Midlife Mastery Journal

You may still think that, when circumstances change drastically (like they do at midlife), reinventing yourself would seem to be a very wise thing to do. I say ‘seem to be’ because that’s all based on your set of assumptions. You assume that it’s possible to ‘reinvent’ yourself, and you further assume that you know how to do it.

Apart from outright physical and emotional abuse, I believe that many (if not all) relationships “on the rocks” could be healed under the right circumstances. From my perspective, the fact that this healing so often fails to take place could be an indication that one or both of the partners have stopped listening. Additionally, ceasing to listen indicates a spiritual problem.

Although both adolescence and midlife involve a transformation that requires us to leave something behind, the losses involved in adolescence is masked with the opportunities to come, while the losses that come with midlife are heightened by our perception of the perceived decline that we will have to face.

A lot of pain awaits you at times like these, especially if you’ve made the decision not to decide to do anything about what’s causing it. Inertia (if you keep on doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting) exacts a terrible price in times of high stress and anxiety. What’s it costing you to do nothing?

There are no real tragedies in life (except, perhaps, a person who gives up on him- or herself along the way). There are only events or happenings. Each one is little more than an invitation to grow.