Strokes can occur at any age, and many occur in folks in their mid-life. And certainly a stroke can cause a crisis.
A mid-life crisis is a period of transition and adjustment, generally between ages 40-60, during which a person struggles with their identity and self-confidence. It often involves an individual facing their own mortality and/or the fact that their life is half over and they may not have achieved what they had hoped to do. Although mid-life can be a time of struggle and doubt, it can also be a positive time of re-evaluation and reflection, during which new priorities are established. Here are some tips and resources from the Stroke Recovery Foundation to help you navigate this exciting new chapter of your life.
Start with Your Mind
A good place to begin dealing with any change is your mind. Your perception of a situation determines how you will feel about it and address it. Mindfulness meditation can be helpful for staying in the moment, and acknowledging the changes that have happened recently, or are happening. Mindfulness is simply paying attention to what is happening now, how you feel, and what thoughts you are thinking. Other types of meditation may also be helpful for managing anxiety or depression that may come with mid-life.
Take Care of Your Body, Too
It’s important to maintain your physical body with good nutrition, adequate sleep, and plenty of exercise. Find ways to spend time outdoors, whether you’re exercising, meditating, pursuing a hobby, walking with a friend, or reading a book in the park. Spending at least two hours a week in nature has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote well-being.
Seek Connection with Others
Social interaction and connection are necessary for good physical and mental health. Changes in health, employment, and family can interrupt even established friendships. Making the effort to remain in touch, or reconnect with friends and family can provide a mental health boost, as well as enhance your well-being in the moment. Although some awkwardness may be involved, it’s well worth it to push through this and seek time with others you enjoy.
Reconsider Your Career and Work
If you’ve decided you’re ready for a change in your work life, give this resume builder a try. It’ll allow you to highlight your skills in a professional-looking format that will give you an edge over the competition. And best of all, it’s free!
On the other hand, maybe you want to start your own business. Whether you have a cause you’re passionate about, a hobby you want to expand, or a vision of a better way to do things, it’s important to narrow your options and decide what goods or services your business will provide. Although running your own business can be challenging, it can also be very rewarding if your company offers something that is in demand.
Setting Up Your Own Business
You will need to choose a structure for your business. Whether you form a sole proprietorship, a limited liability corporation (LLC), a small business corporation, a partnership, or a non-profit, the structure you choose will affect the taxes you pay, the amount of risk you incur, and your options for raising money from investors. An LLC is often a good choice for a new business, as it limits liability, offers more flexibility, offers tax advantages, and once it is established requires less paperwork.
Each state has different laws and regulations for forming an LLC, so it’s important to research the requirements for your area. If you’d prefer not to do this on your own, you can hire a formation service to make sure you’re legally compliant and that you’ve chosen the most appropriate structure for your company. A formation service is generally less expensive than hiring an attorney to oversee the process.
Market Your Business
Your business will be successful only if potential customers know about it, so marketing is important. You’ll need a logo for marketing. You could hire a graphic arts company to create one, or you could create it yourself, using software created for just this purpose. You can choose icons, fonts, colors, style, and text to create an easily recognizable logo design that conveys the essence of your brand.
Whatever changes you experience in mid-life, and whatever doubts may surface, you can make it a productive and positive time, as you evaluate and re-establish priorities. Focusing on acknowledging reality and fostering curiosity and exploration of possibilities may lead you to a very rewarding phase of your life.
Stroke Recovery Foundation is working to reduce the negative impact of stroke by a factor of 25% by 2030 in SW Florida and across America! Click here to donate!
