Navigating the North Side of 50

  When I am asked how my day went, do I lead with the moments of joy or do I lay out all my frustrations?  My choices reflect my overall mindset.   Positivity and gratitude was a key part of my life, even through the pandemic.  After divorcing with my wife of 23 years, struggling with job-related anxiety, and living beyond my means for too many years resulting in mounting debt, I needed to make some changes.  Meeting Becki and her daughter Sophia jolted me into a new phase.  My son Daniel ran headlong into anxiety, health issues with his vision, and real problems with executive functioning leading to him dropping out of college.  Suddenly my own problems were put into perspective and I felt compelled to face them. My anxiety stems from a self-imposed expectation that I have the answers to everyone's problems.  Call it hero complex or something else, I have formed my identity as one who has the correct solution for everything, and who can be r...