How many times have you heard “Go find a mentor”? Most people think of mentoring as hierarchical. Mentees look for a mentor, a few rungs up the ladder, to open doors, guide, and provide opportunities for them. Traditional mentorship is simple and often very effective. But did you know there is another way to find […]
The Giving Season is right around the corner. We spend the fourth quarter of the year digging into pockets and donating to charities. It is a season dedicated to giving, tied to holidays and the time of the year when we can squeeze in our year end tax-deductible donations. But did you know this season […]
In our last election, who would have thought we’d see two septuagenarians battling for the presidency? It wasn’t long ago that the Beatles’ hit “When I’m 64” revealed that 64 was considered old: “Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I’m 64?” That’s because a mere 40 years ago, we were […]
Tom skipped college and went straight to work. Just like so many of us, he lived in the moment, focusing on the grind of family, and work. He didn’t have time for anything else. But, in his 50s, he decided to take a leap and take a stab at being a radio show host. He’d always fantasized about […]
Midlife gets a bad rap. But why? After all, we know that happiness is a U shape, with our satisfaction rising by the time we turn 50 (Blanchflower, 2020). We also know that when we reach older adulthood, we will recall our midlife years as better than other periods of our lives (Galambos, 2020). So, why is it that we are […]
Does the widely used term “meaningful connection” hold any meaning for you? The phrase is bandied about how “friend” is used for those we care about and arbitrarily connect with on social media and work. There is a vast difference between a true friend and a social media “friend.” A true friend is a person […]
What words come to mind when you hear the word “midlife”? Google midlife, and you’ll find scores of results for the midlife crisis, leading one to expect sudden upheaval and decline looming on the horizon. Turn on the TV, and the ads featuring middle-agers all target loss, whether in sexual ability, bladder control, or beauty. Thanks […]
When you think about life after 40, do you picture a glass as half-full or half-empty? What are some of the words that come to mind when you think of midlife? How do you feel when talking about midlife and aging with others? For me, I dreaded talking about aging. Every time I attended […]
This is The Right Side of 40, a newsletter about Everything to do with Midlife and Beyond. Subscribe now Originally Published on https://deborahheiserphd.substack.com/
