When she hit her 40s, Anne started to feel dissatisfied with the rat race of consulting, along with the material trappings she had accumulated. She sold it all to work and live in Haiti, helping grow Fonkoze, the island nation’s bank for the poor.
Happy Holidays!
I launched Next Act for Women in January, 2015, and am thrilled to report I will have published over 100 interviews, each one more inspiring than the next, when the New Year rolls in.
On this Thanksgiving weekend, I wish to express my gratitude to the women I interviewed for opening their hearts and sharing their journeys, along with wonderful advice and useful resources; they inspire those of us embarking on our own paths of self-discovery. And to my readers, thank you for embracing my mission with such enthusiasm.
As we celebrate the holidays, I thought I’d share the most popular books and products recommended via my site over the past year, all endorsed or produced by women in midlife. They make great gifts!
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season and hope you’ll keep coming back for more inspiration and resources.
Gratefully,
Hélène
After two decades in art direction, Theodora felt her career was stagnating and knew she needed a change. A trip to Greece, her family’s home country, was the catalyst to her next act, the introduction of her YASOU skincare line.
You work with high-achieving individuals who are experiencing burnout. What symptoms of burnout do you see, particularly among women in midlife?
There are three big dimensions of burnout, which tend to be the same whether you’re a 25 year old or a 50 year old. The first is chronic exhaustion. The word “chronic” is key—we all have tired days and even weeks! This is over a period of time, just feeling like you’re dragging. The second is cynicism—everyone and everything is just rubbing you the wrong way. And the third is inefficacy—feeling like you’re trying and doing the work, but just aren’t seeing the same results.
When her sister Katie was in treatment for breast cancer, Kendra realized the need for patients to connect with each other and with survivors. The sisters formed The Licorice Project to create just such a community of women who help each other with resources and emotional support during this difficult time.
While she worked for the family firm, Bela had a knack for setting up couples, several who would go on to marriage. When it came time for her own reinvention, she took that natural skill and created her own business around it—Smart Dating Academy is now responsible for hundreds of successful matches.
Welcome! My name is Hélène. I’m 51 years old and I live in Chicago with my husband, twin daughters, and our dog Rocky. This blog is a place where I share stories about women who have reinvented themselves in midlife, whether in big ways or small, and provide resources for those of you pursuing similar journeys. I hope you’ll enjoy these inspirational stories. Thanks for stopping by!
A chance vacation in Grenada in her youth convinced Maria she would be coming back. Sure enough, after a long career in real estate, she and her husband are enjoying their golden years in this beautiful and welcoming Caribbean island.
When Tracey hit midlife, she did something about her longtime regret—never having gone to college—but she didn’t stop there. She went on to get her Master’s and is now living her joy, helping individuals, couples, and families improve their relationships.