewer menopausal symptoms and lower severity in symptoms like depressed mood and stiffness, linking physical and psychological health.  So, doesn’t that indicate that spending some time increasing our resilience is time very well spent? 

2. Cultivate Positive, Supportive Relationships

Strong social connections are a protective factor that enhances resilience.  And this can be done by:

• Maintaining close bonds with friends and family who uplift and support you.

• Engaging in group activities or communities that reflect your interests to foster belonging.

• Seek out and offer help: Don’t hesitate to ask for support when needed, and reciprocate kindness. 

Researchers highlight that these connections not only improve resilience but also create optimism and more satisfaction during our mid and later years/

3. Develop Emotional Intelligence and Perspective-Taking

Being mindful of your emotions and how you react under stress improves your coping ability.  The next time you begin to feel stressed or recognise a “wobbly moment”, science advises that you:

• Recognize and express your feelings appropriately. Suppression can increase stress.

• Practice mood regulation: Techniques like deep breathing or reframing negative thoughts can shift your mindset to a more positive outlook.

• Focus on what you can control and ignoring things that you can’t change: Resilience involves accepting what you can’t change while channeling energy into areas where you can make a difference.

By consciously choosing perspective, resilient women expand their options and adapt more effectively to challenges.

4. Foster a Growth Mindset and Purpose

Viewing adversity as an opportunity for growth builds resilience and hope.  In the midst of problems, this may seem difficult, but by taking small steps, these can build into big achievements.  Try things such as:

• Set achievable, meaningful goals to create motivation and direction.

• Celebrate small wins to reinforce self-efficacy and confidence.

• Reflect on personal strengths and resilience role models to inspire yourself.

Research shows a small correlation between resilience and maintaining a hopeful disposition during midlife helps enormously when we are trying to build our resilience.

5. Use Practical Tools and Techniques to Manage Stress

Simple but effective strategies can help you manage daily stresses and promote resilience:

• Keep a journal to express and process emotions.

• Use breathing exercises such as the STOP technique (Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed) to center yourself.

• Build a self-care toolbox with activities that soothe and energize you.  Basically anything you like doing that helps you to achieve a state of flow.  Think things like knitting, reading, painting or anything that helps your mind to switch off and concentrate on something more pleasant. 

Scientific Support: Why These Tips Work

• The Wagnild Resilience Scale, which is a scientific study conducted in 1993 but is widely used still today is used widely in studies of menopausal women, and links greater resilience to fewer and less intense symptoms, showing resilience’s protective role in midlife health.

• It states that positive social connections activate neural pathways that regulate stress and improve cognitive flexibility, both vital for resilience.

• Physical health interventions (sleep, diet, exercise) maintain hormonal balance and neurotransmitter function, foundational for mood stability and stress management.

Final Thoughts

Building resilience in midlife is a journey of nurturing body, mind, and relationships while cultivating an adaptive and more positive outlook. By making small but impactful changes—prioritizing your well-being, deepening supportive connections, managing emotions constructively, and fostering hope—you can thrive amidst life’s challenges.

But for me, the most positive aspect of building your resilience is that it is fully possible to change your outlook. As research confirms, resilience is a skill cultivated over time, and midlife presents a rich opportunity to deepen this strength for the years ahead.

With commitment and self-compassion, resilience can become your superpower in midlife and beyond, supporting not just surviving but truly flourishing.

If you want a deeper dive into how to implement resilience building hacks into your life and advice from an expert on the matter, I’ve produced an online audio webinar with guest expert Tania Beales. 

Tania is a clinically qualified. solutions based hypnotherapist and offers proven solutions and life hacks that, over time, can change your negative default mindset into far more positive ones.  In the webinar, she outlines:

• How you can add simple solutions into your own life to increase resilience
• How to empty your “stress bucket”
• What are the 4 main things that you need to monitor to keep stress at bay
• How Tania used these solutions to fight back from a breakdown

The audio recording is just over 1 hour long and can be accessed here.  The payment gives you lifetime access to the recording, so if you need to reconnect with the solutions or just to give yourself a boost at times, then this is available as part of the fee.

It’s like having a little therapist in your pocket for times when you need it. You’re welcome 🙂