Diane Langlois has the kind of grounded wisdom you can feel before you even finish the first paragraph. She’s 60, a mum to six, a grandmother to twelve, and a lifelong learner who now guides others through sound and frequency healing. Her answers carry that beautiful mix of softness and strength that comes from living a lot of life: raising children, weathering change, and learning to stop forcing everything into place. In this conversation, Diane speaks openly about how unprepared she felt for menopause, the two-year fog of not recognising herself, and the moment she finally asked, What on Earth just happened? What follows is a steady, soulful perspective on midlife as a natural phase, not a crisis, and a reminder that we were never meant to navigate it alone.
Who are you, and what season of midlife are you in right now?
My name is Diane. I have been around the sun 60 times and am enjoying life’s great adventures. I am Maman to 6 children & Mamie to 12 grandchildren. I am also a lifelong learner and sound & frequency healing guide. I love being surrounded by nature, especially walking barefoot on the beach by the ocean. I have found every season of my life to be interesting. There have been numerous times over the years where I thought “That’s it! I’ve figured it out!”, only to realise 5 or 10 years later that I had lots more to learn. I make a point of constantly expanding my mind and my world. Not through work or force (at least not anymore) but simply Being and Allowing.
What surprised you most about midlife or menopause?
Midlife/Menopause is simply another phase of our lives. Unfortunately, though, one that is often misunderstood and not discussed enough, especially for women. I didn’t even know I was going through menopause until I finally woke up one day, after 2 years of being miserable and not recognising myself at all, and asked, “What on Earth just happened??” That is when I realised what phase of my life I had entered, and I had not been prepared one single bit. So I would say that the biggest surprise was not having a clue what had been going on, although it is a natural part of every woman’s life. Thankfully, now, there are a great deal more open discussions about it.
What’s been the hardest part that people don’t talk about?
I am thinking many of us are not well prepared for all the ebbs and flows of life in general. Blame it on fairytales... “And they lived happily ever after”, or maybe Hollywood?? So many people actually hate change. That always makes me smile. If there is one thing we can absolutely count on in this life, it is change. Nothing ever stays the same. So yes, some relationships come and go. Some stay but evolve. We ourselves mature and hopefully become wiser. It has been my experience and observation, especially in the last few years, that we (human beings) are meant to live within a tribe/community who is looking out for each other. That seems to have been missing, especially in North America. There seems to be so much praise and glory for those who “Do it alone”. That, in my opinion, leads to chronic stress and an epidemic of loneliness. We need to talk about that a great deal more.
What has helped you most (a habit, a mindset shift, support, HRT or no HRT, community)?
I do believe that having support and being surrounded by a community is vital. Feeling safe to talk about what is going on in your life and knowing others are either going through similar situations or have already. Combining that with healthy habits, a mindset that fits “you”, and not allowing anyone to take away your peace. This last one is not always easy to do, but like everything else, with practice, you can be an expert in the art of “Being a duck” (water off your back). For my personal journey, having discovered the power of sound and frequency healing has made a huge difference as well.
What are you unlearning?
Many of us have been taught from a young age, speaking of women here, to be a “good girl”, stay quiet, look after everyone else first, don’t complain, keep smiling, push through the pain, etc. That, again in my opinion, is lunacy. So unlearning all of those has been a process that’s taken several years. The hardest part is having to do some digging from time to time, as I don’t quite know why I’m reacting to one thing or another. Some “learned” behaviours may have happened subconsciously. It has been interesting to say the least.
What do you wish you could tell your 35-year-old self?
I was still in the middle of looking after my babies at that age, but making more time for “Me” would have been good. Surrounding myself with a community of caring, like-minded ladies would have also made a big difference.
What do you want other women to know they’re not alone in?
It is so easy, especially nowadays, to shut out the world and believe we are the only ones going through whatever is happening in the moment. Firstly, you are NEVER alone. There are millions of others just like you. Secondly, you would be pleasantly surprised if you learned to trust your inner wisdom. It will always guide you to what is best for you.
What’s one small ritual or practice that’s keeping you steady in your daily life?
Mindful breathing is one of my daily practices. Simply noticing my breath and taking in a deeper one. I still catch myself from time to time holding my breath for no reason at all.
What Diane leaves you with is both simple and quietly radical: life is change, and we do better when we stop resisting it and start meeting it with support, self-trust, and community. Her call for a return to tribe feels especially important in a world that praises doing it all alone, even when it’s clearly costing us our peace. I also loved her honesty about unlearning the good girl conditioning, the decades of pushing through, staying quiet, smiling anyway, and how healing often starts when we finally let ourselves breathe. If you take one thing from Diane’s words, let it be this: you’re not alone, and your inner wisdom knows the way. Sometimes the next step really is as small as a deeper inhale, a softer grip, and choosing to surround yourself with people who help you feel safe to be fully human.
If you’d like to be part of the ‘5 Minutes With…’ series, or you know a woman whose voice would feel like medicine here, email me at hello@kiransinghuk.com. And if you’re reading this thinking, same, tell me in the comments: what are you unlearning in midlife?
Thank you so much Kiran for this amazing opportunity to share parts of my experience with others. 🌺
Thank you for this Diane! I did a lot of work unlearning being a “good girl”. I’m a work in progress but I’m farther in the unlearning of this!🌸