Midlife Crisis? Don't be a victim

In reality, I am not that different from many people. I have two kids, I live in the suburbs of San Francisco, and I have a good corporate finance job with a reputable Fortune 500 company. I'm mid thirties and I live comfortably. I have my own passions, primarily around outdoor sports, and I try and travel with my family when I can. I've lived in some great places and traveled extensively, but generally I'm pretty straightforward.

Also, I am happy with my life. I look back and don't regret any choices I've made, or where I've ended up. Sure, there are always adventures that I think about having that I can't really attempt in my current life, but I'm not about to have a midlife crisis. I am not going to wake up in 5 years and reassess my life because I'm on top of it. I'm constantly reassessing and ensuring I'm happy. When I've not been happy, I've made a change. I will never be a victim of circumstance and always do my best to own up to and create the life I want.

What I do make sure to do, or try to do, is keep myself aware of how normal my life can become. I find myself continually reading / watching / engaging with more ideas on counterculture, and philosophies that are in contrast to the life I lead. We all know that we spend too much time on things that don't really matter in life (the administration of life is a continuous drain), and so constant reminder that life is short, amazing, interesting and should be engaged and experienced at its deepest levels whenever possible. These examples provide ideas, motivation and actions that you can take to have more fun while also feeling and experiencing at levels our current lives sometimes do not provide.

Why do we all conform toward acceptable behavior and either get led into a life we don't want or lead a drab boring whitewashed existence? It comes down to that we are we always worried about what people think, how they are judging you. We've been taught to manage our own "brand" which means constantly managing the message. Don't get me wrong, in a professional environment I am always on the right behavior so that I can create the right opportunities for myself. But away from that brand management, we need to be doing things differently, be interesting, be exciting, be who you want to be. Don't just imagine or see yourself how you want to be, actually be that way.

Now, to remind you, I am a pretty normal guy. I love my family and I enjoy my life. But I make sure and catch myself when I'm worrying about what other people think, when I'm worried about how they will judge me. Have the confidence to be yourself, always do things for you and expose yourself to thinking and ideas that you won't get in your local gentrified neighborhood and dinner parties. Mix it up, keep it interesting and keep yourself engaged with your whole life and never look back.