Your Midlife Wake-Up Call: The Liberating Art of Forgetting
- Betty Chatzipli
- Mar 19
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
“Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.”— HERMANN HESSE
Let’s face it. You’ve spent decades accumulating. Accumulating memories, responsibilities, worries, habits, maybe even grudges. Your mind is a jam-packed attic of experiences, some cherished, some, let’s just say, past their expiration date. But what if I told you that one of the most powerful things you can do in your 60s and beyond isn’t remembering—but forgetting?
But isn’t that the thing we’re supposed to fear as we age? That creeping moment when we walk into a room and forget why? Or when we mix up our grandkids’ names?
That’s not the kind of forgetting I’m talking about. I’m talking about the conscious and wildly liberating act of unlearning and letting go.
Why Is Forgetting So Powerful?
We’re told that our identities are shaped by our past. But what if clinging to old stories and past failures is exactly what’s holding us back?
Do you still need to remember the criticism your mother-in-law gave you about your cooking 30 years ago? Or the embarrassing thing you said at a party in 1985? Or that old belief that you’re “too old” to start something new? (You’re not.)
Midlife—and beyond—is a reset button if you let it be. And forgetting isn’t about losing yourself. It’s about shedding the weight of who you used to be so you can become who you’re meant to be now.
Things it’s OK to Forget
Forget Who You Were Supposed to Be
From the moment we are born, society hands us a script. Be a good daughter, a good wife, a good mother. Stay in line. Dress appropriately. Don’t rock the boat. But what if that script no longer fits?
What if you finally allowed yourself to dress however you want, say what you mean, and take up space without apology? What if you reintroduced yourself to the world—not as who you were, but as who you are?
Forget the Idea That Aging Means Decline
Society is obsessed with youth, but let’s be honest: Being 20 wasn’t all that great, was it? The insecurity, the people-pleasing, the exhausting pursuit of perfection? No, thank you.
Let’s rewrite the script. Instead of seeing aging as a slow fade-out, what if you saw it as a crescendo? The part of life where you finally get to live on your own terms? Because here’s the truth: You are not declining—you are distilling. Sharpening. Refining. Becoming the purest, boldest version of yourself.
Forget Regret
Regret is the mental equivalent of carrying around a suitcase full of bricks labeled “Should Have”, “Would Have”, “Could Have”. A suitcase that is taking you nowhere.
Instead of allowing past regrets to dictate the present, take action. Unfulfilled aspirations, such as traveling more, speaking up, or pursuing long-abandoned goals, can still be realized. The most effective way to deal with regret is to make different choices today that align with current desires and aspirations.
Forget Perfection
You’ve spent enough years worrying about how things should be. The perfect family, the perfect body, the perfect life. Perfection is a myth. It’s a mirage that keeps you stuck, waiting for some impossible standard to be met before you start really living.
What if you stopped trying to be perfect and just… were? What if you embraced the messy, wonderful, flawed reality of your life and found joy in the imperfection?
Forget What People Think
For years, we agonize over what people think of us. But here’s a little secret: most people are too busy worrying about themselves to think about you for more than a passing moment.
So why are you holding back? Wear the bold color. Start the weird hobby. Speak your truth. Life is too short to live on mute.
Forget Playing Small
Midlife is not an ending—it’s an invitation. An invitation to go bigger, bolder, and deeper than you ever have before. This is your time to take risks, explore, and reinvent.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but never dared? Write it down. Now go do it. No excuses. No “maybe laters.” Because if not now, when?
Forgetting isn’t about losing—it’s about freeing yourself. It’s about making space for joy, curiosity, and self-discovery. It’s about living with lightness, unburdened by the weight of old narratives. When you let go of outdated beliefs, past disappointments, and rigid expectations, you create room for fresh possibilities. You become open to spontaneity, deeper connections, and newfound passions.
Forgetting allows you to rewrite your story on your own terms, to explore life with a renewed sense of wonder. It fosters resilience, because when you’re not clinging to the past, you can adapt, grow, and thrive in the present. It is an act of self-liberation—an opportunity to step forward unencumbered and embrace life with an open heart.
So, my question to you is:
What’s one thing you’re ready to forget today?
Whatever it is, let it go. And watch how much space it creates for the incredible, unstoppable, fearless woman you are becoming.
Let’s start today! I’ve prepared a free Letting Go Checklist and Worksheet , and I’d love to share them with you. Click below to download.
Originally published on Sixty & Me
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