2.19 Midlife Crisis: Myth or Meltdown?
Manage episode 489892228 series 3506894
What if your so-called midlife crisis is actually a breakthrough in disguise? In this refreshingly honest and often funny episode, Claire reveals that she rarely sees classic midlife meltdowns in her practice—no impulsive sports cars or dramatic divorces. Instead, she sees people wrestling with big life transitions, especially when the kids move out and questions of purpose move in. Rather than chaos, it's often grief and growth that define this phase.
Hosts Laura and Claire take on the myth of the “unhappiest decade,” push back against the idea that hard equals unhappy, and share personal stories—from accidental marriages to ultra-marathons—that show how even wild choices can lead us closer to who we really are. The episode wraps with a playful question: if you could have a midlife crisis, what would it look like? Goat farms, flight school, and radical haircuts all make an appearance—because maybe, just maybe, your weirdest urges are trying to tell you something true.
Chapters
1. Podcast Introduction and Disclaimers (00:00:00)
2. Defining the Midlife Crisis (00:05:42)
3. Age Gaps in Relationships (00:08:51)
4. The Bottom of the U-Shaped Curve (00:16:14)
5. Crisis or Breakthrough? The Checklist (00:20:45)
6. Burning Down vs. Building Up (00:24:35)
7. What Would Your Crisis Look Like? (00:29:13)
46 episodes