Your "Crazy" Midlife Reactions Are Actually Normal (And Proof You're Human)
When life doesn't go according to plan, you should be able to handle it with grace and wisdom. You shouldn't have "weird" reactions or feel like you're losing your mind. You know what I call that expectation? Complete bullshit.
When life blindsides you, your brain and body are going to react in ways that might seem absolutely crazy to you. You're going to think something's wrong with you because you're not handling things "normally."
But what if I told you those reactions you're having, the ones that make you feel like you're losing it, are actually completely normal?
When Life Doesn't Give You the Memo
Think of it like this: if someone threw you into the deep end of a pool when you weren't expecting it, you'd probably flail around a bit before finding your rhythm. That's essentially what's happening here, except the pool is your entire life.
Here are some completely normal ways people react when life doesn't go to plan:
The Brain Fog Special: Suddenly you can't remember where you put your phone (it's in your hand), what you had for breakfast (did you even eat?), or why you walked into this room. Your brain is using all its energy to deal with the big stuff, so the little stuff gets fuzzy.
The Emotional Whiplash: One moment you're ugly-crying at a commercial about puppies, the next you're laughing so hard at something random that people are looking at you funny. Your emotions are like a toddler having a meltdown, they don't make logical sense, but they need to come out.
The Body Rebellion: Your body decides to react to the situation with headaches, upset stomach, or feeling like you got hit by a truck. Emotional stress doesn't just stay in your head, it moves in and impacts your entire physical body.
The "What If" Marathon: Your brain becomes a detective, replaying every moment, searching for clues about what you could have done differently. "If only I had..." plays on repeat like a broken record.
The Rage Is Real: You find yourself furious at everything, the slow driver in front of you, the guy at the grocery store taking forever, even that innocent spider who had the audacity to exist in your space during an already terrible week. (And yes, throwing garden tools while yelling at said spider is more common than you'd think.)
The Emotional Void: Sometimes your brain just... shuts down. You feel nothing at all, like you're watching your life happen to someone else. This can be scarier than feeling too much, but it's just another way your mind protects itself.
When things get tough, Stop apologizing for being human. Your weird coping mechanisms aren't weird. They're yours. Own them.
The Plot Twist You Didn't See Coming
When you think you're "falling apart": Your brain is actually working overtime to protect you. Every "crazy" reaction is your mind's way of processing trauma, stress, or major life changes.
That brain fog? Your mind is conserving energy for survival mode.
The emotional rollercoaster? Your heart is processing grief, fear, or massive change.
The body rebellion? Your nervous system is releasing all that pent-up stress.
You're not broken. You're brilliantly designed to survive hard things. Every messy reaction means you're still fighting. You're still feeling. You're still here, showing up to your life even when it feels impossible.
Your New Identity
Stop thinking of yourself as the woman who "can't handle" life's surprises. You're not the one who "should know better by now" or who "falls apart too easily."
You're the woman who feels deeply, loves fiercely, and keeps going anyway.
You're the woman who faces the unexpected and finds a way through – even if that way looks nothing like what you planned.
You're the woman who proves that strength isn't about staying composed. It's about staying human.
So the next time life throws you a curveball and you find yourself organizing your sock drawer at midnight while crying over a dog video, remember this: You're not crazy. You're not weak. You're not too much.
You're exactly what the world needs more of – a woman who feels it all and survives it all, one messy, beautiful, perfectly imperfect day at a time.
Now go be unapologetically human. The world needs your mess just as much as it needs your strength.
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~Judy Davis is a motivational speaker, published author and Veteran Caregiver who shares candid stories, transformative mindset shifts, and practical strategies to help midlife women navigate the unexpected twists of life.