𝐌𝐢𝐝-𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬: 𝐀𝐦 𝐈 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞?
The timing of midlife is very subjective. Middle age, by the term itself, is when “one is no longer young and yet not quite old.” This leaves a lot of room for perception. But to my understanding, it happens in our late 20s to 40s.
Whether it becomes a crisis or not, midlife is indeed a difficult time for many. One common reason is what many psychologists have called “sandwiching“ - raising your kids, taking care of aging parents, while trying to balance them with self-care. The burden of caregiving can be even more overwhelming for those with little time or limited financial resources. These challenges are compounded by a strange and very personal shift as the skills you had in early adulthood start to wane.
However, you can work to lessen down the midlife crisis by making two wise decisions about how to think about midlife.
The first decision: Choose to focus on what age gives you, not what it has taken away. These include the growing ability to accept that everyone will grow wisely mentally; with longer life experiences, you can share and teach others, and pass down these complex ideas. Truth is, we are not getting younger. Also, the truth is you are not alone in this process.
The second decision: Choose subtraction, not addition. Early in life, success usually comes from addition: more money, more responsibility, more relationships, more possessions. By midlife, however, that canvas is pretty full, you are no longer trying to fill up an empty space, but filter the space you are in. This mentality will help you to work on balancing out and prioritize important things - busy life, family, energy level, job complications, and of course, sleep. Again, you are not the only one going through this process.
In fact, for most people, life gets better starting in middle age. Over the years, people tend to get happier, more flexible, more agreeable, and more conscientious. You will inevitably face hardships and challenges, just like at any other point in your life. But if you make the right choices, midlife may just be the best opportunity just like how we used to hear “30s is the new 20s”, but I would say, “𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟬𝘀.”
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