Midlife Transition - The Fifth Stage of Midlife - Individuation
The final stage of the midlife transition, according to the Swiss psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, is Individuation.
The final stage in the process is one of recognising and integrating the conflicts that have been part of this process.
Actually, the conflicts don't end, but we learn a healthy balance.
Examples of such conflicts include:
This often means developing the aspects of our personality that are opposite to one's preferences.
For example, someone who has been introverted, broad thinking and very logical and methodical, perhaps having pursued a scientific career, may start to develop interest in activities such as enjoying relationships for their own sake, taking up a sport for the shear enjoyment of it, spending more time with family and friends and coming to a deeper appreciation for all people of all types and backgrounds.
The five stages (of accommodation, separation, liminality, reintegration and individuation) provide a framework to explain mid-life transition, but not a rule to be followed.
We are, after all is said and done, deeply individualistic.
Some may follow the stages linearly, others weave in and out of them.
There are people who seem to take forever to find themselves, and other (like those who read articles like this!), do so much more quickly.
The amount of pain involved is purely a matter of the person's attitude and appreciation for life as an ongoing journey and adventure.
For those who are open to looking inward, the process of change and development can indeed be transformative.
It is a fluid process - but recognising the stages can help to make sense of what could be seen as chaos and confusion.
Understanding such stages might help some people to move from thinking 'there is something wrong with me' to recognizing that what they are experiencing is quite natural and quite common.
It always helps to know we are not alone.
The final stage in the process is one of recognising and integrating the conflicts that have been part of this process.
Actually, the conflicts don't end, but we learn a healthy balance.
Examples of such conflicts include:
- The Conflict of Authority - Who's Life is it anyway? We come to a balance of accepting the authority of others where it is reasonable and learn to more fully take true authority over our own lives
- Will the Real xxx, Please Stand Up - Being and presenting ourselves the way others want to see us or thinking, speaking, acting and BEING true to our inner authentic self.
- Self vs.
Other Centered - Coming to a healthy balance of meeting the demands of others while making sure we are meeting our own inner needs - Making Friends With our Shadow - Coming to grips with our total selves - our ideal self as well as what has been called the shadow.
The shadow consists of the parts of ourselves that we usually find unacceptable.
These are things we often are unconscious of but project on to others.
This often means developing the aspects of our personality that are opposite to one's preferences.
For example, someone who has been introverted, broad thinking and very logical and methodical, perhaps having pursued a scientific career, may start to develop interest in activities such as enjoying relationships for their own sake, taking up a sport for the shear enjoyment of it, spending more time with family and friends and coming to a deeper appreciation for all people of all types and backgrounds.
The five stages (of accommodation, separation, liminality, reintegration and individuation) provide a framework to explain mid-life transition, but not a rule to be followed.
We are, after all is said and done, deeply individualistic.
Some may follow the stages linearly, others weave in and out of them.
There are people who seem to take forever to find themselves, and other (like those who read articles like this!), do so much more quickly.
The amount of pain involved is purely a matter of the person's attitude and appreciation for life as an ongoing journey and adventure.
For those who are open to looking inward, the process of change and development can indeed be transformative.
It is a fluid process - but recognising the stages can help to make sense of what could be seen as chaos and confusion.
Understanding such stages might help some people to move from thinking 'there is something wrong with me' to recognizing that what they are experiencing is quite natural and quite common.
It always helps to know we are not alone.
