What is your midlife crisis looking like?

[HaveYouHadYourBreak]

Light hearted!!!

I'm such a cliche. If I was a man I'd be buying a motorbike.

So far mine has involved getting my one and only tattoo (a pretty one on my inside forearm of course).

Going from no piercings to 6 ear piercings. All in my lobes - I'm not crazy dammit! I have plans for 1-2 more to make a stacked lobe.

I've got some (work friendly!) clothing from Disturbia and Damaged Society.

All very safe but quite rebellious for me! 🤣

Less safe but good - I've suddenly found my ambition at work. After decades of bobbing along, I've suddenly found myself wanting to progress and have started working on it.

Less safe and not good - I'm starting to wonder whether I want to stay married. We're not unhappy and am I just having a general wobble or is this something I need to look seriously at? I need to consider this slightly longer and more seriously than when I decided in the hairdressers chair to go from shoulder length hair to a pixi last year!

Got back into hot yoga, feel amazing! Rekindled an old flame and fell deeply head over heels in love with him. Started learning a new language.

Of course your emotions are valid. You're having them, ergo they exist.

Maybe try HRT if you are remotely peri or meno age, if you haven't already tried It. It really can give a boost and can sort out all sorts of niggles you didn't realise had built up.

Also, taking back your peace and time isn't a bad thing? Quiet revolution is still revolution! It's your life, never feel you have to compare it to anyone else, I mean, thats like 9 billion possible life comparisons, you'd drive yourself mad even trying 😁

Leaving the country permanently and relocating pretty much the otherside of the world with no massive plan. I give no shits anymore.

My friend’s midlife crises are playing out wildly. I feel like I’ve come out of it lightly

Botox and fillers!

I hear you! Where do these women get their energy from? I would love some!

Same!! Except that on top of all that, I'm eating my weight in chocolate and am now fat. In awe of all these ladies doing amazing things! Maybe we just haven't fully hit peak crisis yet!

I didn't think I was having one

Except now, I feel like I want a relationship

Which is ridiculous because that's something I should've sorted out when I was younger if I wanted it

Also wanting to be away all the time - as if I'm running out of time to travel or something

I think mine is about to start
I've quit my job to better support DCs but the side effect will be more time/headspace to sort myself out.

I’ve just turned 40 so hoping there’s a better midlife crisis to come but so far it looks like a complete mental breakdown and 3 months off work 😭.

Midlife crisis is mini stage right now. Just went freelance after redundancy recently. So Bought diamonds with the redundancy money. Lost three stone in weight with mounjaro and went on HRT. Have my hair done professionally now rather than using nail scissors henna. That’s my midlife so far but I’m sure I might do a detour and change my route and seek another sort of life if something derails me.

Dressing better and younger again, rediscovering my love of music and gigs, and sex
(but it’s not all good - several parts of my life are a disaster I would have never seen happening to me)

...um. I got divorced and have taken up colouring in so I don't cry allllll the time.

I feel like I'm doing this wrong.

Sounds like me, having the best time of my life in my 40s!

Great thread! Sport has always been a thing so I guess that's not a part of mine although I did some fairly extreme stuff in my forties!
Generally a bit more genteel now!
Started playing an instrument about 6 months ago and realised I can play by ear. Music generally has become much more important.
My fifities have been awesome and I was dreading it!
Generally not settling (for crap) in any type of relationship.

Your time will come. I wish you happier days ahead 😊

I’m on the cusp - I can feel one incoming. Currently off work and I’m not returning until September.

@Onebattleafteramother I’ve just started the relentless colouring in too…. 🌺.

I don’t think I’m having one yet, I had my youngest just before I turned 40 and still knee deep in toddlersville, which I love, so haven’t had time to be very philosophical. I have had a mad rush of creativity and a back to nature sort of vibe but it’s positive and productive.

@Onebattleafteramother @TheHouse me too actually.

You and me both 😪

I think I'm in between the rock and roll version and the low energy version - I go to lots of gigs, ones that are typically maximum 200 people in basement bars on my own, don't drink and I read my kindle between sets!
I'm also learning to play guitar and have bought myself a beautiful blue electric guitar and lessons that I couldn't have afforded in my teens.

NB I feel I should caveat that I don't have kids and no longer have caring responsibilities for parents, fully appreciate that many in mid life are in the trenches with parenting so it's a very different experience.

I went to uni at 43, wanted to as a teenager but parents wouldn't let me stay on to do A levels. Took so long as married young and had three children, youngest 9 when went to uni.

I want the one you guys are having!
Watching RiotWomen on iplayer for inspo - it’s hilarious, sad and thought provoking re joys of midlife menopausal women who change their life by setting up a punk band

Standing up to the mean girls.

I have always been able to stand up to people for others. But just this week someone more senior tried to bully me and I just was taking zero prisoners.

In the past I would have second guessed myself. Now I think … what an idiot she is. She picked the wrong woman!

Oh yes, this is also me!

Oh god, mine has been a disaster! A true crisis in some ways.

Major health event last year that has led to hearing loss and tinnitus. I resigned from my job and have sold my house.

I thought life was getting mundane, and had the feeling 'something' big was coming. I was expecting a lottery win. Instead I got a 2 week hospital stay.

After 40 years of following the 'script to success' I'm having to redefine how my future looks going forward.