Kids grown? Mortgage paid? Career topping out? What now?
In
My Time, best-selling author Abigail Trafford answers the question more and more 50-somethings are asking themselves. Thanks to the longevity revolution of recent decades, today's 55-75 year olds are living and working longer and healthier than ever before. This generation is the first to experience this period of health and vitality in between middle and old age, or 'my time' as Trafford calls it. At 50, baby boomers are finding that they aren't necessarily ready for a quiet retirement: instead of giving up work, many are approaching their careers with new vigor; instead of coping with failing health, they are doing yoga and running marathons; and instead of growing old together, they are reinvigorating relationships or finding new love.
Defining 'my time' as a whole new developmental stage in the life cycle, Trafford zealously tackles the challenge of these "extra" years with the same compassion, wit and remarkable powers of observation that have made
Crazy Time one of the best loved divorce guidebooks ever written. Acknowledging the hazards and pitfalls of this previously uncharted territory, Trafford skillfully guides readers through the obstacles of "my time" and offers them the opportunity to take full advantage of the bonus decades. Whether it's a remarriage, a new career, or simply a change of scene, 'my time' offers extraordinary opportunities for purpose, meaning and regrowth that are unavailable at any other time of life.
Yet Trafford points out that many baby boomers experience the end of middle age as a crisis, as they lose loved ones, struggle to redefine their personal and professional lives, and find that well-learned rules and habits may suddenly be counterproductive.
My Time is the first roadmap to guide us through this difficult but potentially rewarding time of life. Trafford shares the experiences of men and women who have successfully navigated the challenges of 'my time, ' from the psychoanalyst who gave up his practice to write novels, to the widowed mother of three who reinvented herself as a successful photographer. Drawing on hundreds of interviews, Trafford effortlessly blends personal stories with expert opinions and the latest research on adult development. Readers will resonate with the true tales of crisis and triumph that sparkle on every page of this inspiring and insightful book.
Like Gail Sheehy's
Passages,
My Time is certain to profoundly affect the journey through our adult years.
