Safely past the "mid-life crisis!"

[Longhorn]

I wouldn't exactly call my transition a "crisis" but I definitely experienced a change in attitude after I turned 40. What happened is, I began to accept that I was "old." I found myself thinking about the things I would never do again. I started dressing in large frumpy clothes. I wasn't very active.

But in 1998, when I was 43, I held my grandmother's hand as she died on her 85th birthday. It occurred to me then that if I live as long as my grandmother, I had only lived about half my life at that point. Did I want to live half my life as an "old" person?

Since then, I went to grad school and got a master's degree, lost 60 pounds and went blonde, bought a Saleen Mustang convertible, and while I don't dress like a teen, the baggy clothes are gone. Still married to the same wonderful man and I'm not making a fool out of myself (that I know of! :silly:) but I feel younger and more energetic than I have in years and I'm actually looking forward to the next forty years!

[Kahuna]

1. This is a great story. It's certainly an inspiration to me.

:toast: I'm just slightly ahead of you in the age department. :D

[Is It Fascism Yet]

2. ah you're just a young thing

43, yes, only half your life, young thing

[Longhorn]

3. Well, I'm 49 now.

This change of attitude happened back when I was 43 -- and not a moment too soon! :)

[seventythree]

4. good for you

It's important to be reminded that age is in your attitude -- thanks

[Longhorn]

5. Welcome to the group!

I'd love to know a little more about your political career. What positions have you held? :hi:

[seventythree]

6. thanks

went here right away, but had to wait for my star -- kind of smallish numbers, huh? Are there so few of us here?

[Longhorn]

7. I'm not sure why this group hasn't been more active.

We did start talking about menopause early on and that has been the busiest thread. It's an important issue to a lot of us but certainly not the only important issue we face at this age.

I started the group and I also started a few threads that didn't really go anywhere so I'm obviously not the best person to get things jump-started!

Maybe you're just the new blood we've been waiting for!

[seventythree]

11. Thanks for starting it

[livetohike]

8. Way to go Longhorn!

I think I am still in a mid-life crisis (age 52). It started in my late 40's though. I went to grad school when I was 47. Another woman and I were the oldest ones in our class.

I moved out here with my husband's new job four years ago and am still unemployed :-(. If I had a job, maybe it wouldn't still seem a crisis to me.

DU is keeping me sane.

[Longhorn]

9. I know how you feel!

I was one of the oldest in all my classes and didn't get a job for a semester, which is short compared to what you're going through, but long enough for me to begin to question whether it had been worth it to me to get that degree.

I hope something comes up for you soon! In what field are you applying?

[livetohike]

10. I was in Manufacturing Mgmt and hoped to continue in that field

That's one reason I went to grad school (MBA). I wanted to stay in business, but move out of operations.

I have other management experience (non-profit and government). The first ten years of my adult life were spent as an Elem. teacher. After that, I have only held management positions.

It's been really hard to get started here (north of San Diego).

[NMDemDist2]

12. i guess i am too

sure do feel those aches and pains more now though

i swear i can tell 24 hours before the rain comes LOL