Mid Life Crisis: What is it? Is it inevitable? Is it even a real phenomenon? Or is it an invention of the media — that is, corporate advertising trying to sell us things we don’t need? (Not only do we not need these cosmetic and quasi-medical accoutrements, they are downright insulting and sometimes even dangerous.)

I have been inundated lately by articles, poems, and stories about the so-called “Midlife Crisis.” Clearly it is a subject very much on the minds of many, many women. The writings that I have been sharing with you cover the gamut of opinions, ideas, and suggestions about coping with a Midlife Crisis, ours or someone else’s. I offer them up to you to for your interest and edification.

As always, I invite you to send me your stories — experiences, advice, and inspiration to share with our community of Midlife Queens. And special thanks to all oof you who have shared their ideas, research, and creativity with us.

Midlife Crisis or Midlife Consciousness? You choose!

xxQueen Mama Donna

Female Midlife Crisis or Midlife Alarm Call? – Part 1

By Gill Warren, England

Got a female midlife crisis on your hands? Enjoy it!

Do you no longer feel satisfied with the life you are living? Are you really doing want you want to in life? What is missing? If you are a  woman having a midlife crisis don’t ignore the alarm call. It is saying wake up and smell the coffee.

What is a female midlife crisis?

On average women are living 8 years longer than they did in the early 1900s.  Our midlife crisis is different from our mother’s.  The culture has changed from one of stay at home mothers, looking after the children and having little or no financial freedom or independence to us as likely as not being divorced, having worked outside the home for most of our careers. When the children leave home we may be looking for something different in life. Even without children we may feel that we no longer want to do the long commute or be expected to keep up with the youngsters at the office. Also as our parents become more elderly and frail we realise we need to make a change as we shhift from being the youthful generation to the middle generation.

Your midlife crisis is the perfect time to reassess our lives, what gives us a sense of identity, then make changes that lead to a more fulfilled and happier life.

If you are reading this you are probably looking for a change. Take this as an opportunity to completely reassess what you want from life.

Female versus Male Midlife Crisis

For men their midlife crisis often revolves around their perceived drop in potency, either physical strength or reaching the pinnacle of their career and realising they still have some fifteen years of work to go and how do they deal with that drop in status? As a general rule men will look outside themselves in  a midlife crisis, the proverbial motorbike or sports car or taking of a younger mistress. For women we will generally look inside ourselves, particularly if we have devoted the whole of our lives to date in the service of others.

Tomorrow: Female Midlife Crisis or Midlife Alarm Call? –Part 2

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Donna Henes is the author of The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife. She is the Midlife Midwife™ offering counseling and upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity. Consult the MIDLIFE MIDWIFE™

The Queen welcomes questions concerning all issues of interest to women in their mature years. Send your inquiries to thequeenofmyself@aol.com.