The Myth of the Midlife Crisis | Barbara Waxman | TEDxSonomaCounty

Have you fallen for the ageist myth of the midlife crisis? Cultural norms tell us that anyone in midlife is on a slippery slope toward their demise. The truth is: we have more years of living, not dying. Are you ready? Barbara Waxman is the leading authority on Middlescence and a passionate advocate for aging, wisdom, and thriving in midlife Her mission is to shift cultural norms around aging and the life stage Middlescence. Barbara is the founder of Odyssey Group Coaching LLC which includes her one-of-a-kind coaching model, Entrepreneurship Turned Inward©, and proprietary content such as the Five Essential Elements© to help middlescents thrive personally and professionally. She is one of the only Gerontologist-coaches in the United States. Her breakthrough coaching has inspired hundreds of individuals and senior leaders with compassion, honesty, and a light heart while incorporating cutting edge research and methodologies. Barbara is the author of two books examining aging, including, most recently, The Middlescence Manifesto: Igniting the Passion of Midlife. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@divinedaytripper6916]

An uplifting perspective on aging. We're not done yet!!! Brava Barbara Waxman.

[@retirementrebellion]

Wonderful talk, Barbara - engaging and eloquent, with excellent pacing and pausing. I took in every word. Thank you.

[@Didiaguilar561]

I can say the feeling weighs a ton on my shoulders. The sadness to look back and see that I survived all these years. That’s all I did, and accomplished nothing. Yeah no wonder is a crisis

[@maricelamachucamachuca1491]

Life begins when we decide to put a side things a people that hurts us

[@heikojakob6491]

Got a divorce, got young girlfriends, bought a motorbike, had heart surgery, i'm done with midlife crisis.

[@MMAGUY13]

Can you explain to me what you were feeling what made you do all the things I’m trying to understand why my wife had a midlife crisis please give me as much details as you can

[@heikojakob6491]

@@MMAGUY13 Well, i got my midlife crisis after my wife had hers and left me and the kids. So i just started my life again and did all the things i skipped when i was young. The motorbike i bought was a BMW R1100S. It was one of the motorbikes i dreamed of when i was young, but i couldn't afford back then as a student in the 90s. I had time on weekends when the kids visited their mother, so i started to party and find new friends, all in their early 20s. So i suddenly found myself with young girlfriends. Obviously these relationships wouldn't last long, but it was a fun time. Then i learned the hard way that i'm not 20 anymore by suffering from a heart attack. Had heart surgery twice, and after that i settled with the knowledge that i'm now old. 🤷‍♂️ That's all.

[@MMAGUY13]

@@heikojakob6491 just trying to understand what goes through the mind of a midlife crisis what makes them abandon their family sounds like it’s just desire to party like when you were young And you said your heart attack made you realize reality and that’s eventually what happened to my wife she’s just except now that she’s getting old she was acting like a 20 year old kid or a rebellious teenager destroyed me

[@jennyzhang6601]

I am wondering how are you now , are your life better than life with your first wife? DO you miss her?

[@jennyzhang6601]

@@heikojakob6491 Thank you so much for your answer, i am wondering whether you are regret for the divorce? if you have an opportunity to get back to the past life , do you want to stay with your first wife? do you want to try to sustain your family with wife and children?

[@meng-keetyong4728]

This is solid stuff. Thanks Barb!

[@annabanzon313]

Yeah I'm not a fan of dying or getting sick. So at 44, I'm the most excited about my life or future than ever b4.

[@sherylarakawa498]

🥺🥺🥺 thank you so much

[@Zeal808]

Can you get me a job though? lol beautiful lecture.

[@SensationalBanana]

I saw a news segment from China, where Chinese elders (70+) are going out into parks to exercise. The things those elders did just made my jaw drop. Literal life goals. Age is just a number, being old is a lifestyle. Ain't nothing saying that elders need to stop physical activity, sit around all day in a lazyboy or whatever...

[@mikedmusic5122]

❤❤❤

[@szkrukowski]

This looks like a robot reading ai written lines.

[@Itsisawnotiseen]

I ruined my life. Plan. Simple. My life is over.