Blog and Resources
To guide you in finding your own path to the summit.
When It Ain’t Workin’, Try the Costanza Approach: Do the Opposite
If you’re like most GenX’ers, then you’ll remember this classic Jerry/George exchange from a Seinfeld episode in 1994:
Jerry Seinfeld: “If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.”
George Costanza: “Yes, I will do the opposite. I used to sit here and do nothing, and regret it for the rest of the day, so now I will do the opposite, and I will do something!”
How many of you are banging your head against the wall doing the same thing over and over again, wondering why it’s not working? And then, weeks, months, or years later, you end up regretting that you’re still in the same place, banging your head against the wall?
Read more to learn how the Costanza approach could help you stop banging your head against the wall.
7 Quotes to Guide GenX Through Transitions in Our 40s and Beyond
If there’s one word that summarizes this stage of life for GenX’ers, it’s “transitions.”
Whether you call this stage “midlife,” “middle life,” “middle age,” “prime of my life,” or “who cares what it’s called,” something about the transitions we’re experiencing right now hits differently than transitions from other stages of our lives.
So to guide us through this chart-topping list of transitions in your 40s and beyond, I’ve curated a list of nostalgic quotes from other GenX’ers or our formative childhood years.
The GenX Midlife Career Crisis Survival Guide: 4 Steps
There’s something in the air that I’ve noticed…
both because I experienced it personally in my mid-40’s, and now I see many other GenX’ers in their 40’s and 50’s experiencing it.
There’s a feeling…a stirring…a restlessness.
And the place that so many GenX’ers seem to be experiencing this feeling most intensely is in their careers. It’s called a midlife career crisis…
and here’s your Survival Guide for navigating it.
Am I Just an Accidental Human With No Legacy
I was maybe 7 or 8 years old when I realized that the time between when my parents got married and when I was born was less than nine months. Growing up, that realization never bothered me and I never felt like an accident. But, the notion that I was an accidental human took on a different flavor as I got older and started to feel the pang of existential questions like “what is my purpose?” I felt that I had to justify my accidental existence by leaving a big legacy.
16 Bullshit-Free Tips to Connect to Your Purpose in Your 40s/50s
A lot of GenX’ers I know — myself included — hit their 40s or 50s and start to wonder:
Who am I? What am I doing with my life? Is this all there is?
This post gives you 16 tips—that aren’t BS—that you can start using TODAY to find your purpose in your 40s and 50s.
3 Reasons Why You Can’t Find Work-Life Balance (And You’re Not Gonna Like Them)
If I had a dollar for every time I hear “I want better work-life balance,” then I could buy the Class B+ RV that I’ve been fantasizing about.
That longing for a better “work-life balance” is the number one concern I hear from the 40- and 50-year-old GenX’ers that come to me.
So pause for a minute, listen closely . . .
and let me give you the most valuable tip you'll hear all week.
There are three reasons why you’re not finding the “work-life balance” that you desire.
You may not want to hear them; yet, if you stick with me, you’ll be glad you did.
4 Reasons for GenX’ers to Get Support in Their 40’s and 50’s
As a GenX’er in your 40’s and 50’s, you may have noticed some things lately. Feeling like every day is a roller coaster. Wondering how you got here. Questioning whether this is all there is. Feeling like there’s something “more” but you don’t know what. All of that is normal. And now, more than ever, is the time to recognize our tendencies to resist getting support for what we’re going through. This post talks about 4 benefits of receiving support in our 40’s and 50’s, and how we can lean into asking for and receiving more support.
Nobody Puts GenX In A Corner
In the last year and a half, I’ve been recovering my rebellious, independent, creative, and laidback spirit, which had all been banished to dark corners during my time in the legal profession.
I’ve been recovering my GenX spirit . . .
and recovering what it means to let those qualities truly flourish.
What amazing GenX qualities have you banished to the dark corners of your life? Or in what ways have you been living your life in the corner?
It’s time to get up off the chair in the corner . . . because nobody puts GenX in a corner!
For the Love of GenX: The Mid-Life Awakening
I celebrated my 51st birthday the other day. And it got me thinking about mid-life.
The vast majority of people in mid-life right now are the people from the forgotten, latchkey generation - GenX.
As GenX’ers navigate mid-life, it’s common to feel like something wants to shift. You’ve spent most of your adult life determining WHO you want to be and building the life you were expected to build.
And now, the life you’ve built can start to feel a little worn out or stale.
But you’re right where you’re supposed to be.
This isn’t a mid-life crisis . . . it’s a GenX awakening.
Welcome to the February series: For the Love of GenX.
Throughout this month, we’ll explore how GenX’ers can love mid-life and use the wonderful GenX strengths to love your way back to the independence, creativity, and spirit of adventure that are the hallmarks of this Generation.