Crunching the mid-life crisis
If you are in your forties and feel like you are experiencing a mid-life crisis, trust me, you are not alone. If you are even younger than this and still feel this way, don’t worry, there still other crises other than the mid-life crisis. These days, our whole life seems to be one crisis after another, starting with the quarter-life crisis, the thirties crises and ending with a later life crisis. Well, as much as this is common to hear, your life does not have to be like this. You just must realize that these are periods of growth and change in your life and you can balance at any age.
What exactly is a midlife crisis?
Generally, it is defined as a change of identity and self-confidence that typically occurs in middle-aged individuals (45-64 years). The crisis is fueled by events that bring to the surface the person’s age, their lack of accomplishments in life thus far, their fleeting youth and their inevitable mortality. Unsurprisingly, this easily leads to feelings of anxiety, depression and the feeling to make drastic life changes.
A midlife crisis can be characterized by signs such as:
- Mood swings
- Anxiety and depression
- Oversleeping or sleeplessness
- Obsession with appearances
- Increased consumption of drugs or alcohol
- Feeling Stuck
- Thoughts of dying or death
- Unprecedented behavior
How to deal with a midlife crisis:
- Steer your own ship – Once you realize that things are going south, make the conscious decision to find balance in your life.
- Quit the pursuit of happiness – Identify happiness in what you already have. A family, a business, a career, friendships, whatever it is.
Learn to appreciate what you have and not dwell on what you do not. - Embrace aging – Aging is a natural process in everyone’s life cycle. Use all your experiences to make informed decisions and appreciate the life you have lived. If you find that your life has not been what you wanted, today is the day to make it new again.
- Pursue your passions – Do what you couldn’t do when you were younger because you did not have as much time or resources. Go for a baking class or pursue a sport. Do what makes you happy. If you are not sure which passion to chose. Pick any and start. Discovery is part of the process. There might be some false starts, but the journey will be enlightening.
- Exercise – Being healthy is one of the ways you can deal with all the changes happening in your life. Strive to be in the best shape you and if you cannot do it alone – ask for help. Starve negative feelings and let the endorphins thrive instead in your body.
- Set new goals for yourself – Take a hard look at your life and decide what areas you want to change. Set goals to change your current status. Be objective and realistic when setting these goals.
- Laugh more often – Aging with humor is one of the ways to maintain youth. Participate in activities that make you laugh.
If you feel like your doing all the right things and still feel sad or in crisis, then seek help with your doctor. Make sure your feelings are not based on health issues. Hormonal imbalance can cause feelings of depression, anxiety and more.
Need more ideas on how to get through a mid-life crisis or any life crisis – visit SottoPelle Lifestyle for more info on happier aging and healthy lifestyles.
