When I first decided to move to Powell River, I had visions of fresh starts, ocean breezes and change, of not feeling “stuck.”
A relationship change, career shift, feeling a need to shake things up and realizing midlife that changes are afoot is something we will all likely face and some have already faced.
Suddenly, you’re wondering things like: Who am I now? What changes do I make and how do I do that? Should I just not rock the boat, stay comfortable even if comfort may not be my path to a happy future? I thought I went through all this in my teen/early adult years.
There are the obvious signs, evaluating local trails based on the frequency of nice seating benches, the creaky joints first thing in the morning, the endless search for the house keys, the list goes on, but midlife can bring about much more existential changes.
Back in my old life, I knew who I was — or at least I thought I did. I had routines, familiar streets and people who knew my coffee order.
Here in Powell River, everything is new: the places, the faces, even the me who’s showing up to explore them.
Midlife has a funny way of stripping things down. It's like the universe is handing you a blank map and saying, “good luck, buddy.”
We often don’t see or want to realize that our old maps are out of date, not guiding us on a path we want to continue travelling down. It's terrifying. But once you sit with it (preferably at the beach, coffee in hand), you realize it’s not the end of your story, it’s just a wildly unexpected new chapter.
Moving here meant accepting that my old dreams needed a refresh. It’s not about “starting over” in some desperate way. It’s about starting differently, with a little more wisdom, a lot more humour and a firm understanding that it’s totally okay to be a beginner again.
Often our decisions are rooted in fear: How will I find a partner? How am I going to pay the bills? Will I be a good parent…?
Our midlife is often approached from this perspective. It is no surprise that midlife is often accompanied by huge levels of stress. How can we give ourselves permission to not be afraid, to finally make decisions in a place of peace and opportunity?
As I settle into this new chapter, I’m learning that the best way to approach the next phase is with passion, a clear mind and a heart not governed by fear. Living fully in the here and now — not chasing perfection or certainty — is where the real magic happens.
Mistakes aren’t failures; they’re the stepping stones that help point the way forward. In Powell River, surrounded by new faces, endless ocean and fresh possibilities, I’m finally giving myself permission to live boldly, stumble often and trust that every wrong turn is simply part of finding the right path. Besides, I hear midlife is when you finally get good at living — it’s time to put some of that accrued wisdom to use.
Rob Wynen recently moved from Bowen Island to Powell River to embrace a midlife reinvention. He counsels clients going through the wild adventure of starting over at Townsite Allied Health.
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