Mid-life crisis or priceless gift?

As Taylor Swift echoes in her song Blank Space, crisis can be a perfect storm or a turning point. You may observe what appears to be 'out-of-character' behaviour in people around you in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties or older.  You may feel an unshakable restlessness and have urges to act out your Wildest Dreams; take up a unique hobby, travel or move house based on a hunch, detox, radically change diet or the identity you present to others.  You may wonder what the blazes is going on? Other than turning to pop culture to get a handle on it, keep this in mind;

1. Reflect on emotions

About every 20 years of human life, emotions that are not healed and released from early trauma surface and take shape as adversity or challenges that cannot be ignored. It may be a health issue, family drama, relationship break-up, career setback or hiatus. You may not connect outside events with inner turmoil. Its common to dwell on the negative or work to 'tackle' the problem rather that see an opportunity to heal and feel the way into a less stressful phase of life.

2. Reframe the perceived 'mid-life crisis'

At some stage, you may grow aware of deep dissatisfaction. It may seem to relate to aging, being bored with a longstanding relationship or marriage, a feeling you are 'losing your touch' or edge, feeling disconnected, like you have accomplished what you have set out to do with kids, family, career or other things and fear what's next. Restlessness or disappointment may prompt you to seek external sources of pleasure, such as; fast cars, boats, exotic vacations, technology, drugs, younger partners or behaviours that push the envelope of what you once saw as rational, safe or acceptable.  This can happen at any age, but it is usually when people have money to do what they used to think they could not afford. Such behaviour shifts focus away from suffering. Ask is new behaviour going to last? Do you love feeling breathless? Is this a game? Or, is it time to accept lasting happiness is unrelated to the external?

3. Uncover the gift

What if as Inspirational Mentors  Allan and Barbara Pease echo, different ways exist to access your answer? What if every life choice you make is a turning point where you decide how and what to feel, imagine and create? What if you act more consciously to align choices with your core values? What if seeing yourself and the world differently could guide you to optimum living? What if you could engage in business for good, create impact, connection and joy by joining initiatives like Paul Dunn's B1G1?  What if you could begin right now, to shift gears, lifestyle, priorities, behaviours and goals of all sorts? What if being only solutions-oriented is missing something? What if rather than simply be inspired by James Bond or famous people you'd invite to dinner, you guide yourself to get Out of the Woods to organize visions, make them measurable and ground them differently?  Knowing this, if you feel drawn to a mentor, would you reach out?

How you present yourself to the world is a gift and the process of growing more authentic is also a gift. As Sia says, in her new song Nothing to Say- We have things to do and plans to make.  

Whether its getting a tattoo or body piercing, going on a pilgrimage, engaging in a thrill-seeking activity, shifting the nature or orientation of your business, whatever empowers you is on the path to listen to the heart. Watch what happens as you act on what enables you to feel more energized and shape your life around it.  This is congruence. This is creating a life of breakthroughs.  Remember what it is to be unstoppable in every area of your life.

Henry David Thorough reminds us, we are each "constantly invited to be who we are." What this feels like on the outside can be congruent with feeling harmony on the inside.  Brian Tracy echoes its up to you to tap into strength and resilience. When you are ready,  what you exist to be and do and be is beckoning. Make the most of who you are and what you know.  You are a gift to this world and yourself.  Take responsibility for your creation.  Go forward with enthusiasm.

Comments

[Bern]

Like happiness, adventure and truly living life is an awareness to make a conscious choice in every eventful meeting and encounter.

Beautifully written and felt Liara. What we learn and exchange is then grounded allowing us to float into the next world or focal point of one's calling.

[Liara Covert]

Hi B, indeed. Infinite ways exist to perceive and experience every moment. We can choose to act out of fear or, act from a place of conscious self-love and acceptance. Acting out of fear results in clinging to temporary external sources of happiness. Acting from a place of self-love guides one to see blessings and lessons available to us in every choice and perception. We are each floating from stage to stage of our co-created, changing destiny.