pwfm Thought for Thursday - Midlife Crisis

Myths Behind The Idea of The “Midlife Crisis”

Turning 40 doesn’t mean you’ll freak out and get an uncontrollable urge to buy a convertible. On the contrary, most experts say that our middle years are when we feel happiest and most in control of our lives. Here are a few more myths behind the idea of the “midlife crisis”:

•Myth #1: At 35 you begin to feel old. Sure, you may have to start watching your cholesterol, but researchers at the University of Michigan found that people over 50 reported feeling an average of 13 years younger than their chronological age. If you exercise and are proactive about your health, you can even reverse some of damage you did eating cheeseburgers and going to keg parties when you were in college.

•Myth #2: You’re past your prime. That’s False. Margie Lachman is a professor of psychology at Brandeis University. She points out that many people do their best work after 40. For example, at 45, George Foreman came back to win the heavyweight championship, at 49, Julia Child wrote her first cookbook, and Ben Franklin was 70 when he helped draft the Declaration of Independence.

•Myth #3: Despite the myth, middle age isn’t boring. Psychologist Bernice Neugarten wrote the book The Meaning of Age when she was 80. She found that - compared to younger people - those over 40 were the most satisfied with their lives.