As I say goodbye to my 45th year this weekend, I started contemplating this monumental year. According to Dictionary.com A midlife crisis a period of psychological stress occurring in middle age, thought to be triggered by a physical, occupational, or domestic event, as menopause, diminution of physical prowess, job loss, or departure of children from the home. This seems pretty drastic but let me give you a little background as to why I am asking myself, Am I Having a Midlife Crisis or Just Several Midlife Crises? At first, I thought I was having a bad calendar year but when 2016 passed and things were still happening, I am now blaming everything on my 45th year of life. 
So how does one know if they are facing a midlife crisis or just several mid-life crises? Having kids in my 30’s I think that I am still younger than I think. Why should I be feeling my age at 45 when my youngest is only 10? I thought I would opening analyze my 45th year as it comes to an end in a few weeks and get my readers, some who may be able to relate, help me figure out what is happening.
Let’s start with the Crises that have happened since April 2016. I am using the word crisis and it is most likely an exaggerated definition about the events in my life. In the big picture. these “crises” are really just bumps in the road, inconvenient happenings or part of getting older.
Midlife Crisis Symptoms or Just Coincidences?
In chronological order that I can remember…. (another part of getting older, memory)
- My Mother In Law Passed Away (April)
- My Father was put in an Assisted Living Facility (July)
- Roof Leak found during Bathroom construction (Aug)
- First Major Surgery- Hysterectomy (Sept) (no driving 2 weeks)
- Had to Take Leave of Absence from Tennis team until Spring
- Car Accident (Oct) (first since I was 16)
- Broken Crown (December)
- Torn MCL, ACL (December)
- Physical therapy 1x a week (Jan-Feb)
- Second Major Surgery- ACL Reconstruction (March) (No driving 3 weeks)
- Had to Take Leave of Absence from Tennis team until Sept
- Physical Therapy 3x a week TBD
- More Skin Cancer Spots found on my Husband
Things I have Accomplished in my 45th Year:
Not all bad things have occurred this year. I have also sought many new adventures or reexperienced things I had not done years throughout my 45th Year of life.
- Mother of A High School Freshman
- Shot a Bow and Arrow
- Shot a Rifle
- Fly Fishing
- Horseback Riding
- Visited Wyoming
- Snowmobiling
- Took a Segway Tour
- Took a Gondola Ride
- Went to Disney World
- Went on a Disney Cruise
- Used my Passport
- Witnessed the lighting of the Tree at Rockefeller Center
- Took a Girls Weekend to the Beach
- Went on Two Ski Trips (2nd one I could not ski)
- White Water Rafting
All in all, I need to feel blessed as the good experiences have outnumbered the bad. I guess when you have been so healthy for so long, you really start to feel your age when things happen. Not to mention my husband has threatened to trade me in for two 23-year-olds! What about in sickness and in health, I have a feeling we will both be testing our patience the next years of our marriage.
If you really study your list, many of those things could have happened to someone much younger. Take heart, the real big changes come after 50! You’re doing great!