Midlife, Crisis or Awakening?

I have been thinking a lot lately about midlife.  Why, you ask, when I’m only 30-ish! (cough, choke, spit)  If asked straight out I don’t lie about my age.  I never have.  (I just become a low talker)  I am quite the opposite actually as  I usually admit to being the age I will be next.

We need to stop associating ‘midlife’ with ‘crisis’.  Why is it that when we finally start to feel like ourselves again that we have to classify this as a crisis?  Should it not be midlife celebration?  I don’t know about you, but it is for me and my circle of friends!

We go through our 20’s where we think we know everything.  Well, at least I did.  My way or the highway!  We have the world by the tail.  We have few responsibilities with the exception of school and a part-time job.  We have freedom to do what we want, when we want, where we want, with whom we want.  Pause for a moment here and just daydream a moment with me.  Read slowly….What you want, when you want, where you want, with whom you want!  Did you giggle?  Smile at least?  Nothing wrong with remembering your past as long as you aren’t living in it.

We enter into our 30’s with more knowledge of what life is all about.  We hopefully have a job that has the potential of developing into a career.  Most of us have a partner and start to think of marriage and having a family.  We learn the importance of compromise.  But with that comes less time for ourselves and our life goes out of balance for a time.

We quickly reached our 40’s.  I must have had fun because man that went fast.  We have confidence in our opinions.  We have more freedom as our kids become independent.  More me time.  We start to find ourselves again and it feels incredible!  I just don’t see how this is a crisis.

Men buy sports cars, motorcycles or boats because they used enjoy them before they were required to trade them in for the mini van.  Compromise.  Women start to spend more time with their friends because that is what they used to do before their family took priority.  We start to live again.  We accept more, we say no and we don’t concern ourselves with the small things in life anymore.  We enjoy ourselves again without the attitude or desire of knowing it all.  It is a blessing to enter the second half of life with a carefree attitude.  We learn to embrace every moment we are given.  We have learned to live in the moment and  not judge.  We love,  we grow as souls, we appreciate everything the world has given to us to explore.  We finally GET IT!  That my friends is an Awakening not a crisis!

The Age of Miracles by Marianne Williamson ( Great read!)