Midlife Crisis: Mood Swings and Dressing Like a Teen are Signs

One day, you're a teenager, hanging out with your friends and daydreaming about finally getting out of your parents' house. Then time flies by, and you wake up one morning to find that you're almost 30, and your life is nowhere near what you thought it would be. You have no spare money, no spare time and all your friends are busy with their own lives. What happened? Enter the midlife crisis.

According to malehealth.co.uk, most men experience this trying time between their late 30's to early 50's. According to an article online at CareerJournal.com by Sue Shellenbarger, a reporter for TheWall Street Journal, this occurs for women in their late 40's and early 50's. For me, 2 1/2 weeks away from 29th birthday, the time is now.

How do you know that you are having a midlife crisis? Based on recent personal experience, here are some signs that you are in the midst of one.

Dressing like you did as a teenager.
I have been in the throes of this for about two months now. I recently felt the need to spend some extra money on clothing. I got a bit carried away in quantity and in style. I have taken to wearing babydoll tops that plunge quite a bit, skirts that are a bit shorter than I would normally choose, and jeans that look like they have been painted on my body. I have also adopted a love of shoes, the higher the heel the happier I am. What has gotten into me?

Spending money extravagantly.
Obviously I did this during the above mentioned shopping spree, but this is not limited to clothing. Anything goes here. Cd's, movies, jewelry, dinners at expensive restaurants, computer games....I could go on. I am usually fairly frugal, but lately I feel the need to spend any money that does not go towards bills on frivolous things that I really don't need.

Being jealous of teenagers.
This sounds so stupid, but it's so true. I watch teenagers out and about with their friends, having an awesome time, and I wonder "Why can't I be like that?" I am beginning to resent the fact that I have to work and pay bills. I want to go to the movies, go to wild parties, lay out by the pool, and whatever else I used to do as a teenager.