I took this picture on the beach in Key West Florida.
Hair and teeth.
They are age indicators for both children and adults.
So we hang on to it in however way we can--
The caramel coloured highlights in my hair are new.
I have only had them for a few months.
It was my first time to colour my hair.
After I got them done, I felt pretty grown up.
This is ironic considering the impetus to get them was that I was trying to hide my grey hair.
I needed change.
I felt stuck--and I was beginning to feel old.
Doesn't that suspiciously sound like a midlife crisis?
Midlife crisis.
A period when people yearn to feel young again instead of
'middle aged.'
That feeling that life is just moving on a track that is assigned but not necessarily chosen.
Of course living in an age-obsessed time where 'the cult of youth' has never been so strong does not help the "midlife crisee" either.
A midlife crisis is really a signal that something needs changing in your life or your perspective.
When social pressure plays a huge role in dictating what you should be happy about and what you should overlook--it is time to take a step back.
But should we call it a crisis? Why so negative?
Why not call it a: "MIDLIFE EPIPHANY?"
Last weekend, I had one of those midlife epiphanies.
(the first of many, I am sure)
(pictures from the midlife epiphany weekend HERE)
Presented with the opportunity to do something I had never done before, I hesitated.
I am 40 years old.
I had gone through life not ever trying it--and I was afraid that if I did something I was not used to doing, I would end up broken.
It was fear of the unknown.
My heart was pounding.
I was afraid I would end up knocking all my teeth out.
However, I knew that if I did not try it, I would live with regret.
Literally throwing all caution to the wind I jumped right in and tried water skiing
for the very first time in my life.
It felt absolutely great to take a chance.
Exhilarating actually.
Something stirred in me.
I felt alive.
It was then that I realized that we can use a midlife epiphany as a powerful motivator to seize the moment.
It can push us to live a more productive and satisfying life.
(she says as she sits at her computer, blogging)
Midlife epiphanies can encourage us to be more relaxed, optimistic and energetic about the future.
After all, teeth are overrated.