Hey beautiful,
Let me just say this loud and clear:
You are not too old.
You are not behind.
And it’s never too late to grow, change, or start over.
Whether you’re 40, 50, or fabulous at 60+, this season of your life is rich with possibility. The secret to unlocking that possibility?
A growth mindset.
In this post, we’re going to break down what it is, how to cultivate it (even if you’ve lived decades with a fixed one), and why it’s the secret sauce for a midlife glow-up—whether you’re focused on wellness, weight loss, career, finances, relationships, or rediscovery.
I’m walking this journey with you—
At 47, I’ve lost 147 pounds, paid off $32,000 in debt, improved my style and self-image, made new friendships, started a podcast, got a new job, and became a certified life coach through The Life Coach School.
And guess what?
None of that would’ve happened without building a growth mindset.
Let’s dive into how you can do the same.
The term growth mindset was coined by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck, author of the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. According to Dweck:
“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point.”
That means you can:
• Learn new skills at any age
• Bounce back from failure
• Adapt and evolve
• Become someone you’ve never been before
The opposite? A fixed mindset, which believes abilities are static, failure is final, and you’re either “good at it” or you’re not.
Midlife is the PERFECT time to rewrite this story. Why? Because now, we finally know what matters. We’ve survived stuff we never thought we could. And we have the wisdom to do it differently.
Most of us were raised in an era where perfection, people-pleasing, and playing it safe were praised. But midlife is a turning point. You’re craving more freedom, more authenticity, more YOU.
A growth mindset can help you:
• Reinvent your career
• Lose weight and get strong
• Learn new habits
• Improve relationships
• Build confidence
• Launch a new business or passion project
• Step into your purpose with bold energy
✨ The most important thing to know? You can change your mind—and your life—by changing the way you think.
Let’s call it out with love (because I’ve been there too):
• “I’m just not good at technology.”
• “It’s too late for me to start over.”
• “I’ve always been this way.”
• “I don’t have time to learn something new.”
• “What if I fail and look stupid?”
These beliefs are not facts. They’re old thought patterns—and they can be unlearned.
1. Become Aware of Your Current Beliefs
Your thoughts create your results.
Start noticing the stories you’re telling yourself.
Ask:
• Do I believe I can change?
• What do I believe about success and failure?
• Where in my life do I feel stuck?
💡 Journal Prompt:
“If I believed growth was possible for me, I would…”
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2. Reframe “Failure” as Feedback
People with growth mindsets don’t see failure as a dead end. They see it as information.
If something doesn’t work—whether it’s a diet, a relationship, or a business idea—it’s not proof that you’re broken. It’s proof that you tried, learned, and now you know more.
✨ Try this mindset shift:
Instead of “I failed,” say:
“I learned something valuable that’s going to help me do it better next time.”
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3. Start Saying “Yet”
Fixed mindset:
“I’m not good at budgeting.”
Growth mindset:
“I’m not good at budgeting yet—but I’m learning.”
This one small word adds HOPE and SPACE for progress. And midlife women? We are the queens of progress.
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4. Surround Yourself with Expanders
Growth is contagious.
So is fear.
If you want to build a new mindset, hang out (in real life or virtually) with women who are:
• Starting over
• Trying new things
• Speaking boldly
• Investing in themselves
• Refusing to shrink in midlife
• The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins – teaches you to reprogram your inner dialogue
• The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest – explores self-sabotage and transformation
• On Purpose with Jay Shetty – especially episodes on reinvention
• The Midlife Glow Report (my own!) – where we talk real reinvention for real women
5. Try New Things—on Purpose
One of the fastest ways to build a growth mindset is to stretch outside your comfort zone on purpose.
That means:
• Trying a new workout
• Learning to budget or invest
• Starting a side hustle
• Taking a class
• Speaking up more
• Creating content
Every time you do something new, you prove to yourself:
I’m capable of growth.
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6. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection
Perfectionism is fixed mindset’s best friend. Growth mindset celebrates effort.
Instead of “I’ll be happy when I’ve lost 50 lbs,” say:
“I’m proud of myself for walking today.”
Instead of “I didn’t stick to my budget perfectly,” say:
“I made better choices than last month.”
✨ Growth is about consistency, not perfection.
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Let’s normalize what growth really looks like in this season:
• Saying no to a toxic friendship
• Going to therapy for the first time at 50
• Losing 20 pounds in a sustainable, healthy way
• Getting back into dating
• Signing up for a business course
• Hiring a coach to help with your next chapter
• Wearing bold lipstick after a decade of beige
These things might seem small—but they are powerful acts of growth.
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💪 Wellness & Weight Loss
Instead of: “I’ve always been overweight.”
Say: “I’m learning to fuel and move my body in ways that feel good.”
Track effort, not the scale.
💼 Career & Purpose
Instead of: “It’s too late to change careers.”
Say: “I’m discovering what lights me up and how I can serve.”
Pivoting is a superpower in midlife.
💵 Finances
Instead of: “I’m not good with money.”
Say: “I’m learning how to manage and grow my money.”
You can become financially free at ANY age. (I paid off $32K starting at 45!)
💖 Relationships
Instead of: “I always pick the wrong people.”
Say: “I’m learning to choose myself first and build deeper connections.”
Healthy boundaries are growth, too.
Write freely and without judgment:
1.What am I ready to unlearn?
2.Where have I grown the most in the past 5 years?
3.What limiting belief am I ready to release?
4.What small risk can I take this week to prove I’m growing?
5.What am I most proud of right now?
Listen, friend—your glow-up doesn’t begin with a new outfit, a new diet, or a new job.
It begins with a new belief:
That you are capable of more. That you are worthy of more. That your story is still being written.
A growth mindset is a practice—not a personality trait.
You build it by showing up, trying again, loving yourself through the hard parts, and choosing to believe in who you’re becoming.
I’m living proof that it’s never too late to change your life.
And it all starts with the thoughts you think.
So let me leave you with this:
“You are not stuck. You are simply in the process of becoming.”
—Jax Stys
💌 Want More Growth Energy?
➡️ Subscribe to my newsletter at www.jaxstys.com
➡️ Tune in to The Midlife Glow Report podcast every Monday.
➡️ DM me on Instagram @jaxstys and let me know how YOU are growing!
📚 Recommended Reading Recap
• Mindset by Carol Dweck
• The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins
• The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest
🎧 Podcast Boosts
• The Life Coach School Podcast – Brooke Castillo
• On Purpose – Jay Shetty
• The Midlife Glow Report – with yours truly
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