After 35 years away, I stepped back onto a skateboard at 48. I expected nostalgia. Instead, I found fear, a lot of falls, small victories, and something I hadn’t realized I was missing: the simple excitement of having fun again.
Six months later than planned, our family finally took our first hike of the year. What started as an easy two-mile walk became a reminder that in midlife, the hardest part of any adventure isn’t the distance—it’s getting started.
Learning the banjo in middle age taught me patience, humility, and an unexpected lesson: growth starts when you’re willing to be a beginner again.
No one gives men a roadmap for midlife. These five essential skills can help you stay healthy, handle stress, build meaningful relationships, and continue growing long after 40.
Somewhere along the way, many men stop seeking adventure and start playing it safe. Here’s why I believe challenge, growth, and new experiences matter more than ever in middle age.
For years, I thought I was burned out. What if the real problem wasn’t exhaustion, but boredom? Here’s how I learned the difference—and why it changed the way I think about midlife.
Burned out, out of shape, and feeling stuck, I realized what was missing from my life: growth, challenge, and adventure. Struggle Bus Academy is my journey to make my fifties my best decade yet.
