Mid-Life Crisis MANagement

Imagine if when you turned seventeen you were given a new car.  Brand new, top of the range, in perfect condition – a car that had plenty of power, responsive handling, and comfort.  You could accessorise it or hot it up as much or as little as you like.  Just one catch: you’re told it’s the only car you can ever have.  Ever.  No trade-ins, no updated models.

How well do you reckon that car would be looked after?  Something shows signs of wear, it’d get fixed or replaced real quick!  Regular servicing?  Too right!  Save a few bucks using dodgy oil or the wrong fuel because it’s cheaper?  I don’t think so.  Damaged in an accident?  Don’t just patch it up, get a proper repair job done.

For most of us, the body we get once puberty has finished working us over is that car.  You can work on it, hot it up, build it up or even pretty it up, but it’s as good as it will be without enhancement.

Unfortunately a lot of us don’t take the same sort of care with our bodies as we do with our replaced-every-few-years cars.  We put in any sort of junk as fuel.  Chuck in all sorts of additives we know aren’t good for us.   Avoid doctors because they’ll only give you bad news anyway and it really doesn’t feel too bad.   Take knocks and bumps on the sports ground but play on anyway: “It’ll be right, mate.” 

And we wonder why we wake up full of aches and pains one day, when our hair’s going grey or falling out, our chest seems to have slipped down to our belly and running up the stairs turns on funny little twinkling lights in front of  our eyes.

The earlier in life you start doing positive stuff, the more effective it’s likely to be, but it’s never too late to do something.