What comes to mind when you think of going through a midlife crisis? Most people think of middle-aged men driving a sports car to impress women half their age or suddenly quitting their job to move to another country.
However, many men and women do hit a stage of life when they realize that time has caught up with them and that they are no longer in their prime. As a result, they can suffer a crisis of confidence or depression that impacts their lives and careers.
A midlife crisis looks different from person to person and it does not have to be as disastrous as people think it might be. We envision the future for ourselves and when reality has drastically changed a midlife crisis occurs. It can turn out to be or not be such a bad thing?
In this article, we explore the signs and symptoms of a midlife crisis and look at strategies for overcoming it. In addition, how you can turn this time into an opportunity to start fresh.
What Is a Midlife Crisis?
The definition of Midlife Crisis is “period of emotional turmoil in middle age characterized especially by a strong desire for change."
People respond to a midlife crisis in different ways, but it typically involves a change in the way that they act and feel, and in their attitude to life. It can happen at any time and can last for several years. We look back and wonder what could have been and worry what the future holds. This is absolutely normal.
Some main causes can be up to these six life changes:
1. Awareness of aging or death
2. A health scare
3. A feeling of "going nowhere" in your career
4. End of a meaningful relationship in your life, such as a breakup or divorce
5. Children becoming more independent and leaving home
6. Regrets not achieving your life goals
The jolt of a major event can force us to reflect on what we have achieved in our lives and what we have not. This can make us feel disappointed, regretful, and quickly causes us to change our lives dramatically so we can try to regain our youth or gain a sense of contentment.
Midlife Crisis Symptom
Midlife crises can affect people in different ways, there is no simple checklist of behaviors. However, certain signs do seem common such as:
· Unhappiness with your life
· Loss of purpose
· Frustration
· Boredom in your career or overall life
· Impulsion decision making
· Risk taking
· Fatigue
· Lack of motivation
· Mood swings
4 Ways to Make the Best of a Midlife Crisis
Getting through a midlife crisis is a challenge, but it is something that you can deal with and overcome. Here, we explore four strategies for coping with this difficult stage of life.
1. Talk to Someone
Do not bottle up your emotions. Confide in someone you trust, such as a friend or partner, your doctor, a trained counselor, a life coach, or a therapist.
Some of the signs of a midlife crisis is losing interest in activities that you used to enjoy, feeling hopeless, having suicidal thoughts, and ignoring them could have serious implications for your health.
Journaling can help you to make sense of your thoughts and feelings and can help you to understand any tensions in your life. Good things come from self-examination. Along with easing the tension of a midlife crisis, meditation also can help you connect to your inner self to inspire a better future.
2. Make Time For Yourself
Feeling burned out? Exhaustion from a career, family responsibilities, or taking care of aging parents is extremely common in middle age. When this burnout occurs, it is time to make time for yourself. It is important to set aside time for different types of self-care such as, exercise, spend time with family and friends, try a new hobby, and enjoy doing nothing at all.
3. Revisit a Childhood Hobby
Think about the activities you loved to do as a child could be the key to flourishing into middle age. We tend to give up our favorite childhood pastimes to make time d and focus on adult goals. A life with all work and no play can lead to a midlife crisis. Now is the perfect time to revisit old hobbies such as art, music, games, or other interests. Immersing yourself in a new skill will trigger your childlike curiosity and keep you feeling young.
4. Prioritize Your Health
A health scare can prompt your midlife crisis. Or you want to maintain your good health at in an old age. However, middle age is the perfect time to re-evaluate your health and set some new goals such as the buying a house, climbing the career ladder, or having a family may no longer be relevant or as important to you as they once were. If that is the case, it is time to reassess what you want from life and to align new goals. Take an honest look at your health at this present time. What is going well and what changes can be made to improve your health? How do you want to feel over the next decade? If you are not sure, you can seek with your physician or a holistic wellness practitioner. Once you are aware and what health goals you are seeking, start with one or two changes. Sleep is a a place to start, since the body needs quality sleep to function optimally. If you struggle to fall sleep at night, consider using a CBD supplement to help with a restful night’s sleep.
The Silver Lining of a Midlife Crisis
If you are experiencing something like a midlife crisis, you can get help from a doctor, a therapist, or someone in your circle of friends. Healthy eating, exercise, time spent in nature, and natural remedies may help decrease your symptoms until this transitional phase passes.
You may feel like the best years are behind you but that is far from the truth! A midlife crisis is just a beautiful chapter in disguise. Use this transition to refresh your perspective, start a new goal - it is never to late, and a healthier path for the future.