7 Tips to Survive a Mid-life Crisis
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Mid-life crisis is something that most people go through. It is that stage of one’s life where the realization that you are not young anymore hits you. You realize that there are a lot of things that you would never be able to do. You will also start questioning the whole purpose of your life and whether it has any meaning at all. Some people are carried to the abyss of depression trying to answer these harsh questions about mid-life crisis. Here are some of the ways to deal with this tough period.
1. Let go of the regrets
This has to be the first step in the process to rejuvenating yourself when you are going through mid-life crisis. Regrets can pull a person down. Contrivances hardly do you any good. It is important to learn from the mistakes you have made and move on. Ruminating on those mistakes round the clock, all the time can drag you down and depress you. As they say, there is no point crying over spilt milk and there is no use worrying about things that you don’t have any control about. So, you have to start with the belief that even if bad things happened, that was the best possible route your life could take and things could have gotten worse.
2. Explore the things you love
If you are going through mid-life crisis, try exploring the things you love. Try exploring that side of your heart that is artistic or inspires you to do something different. Whether it is picking up the camera or the paint brush, the writing pad or the garden, there would surely be something that you will start enjoying thoroughly. You have to keep the thought out of your mind that it is too late to learn something new. It is not about aiming to become a musician or a writer overnight. It is about spending a few moments of each day exploring things you love to do. It doesn’t have to be result oriented.
3. Right the wrongs
Some of us go through a mid-life crisis that has too much baggage and too much burden. Carrying that burden isn’t good. The best way to deal with it is to make right some of the wrongs you have committed. Whether it is patching up with friends, meeting new people if you haven’t made enough friends, spending time with family if you haven’t done that before, showing the people you care for that you actually care are some of the things you can start addressing. The best way to survive the crisis is to face it head-on and in doing so encounter the ghosts inside your closets too.
4. Get involved socially
One of the biggest causes of mid-life crisis is the emptiness that engulfs you. One of the best ways to survive that emptiness is by getting involved with a social cause. That will fill you up and make you feel better about yourself. When you respect yourself for what you are doing, you tend to delve less in the past or curse yourself for your life. There are innumerable NGOs that need manpower and resources. You can contribute in many different ways to the cause of your choice, whether it is education, rehabilitation of abandoned senior citizens or health awareness.
5. Be part of a group
To survive a mid-life crisis, find people who have survived it. Avoid self-pitying people who whine about everything. Instead find groups which offer joy for life and try to make every moment count. It could be a group that travels on weekends. It could be a trekking group. It could be a book reading community. It could be any group where people have common interests. It really helps to feel part of a bigger group where others understand what you are going through. You have to invest time though, trying to find such a group of friends.
6. Make the list
It is a cliché that is oft-repeated but rarely implemented. The best way to survive a mid-life crisis is to ask yourself what it was that you wanted to do. Make a list and start ticking things off. The more you accomplish, the less you will feel bad about the time that has slipped past you unnoticed. Experiences will also help understand yourself better, especially if you are traveling cross-country.
7. Exercise
Take care of your body. When you exercise and feel healthy, your mind too will feel fresh and better. Staying in good shape and sharing regimen with motivated people is a great way of surviving the crisis.
