Pauliann Long, LCSW-C

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8 Ways You Can Survive — And Thrive In — Midlife

Hello!

Today we are sharing a great article from www.npr.org about eight tips for thriving during your midlife. We all go through life changes throughout different stages in our lives. And of course there is the cliche “mid-life crisis” which we often hear too much about. However this article shows some enlightenment into being happy and thriving in midlife with advice compiled over 400 interviews. Take a look!
 
“After two years of research and more than 400 interviews about midlife, former NPR reporter Barb Bradley Hagerty received dozens of insights about how to live well in the middle years. We’ve distilled them here, with a little context. And, by the way, these ideas work well for people on both sides of the midlife divide.
1. Aim for long-term meaning rather than short-term happiness, and you will likely find both. Aristotle suggested as much when he talked about eudaemonia, or the good life: striving with a purpose — raising terrific children, training for a marathon — rather than setting your sights on immediate pleasures, such as enjoying a good meal or a day at the beach. It’s also the best thing you can do for your mind and your health.
 
2. Choose what matters most. Clayton Christensen at Harvard Business School describes the eroding effect of short-term decisions — specifically, doing the activity that brings you immediate gratification (such as work) and putting off harder but ultimately more fulfilling activities (such as investing in your marriage and children). I talked with many people who privileged work over family because work brought immediate rewards. These people closed the sale, they shipped the product, they pulled an all-nighter to get the story on the radio, they were promoted and praised for a job well done. “And as a consequence,” Christensen says, “people like you and me who plan to have a happy life — because our families truly are the deepest source of happiness — find that although that’s what we want, the way we invest our time and energy and talents causes us to implement a strategy that we wouldn’t at all plan to pursue.”
 
To continue reading and view the full article, please visit: http://www.npr.org/2016/03/17/469822644/8-ways-you-can-survive-and-thrive-in-midlife

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