When we hear the phrase “in her right mind,” it can sound judgmental—like there’s a right way and a wrong way to think, feel, or function.

But being in your right mind doesn’t mean:

• You never feel overwhelmed
• You never struggle emotionally
• You always have the right answer
  
  

It means you are clear enough to choose well, grounded enough to care for yourself, and present enough to live on purpose.

Clarity. Peace. Purpose.

That combination matters more in midlife than ever before.

Before healing, Mary was surviving. After healing, she was discerning. She could recognize truth.
She could stand in the middle of grief without losing herself. She could hear direction and act on it. That’s what being in your right mind looks like.

Not loud faith.
Not perfect faith.
Clear faith.

One of the most misunderstood women in the Bible is Mary Magdalene.

For years, her name has been associated with shame and scandal—much of it unsupported by Scripture. What the Bible actually tells us is this: Mary Magdalene was a woman who had been deeply tormented. Luke’s Gospel says she had been healed of seven demons.

Now, without getting spooky or dramatic, let’s keep this grounded.

Seven isn’t a small number.
That’s layered pain.

That’s deep distress.
That’s a woman who had lived with chaos in her mind and body.

And after her healing, something changed. Mary didn’t disappear into the background.
She didn’t just “move on.” She followed Jesus. She supported His ministry. She stayed present when others walked away.

And when the resurrection happened—when everything shifted—Mary Magdalene was clear enough, present enough, and grounded enough to recognize Him first.

For many women, midlife is the moment when what we’ve been carrying finally catches up with us.

Years of:

• Caregiving
• Overfunctioning
• Ignoring our own needs
• Pushing through stress
• Spiritualizing exhaustion

The body keeps score. So does the brain.

Midlife symptoms aren’t just hormonal—they’re informational. They tell the truth about what needs attention.

And here’s where women get stuck:
We try to pray our way past things that require care, rest, support, and renewal.

Faith doesn’t cancel the need for brain health. It calls us to steward it.

After her healing, Mary Magdalene wasn’t problem-free. She still lived in a dangerous time. She still experienced loss. She still stood at a cross. But she wasn’t confused about who she was or what mattered.

Peace isn’t numbness.Peace is knowing where to stand—even when life is shaking.

That’s what so many midlife women are really asking for:

• Not to go back to who they were
• Not to feel young again
• But to feel steady, clear, and whole

Mary Magdalene didn’t chase purpose. Purpose followed her healing. She became a messenger. A witness. A woman trusted with truth. Purpose doesn’t come from grinding harder in midlife.

It comes from getting clear enough to answer what’s next. And clarity begins in the mind. 

For a midlife woman, being in her right mind means:

• You stop minimizing what your body and brain are telling you
• You stop shaming yourself for needing support
• You stop pretending exhaustion is holy

It means you choose renewal over resignation.

Because a renewed mind really does change everything:

• How you see yourself
• How you make decisions
• How you show up in relationships
• How you live out your faith in this season

Midlife isn’t a breakdown. It’s an invitation.

And like Mary Magdalene, when your mind is restored, you don’t just find relief—you find direction. Clarity. Peace. Purpose.

That’s what it looks like to be in your right mind.

Blessings,

Dr. Janice R. Love