Does Mid-Life Crisis Actually Exist?

60 is the new 40 (years of age, that is).

Such is the widespread talk these days. Whatever the case may be, the forties is the time when one is supposed to hit a rough patch in life, the mid-life crisis point. Does this actually exist? Or is it a thought process which is ripe just in the minds of those of us who wish to hide under this pretext for something else?

What is a mid-life crisis? They say, almost each and every one of us reaches this critical phase. That we no more are sure of our personal or professional lives. We wish for a change, a makeover, in both or at least either of these. That we start stagnating in what we have achieved so far, and try to break free from its shackles into something new, something more challenging and exciting. A lot many of us attribute it to our fading youth, and our deep felt desire to cling onto it, not let it go.

Getting involved in a new activity will give us the hormonal rush in our veins to at least put up an appearance that we are still young. Still active. Still very much around and about doing things wise and wonderful. Or starting afresh in our personal living will give a dose of freshness to something that has begun to stagnate.

What mid-life crisis really means is not necessarily undergoing a big shift of ideologies or our way of life. It could even be translated into taking up a different hobby like picking up alternate healing therapies, or having a new philosophy of life like Buddhism come into your system. Whatever these may be, they will at least try to incorporate a new aspect into your persona.

Emphasizes Mrs. Renu Sehgal, now in her seventies, “when I turned forty, I really did begin to introspect on where I am heading in the next few decades of my life.” Such introspection may or may not lead to happy endings and new beginnings. But, at least, the idea of these is sowed into our beings.

Says Shweta Verma, “I know someone, 42, who decided to give up a regular job and opt for part-time consultancy work – just to try it out even though he was doing exceedingly well for himself.” So, why did he chuck up something he was good at it to do something that may or may not click? Continues she, “he knew he had to get something new into his work regime before he became too old for making a go of unchartered territories for him.”

Also, who has not heard of a jet-setting corporate executive give up her world of ‘breakfast in Tokyo and lunch in New York’ for being home well for the kids when she realized they were not growing up the way she so wanted! And this realization usually comes when the children are in the early teens or so, again a time of touching forty for the women concerned.

Thus, mid-life really is not about being 40, it actually is the time when one can clearly analyse for oneself that whether we are content with our present lot or not. If we are not, go in for the change in what you are doing. Whether you are 40, 50 or even 60, is not the actual factor to consider. YOUR AGE, for once, do understand, IS JUST ANOTHER NUMBER!

Adding to it, because of the general stigma surrounding here and there, people do hide the ANXIETY almost secretly which might lead to a crisis in their life. Why do people hide it and hide away from it? The escape route is here!