Busy Midlife Slacker?

Being busy at midlife can have a profoundly different meaning, if you are willing to be thankful, and open-minded.  Many things can, and do, overwhelm us. Right?

Laughing can be good medicine in managing (not eliminating) stress. And just the other day, a friend and I were reminiscing about some funny moments in our lives that illustrate how we’ve dealt with stress.

Perhaps seven years ago, when our son was two, while Family was staying with us for the year-end holidays, I was on the floor with our son.  We weren’t doing anything important.  Just hanging out really.

The phone rings and I don’t flinch a muscle.  One of the visiting family members was in their 70’s.  They were taught, when the phone rings, you answer it – it’s the lifeline to the world.

They said, “Aren’t you going to answer the phone?”

“No, I’m busy”, I replied sincerely.

“But you aren’t doing anything”, they challenged.

“That’s right.  I’m busy doing nothing”, I said, smiling, staring at my son.

Sometimes, being a midlife slacker can be the most important part of your day.

Mid Life Dentist Celebration

Mid Life dental appointments. Heading to my third one this year. Mid Life Celebration to be sure.

Insurance pays for two.

Instead of going every six months, I made a conscious choice to go every four months.  The third visit is out of pocket.

Why do that?  For Less than $100 I can increase my “annual dental cleanliness” by 50%.

Few expenditures render such high returns.  Plus, who doesn’t love their teeth?  Thankful for teeth, the extra $100 to spend, and a healthy midlife strategy.

Mid Life Celebration

Mid Life Celebration.  Mid Life Crisis.

If I have to explain the difference between a Mid Life Crisis and  a Mid Life Celebration, then you may find the concept too much to grasp.

However, if you can look at the two phrases, and say the two phrases, and immediately sense the opposing attitude each brings, well, then you might already know the huge opportunity that awaits anyone facing midlife.

It’s so simple it defies logic.

Just like being thankful.  Being thankful is so simple it defies logic.   This is why I am constantly giving thanks.  If I pause and give thanks 100 times each day, it wouldn’t be enough to keep up with all there is to be thankful for.

Ever think about stuff like this?

Midlife Crisis In Women

What exactly is a midlife crisis for women?  It has different meaning for different people.  It’s 7:00AM here in Orlando. Just finished reading today’s article from Everyday Health, which speaks about midlife crisis affecting women.

Click here to read.

Why would you want to read this, if you’re a man?  Or if you’re a woman but have never had a midlife crisis?

Simply this, know that someday, if you are like most humans, you will come to the proverbial fork in the road.  And the road you’ve been on may not be the road you want to continue traveling on.

Mid Life Celebration was created years ago in an effort to work through my own mid life crisis.  It can be the best time in your life, but only if you embrace it’s reality with a sincere desire to be thankful for it, and, an uncommon passion to celebrate it.

Simple Thanks Mid Life?

Simple.  Thankful. Present. Childlike. Humble.

At mid life, there are many things that can distract us from being present.  And when this occurs, we can not be thankful for even the simple things.

Not being thankful for even the simple things leaves us open to create habits that take us farther and farther from thankfulness.

This should alarm us.  And maybe, just maybe, we should be thankful for our alarm.