I was originally going to publish a conversation this week. It was all recorded and ready to go but I had so many dots that needed connecting that I had to grab the mic and record a solo episode to try to make sense of things. What’s been bubbling up for me as I rip open and explore this season’s theme—creativity at midlife—is whether this phase of life is truly age-specific… or something more nuanced. Something broader. Like a spectrum.

There have been moments in my life—applying to colleges, being pregnant, first moving to Paris—that felt so immersive and all-consuming, I couldn’t take in anything else. Surprisingly, midlife feels the same, and I want to understand why.

In this episode, I explore that question through a few key touchpoints:

• Why Gen X’s midlife feels so saturated with analog nostalgia—and what that means for our creative urges now.
• Whether these questions of reinvention and identity are universal, or uniquely tied to a particular cohort of women.
• Annie Ernaux, obsession, and the idea of turning your life into a “work of art” and what that says about this moment.
• Glennon Doyle’s controversial departure from Substack and why it feels like a midlife flex.
• The real voice of intuition and why it doesn't come with an elaborate bullet point list of explanations, even though we'd love it to.
• And why being a creative beginner at midlife isn’t just about picking up new hobbies and crafts—it’s also about being novices at things that are hard to explore and do (eg. setting boundaries, claiming desires, having conversations we'd like to avoid.)

I also share something I’ve been building quietly behind the scenes: Creative Camp—a new series of in-person events in Paris to help you reignite your creative energy, reconnect with parts of yourself that have gone quiet, and say yes to being bad at something new. It very much ties it with a new term I learned from Chip Conley called "type 2 fun"—the kind that feels awkward or uncertain in the moment but leaves you changed, glowing, and deeply alive in hindsight.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with today:

• Where are you on the midlife spectrum?
• And more importantly—what’s quietly calling to you from the next place?

Spots at Creative Camp are limited, and they’re already filling, so come get yours!

Connect with Me:

•Book a discovery call at www.zevabellel.com

•Subscribe to my Substack: On Becoming

•Email me: [email protected]

•Leave me a voice message on Speakpipe

Credits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice Fortin

P.S. If you love this episode, share it with a friend, leave a 5-star review, or drop me a line. I love hearing from you!

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