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Mid-life crisis?


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Dh and I are too busy to have a mid-life crisis. Literally! But, I would be more than happy to join anyone in need of a mini-crisis for rumballs and cheesecake!

 

Seriously, I haven't known that many people who have had a serious one and those that have, seemed to coincide with a physical problem that cropped up so I tend to wonder if this type of thing doesn't have a physical catalyst...ie. reduced estrogen, progersterone, tetosterone levels, etc.

 

I don't know enough about it to have a strong opinion. I just know we don't have the time to entertain a mid-life crisis and I haven't known any that had one that didn't involve a health problem.

 

Faith

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I tend to wonder if this type of thing doesn't have a physical catalyst...ie. reduced estrogen, progersterone, tetosterone levels, etc.

 

Faith

 

Recently, I've entertained the thought of having a midlife crisis, although my trigger has been an emotional one, in this case a death. I really don't have the time, resources or courage to have one right now, but I'm planning it for in a couple of years after my oldest graduates.

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Mid life crisis? Well, that very term makes it sound, I dunno, sort of juvenile?

 

I *do* believe that people grow and change throughout their lives. I also think that many people stifle those changes until they explode when the opportunity comes along, or when they simply can't hold it in anymore. People who are free to express thought/belief changes and live along their new lines of thinking, I'm guessing they'll never reach the crisis point.

 

I hope to find the freedom to change in productive ways, especially after my kids are finished with home schooling and I have more free time on my hands.

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I looked up an article that talks about it: Midlife Crisis: Transition or Depression?

 

I'm not in crisis, but I am in transition. I'm days away from being 43 years old and I regret not finishing college in my earlier years. I've always had a passion for working with children but I was trained as a secretary because it was something that didn't need a college education. When I was graduating from high school, it did not occur to me to work in a daycare center. I'm not sure why, but probably because my mom was really pushing me in clerical work.

 

At this time in my life, I have lots of time on my hands. My choices are to work in a daycare center or go to school. Last summer, I decided to enroll in college to work on an education degree. I had tried working full-time at a daycare center but it just didn't work well with homeschooling. If I continue school, I should be finished in a couple of years and hopefully be in a place where I can work. School is a great choice because I'm learning about children and get to work with them during certain classes. But I'm not away from home 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

 

If I graduate, I will be a Montessori teacher of young children, generally through age 5/6. But I might also just work in a daycare center. I don't know yet.

 

DH (54) has no desire to transition. He likes his job. He is getting continued training to keep up with the software systems that HP continues to develop for large networked systems. He plans to work for HP until he can retire and has no plans beyond that.

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Interesting that you are posting this... before Christmas (for the months of Oct/Nov/Dec), I was in a funk & I couldn't seem to feel happy about anything. I remember saying to dh, "I wonder if I'm starting to go through a mid-life crisis?" because I was contemplating where my life was, how I got here, where I felt it was going, if I was happy, what was I missing, etc. My dr. played around with my anti-depressant, and since starting the new one, I've been much better. It was weird though. I haven't felt that unstable and burdened by my own life, even though there wasn't anything major occurring, ever. Fwiw, I'm not even 40 yet, so it's probably too early for me to have a crisis anyway! :tongue_smilie:

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Hmm, well I wouldn't call it a crisis - I can't afford a sports car and have no plans to leave my loving husband at any time, he's stuck with me :D - but I was feeling really disconnected this fall right into winter. I had moments where I would look around and wonder how I got here. Are these decisions I intentionally made or have I just sort of floated along only to wake up in this strange territory called my life? It's odd.

 

We had a very quiet Christmas, though, kind of boring, stuck at home but I am feeling much more grounded now. Let the chaos resume!

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Seriously, I haven't known that many people who have had a serious one and those that have, seemed to coincide with a physical problem that cropped up so I tend to wonder if this type of thing doesn't have a physical catalyst...ie. reduced estrogen, progersterone, tetosterone levels, etc.

 

 

This is a good point. And what about the fact that right at mid-life, our own parents may be having more serious physical problems, causing us to look seriously at mortality?

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I'm having one, dh and I decided :) He had his 15 years ago. Time for me now. Im 43.

 

Having had my kids in my late twenties...and having just finished homeschooling them, and them in their teens....I am really wondering what to do next. And some days, it causes me angst, and i wonder if I should be doing Some Really Big Thing but I dont know what. So since I cant work out any Really Big Thing to do with the rest of my life (no pressure on myself or anything) I am wondering if I am supposed to know what to do next and I just dont get it, or something. Its a good recipe for makign yourself really silly crazy, so instead I am going to the beach and cleaning the house.

 

I think it is a natural phenomenon when people reach middle age and realise that their lives are finite, (they have lost the illusion that they will live forever,that young people tend to have), and its a point at which many of us say to ourselves...is this it? Is this what life's all about? Is this what I thought I would be doing? Am I happy? Is this really what I want to do with my life?

And for many people, its obvious that to be true to themselves, they need to change things. I think its real and natural...it doesnt always look pretty, or mature, and I am sure not everyone goes through it.

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What does everyone think of mid-life crisis? :tongue_smilie:

 

I think I might really like to have one....and act on it just a bit. Maybe a new tattoo...or a funky haircut.....or buy a motorcycle....I don't know. it would be fun to do something a bit outrageous, not too damaging, and blame it on a mid life crisis.

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... a point at which many of us say to ourselves...is this it? Is this what life's all about? Is this what I thought I would be doing? Am I happy? Is this really what I want to do with my life?

And for many people, its obvious that to be true to themselves, they need to change things. I think its real and natural...it doesnt always look pretty, or mature, and I am sure not everyone goes through it.

 

:iagree: Kind of what I'm feeling right now...and it's not pretty and it doesn't feel good, but it is what it is and it's hard to deal with. For some people, I think, who have been truer to themselves for the majority of their life, then it might be easier to solve with a tattoo or a book job, but I think for some people who've maybe made choices that were the right things to do, but not neccessarily the things that make them happy, they hit this "crisis" mode and it's a little harder to solve and a little more dramatic.

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Just turned 51(!).

 

But I feel about 37. Divorce will be finalized in the next month, although this has nothing to do with midlife, but rather, bad choice.

 

I am taking up a call to midwifery, although I know there are those who may think I am too old to take up such a calling.

 

I hope 51 is midlife! I feel like I am just getting my wind....like my engines are getting ready to roar...like I am so ripe for what is ahead that I feel sorry for those who think 51 is old. Thanks for the reminder!

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Hmmm, I'm travelling around Australia in caravan with dh and four kids. I'm currently working on second masters degree. I have studied full time by distance since having kids. I'm being way to productive and having too much fun for a midlife crisis.

 

And I'm still in my 20s. My midlife crisis will probably be to do very little. But hey, earlier this week we were sleeping on a cliff overlooking the ocean watching porpoises frollick in the bay, exploring through rockpools and scrambling along the beach looking for shells. Today we are in the midst of vinyards, planning on going to a hedge maze tomorrow. Other than $$$, what is there not to like about travelling? Oh, and it would-be nice if ds9 and dd8 could get along more. Maybe midlife crisis will be boarding school and a really big house with lots of me time.

Edited by GypsieFamily
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