Second Breaks Lou Blaser

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 websiteJen's Substack: PrismJen'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 YourselfPaul Long on YouTubeFollow 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 websiteLiving and Leaving My Legacy (Volumes 1 and 2) by Merle SafersteinFOOTNOTES
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 LinkedInThe Kavi Group
FOOTNOTES
A Case Study in Personal Growth and Transformation with Vivek ChakraborttyThe 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 GUESTKathy 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 ambitionPerception of ambition and societal attitudes towards itUnhealthy striving and its impactBroader scope of ambition beyond career goalsAmbition in midlife and beyondStrategies for sustaining our drive and ambitionFOOTNOTES
Kathy Oneto's websiteThe Sustainable Ambition PodcastFollow Kathy Oneto on LinkedInBecoming by Michelle ObamaHow Yo-Yo Ma Sustains His Creative Energy (WorkLife with Adam Grant)------------
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