Have you been bracing for a midlife crisis? Maybe you've believed that once you hit 40 or 50, you're supposed to hit a wall — get restless, buy the sports car, blow up your life, or slide into a slow decline. And even if you haven't hit that wall yet, part of you might be waiting for it.
But my guest today has spent more than 30 years studying midlife, and she says most of what you've heard is wrong. In fact, treating midlife like a decline might turn it into one. Your sense of control, your self-esteem, and your life satisfaction can actually peak in midlife.
My guest is Dr. Margie Lachman, a psychology professor at Brandeis University who directs the Lifespan Lab and is one of the leading researchers on adult development in the country.
Some of the things we discuss are:
The truth behind the famous "happiness dips at 47" claim — and why the researchers behind it are now walking it back
Why the millennial midlife crisis might not actually be about midlife at all
Why your personality isn't locked in the way you were taught — and how to change it in your 40s, 50s, and beyond
The midlife review: three questions that can help you figure out what you actually want next
The "shelve it" approach
Why "sense of control" might be the single most important mindset in midlife (and how it lowers inflammation and dementia risk)
Why childhood struggles sometimes resurface in midlife — and what to do about it
The Therapist's Take: My top three strategies for making midlife your prime starting today
Related Episodes
296 — 5 Ways to Build Emotional Strength When Life Keeps Knocking You Down
336 — The "Social Clock" That's Making You Feel Behind—and How to Stop
Links & Resources
Primetime: A New Vision for Midlife
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