From Self-Sacrifice to Freedom: Midlife Is the Time for Women to Embrace Joy
Posted on September 30, 2025 by Sophie Malahieude, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
How self-inquiry guides women to move beyond self-sacrifice, embrace balance, and reconnect with their authentic selves.
Many women one day wake up realizing they’ve given so much of themselves to others that they’ve lost touch with who they are. Raising children, supporting partners, caring for aging parents, and showing up for colleagues often comes first — while personal needs quietly slip to the bottom of the list. Without noticing, self-sacrifice becomes the only story we know.
I saw this pattern in my grandmothers, my aunts, and my mother. They weren’t neglected by the men in their lives, but they lived as if giving everything and keeping nothing was the rule. When I became a mother, my mom told me, “Take care of yourself first.” At the time, I couldn’t fully understand — I was still repeating the pattern I had witnessed.
Yoga was my first pause. It invited me to question the rules I had absorbed — not to reject them, but to ask: Do they truly serve me? This questioning is part of svadhyaya, or self-inquiry, one of the yogic practices that leads us back to truth. Slowly, I began to touch the deeper question that would not leave me: Who am I beyond these roles?
Life has a way of slowing us down. Sometimes it’s when the children leave home, when a relationship shifts, or when retirement arrives. That pause can feel like emptiness or restlessness, but beneath it is an invitation to look inward. Yogic philosophy calls this turning inward pratyahara — withdrawing from the outer noise so that we may hear the voice of the inner Self.
I remember sitting in school meetings surrounded by other moms yet feeling strangely disconnected. Oddly enough, I felt most alive not in the coffee dates, but when I was teaching yoga — breathing, moving, and connecting with my students. That’s when my mother’s words clicked. I became the woman beyond the mother, and through this, my bond with my children deepened. Yoga helped me return to my essence, to the Self that is not bound by any role — what the yogis call purusha, the eternal witness within.
When we stop long enough, emotions rise. Sadness for what we didn’t achieve, fear of beginning anew, regret for lost time. Silence can be uncomfortable because it brings these feelings to the surface, but they are not enemies — they are opportunities. When faced, they become guides toward liberation. Yoga teaches us that awareness is the first step to transforming old patterns that keep us trapped in cycles of self-sacrifice.
Practices like journaling, meditation, mindful walks in nature, or simply sitting quietly help us reconnect to our own inner wisdom. At first, it feels awkward, but slowly we discover that we are more than mothers, wives, or professionals. We are whole beings, with creativity, wisdom, and presence that far surpass responsibilities. This is the essence of living in alignment with our truth rather than only the roles assigned to us.
Reclaiming the Self doesn’t mean abandoning our roles; it means expanding beyond them. It means giving ourselves permission to pursue what nourishes us — passions, interests, or even small rituals that make us feel alive. For me, yoga offered tools of balance and contentment, what the yogis call santosha. Breathwork, mindful food choices, movement, and meditation became my anchors. They reminded me that joy is not something to postpone; it is something to cultivate daily. For you, it may look different. It could be art, gardening, writing, dancing, or simply learning to spend intentional time with your own heart.
If you feel disconnected after years of giving, pause and notice what roles have defined you, what sparks still light you up, and how even a small act of care can shift your energy. These reflections are an invitation to remember the woman beneath the roles — to reconnect with your Self, as yoga reminds us, the source of peace and freedom is already within.
Reclaiming yourself is not about becoming someone new; it’s about remembering who you already are. And you don’t have to do it alone. The best part is that you don’t have to walk the path alone. I learned through life coaching that the powerful question asked at the proper moment creates the transformation that we have longed to feel.
If you’re ready to reconnect with yourself, I invite you to book a complimentary coaching session with me. Together, we’ll create space for clarity, uncover what truly nourishes you, and define your next step toward living with joy and intention.
The path begins with one question: Who am I? — and the courage to listen for the answer.
