Living It Up

Ahhhh....

I think I may be having a midlife crisis. Don't worry, the good kind. I have never really had one before. I am not even sure this is the middle of my life. I mean one can never really be sure of that sort of thing, you know, until you get to the end of the thing, then you can look back and go...ahhh...so that was the middle. So for now, we are just going to assume that I will live to be at least 84. And just in case any of you were wanting to get your own midlife crisis, I am passing along the informal rules and regulations.

How to have a midlife crisis in 7 easy steps...(can be done in any order)

• Buying a convertible. I do not live in a climate that would allow me to use a convertible for any more than 2 months out of the year. So I cut my hair off instead. A minimum of 30 day waiting period should be implemented before making any drastic physical changes. You have been warned.
• Realizing that now is the "glory days" not then. What was so freaking great about 16? Or 21? or even 29? Duhrama. No money. More zits. Absolutely NO clue. Ok, sure, maybe we had a better physique, or less wrinkles, but you know what they say about an ounce of wisdom and a pound of crows' feet.
• Tearing up the bucket list. I guess it sounds nice in theory. But it also sounds like a list for the future when we ought to be living for the here and now. Reinvention is the name of this game and it is hard to ebb and flow with the winds of change when we are tied down to a list. If something strikes us now as new and exciting then by all means, if we have the means, we should make it happen now, not wait to check it off some list someday.
• Letting go of fear. This is not a fearful time. This is a time of following that inner inspiration to make life better. The first half of life was hopefully spent establishing a foundation, now we have the opportunity to live the life we have created. 
• Enjoying the hard work we have done. You know how it feels to look around a nice clean house, or a freshly mowed lawn and pat yourself on the back for a job well done? At mid-life, hopefully we have done a lot of the hard work. It is time to enjoy the kids. Spend time with the Hunky Hubby. Take pleasure in the things we have accomplished. 
• Sheding the skin. Like a snake, every so often we may realize that we have outgrown where we are at this moment and notice that we may be doing the same old things just because we are used to them. It is ok to let go of habits that may no longer fulfill us as they used to. Finding new hobbies can be rewarding. Liberating even!
• Stop reading someone else's ideas and go out and make your own way. Seriously. I mean it. Go. Now.

Quote of the Day: "It is sad to grow old, but nice to ripen!" 

--Brigitte Bardot