Midlife Opportunities

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when all you wanted to do was hold on to something?  Maybe that something is your youth?  You see your children growing up and perhaps you're not ready for them to leave the nest.  These challenges are common to many people in my age group -- the baby boomers.  My optimism helps me to see opportunities when others see crisis.  Here are some examples:

1. Letting go of your children when they reach adulthood allows them to spread their wings and fly.  New nests cannot be built when your children are too comfortable in their old nest.  They were born to soar.  And your job is to teach them how to build their own nests.  If you do your job well, you will get the opportunity to help them even after your own nest is empty.
2. Just because you are getting older every day, it doesn't mean you can't get better.  Each day adds a little more wisdom and experience to your life.  The opportunities don't stop in midlife unless you stop pursuing them.  Challenge your brain by learning new activities.  Learn a new language.  Travel.  Meet new people.
3. Cut the anchors in your life.  You know what they are.  They are all the things in your life that prevent you from leaving the harbor where you think you are safe.  That is the real crisis -- not letting go of the anchor and rotting your life away because you don't want anything to change.  You are missing out on all the opportunities waiting for you on distant shores.

It was a little scary letting go of my old life in Southern California.  I was comfortable.  Other than a couple of wildfires and an occasional earthquake, my home was my security blanket and I was Linus from Peanuts.  I decided it was time take my thumb out of my mouth and let go of the blanket.  I'm discovering all kinds of midlife opportunities in the heartland of America.  What kind of midlife opportunities do you have in your life?  I would love to hear from you in the comments section below.