My 3 Tips on Handling a Mid-Life Crisis

I was just watching the Blake Edwards movie "10" , with Dudley Moore and Julie Andrews. This is not only the best Mid-Life crisis film ever made, it's the greatest film ever made.

And I was starting to think perhaps I'm in the throes of a mid-life crisis. At the age of 46 I'm already on the back nine of my life. I have a couple of VIZ articles, two books and one or two leather jackets to my name, not much of a legacy.

I have a beautiful wife, yet am I now over the hump where my boyish charms have dissipated entirely. I'm careening my way to a Dad-Bod (albeit an empty-nester) and if I had funds for a Porsche I'm fairly sure I'd be paying my Bulgarian made to be cleaning it now.

To counteract some of these toxic thoughts, I've devised a mini strategy to overcome this lull. TIP 1.

RUN:

Take a 20 minute run, and imagine a world without your wife. Without that security of implicit trust in another person. Consider the scenario where you might now be in the arms of the woman whom you've been mentally coveting.

Imagine having to start all over. Taking on the responsibilities of being a surrogate father to her children. Dealing with Ex-Husbands/ boyfriends/ lovers.

It really is too much ball-ache.

Getting that turn in every day and running through these mental obstacle courses will allow you to appreciate deeper what you have.

IT's JUST A COUCH:

As Lester says in American Beauty, 'it's just a couch'. Ironically a film that speaks to the good and the bad moralities of a mid-life crisis. On one level Lester (played by Kevin Spacey) appreciates that the couch upon which he is trying to have a spontaneous tryst with his wife, played by Annette Bening, is JUST A COUCH! So what if he spills beer upon it.

On the other hand he falls for all the trappings that come with a mid-life crisis. Endlessly pursuing a girl more than half his age, buying his dream car, a 1970 Pontiac Firebird.

My TIP: is to rid yourself of all possessions that neither have value nor money wise nor sentimental. This theory I explored in a previous post. Don't Collect SH*T | Advice to my Younger Self.

AESTHETICS:

Another supposed sign that you're entering a mid-life crisis is to get cosmetic surgery. Guys, I'm going to confess something that I don't hear many other guys talk about; I got botox.

My sister is a beauty therapist so I lucked out on a good deal.

Should you avoid cosmetic surgery and just be happy within yourself?

This is what the Stoics will have you believe. I've also touched upon Stoicism in a previous article and how it has helped me in times of grief.

But I disagree with the Stoics on this one. I believe that society benefits from aesthetically pleasing things. It brings out the best in us. We all sit up straight when a hot blonde walks in the room.

The better we look, the better we feel within ourselves. This is touched upon in the writings of Bruce Lee. The less confident we are in ourselves, the less we are in touch with ourselves and the world, the more we want to control.

Summary

In summary, imagine a new world outside of your existing one and would a short term gain benefit you long term? Would material objects be just more crap that needs maintenance? And who doesn't want to look better in the group photos?