How to have a midlife climax vs. a midlife crisis
If a crisis occurs in early midlife, around ages 40 to 50, it likely involves changes in one’s roles and identity. When people’s kids leave home, for example, many parents search for other ways to define themselves.
“Questions about identity are valuable,” Reischer says. “Identity exploration is often portrayed as something very negative. Instead, it can be an opportunity to disrupt a less-than-ideal status quo.”
In the process, new challenges arise. “Satisfaction is always good, but it’s also fine to recognize if life isn’t ideal or perfect,” Reischer says.
Reischer’s research finds that midlifers often embrace themselves, their past, and the world. “When you accept reality, as opposed to being mired in regret, you can decide where to go from there,” she says. Midlife experiences, even painful ones, can trigger your most important acts.
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