Being in your 40s and 50s gets a bad wrap. Many people this age have spent years caring for their
children and are typically at a stage now when the kids are more independent. This allows parents the opportunity to reclaim more of their time and identity. No matter where you are during this time, instead of dreading the idea of a midlife crisis, embrace the opportunity to rediscover your passions while keeping the bonds you have worked hard to develop with your children.

Here are five ideas that can help rejuvenate your zest for life:

1. Go on a Retreat

Taking time off from your busy schedule to go on a retreat and spending time in nature will help you meet new friends, as well as reconnect with yourself. Try something new like rock climbing, yoga, or meditation as you spend time away from home, and come back rejuvenated and ready to take on the world.

Getting out of your comfort zone, facing your fears, and taking part in new experiences will also boost your self-confidence, and you’ll feel better in your own skin – and mind – after a retreat.

2. Take a Break from Social Media

Too much time spent scrolling through your social media feeds can be detrimental to yourmental health and your self-esteem. Mind Help explains that FOMO, or the fear of missing out, doesn’t just plague the younger generations.

Mature people can also feel rejected and isolated or compare themselves negatively as they look at their friends’ “highlight reels” on social media posts. So log off and stay away from your electronics for a while. Instead, indulge in a book you’ve been meaning to read or relax in front of a movie or tv series your friends recommended.

3. Change Careers or Start Your Own Business

If you are always feeling concerned about your finances, consider adding to your revenue stream by starting a new side hustle from home. Using your personal computer, you can tutor students, become a personal assistant, help companies with their marketing campaigns, or
perform a number of other lucrative activities that will make you feel more optimistic about your future.

When you know what you want to do, then revise your resume or CV to reflect that goal. Find a template for a CV online and simply add in your information. There are plenty of templates to choose from, and you can modify the font, colors, and text easily to make it into your unique document.

You could also start a new business if you are unhappy with your current employment. Think about what you enjoy doing and what skills you have. Then look online to see what people are hiring others to do for them. If you’re good with people and have an
eye for colors and details, consider starting an interior design company. If you’re passionate about design, enjoy getting out to new locations, and think on your feet, then click here for more information about what it takes to get into the interior design business.

4. Spend Time With Old Friends

When you don’t have kids at home anymore, it’s easy to start feeling lonely and unneeded. But The Science of People encourages you to take advantage of the free time you now have to reconnect with old friends and gather together for coffee, dinner, a visit to an art gallery, or a fun night out. Chances are some of them are experiencing the same thing you’re going through with their own family, and they’re also craving opportunities for get-togethers with people their own age.

If you’ve lost touch with classmates you’d like to catch up with, turn to the Internet for help. You may be able to find them on social media or by entering the name of your school and the year you graduated or via mutual friends. Once you’ve located them, send them a message and revive your friendship!

5. Learn a New Skill

Take a class on a subject you have a deep interest in, such as art or photography, or spend time on a hobby that makes you feel accomplished, like puzzles, journaling, or cooking. Pursuing your passion can help you fight off anxiety and depression as it raises your
happiness levels, whether you’re doing it solo or with a group of like-minded people. Your confidence will also rise as you start mastering your new craft, and you’ll be motivated to continue making self-care a priority.

BONUS: Make Time for Yourself

You have spent many years caring for other people. Now it’s time to really think about what you want out of life. As you go through a midlife crisis, keep busy and carve out time to experience new things. Keep depression and anxiety at bay as you work on self-care and increase your self- confidence. And make plenty of room for happiness as you embark on your new journey.

– Article and Resources Contribution by Jason Kenner

Work with me personally! Click for more information on my coaching sessions. Please click here if you’d like to reach out to me for general inquiries, media appearances, and/or speaking engagements.

To you and your family living a more healthy, productive, and fulfilling life!

To your self-care!

Fitness tracking devices, Peloton bikes, and monthly gym memberships can all help families lead healthier and more active lives, but there are other, more affordable ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle. With wellness tips from shopping seasonally to purchasing top-rated products, households can achieve their wellness goals on just about any budget — and save money on things like healthcare costs, meals, and life insurance premiums.

To name a few of the ways in which healthy living can help families save money over time, households could spend less on trips to the doctor, food delivery or takeout, and expensive life insurance rates. In fact, one study showed that the annual medical costs for US adults with obesity were about $2,505 higher than for non-obese adults. Being overweight or obese could also mean paying higher life insurance premiums.

Below, Douglas Haddad explains how families can lead healthier lifestyles without spending a fortune on gym memberships, organic food, and home exercise equipment. Healthy living can certainly save families money over time, but they don’t have to invest much upfront to reap the benefits of eating well and staying physically fit.

1. Enjoy Physical Outdoor Activities

If your family is looking for ways to incorporate more physical activity and fresh air into each day, there are lots of different outdoor activities to enjoy on a budget. As a few examples, you could take daily walks in nature, locate splash pads in your area, go bike riding or roller skating, or challenge your kids to basketball games like HORSE or Around the World. Gardening also counts as exercise, and you could save money and eat healthier meals by growing your own food at home.

2. Shop Seasonally and Eat Less Meat

In addition to enjoying physical outdoor activities, shopping seasonally and eating more meatless meals can save you money while helping you to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Encourage your family to eat more asparagus, lettuce, and peas in the spring; grapes, peaches, and tomatoes in late summer; and warming vegetables like collard greens, rutabagas, and parsley in
the winter.

Along with eating seasonally, you’ll save money and reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease by consuming less meat each week. You don’t necessarily have to become a full-time vegan or vegetarian, but going meatless just once or twice weekly could dramatically improve your family’s health.

3. Purchase Top-Rated Products for Your Home and Lifestyle

Quality products sometimes cost more upfront, but they can save your family money over time if you’re selective about the products you purchase. So before purchasing new products to support your family’s wellness goals — whether it’s a gadget for the kitchen or a piece of workout equipment — visit product review websites to research the items in question.

For example, maybe you and your partner want to buy a recumbent bike. By doing your homework before making a purchase, you’ll ensure you’re buying the highest quality products to help your family lead healthier lives. High-quality products tend to last longer than poorer quality items, saving your household money, time, and energy.

4. Consider Pursuing a Career in Wellness

As you learn about health and take steps to lead a more well-balanced life, you may develop a passion for wellness — and this passion could be used to earn some money on the side or start your own business. Look for some ways to turn your new passion for wellness into profit,
whether it’s launching an affiliate marketing blog, opening a yoga studio in your community, becoming a health coach, or selling workout clothing and sports gear online.

5. Easily Collect Payments from Clients

When monetizing your passion for wellness, it’s important to stay on top of your client invoices to ensure you’ll get paid quickly and accurately each time. Try using this free online invoice maker template so you can easily create customized invoices that clearly display your brand name, logo, and contact details.

Customized invoices can be printed out and mailed to your clients or downloaded and shared via email, making it easy to bill your clients, get paid in less time, and earn the money you need to support your household’s healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Living is Possible on Any Budget

Leading a healthy lifestyle may seem impossible when you’re on a tight budget, but it’s actually easier than you’d think to eat well and stay physically active. From monetizing your passion for health and fitness to purchasing top-rated wellness products that’ll last for years, these simple strategies can help to promote good health while saving your family time and money in the long run. Nearly any household can adopt healthy habits, and doing so doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

– Article and Resources Contribution by Jason Kenner 

Work with Douglas personally! Are you looking to gain more clarity, balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs? Click for more information on his coaching sessions. Please click here if you’d like to reach out to me for general inquiries, media appearances, and/or speaking engagements.

To healthy living on a tight budget!

Photo via Pexels

Your Child’s Mental Health

Have your child’s emotions or behaviors changed recently? Has this change persisted for more than a week or so? Provided is a link to resources to help you detect the warning signs of mental health challenges. Included is a free, evidence-based assessment and report for children 2-12 that contains actionable tools to support your family’s wellness. With the amount of stressors that many families have experienced in the past few years, it’s more important now than ever to check in with your child’s mental health for the sake of your child and your family. The tips in the following link from Slumberkins can help:

Links:
Your Child’s Mental Health

Encourage Healthy Habits

Teaching kids to like vegetables, keep themselves healthy, and avoid too much screen time isn’t
easy. However, these tips can help.

Links:

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (Bottle Rot)
Healthy Habits to Master in Your Baby’s First Two Years
Want Your Child to Eat (Almost) Everything? There Is a Way
The Top Three Snacks to Have in Your Kitchen
Personal Hygiene Habits to Teach Your Child

Make Learning Fun

The more engaged a child of any age is, the more they’ll retain when they’re learning or trying
new things.

Use the lessons and resources below to keep your children engaged and learning:

Links:
25 Activities for Reading and Writing Fun
Storm Spotting for Children: At-Home Meteorology
Calculus Games for Teens
10 Hands-On History and Geography Activities for Kids
Encourage Your Child by Going Back to School Yourself

Stick to a Routine at Every Age

Routines are instrumental in raising well-rounded and healthy kids. However, each stage requires new strategies for keeping to a routine that works.

Links:
How to Establish a Morning Routine for Kids That Actually Works
7 After-School Routine Ideas That Experts & Parents Swear By

Adapt to Keep Your Child Safe

Safety is every parent’s top priority. However, ensuring that your child is safe can mean something different at each age. From infancy through toddlerhood and beyond, here’s what you need to
know to avoid danger.

Links:
Child Safety: Keeping Your Home Safe for Your Baby
How to Give Your Kids Freedom in a Dangerous World
Teaching Children to Confront Bullying

There aren’t any shortcuts for raising confident, well-adjusted, healthy kids. Yet there are nuggets of valuable advice everywhere you look. Starting with these top tips can help you navigate the
challenges of each stage of development — and enjoy the adventure, too.

– Resources Contribution by Jason Kenner and Slumberkins.com

Work with me personally! Are you looking to gain more clarity, balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs? I am currently open to new clients for one-on-one coaching sessions. Click here for more information on my personal coaching sessions. You can e-mail me at: [email protected]

To your social, emotional, mental and physical well-being!

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