When I was young, I used to laugh at the whole “mid-life crisis” that men seemed to have when they hit a certain age. The red sports car, change in how one dresses, etc.
Then you hit that certain age and you start to look back and what you’ve done over your career and adult life and what you remembered wanting to do when you were a kid.
This “certain age” does something to a person. Not everyone, but when you realize you have lived most of your years already, you start to evaluate those years. Did I really enjoy the work or did I get wrapped up in the culture’s idea of what you’re suppose to do? Get a job, get married, buy a house, have a child, collect $200 and go. Maybe that is not so much today’s sales pitch, but it was Generation X’s sales pitch and a lot of us bought into it without considering something important: will I be satisfied in 20-30 years?
I don’t remember asking myself that question, so it is no surprise that I have ended up where I am at, asking myself, what do you want your life to be like?
Now, don’t get me wrong, life is not bad, not by a mile. My wife is amazing and I have 3 brilliant children and despite them all being teenagers and older, they still like hanging out with their parents. This is really more about work choices and I want more.
I spend a lot time working, so I want my work to include what I am passionate about. Don’t you? I keep asking myself, why can’t work be fun again? Why do we all have to take ourselves so seriously?
I’m not sure the point of this post, I just sat down and it started coming out. I’m not sure if I am in a mid-life crisis or if I am waking up. I’m realizing that there has been part of me that has been hiding for a long time, fitting into other people’s molds, and trying to help them be successful. Nothing wrong with that, but again, I want more. Not more stuff. More experiences.
Maybe I’m writing this because I am putting myself on notice. It’s time to rise to who I could be. It’s time to stop hiding.