I Think I am Having a Mid-Life Crisis

I think I am having a mid-life crisis, perhaps an early mid-life crisis, as I am still a few months away from turning 40, but one none the less. I have noticed recently that I seem to have a strong desire for something, anything, new in my life – 2^nd child, 3^rd dog, new car…

Now, before anyone panics, let me say very clearly that I am perfectly happy both with my husband and my job. Those parts of my life, I do not want to change.

Outside of those two things, though. it is like I am looking to fill some sort of gap with something new, reminiscent of how I have felt after losing beloved family members (both human and pet). But at least in those cases, I know what has triggered the feeling; I know that there is an actual hole in my life, and I know it will pass.

I do not feel like I know any of this right now. And let me be clear, it is not like there is any shortage of “new” in my life. We moved into our new house less than two months ago. I have an AMAZING new television, simply because that was the TV I wanted. We have a new headboard waiting for us to pick it up, too.

So, I have plenty of “new” in my life, yet none of those things seem to have even made a dent in this continuing desire for “new” in me. Which is why I think I am having a mid-life crisis.

What really brought on the realization was that yesterday, after C and I had had the conversation that resulted in, no, we are not going to go out and buy a new car, I was thinking to myself, I have not been in school for 7 years. That is huge. Maybe I should go back to school, because NEW.

I have always talked about becoming a real estate agent – not as my job, but as a hobby. I now know that it would take about three months to complete the required courses, and around $1,000 total for classes, testing, and licensing, to get my real estate broker license.

But while I would take those classes at a state school, they do not qualify for my tuition benefit (as a state/university employee) because they are through a continuing education program, which is not state funded. So what if I looked at programs that were state funded? I could get new, and get it for free.

I cannot get a second masters in Museum Studies, not can I get my PhD in business. Not only are both of these very competitive programs, but they require you to be full time students. I cannot be a full time student and get my tuition benefit, as that is tied to me job. And then there is the whole “sole earner” thing.

However, there is a Master’s degree in Real Estate at my University that WOULD qualify for my tuition benefit. And it offers a part time option. For the out of pocket cost to us of somewhere between $5,000 – $8,000 (depending on how exactly the tuition benefit works), spread over 3 years, I could have a second Master’s degree. That is a really inexpensive Master’s degree.

I went home and talked to C about these things yesterday, starting with the mid-life crisis part (because somewhere in the middle of researching the MSRE, I had the revelation), and talking about the education options. Because honestly, if I am going to have a mid-life crisis, why not turn it into something productive?

If I really want to get my real estate license, I know he will support me in that. This is something we have talked about for quite some time. It is not new. The same could be said if the Master’s in Museum Studies was a viable option, as that has been something I have dreamed of for longer than he and I have been a couple. But a PhD in Business? Or the MSRE? Not so much support there. Those are both new, nothing I have ever considered before. Those are not things *I* want. Those are things I just kind of hit upon because of this random void.

His actual suggestion, though- I already have a “hobby”, my writing. He thinks that if I add some structure – plan for one night a week to go somewhere and write, that maybe that will help me get past this “new” thing. And he might be right. And we do now live very near Third Place Books, and maybe every Monday I could go hang out in the coffee shop there and write, instead of just sometimes writing in the little bit of time I have every other Sunday morning before critique group starts, especially now that I live much further away from where critique group meets.

So that may be our solution for now. One evening a week, I go write.

Well, that and the fact that I am not the only one who wants a 3^rd dog.