Typically you don’t recognize your really, really stupid stage until after you’ve come through it… often many years later. (It isn’t particularly a happy reminiscence.) However, I believe we all go through a really stupid stage or maybe it’s that I don’t want to believe I’m the only one. The stupid stage is identified by incredible self indulgence and a self-blindness that is unfathomable. After emerging and taking one’s blinders off, the feeling that exists is a deep sigh of gratefulness – there but for the Grace of God I’d still be.
This stage can be called by other names, typically ‘midlife crisis’. Whether it’s called that or the really, really stupid stage or whatever designation, the length can be short or extremely long – years actually. And it can strike at any age over 25. You may find yourself extremely surprised at your behavior once you’ve emerged from it. Looking back from my current vantage point of no longer occupying the really, really stupid stage I sometimes wonder if I had any relationship to logic during that time.
I’m still not completely certain one has to enter/endure this stage, but I suspect we all are subject to some degree. It is far easier to see it in others than in oneself. And perhaps you may think that I’m overreacting or overstating the situation. I’m really not. Part of self determination in this case is your own personal definition of stupid and stage. And… which side of the stage you are on. But regardless, I would encourage a gentleness but honest assessment.
Dissatisfaction is typically the avenue to this stage so if you see yourself dissatisfied – do something about it. You ALWAYS have options. The higher the frustration and the longer the dissatisfaction the probability of entrance into and residence in this stage increases. Perhaps you think I’m only trying to be amusing – I’m not. For some reason we all seem to hit this point in our lives, the quicker you respond to your feelings the quicker you emerge out.
