Second Breaks

This episode is brought to you by We're All Getting Older, a publication and a community for midlifers who want to get better as they get older.

In this episode, we discuss the concept of midlife portals and the importance of liminal spaces during life transitions. Inspired by Jen Berlingo's book "Midlife Emergence," I explore the metaphor of doorways marking the passage into new life phases, particularly focusing on significant transitional periods. I share reflections from my personal journey when I left my corporate life and the lessons I learned about the value of liminal spaces.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Midlife portals and the significance of the liminal space in life transitions
• Intentionality and purpose behind approaching life transitions
• Challenges and opportunities of liminal spaces
• My lessons learned about the value of liminal spaces
• The "jobs-to-be-done" in the liminal space

FOOTNOTES

• Midlife Emergence, by Jen Berlingo
• Ep 225: Finding Our Way Through Major Life Transitions with Jen Berlingo

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I'm joined by Jen Berlingo, author of Midlife Emergence, to discuss the transformative journey of midlife.

We explore the concept of emergence as a positive reframe of the midlife crisis, emphasizing the opportunity to unveil one's authentic self. Jen discusses the second individuation process, the challenges of embracing change while managing life's responsibilities, and the importance of authenticity. Our conversation reveals the complexities of midlife changes, the struggle with societal expectations, and the courage to pursue personal truth and growth.

Jen Berlingo, MA, LPC, ATR (she/her) is a coach, a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Registered Art Therapist, and a master-level Reiki practitioner. After two decades of "midwifing" hundreds of women through life’s major transitions and experiencing her own passage through a fiery midlife portal where she more fully stepped into her queer identity, she was inspired to write Midlife Emergence to accompany other women in traversing their midlife journeys. Upon its publication, Midlife Emergence reached #1 in several Amazon categories, including midlife management, divorce, LGBTQ+ memoirs, LGBTQ+ parenting and families, adulthood and aging, and self-help. 

GUEST LINKS:

• Jen Berlingo's website
• Jen's Substack: Prism
• Jen's book: Midlife Emergence

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"A lot of people get old because they think they're supposed to."

Former award-winning television journalist and Emmy-Award-winning producer/writer/director Paul Long shares his midlife career transitions and his "new way forward" — one that is ideal for him, that takes advantage of the new realities of longevity and the new phase of life he calls "olderhood."

In this episode, Paul and I have a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to get older today, what "olderhood" means (and why he considers this a better moniker for this phase in life), retirement, and the stories we tell ourselves as we get older.   

GUEST LINKS:
Paul Long's Newsletter: Launch Yourself
Paul Long on YouTube
Follow Paul Long on LinkedIn

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How do you prepare to leave a job or career that you love? Merle Saferstein is an educator, speaker, author, and a pioneer in legacy journaling. After twenty-six years as a Holocaust educator, where she worked with hundreds of Holocaust survivors, helping them to leave their legacy, she retired and created Living and Leaving Your Legacy®.

In this episode, we talk about her previous role at the Holocaust Center, how she prepared to retire from a job that meant so much to her, and the questions she asked herself then.  

GUEST LINKS

• Merle Saferstein's website
• Living and Leaving My Legacy (Volumes 1 and 2) by Merle Saferstein

FOOTNOTES

• Ep. 214: Living Our Legacy with Merle Saferstein

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Vivek Chakrabortty, CEO and Founder of The Kavi Group, a crisis management and business continuity consulting firm, "worked on himself" for years, combining influences from Catholicism, Stoicism, Vedanta, Buddhism, and mindfulness, to come up with his own 3-step philosophy for managing and mastering himself.

In this episode, he walks us through each step, and we explore various practical applications in our day-to-day lives. This is a mini-masterclass on managing ourselves. Sit back and grab a notepad.

GUEST LINKS:

• Vivek on LinkedIn
• The Kavi Group

FOOTNOTES

• A Case Study in Personal Growth and Transformation with Vivek Chakrabortty
• The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer

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A quick episode to share some big news in my world and riff on the topic of change — whether or not we actually hate change. 

(Spoiler alert: I don't think we do, actually.)

FOOTNOTES

• We're All Getting Older (and why I'm changing names)
• Hop on the WAGO wagon

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Do we stop being ambitious as we get older? What happens to the drive we've always had once we retire?

In this episode of Second Breaks, I explore ambition with Kathy Oneto, the founder of Sustainable Ambition and host of The Sustainable Ambition podcast. 

Kathy shares the results of her research and insights from numerous interviews on this topic. We explore the concept of maintaining ambition over time without self-sacrifice, the negative connotations of ambition, societal pressures, and the trap of ambition comparison. We talked about the application of ambition beyond a career and the shift from external to internal motivation.

Kathy also shares her personal connection to the topic and insights from her upcoming book, offering advice for those transitioning careers or nearing retirement. The episode highlights the need for intentionality in ambition and finding joy in life's small moments.

ABOUT MY GUEST
Kathy Oneto is a strategy executive and life-work coach who is passionate about helping people succeed on their terms at work and in life. Kathy champions being consciously ambitious and crafting fulfilling work from decade to decade without sacrificing your life or yourself.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Evolution of ambition
• Perception of ambition and societal attitudes towards it
• Unhealthy striving and its impact
• Broader scope of ambition beyond career goals
• Ambition in midlife and beyond
• Strategies for sustaining our drive and ambition

FOOTNOTES

• Kathy Oneto's website
• The Sustainable Ambition Podcast
• Follow Kathy Oneto on LinkedIn
• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• How Yo-Yo Ma Sustains His Creative Energy (WorkLife with Adam Grant)

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In this podcast episode, I am joined by Dr. Kathy Zhang, a physician specializing in hospice and palliative care.

I follow Kathy on LinkedIn, where she regularly posts wisdom that she's gained from speaking with thousands of people in the last moments of their lives. One specific post caught my attention, and I thought the points she shared were brilliant reminders for us about what truly matters.

The episode delves into the impact of fear on life choices, the illusion of abundant time, and the need to prioritize personal life alongside work. We also touch on the transient nature of material possessions, the unpredictability of life, and the importance of holistic wellness.

You're going to want to listen to this a few times. 😉

ABOUT MY GUEST
Dr. Luyi Kathy Zhang is a certified life coach and hypnotist, hospice/palliative care doctor, and host of The Purpose Filter podcast, the show that shares deathbed wisdom and actionable shortcuts to live a full life. Her mission is to share the lessons of the dying to help us focus on what’s truly important so we can create better, happier, and more meaningful lives while we still have time to enjoy them.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Common regrets of the dying
• Role of fear in regrets
• Concept of time in setting priorities and goals
• Venting vs Ruminating
• Prioritizing holistic well-being for a fulfilling life

FOOTNOTES

• Dr. Kathy Zhang's website
• Follow Kathy on LinkedIn
• The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware
• How Our Definitions of Success Change as We Get Older

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Subscribe to Midlife Cues, a weekly newsletter about intentional living and personal growth in midlife.

Work with Lou Blaser

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Happy New Year, my dear listener friend!

I'm more excited than ever to tackle my life and work goals this year. 2023 ended up being about clarifying direction and intentions — although I didn’t know that back in January 2023! 

As I welcome 2024, I can feel the difference. I have a better understanding of where I want to move toward and a clearer path forward.

In this episode, I share my goals and plans for 2024. These are grouped in the following buckets:

• Health and Well-Being
• Work, Impact, and Relevance
• Growth and Learning
• Relationships

Please leave a comment here if you’d like to share your goals, or if you have a question, and let’s keep each other accountable this year. 

FOOTNOTES

• My Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned From 2023

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Subscribe to Midlife Cues, a weekly newsletter about intentional living and personal growth in midlife.

Work with Lou Blaser

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For the last three years, I've been capturing key takeaways from the year that's about to end. I only regret not starting this practice earlier; it's a powerful way to gain wisdom from our experiences.

So, as we wrap up 2023, I'm excited to share with you some personal insights and lessons I've gathered this year.

I would love to hear about your key takeaways from 2023. You can leave a comment here.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Importance of reflecting on experiences to gain wisdom
• Four takeaways from the past year
• My decision about my career

FOOTNOTES

• Ep 201: Gratitude During Periods of Uncertainty with Holly Bertone
• 21 Questions I Ask at Year-end

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Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Midlife Cues, a weekly newsletter about intentional living and personal growth in midlife.

Work with Lou Blaser

Support the Show. Thank you.