The Secret is All About YOU!

One thing no one (except my husband) knows about me is that I am in a self-induced midlife crisis. I fantasize about having a day once a week in my home entirely to myself. I would then have uninterrupted time to write, read, and watch The real Housewives of New York City without my husband moving through the house mentioning that he just finished The Sunday New York Times Crossword puzzle in about twelve minutes.

Of course, my kids would have to find somewhere else to go after school and my husband would have to go see about eight movies in a row. Our two cats would have to go on a 24-hour mouse-hunting safari in our neighborhood. My beloved dog Lola would absolutely have to be out of the house as well because she follows me and watches everything I do. She analyzes me. Honestly, she does. I can see it in her gorgeous, milky, doughy, golden, round, sweet, manipulative, little eyes. “You aren’t the boss of me!” I tell her with an alpha dog glare. Then I melt and realize that sadly, she is. Still, I possibly couldn’t enjoy eating an entire pizza standing naked in the kitchen with her “I haven’t eaten in weeks” look, followed by her “it looks like you certainly have” look.

In order to offset the hormone shifting that is occurring in the world and within my body, I want moments of indulgence with no one around to witness them. I want more time for my work in the world. I want to set up a smorgasbord all around my computer so I can write, eat, write, and eat without caring what size I will be at the end of my article or if I have food on my face. I want an indulgence day every once in awhile, so I can continue to enjoy taking care of my family. I think all the “doing” is messing with my “being.”

A friend sent me an interview that is going around the internet with “The Purpose Driven Life” author and pastor, Rick Warren. Rick said:

“Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.”
He said the reason for that is that we are here to develop character, not comfort. He mentioned that he used to look at life as a series of hills and valleys but he no longer does. He now sees life as a train track, one rail good, and one rail not so good. The blessings and challenges are constant and side by side.

Realizing that helps, but I also think that when we focus on others it makes us much more comfortable and full of gratitude. A side affect is that we get out of our pain, or in my case, my midlife crisis. I think that in order to do that, we need to take a little better care of ourselves. In doing so, we can grant the simplest blessing of just being there for another human being.

Maybe this means I will schedule in a “mid life crisis” day, or half day, once in a while to be authentic, to self indulge and to refuel.

I invite you to share two things about you:

1. What is something no one knows about you?

2. If someone could do something for you that would uplift you tremendously, what would it be?

Lauren Simon is a therapist, certified hypnotist, Reiki Master, and the author of the forthcoming book, “I’m Broken, You’re Broken, Now Get Over It!” Lauren counsels people internationally. For more information:> www.spiritoflivingwell.com . Lauren lives with her husband , Film Producer/Director Stephen Simon, near Portland Oregon with two of their six children, and three beloved pets.