Guest article by Cheryl Conklin
Edited by Ruben Hopwood, MDiv, PhD, LP

Information and opinions expressed in guest articles are the views of the author.
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Whether you're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s, a mid-life crisis is a time when many people reassess their lives and make changes. If you're feeling lost or stuck, it can be difficult to know where to turn or what to do next. But there’s hope! There are plenty of ways to get unstuck from a mid-life crisis and improve your satisfaction with life in the process. Get started today with these 10 tips:

1. Changing Jobs or Starting a Business: If you're not happy with your current job, now may be the time to make a change. Consider starting your own business or exploring new job opportunities. Even making a small change can have a big impact on your life.

2. Getting an Online Degree: Have you always wanted to finish your degree but never had the time or the ability to attend college in person? An online degree may be the perfect solution for you; in fact an online degree may help you study at your own pace at home and work around your schedule.

3. Updating Your CV With a Free Online CV Builder: Sometime the way to improve your life is by changing your career prospects. If it's been a while since you updated your CV, take the time to do it now. With a free online CV builder, you can easily create a modern CV that can help you land your desired job or launch into a new career.

4. Planting a Garden: Gardening is a fantastic activity for relaxing and de-stressing. It’s also an opportunity to get outside and enjoy the stress relief and health benefits of fresh air and sunshine. If you don't have a green thumb, start small with some potted plants or herbs on your windowsill. You can also use online resources like Home Garden Hero for product reviews and gardening advice.

5. Eating Well: Eating healthy food is crucial for both our physical and mental health. In a mid-life crisis and at any time in life, it's easy to let our eating habits slide. If you wonder about your diet and whether it is helping or hindering your overall well-being, consider how eating more whole foods, drinking more water, and limiting your sugar intake may do more to improve your energy levels, mood, and overall health than will more caffeine or stimulants of other sorts.

6. Exercising Every Workday: Exercise is another key to maintaining physical and mental health. Every time you exercise even moderately, blood flow to your brain improves, your executive mental functioning improves, and your brain releases endorphins and other neurotransmitters that are connected to reducing pain and increased sensations of pleasure. It doesn’t take much to start. Start walking or similar gentle activity at a moderate intensity (mild sweat but no heavy breathing) for 30 minutes five days a week, and take the other days off. Give yourself permission to build up to the activity level you want and need at the pace your body can manage and always talk with our healthcare providers before starting on an exercise or workout routine, especially if you have not been exercising for a while or ever.

7. Crafting a Balanced Schedule: One of the challenges of a mid-life crisis is creating and maintaining a balance between work and life commitments. A work-life balance is important for mental and physical health. Start creating more balance in your life by crafting a schedule that fosters productivity and play through building in flexibility and letting go of perfectionism and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). We can ensure that we have time for both work and play by prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, and planning in down time and play time with as much intention as we plan work time.

8. Finding a Mentor or Life Coach: When we're feeling lost or stuck, it can help to seek the advice of someone who can help you look at things from outside the situation. A mentor or life coach can provide invaluable guidance and support as you navigate getting unstuck from your mid-life crisis.

9. Consider a Move: If a change of scenery or geography is what you need, maybe it’s time to move or at least find a regular place to get away from the stressors of your routine. The real estate market is booming so there are plenty of homes and vacation get-aways out there. Find something in your target price range and live someplace new, even if it’s just a new neighborhood in the same city. Find a time-share or vacation spot and invest into your very own happy place to relax and unplug from your busy life. This might even be an excellent opportunity to invest in your future as well!

10. Spending Time with Family and Friends: Family and friends can be an important source of support during times of crisis and stress. Spend time with the people who matter most to you and let them know how much they mean to you. Social support plays a key role in stress reduction and improves the ability to cope with life’s challenges.

Wrapping Up

Don’t despair: Hope shines in your mid-life crisis! Whether it’s changing jobs, getting an online degree, planting gardens, eating well, exercising, or implementing any of the other tips above, you can start turning your mid-life-crisis around today and improve your health in the process.

Hopwood Counseling and Consulting is also here to support your efforts to improve your well-being. Reach out today to get started!