THE LONG MIDDLE
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The Compass Points for the Long Middle
These Compass Points don’t form a straight path, but they do form a cycle.
You can’t jump to the last question and make the earlier ones disappear. Each one carries something forward into the next.
Compass Point 1
When you realize the map you were living by has burned — and shock, grief, and disorientation set in.
If one of these questions stays with you, that’s usually the right place to pause.
— Mary
I’ve learned that these questions don’t arrive on a schedule.
They tend to show up when the house is quiet, the tea has gone cold, and you finally notice how tired you are.
— Mary
Compass Point 10
How Do I Hold It All Together?
When life doesn’t resolve — and you’re learning how to live with what remains.
Compass Point 9
When you begin to notice what restores energy, connection, or a sense of aliveness.
Compass Point 8
When you’re ready to move forward — without certainty, without a full map.
Compass Point 7
What Still Matters in My Soul?
When you look past survival and ask what part of you remains untouched.
Compass Point 6
When confidence breaks — in your body, your judgment, or the world — and you begin to test what’s reliable.
Compass Point 5
What Is Essential Now?
When life gets smaller, energy is limited, and you have to decide what you can no longer carry.
Compass Point 4
What Has Meaning Now?
When the things that once mattered lose their grip, and you’re left questioning what still feels true.
Compass Point 3
Who Stands With Me Now?
When relationships shift, support thins, and you start noticing who is still here — and who isn’t.
Compass Point 2
Who Am I Now?
When the old version of you no longer fits, and you don’t yet recognize who you’re becoming.
This map doesn’t tell you what to do.
It helps you notice where you already are. — Mary
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Stories of the long middle — finding meaning, endurance, and quiet beauty.