If you’re entering, going through, or just leaving your 40s, you belong to Generation X. You are born roughly between 1965 to 1980 – Gen X is the generation that follows the baby boomers. According to Britannica dictionary, Gen Xers are described as “resourceful, independent, and keen on maintaining work-life balance”1.
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For these women, this is a time of many adjustments be it socially, psychologically, or biologically during their middle-age years. These are the women who choose to live on their own, launch a career, marry in their late 20s, or never at all.
The term midlife crisis was first coined by Canadian psychoanalyst Elliot Jaques in a 1965 paper and described one’s realisation of restricted possibilities, limitations, and mortality. A 2009 analysis of General Social Survey data showed that women’s happiness “declined both absolutely and relative to men” from the early ’70s to the mid-2000s. More than one in five women is on antidepressants2 . Nearly 60 percent of Gen Xers describe themselves as stressed out2 .
These facts are scary but are there any ways for them to bounce back and live life the way they should? What are the signs and how can this midlife crisis be tackled?
3 Most Common Signs & Ways to Overcome A Midlife Crisis
Societal expectations of gender roles vary between men and women in their midlife. Traditionally, men are career focused. At this stage of life, they are prone to flash their wealth and success to their fellow peers or even to their life partners. Whereas women, tend to focus too much on their appearances – the changes they’re going through biologically more or less will affect their confidence levels.
Here are some signs and ways to overcome the midlife crisis faced by today’s Gen-X females.
Relationships
When a relationship is in crisis, the significant sign is a lack of communication between the couple. Both will be occupied in their world as their mind drifted from the goal of their relationship. If the couple fights frequently with an unprovoked exchange of words and insults – it gets to the point where the relationship might fail.
What can you do:
- Discuss the problem with your partner
- Figure out if the relationship can still be saved
- Show your partner care and compassion
- Speak with a few trusted friends and family
- Write down the good things your partner has done
- Try to keep the romance going
- Give each other some time off
Balancing Work & Home
Gen- X women have to transition through their life with technology, and now, the internet and social media are intertwined as a whole in their lives. They focused too much on work and aim to climb up the corporate ladder. Family life seems to be secondary. The questions of, “Am I enough?” or “I work hard but I don’t have anything”, might arise especially when these Gen Xers thought they could “have it all” by balancing work and home. This happens to women everywhere in this world and even got worsened by the pandemic.
What can you do:
- Find a job that you love.
- Prioritize your health.
- Don’t be afraid to unplug.
- Take a vacation.
- Make time for yourself and your loved ones.
- Set boundaries and work hours.
- Set achievable goals.
Physical Changes
At this stage, you can’t avoid the physical and emotional changes that might occur such as menopause, or other hormonal symptoms like hot flashes, abrupt mood swings, weight gain, and further aging signs – gray hair, wrinkles, age spots, or hearing loss. Some might experience overwhelming sadness due to no longer being the desirable woman.
What can you do:
- Connect with other women who can support you.
- Seek professional help from a counselor or a psychologist if your feelings affect your daily activities or if you have suicidal thoughts.
- Normalize it or accept the new you.
- Dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable and fabulous.
- Remind yourself that beauty means so much more than external appearances.
- Make a list of all your body has done and continues to do, for you.
Yes, midlife crisis is real – it could be quite a challenge for many. Nevertheless, there are solutions for everything. Simply surround yourself with people you love, fight the toxicity of anti-aging culture and embrace the beautiful sands of time. Never forget to appreciate all the beautiful things around you and sail through the midlife phase smoothly. Happy International Women’s Day!
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References:
1 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2022/09/02/what-years-gen-x-millennials-baby-boomers-gen-z/10303085002/
2 http://users.nber.org/~jwolfers/papers/WomensHappiness.pdf
3 https://www.marriage.com/advice/relationship/how-to-save-a-relationship-in-crisis/#:~:text=failing%20or%20not.-,What%20is%20a%20relationship%20crisis%3F,other%20as%20they%20used%20to.
