Many people can relate to a midlife crisis and find themselves at a crossroad. This may be of your own choosing or thrust upon you by circumstances beyond your control. The origin is less important than how you react to it. Perhaps you decide to pick up and move across country (or the world) to a place you’ve always wanted to live. Maybe you decide to take up a new career. Or go back to school. Some may even retire all together to follow their bliss. I used to think folks who chucked it all to begin again were nuts. Lately, however, I’ve begun to think they are just crazy enough to be geniuses.

Sometimes our lives become stagnant, making us restless and unhappy. We sacrifice our sense of adventure because we believe others would judge us to be selfish if we chose another path. We are victims of our own success, accumulating not only stuff but burdening ourselves with crippling responsibilities and obligations. Somehow we are convinced that to change where we are and what we do would tear a hole in the space time continuum and life as we know it would be sucked into a black hole should we dare to disrupt what is expected of us.

I’ve worked hard all my life but realize my resume is not who I am. Looking back, I’ve had an amazing career that many people would envy. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved but I now question the price I sometimes paid to achieve it. I missed things I wish I hadn’t and can never get those moments back. Again, it was because I felt obligated to do what was expected rather than what I really wanted. I played it safe. Young families don’t do that any more. They demand a work life balance I would have been kicked to the curb for suggesting. Good for them.

I look around my house and remember accumulating the stuff I thought I couldn’t live without. Truth be told, everything I truly cherish could fit in a shoebox. None of the rest matters. It eventually all weighs you down and suddenly those folks who live in an RV and travel the country don’t seem like they’ve given up anything. To them, happiness and freedom are not measured in square feet. Food for thought.

I had my midlife crisis a long time ago. It was messy. But, I refuse to say I’m having an END of life crisis. I’m ready to explore what’s next and don’t want to play it safe. Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. So don’t be surprised if I sell it all down to the walls. Maybe it’s time for Bella and me to ride off into the sunset … or at the very least leave you wondering if I’ve lost my mind. Or just maybe I’m a genius.