50 Ways You Can Make Your Life Zing Before Your Midlife 'Crisis' – and Accelerate It After
Neville Christie
Championing a STEEP Renaissance: As we all become our best versions & together shape far better futures
By Neville D Christie, Co-founder of STEEP Renaissance 21 October 2024
The Real Magic of Life Transformation
The title of our photo is hidden. But it refers to our 'midlife crisis'. That's a deliberate misnomer. Because, midlife does not have to be a crisis... Far from it!
For many decades, the conventional wisdom was, “Life begins at forty.” ?This implied that forty marks the end of life under our parents’ influence. And we become our own person.
But today, the idea of midlife is more nuanced. Most of us will go through what’s been called a 'mid-life crisis' between ages 45-60. However, it’s more a period of transformation than crisis. A time when we setup every aspect of life for it to take on far more zing.
Who says?
However, who says we must wait for midlife to live fully? With the right tools and techniques – that are endemic to www.steeprenaissance.com - we can nurture our heart, mind, body, and spirit before, during, and after midlife.
As I like to say, “Part of life’s Real Magic – despite its ups and downs – is it gets better every year, when we make it so.” ( a #Nevilleism).
Accelerating Through Change
The secret to thriving, not just surviving, is reframing periods of uncertainty as our innate opportunities to compound and accelerate. Rather than we see midlife as a crisis and a stall... we view it as a launchpad.
So, here’s how to turn each phase of life into a vibrant, fulfilled, and holistically healthy experience. These 15 tips, out of an eventual Best You 50, will enhance your life at every stage. We promise!
Pre-Midlife: Building a Strong Foundation
Before you reach midlife, it’s vital you invest in areas that sustain you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Doing so ensures a smoother transition during midlife.? And an accelerated journey afterward.
1. Develop Emotional Intelligence: Understanding your emotions and those of others builds resilience and improves relationships. Emotional intelligence - known as EQ - becomes a guiding light through your life's transitions.
2. Celebrate Small Wins: Life and business are not just about big milestones. Regularly recognise small victories, as well.? This fosters a sense of achievement and keeps your motivation high:
“We all like dessert after our healthy protein and vegs. And sometimes we need it.”
3. Align Daily Actions with Purpose: Identifying and living in alignment with your core values ensures a purposeful life. "Purpose-driven living leads to long-term happiness."
5. Maintain Your Curiosity: Curiosity is youthful making. As you stay open to new experiences, you sharpen your adaptability, and keep life exciting. As yet another #Nevilleism says, “Curiosity didn’t kill the cat; it gave her nine lives.”
Bonus: Follow my regular LinkedIn updates for more details on these and 35 other steps.? And download the 50 Ways You Can Make Your Life Zing illustrated PDF by joining STEEP Renaissance.
Midlife: A Time to Accelerate, Not Stall
Midlife can be the most transformative time of your life. ?When you recalibrate and propel yourself forward with purpose and energy.
6. Prioritize Work-Life Integration: Balancing, and integrating, productivity with relaxation ensures you sustain your well-being. Hybrid work and gig economy models make this easier than ever.
7. Eliminate Toxicity: Reassess your relationships and environments. Surround yourself with uplifting, positive people, and let go of what drains you. “Toxic people, generate toxicity in you.? Nutritious people call forth nutritious-ness in you.”
8. Engage in Creative Activities: Whether painting, writing, story-telling, or starting new ventures, your creativity nourishes your mind and soul.
"Before you went to school you engaged in nearly every creative endeavour known to humankind. Then reading, 'riting, and 'rithemetic squashed most. Now they wait sizzling with expectation, for you to revive them." [Yeap, another #Nevilleism - I'm overflowing with 'em].
9. Commit to Total Health: Regular checkups and preventive care, maintain your vitality well into your later years.
10. Practice Mindfulness: Staying present and appreciating the moment cultivates peace and fulfillment.
领英推荐
Thích Nh?t H?nh, Vietnamese Zen master, teaches: “The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. By cultivating mindfulness, we free ourselves from the grip of the past and the future and create peace and joy in the now.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), says: “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. It’s about finding space between stimulus and reaction, which allows us to respond more wisely to life's challenges.”
Post-Midlife: Flourishing with Clarity and Vitality
Post-midlife is not a time to slow down but to flourish with renewed purpose. You’ve weathered the storms and gained wisdom. Now it’s time to expand and thrive.
11. Pursue Personal Passions: Dive into hobbies and projects you’ve always wanted to explore. They nurture your soul and give your life meaning.
Joseph Campbell, American mythologist and writer, said: “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.”
Howard Thurman, theologian and philosopher, offered this insight: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
12. Cultivate Joy: Focus on what brings happiness. Joy fuels resilience and keeps you energized.
13. Let Go of Control: Release the need to micromanage every aspect of your life. Trust in the process.
14. Celebrate Your Progress: Take time to reflect on how far you’ve come, both personally and professionally.
Takeaway: Implementing these tips ensures you thrive not just in midlife but long after.
I know, because I’m living it.? At 83, I’m experiencing my greatest growth yet. So can you!
The Case of Warren Buffet: A Metaphor for Life
Warren Buffet exemplifies how life and success can accelerate after midlife. By the age of 60, Buffet was worth $3.8 billion, but his net worth and wellness skyrocketed in later decades. Reaching well over $100 billion, his success is a powerful reminder that compounding - whether in wealth or personal growth - accelerates over time.
“The first rule of compounding: Never interrupt it unnecessarily.” – Warren Buffet
Buffet’s story is a broader metaphor for how we can continually grow and thrive, no matter our age. “All the research of neuroscientists prove it to be so:? Our brain keeps forming new pathways until our last breath.”
Dr. Norman Doidge, psychiatrist and author of The Brain That Changes Itself, says: “The brain is not fixed but plastic, meaning it is a dynamic, malleable structure. We can continually reshape and grow it throughout our lives.”
Dr. Bruce Wexler, a neuroscientist at Yale University, states: “The brain retains its capacity for change and growth well into old age. Even in the elderly, mental exercises can lead to measurable improvements in brain function.”
What You’ll Gain:
By applying these 50 strategies, one at a time, you’ll nurture a holistic sense of well-being, covering your;
Your Life Begins Afresh Today
The Lord's prayer that many of us learnt in out youth, in a modern version says, "Give us fresh bread daily,"
Whether before, during, or after your midlife transformation, the time to thrive is now. Invest in your well-being, pass these tips on, and build a future full of promise, joy, and vitality.
Action Plan:
1. Follow me, Neville Christie, on LinkedIn to get all 50 tips drio-fed.
2. Request your illustrated PDF of 50 Ways You Can Make Your Life Zing by emailing me at [email protected] .
3. Become a member of STEEP Renaissance for exclusive content on personal growth, relationships, business, and more.
Keywords: Midlife crisis, Holistic well-being, Mental clarity, Emotional resilience, Physical vitality, Spiritual growth, Self-compassion, Work-life balance, Personal growth