So this is 40, am I in for a midlife crisis?

I have recently surpassed the big four-oh. Like a lot of people who have attained this milestone, I have taken stock of where my life is and where it’s headed. I’m still single and likely will remain so (though I am pleased to state that I am not a 40-year-old virgin). I have a decent job, but wish I could have done more to advance myself in my college days. I’m overweight and could stand to shed a few pounds. I’m not as spry as I used to be and I’m sure other indicators of diminishing health will manifest themselves as I get even older. I know I should exercise more, and I do watch what I eat more than I used to. I have all my hair and the lady who cuts my hair has assured me that I am in no danger of going bald. I already wear glasses and have done so since the age of six, so declining eyesight isn’t a big concern. Overall, things seem to be okay.

For those of you who have endured the realization that your youth is fading and that you will soon be closer in age to being a senior citizen than being a high school senior, what was it like for you? Was there a certain point at which the harsh reality of no longer being young hit you? How did you cope with the regrets you may have faced towards the missed opportunities from earlier in life? Have any of you actually gone out and gotten a sports car as a coping mechanism? Even if I had the money I probably wouldn’t do this.

Changes you may wish to enact doesn’t mean it’s a crisis. At this age, we can make decisions for ourselves to better things. By now, I know what’s really important to me.

Dude, I’ll be 46 in less than 3 weeks. Since I’m in the army I can say I am at least in decent health with the exercise I have to endure. (I really hate it, so its amazing that I’ve done it for 20 years).

The only part that makes it really stink to me is younger guys who think its a laugh when you have a pain in the back or something. But I shut one guy up w/o pulling rank by telling him “20 years from now…you’ll be me. Ya can’t stop it. Time will kick your ass too” After he chewed on that for a second he stopped laughing.

Youth is wasted on the young, my friend. I was damn near indestructible 15 years ago. 20 years ago I was like freaking Captain Scarlet. But you can’t stop time or age. Make the best of what you have, and try to take care of yourself. Thats really the best you can do. Be healthy.

I coped by changing jobs and threw myself into the challenge of the new job. 40 is indeed a good time to take stock of your life. After all, almost surely half your life is over, even though there’s still a lot of time left. Just ponder the goals you still want to accomplish in your life and, if they’re still important to you, find a way to accomplish them.

I think a part of what appears to be midlife crises is people reaching their forties and starting to realize that they can do what they like, and to hell with what other people think. If a guy wants to drive a bright red Mustang, he can go out and buy a bright red Mustang (that’s one of the other parts of it - you can afford a bright red Mustang :slight_smile: ). My husband is planning his midlife crisismobile already, at 41. He figures that he’s driven used, crappy cars all his life - he’s in a position now to get the nice sports car he’s always wanted, and by God, he’s going to get one.

I’m so glad I got my midlife crisis out of the way in my mid-30s. It was a brutal few years, but I survived.

But keep this in mind: Whatever your problems are at 40 . . . if you don’t work through them, they’ll be 10 times as bad at 50 . . . and 10 times as bad as that at 60.

Good luck.

I’ve had several “mid-life” crises…at 18, 36, 40, 45, 49…
Really, they have taught me: live in the present, and do it now!
If you want to scale that peak…do it now!
You don’t know what will happen next day, next week, or next year…do it now!

48 and no MLC yet. I think that means I’ll live to at least 98.

I’m 41.

I turned 40 and decided I didn’t want to die. So I quit smoking and lost weight. And I decided that my dreams were going to come true only if I pushed it, so I’m starting law school.

Crisis are good.

My stepdad, who is somewhat past 40, just bought himself a really really really fancy new computer. Since he is an IT guy and has been one for his entire adult life (longer than I’ve been around!), this makes sense as in he needed a computer so he went for a really kick-ass one.

“So is this his equivalent of the sports car?” I asked my mom a few days ago when she told me about it. She laughed her ass off and then went and told him what I’d said and reported back the response, “Well, I could get the car too…”