Introduction to the Midlife Crisis
A midlife crisis can actually be one contributing factor to a successful overall midlife bachelor strategy. It can also be one component of the overall makeover that I refered to previously in the Intro to Personal Appearance 2.0 and Intro to Mental Makeover 2.0 sections here. I love the term “midlife crisis” because people use it to explain so many different things. It typically refers to a male in his 40s or 50s who exhibits some form of behavior that is well outside the norm for him. It could refer to an affair with a young secretary, or the purchase of a sports car, or anything that represents a significant departure from expected behavior based upon past history.
Sometimes the midlife crisis is the catalyst that causes midlife bachelorhood – the wife couldn’t handle the husband’s affair with the 22-year old secretary, and voila – the husband is now single. Other times the midlife crisis is the result of having become a midlife bachelor – like when the guy going through a divorce after twenty years of marriage suddenly trades in his SUV and buys a Corvette. The bottom line is that midlife crises happen for a reason – they are sign to everyone that things are changing. I believe that the midlife crisis is a pivot point for personal growth – that it is one way to embrace life … to more fully live life. I’ve seen a lot of guys go through a midlife crisis or two, and I salute them all – they can be role models for the rest of the men out there who are afraid to change! Now by saying this, I do not mean (for example) to endorse or advocate husbands cheating on their wives – quite the contrary, in fact. What I am saying is that personal stagnation is not healthy, and that change and personal growth are good. I’ll discuss the many different dimensions of midlife crises in the section entitled Enjoy Your Midlife Crisis – but my main message here is that a midlife crisis should be enjoyed, and embraced by all!