The Midlife

With everything going on in the world and in our personal lives from the daily grind, it can be hard to find the loving moments. For example, you may wonder: How can I be happy knowing there is a war going on in Israel and in the Ukraine, and even the war-like mud-slinging only scratching the surface in an upcoming election. It’s enough to make anyone a Debbie (or Dane) Downer. I’ve come to a fairly simple conclusion over the past several weeks: We have to find the small joys in the everyday. I say this because if you’re looking for the big joys and big moments, sometimes they aren’t there.

So, dear reader, I’m sharing some of the small joys I am celebrating in my own life, with the small hope you may look inward to your own life and discover your own.

1. As a person who craves daily laughter, I’ve been turning to the following podcasts for levity. Here are a short list of favorites: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Fly on the Wall, Life is Short with Justin Long, Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out, and Smartless.
2. On days when I need a mental pick-me-up, a couple of other podcasts I listen to are InSource with Ashley Molstad and 10% Happier.
3. Admittedly, I really love watching TV. I always feel guilty saying that out loud because I do realize there are other things I could replace this with, but I guess the heart wants what the heart wants. I stand proud in my defense of The Bachelor and its spin-off series. I live vicariously through the dramatic shenanigans.
4. Speaking of TV, I have been bingeing Grey’s Anatomy in preparation for season 20’s premiere (on my birthday, too). I do think if a TV series has entered the double digits, you may want to call it over, but I’m still entertained nonetheless. I took a break from Grey’s when my daughter was first born because I was basically living Grey-Sloan Memorial life with body fluids and sleep deprivation. And in the early mom days anything blood-related had my gag reflex in a tizzy. But I can safely say I am currently entrenched in season 16, and my prognosis is good.
5. All I wanted for this winter was one good snow. One good snow inciting a day off from school and work. Mission accomplished. Although El Nino predicts alternate plans, I am ready for some longer days filled with sunshine.
6. I spent several hours hand-making 23 Valentine’s Day cards for my daughter’s class. Something about the process of painting, coloring, and gluing is so centering for me.
7. Weight-lifting has been a game-changer. After age 30, we start losing our muscle tone. As we get older, particularly women, we have to think about weird stuff like maintaining bone density. So, it’s more than fitting into skinny jeans or going Spanx-less. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been back in the gym for the first time since Covid and while I kept diligent home workouts on my Myx bike, weight training has helped me trim a few pounds and lift my spirits, too.
8. Since my last post, I attended a funeral and have seen many of my loved ones turn in their retirement paperwork. While both make me sad for myself, I try to find the joy for the person. They are no longer hurting and finding their own joy here and beyond. Change is truly inevitable and often uncomfortable. However, I’m learning through discomfort we can find strength and newfound hope.

In closing, I hope you are inspired to search for small joys, especially when things feel particularly sad or hopeless. Find the small joys; they are there if you look close enough.