Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Completely Different Ideas Of What A Midlife Crisis Looks Like
Media Lens King / Shutterstock The concept of a midlife crisis was first introduced right as baby boomers were about to reach adulthood. When it first entered our cultural mindset, it referred to a psychological phenomenon in which people in their mid-30s experience a period of depression that lasts for several years before resolving on its own.
Now that more than three separate generations have reached that stage of life, we've learned that what this experience looks like can vary greatly over time.
Millennials, Gen X, and boomers all have their own ideas of what a midlife crisis looks like.
For boomers, a midlife crisis had a pretty straightforward meaning.
When they reached midlife, baby boomers felt a sudden urge to prove that getting older is more of a suggestion than a rule, so they often made big life changes in order to do just that. That might mean they made a pricey and impulsive purchase like a sports car, or they tried a new hairdo or clothing style. Regardless of the action, it was usually something major enough for other people to take notice.
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Underneath it all, midlife boomers were just trying to figure out what it means to be at the midpoint of their lives. After years of building their careers, raising their families, paying their mortgages, and generally doing what they were told, they hit a moment when they're left wondering where all the time went and what to do to make the time they have left meaningful.
That's where classic midlife reinvention comes in. Some boomers realized they wanted to do something completely unexpected just because they could. That might include a fancy car or even a divorce, but it was more about knowing they still had plenty of life left to live and that they didn't have to keep doing the same things they'd always done.
Gen Xers are simply overwhelmed now that they're in midlife.
This generation has a slightly different relationship with the idea of a midlife crisis. They grew up watching previous generations follow the stereotypical path, so they're not as interested in the same kind of existential spiral. Instead, they might sit and stare at the wall thinking about all the free time they've lost, and when asked, they'll say they're just tired.
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Gen X knows that midlife often arrives with a lot going on at once. They may still have kids in the house, parents who are getting older and need more assistance, bills that keep piling up, and a soul-sucking career that makes them consider retiring sooner rather than later. They don't necessarily have time to reinvent themselves when there's so much to do.
Their version of a midlife crisis might be quieter, but that doesn't always mean it's any less intense. They still tend to question everything, fantasize about quitting their job and moving somewhere far, far away, or become deeply interested in a hobby that nobody saw coming. The difference is that they keep these thoughts in their heads and move on with their day.
Millennials put a unique spin on the traditional midlife crisis.
Millennials are just now reaching the middle stage of their lives, and they realize it looks nothing like they thought it would. The house, the stable career, the perfect family, and the financial security that older generations claimed were part of the ideal future may have taken longer to achieve than they expected, or they may never have been in the plan in the first place.
After being so caught up with chasing what they were promised for so long, they often start wondering what they truly want out of life and whether it's actually attainable.
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They think about whether they really like their career or whether they got stuck in it because it paid the bills. They rethink where they live, and if it's somewhere they could still see themselves living in 20 years. They have a habit of falling into a full-scale audit of every major decision they've ever made, and it forces them to confront whatever their heart is telling them they want.
Millennials also face the undeniable urge to completely start over. Maybe they dream of moving across the country, becoming a freelancer, opening their own store, going back to school, or deleting their social media accounts and disappearing for months. Whether they actually follow through is another story, but for many, the key is figuring out whether change is necessary to create the life they truly want.
Kayla Asbach is a writer with a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
