If you're approaching your middle-age years and not feeling good about it, Rabbi Shmuley says you're not alone. He talks about why people experience midlife crises, their symptoms and solutions to get out of crisis mode.
Rabbi Shmuley says it isn't uncommon for those who have reached their midlife to feel that they haven't fulfilled their personal aspirations, their looks are fading or they haven't climbed high enough on the corporate ladder. He also says today's society overvalues youth and celebrity, causing people to forget the blessings that come along with getting older.
Rabbi Shmuley identifies the following symptoms of a midlife crisis and offers ways to move past your negative feelings.
Symptoms of a Midlife Crisis:
You're not as lively.
You're more sedentary and less adventurous.
You're not as happy and can't really identify why.
You're not as outgoing and confident as you used to be.
You're more hesitant before you say things.
You begin to have inexplicable fears and anxieties about your looks and your success.
You begin to search for mindless escapes, like shopping.
Solutions:
Focus on how much wiser you are and how far you've come. "It's not that your dreams have been shattered, it's that you now have more mature dreams," Rabbi Shmuley says. "Take time to rethink what your dreams should be."
Start exploring your spiritual life more. The more you begin to feel like this world has a hidden layer that you haven't explored, things like physical beauty and money won't matter as much to you, Rabbi Shmuley says.
Reignite your passion for life. Rabbi Shmuley suggests taking classes, reading more regularly, learning a new skill and getting involved in your community.
Today's Shmuleyism:
"The midlife crisis is becoming ubiquitous for both men and women. But what you discover when you age is that you gain the wisdom to understand that your original dreams were somewhat shallow. Your new dreams can be based on greater depth and wisdom. Live in the present, not in the past, and enjoy all of your blessings."
