We’ve all heard of midlife crisis.
Oh shit! I’m getting old! I’m raising teens and will be an empty nester soon! My parents are aging and I’m terrified of managing their care! I want to blow up my life! I want to make impulsive decisions! My bucket list is huge!! I’m depressed!
And so much more…:.
To me, so much of it seems primarily driven by fear.
But ever heard of the term “Reverse midlife crisis”?
I recently did. And it really resonated with me.
So what is it?
“The Reverse Midlife Crisis is about presence that compounds meaning for the future.” - Sahil BloomWhat would your 90 year old self be proud of? And how can you start today, to build that version of yourself - that’s what it asks us to focus on!
Perhaps it’s another manufactured or packaged term for some of the same guidance and advice that resonates with most of us.
But the message is still very good.
Some of the core pillars of the Reverse Midlife Crisis are:
— “Being” vs doing or chasing :: This is about being able to slow down, and enjoy the present. It is about accepting the current season of life you are in, without rushing to get to the next version of it. It’s about being intentional about the time you have and how you are choosing to spend it each day.
— “Subtract” , not add :: Be ok with doing less, not more. Focus on quality, not quantity. Consume less. Have less distractions.
— Invest in yourself :: Develop a habit of investing in habits and behaviors that compound benefits over the long term. Prioritize taking care of your body and health. Move your body daily. Prioritize taking care of your mind. Meditate daily. Prioritize taking care of your finances. Live within your means and invest wisely.
What would MY 90-year old self be proud of?
— How deeply I loved others and was loved as well
— How well I took care of myself - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually
— Curiosity to experience new things often
— Believing in and staying true to myself
— How easily I forgave others
— How I stayed resilient through life’s challenges
— How I gave back to society and planet earth in some way
— Did I write and make art?
— Was I kind?
— Did I stop when enough was enough?
— Did I LAUGH a lot AND have FUN 🤩
Got anything to add??
Maybe we don’t need to fear midlife. Fear that time is running out.
Instead, we can be intentional and make time matter!!
2 comments:
Oh, time started to run out from the moment we were born. "Mid life crisis" is just one phase of realising that fact. We can realise this at any time in life and in fact do so at multiple points.
Humans have been wired by evolution to not remember consciously that every day passing is one less day to live. If we felt that way, we would be mental wrecks in no time.
The Buddhist philosophy of living in the present appeals a lot. We strive to live a "good" life everyday - whatever good might mean to us. That's fine. One day we will be forgotten, no matter what. That's fine too.
I’ve always made summers matter for the kids coz I had read that we have 18 summers with them before they fly the nest, AND that 80-90% of the time we would ever spend with them is in those first couple decades of their life.
And after Sameer’s passing, I rarely need a reminder how short life is!
I love your attitude though - we can define what “good” is for us, and simply strive to live that good life each day ❤️
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