What My 40s Taught Me About Falling Apart, Rebuilding, and Becoming Aligned

I turn 50 this week, and I always had the idea that by the time I was 50, I would have it all figured out - who I am, what I want, where I'm headed. But if my 40s taught me anything, it’s that life doesn’t always work that way.

My 40s were the decade that cracked me open.The one that stripped away everything that wasn’t real - the roles I’d been playing, the pressure to keep it all together, the endless doing and hustling. It was the decade of falling apart…and then slowly finding my way back.

There were years that felt heavy and confusing. Times when I lost myself, my spark, my confidence, my sense of who I was. Burnout had a grip on my life in every way.

But my 40s also held something else, a quiet invitation to come home to myself.

Through all the unraveling, I learned how to listen again - to my body, my energy, my heart and my intuition.

I learned that strength doesn’t come from pushing through, it comes from softening.

That clarity doesn’t come from having a plan, it comes from presence.

And that alignment isn’t something you find, it’s something you return to, again and again.

Looking back, my 40s were where I became an Aligned Woman. Not because I had it all figured out, but because I stopped pretending I did.

As I step into 50, I can see how the lessons of my 40s have become the foundation for everything I teach now - what I call The A.L.I.G.N. Method. It’s the framework that I have used on my own healing journey and continue to use. It keeps bringing me back to myself, no matter what season I’m in.

A — Awareness

L — Love

I — Intuition

G — Growth

N — Nurture

These five pillars are the compass I’m carrying into my 50s. They remind me that alignment isn’t a destination, it’s a relationship with yourself.

Turning 50 doesn’t feel like an ending. It truly feels like a homecoming. I am stepping into this new decide with a sense of peace that comes from finally trusting myself. I don’t need to know every next step. I just need to stay aligned with what feels true.

I have a deeper faith in my own rhythm - in the timing of things, in the wisdom my body carries, in the quiet strength that’s always been there.

It’s less about goals and achievements and more about grounding.

Less about becoming someone new and more about being fully who I am.

I’ve spent so much of my life searching, proving, striving. Now, I just want to live - simply, intentionally and wholeheartedly.

This next chapter isn’t about figuring it all out. It’s about living from the inside out.

I’m stepping into 50s with gratitude, with clarity, and with an open heart for whatever comes next.

So here’s to all of you, standing in your own becoming - learning to soften, listen, and start again. We’re not behind. We’re right on time. 💛

To celebrate my 50th birthday month, I’m hosting a free workshop called The Aligned Woman on Wednesday 19th November at 7:00pm, online via zoom (replay available). We'll eplore the A.L.I.G.N. Method together - the same framework that helped me rebuild my confidence, find clarity, and come back home to myself.

If you’ve been craving a slower, softer, more grounded way to move through your days, I’d love for you to join me. Click here to grab your spot or learn more.

Mel x