The Daily Evolver

The popular picture of the midlife crisis is the man in his 40's or 50's who's lost his job, his wife or his health. He's dyed his hair, bought a Porsche and is dating a much younger woman. We feel sorry for him, maybe in the same way we would feel sorry for an active alcoholic, a mentally ill person or anyone who is out of touch with reality. Losing your job or your partner, having major health issues or just the general feeling of existential ennui can be terrible and even traumatic, but they are not necessarily unique to midlife. The midlife crisis has a flavor all its own. It kicks in with the realization that you’ve crossed the halfway point of your life and are on the downward slope. To make it worse, you may discover that the things most important to you -- your relationships, your career, your purpose in life -- have begun fraying around the edges if you haven’t put in the effort to sustain them. We negotiate one transformation after another during our lifetimes, beginning with birth and extending