Midlife Musings... Interview with Julie Creffield, tribe builder (and woman builder).
"I would love to see midlife women back themselves a little bit more."
“What I've learned through all of those dark days, is never to loose sight of your value to the world.”
Every couple of weeks I post an interview with an inspiring midlifer on topics ranging from beliefs, goals and habits, to food, mood and mojo; from sex, success and style, to fitness, health and hormones, from sleep, skin and hair to career, change and challenges and a bit of whatever else you fancy that affects us women at midlife.
This is Julie Creffied, a business legacy strategist and transformation coach whose mission is to help ordinary people do extraordinary things.
I don’t even know where to start with Julie. She is someone I have HUGE admiration and respect for. She is a rare thing not just in today’s business world, but in today’s word - utterly authentic, breathtakingly bold, fabulously honest and the hardest grafter I know.
I first came across her a few years ago, I think during Covid, and I did a few of her business programmes as I tried to resuscitate a career on life support. Her energy and drive are extraordinary, and she won’t know this until she reads this, but the number of times I get her regular sales emails into my inbox (and she is the most prolific sales writer I know!) and they are literally the exact things I need to hear in that moment. More than once her emails have picked me back up off the floor. Julie’s life has not been easy by any standards, but her sheer force of nature has not only prevailed but enhanced so many around her.
Here’s Julie's thoughts on value, financial security and zombie movies.
Hi Julie, why do you do what you do?
I’ve spent the last 30 years working on programmes and projects that help ordinary people to do extraordinary things. I’m the author of 14 books including my latest, ‘How not to be broke’. I've spent my life investigating themes of social mobility, mediocracy and fairness and worked on projects such as the London 2012 Olympics. I founded a plus size fitness movement called Too Fat To Run helping people who don’t necessarily look the part, be part of the running community. Now I also help midlife solopreneurs to leverage their life’s work and maximise their impact.
What’s the best bit of advice you wish you’d been given sooner?
I think the piece of advice I wish I had been given earlier in my life is around self worth. For various reasons I grew up feeling like I was less than others and this played out in many of the choices I made in my career and personal life. Self worth and understanding your value is at the heart of everything I do.
What would you tell your 20 year old self?
I would tell my 20 year old self to have more fun, to choose my romantic partners better, and to really appreciate the breadth of knowledge and experience I was gaining through the various freelance projects I was working on. All of those skills would really pay off in the future.
What must have happened, or for you to have experienced or achieved that hasn’t yet, that you’d look back at 99 and say “Yes!”.
As a single mother I guess my biggest hope is that my daughter finds success and happiness and truly values her own uniqueness. As I move into midlife and beyond as a parent much of what I still hope to see evolve is related to her growth.
Tell us one of the toughest things you’ve gone through and what you learned as a result.
Gosh there have been so many challenges across my life! I've been made redundant five times, once while pregnant with my daughter. The last time was a month after moving into my dream home. I've spent the last eight years raising my daughter by myself and of course navigating the challenges of the pandemic was also extremely challenging. What I've learned through all of those dark days, is never to loose sight of your value to the world. It’s super important. I think I’ve also learned that really when all is said and done, we have to take radical self responsibility and know that even if people love you, mainly you are on your own.
What is your “guilty” pleasure (but we’re not doing guilt because guilt is a wasted emotion and we all need to own our shit, so what is your secret sauce that always makes you feel better)?
My guilty pleasure is zombie movies. Weird but true! There is something comforting about the blood and gore knowing that it is totally made-up. Otherwise I don't like horror movies at all. I think one of the things I like about zombie movies is seeing how the survivors cope and the choices that they make. In many ways it represents the challenges of navigating this life, just with less scary moments!
What are you tolerating in your life right now, or what are you working on that you’d like to improve?
At the moment my biggest challenge is around financial safety and security, and providing a long term home for me and my daughter. The most recent redundancy has totally pulled the rug out from underneath us and I’m left with some really challenging decisions. It's time for me to really think about my long term goals and take action on them.
What’s the hardest thing to balance in your life right now?
I think the hardest thing to balance in life right now is my role as a parent and my need for fun and adventure. I have no childcare and live in the middle of nowhere so it can be quite lonely.
If you could wave a midlife magic wand, what you most wish for for women today?
I would love to see midlife women back themselves a little bit more. I think they can do this by really reflecting on everything they've achieved and endured so far and there is more out there if they should choose it.
What matters most in your own midlife?
Autonomy, fun, adventure and fairness.
What is a midlife mantra you try to live by?
Better to be looked over than overlooked - a quote I read aged 16 by the American actress Mae West.
What would you like to share about the work you do and why it’s important for women in midlife?
I work with midlife solopreneurs who despite having decades worth of experience and expertise still second guess themselves and don't really have a plan for legacy. I help them to think bigger, to gain confidence and clarity in their business goals and to start taking action on the things that really matter to them.
All things Julie Creffied can be found here - www.juliecreffield.com
Details of my own book Midlife, redefined: Better, Bolder, Brighter can be found here!
For more details on redefining your midlife, please visit my website www.themidlifecoach.org