I’ve been gestating this next book for a few years. Having had the worst and best in times between 45-55 and having lost a few male friends to suicide who were similarly-aged, I was curious why midlife has been saddled with such a bad brand that it’s synonymous with a “crisis.” How can we help people to see that their best years may be ahead of them, as has been discovered in the U-curve of Happiness social science research. By founding the world’s first midlife wisdom school (MEA), I’ve been honored to witness thousands of midlifers who’ve come to experience midlife as a chrysalis, not a crisis, a time for profound transformation.
So, I’m excited that my 7th book, “Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age,” will be coming out January 16. Because this is meant to be a gift book as well as your own personal roadmap to midlife, I have a special offer for all Wisdom Well blog subscribers: if you order “Learning to Love Midlife” for a friend, we’ll give you a copy of the book for free. Here’s the link to that special offer. Two of my last three books sold out of their Amazon supply in the first month, so preordering it assures you’ll receive it when it’s available to the public in mid-January. I’m honored by some of the quotes that will be appearing on the book’s cover:
“Rarely have I read a book that so succinctly captures the upside of midlife, a life stage that is more an opportunity than a crisis. Chip Conley reminds us all to savor the wisdom, self-knowledge, and joy that accompanies this time in our lives.”
– Father Richard Rohr, Bestselling author, speaker and spiritual thought leader
“I’ve personally experienced the magic of midlife at Chip Conley’s MEA where thousands of people have learned how to curate a life that’s as deep and meaningful as it is long. Finally, Chip has gathered the secrets of that program into a book that will help you to feel happier, healthier, and wiser starting in your 40s.”
– Dan Buettner, New York Times bestselling author, creator of “The Blue Zones,” and National Geographic Fellow
“One of the most fascinating developments of this cathartic time we inhabit, surely, is the evolution of aging itself. Chip Conley’s work in nourishing and reinventing eldering has been groundbreaking. Now this book is a beautiful offering to us all — spiritual and pragmatic at once — on the generative possibilities of the new midlife. What a joy and a gift it is to read, and to have as a companion for living.”
– Krista Tippett, Founder and Host, The On Being Project
“Does aging give you a sense of dread? If so, you need to read Learning to Love Midlife right now. In this wonderful book, Chip Conley will show you that aging is a superpower, capable of changing you (and our world) for the better.”
– Arthur C. Brooks, Professor, Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and #1 New York Times bestselling author
“This vital and necessary book is a roadmap for the rest of your life. With large doses of wisdom and frequent sprinkles of wit, Chip Conley shows how all of us can approach our 40s, 50s, and 60s with intention and wonder. ‘Learning to Love Midlife’ will stir brains, open souls, and transform lives.”
– Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and The Power of Regret
“For many of us, midlife can be a confusing stage of life, full of unfamiliar transitions and few clear milestones. And now that we’re living longer, this period lasts much longer than it did in the past. Learning to Love Midlife is an invaluable guide to how to navigate this period with curiosity, energy, and optimism. With cutting-edge research, deep insight, and examples drawn from real life—including candid accounts of his own experience–Conley provides a clear blueprint for creating the lives we want.”
– Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Life in Five Senses
“If we are lucky enough, midlife will find us all, but that doesn’t mean crisis has to accompany it. The brilliant and beloved Conley reminds us that with transition and uncertainty comes possibility. No, our doors are not closed after forty, fifty, sixty: in many ways, they are more open than ever. Read this book to reimagine every stage of midlife.”
– Esther Perel, Psychotherapist, Author and Host of “Where Should We Begin”
Lastly, I’m leading two MEA Baja workshops in the next few months on “Learning to Love Midlife” – October 16-21 and March 12-17.
