As we pass the halfway point of life we may begin to wonder what we will do with the rest of it. We long to explore new horizons of self-discovery and experience, but we fear the wages of age — loss, decline, disappointment. Is our glass going to be half-full or half-empty? The scale is tilted by circumstances — health, finances and luck — but it is also weighted by outlook.
Those who head toward reinvention may first notice a shift in priorities and concerns. Things that seemed so important only a few years ago — such as being on time, being popular, being on the fast track — have faded into the background. We are more interested in figuring out what really matters to us now and going forward. Letting go of stressful external demands makes us better able to chill out, to use a phrase we lived by in the ’60s. Being more attentive to internal priorities makes us more spiritual. Together these two adjustments enable us to accept the bad and appreciate the good, and that equanimity feels good.