As someone who has owned 2 Miataii in their life, 100% agree. Current is a '91 NA in British racing green! When I'm getting hammered by the work / grind, I'll make sure I at least drive it to and from work for a few days -- still doing the thing I need to do (painter; partly seasonal type job with natural world time-frames... nearing soon!). Provides a bit of lark in the day and reminds me to stop stressing as much and to literally and figuratively enjoy the wind in my hair.

But regardless of "buy a car", put some effort into a thing you've always wanted to try to explore, no matter how "pointless" and explore it -- the point of life is to live it and we're all so willing to fall into our own filter bubble of life -- very realized at 'mid age' (41 here, really starting to appreciate birds and cars going slow by my house...)

Find YOU, no matter how unproductive financially / whatever metric that may be!

My stuck in a rut was even more cavalier. A KTM RC390 sportsbike. Mazda Miata doesnt cut it for me.

BMW F900XR. I did a 4-day (over 2 weekends) learn-to-ride course and it took so much physical and mental coordination that all I thought about on those 2 weekends was motorcycles and slept deep for 10 hours each night. Snapped me out of the usual routine for sure.

Now when I ride, everything is easy, relaxing. On my commute, I only pay attention to riding. No music, radio, or cellphone. The commute allows twice a day to recharge.

You are braver than I am. The F900 is a beast and I did try it at a shop once. But yea, motorcycle riding makes you so much more aware on the road. No distraction and you are literally paying more attention to ensure Cars can actually see you and don't kill you, lol.

I've heard many times from motorcyclists that "it saved my life" because of the mental break. Then from non-motorcyclists, "you're going to die!".

Can you elaborate on that? Sounds interesting.

I’m exactly 35 and in the same situation as the OP.

He was making a joke.

> I read this as "person, 35-ish, stuck in a rut" which is a situation so common that automakers engineer cars like the Mazda Miata specifically for people in it.

This refers to people going through a "mid life crisis" who end up buying a Mazda Miata convertible to drive around town in an effort to look young, cool, stylish, etc.

Goodness, I totally misread the post lol. I somehow read it as “Mazda has a process to help their engineers deal with that.”

Presumably, some of the engineers going through midlife crisis can buy the cars they work on. :D

Miata in my 30’s checking in. About to head off on a 3 month road trip + camping to get over this

The stereotype is small, under-powered sportscars are sold to to men having a "mid-life crisis."