Take a Letter, Maria, and any other woman over 40 facing the unthinkable D-A-R-E!
Maria Shriver – about whom more words have been written in one week than almost any other wife since Jenny Sanford (who ultimately took her own hike and divorced ex-Governor “Soul-Mate”) – has called out for insights and advice from others who have faced critical transitions in their lives. Since Maria Shriver has little to worry about financially, my advice for her especially, and for any woman who is facing the unthinkable -whether in her personal life or career- is to be driven, strategic and creative. I suggest she return to the model of the goddess Athena, which is the archetype that drove much of Shriver’s career before her marriage. After all, pigs fly, shit happens and before you know it, you’re sleepless in the battle and eating jumbo marshmallows as fast as you can incinerate them on your stove. My own career crisis ended happily, and led me to start my company and write a book about DARE-ING women over 40. Here are just a few of my favorite books that helped me Deal before that. Several of these are filled with ideas for exploring and expanding one’s creativity rather than pondering remedies for the excruciating pain and humiliation Ms. Shriver is surely enduring. (For that, she surely has some of the universe’s best divorce lawyers and spiritual counselors).
1. The Breaking Point: How Female Midlife Crisis is Transforming Today’s Women, by Sue Shellenbarger. The Wall Street Journal career columnist illuminates through anecdotes and excellent reporting, the many types of work, avocations and fun that women have Started after they hit 40.
2. A Whole New Mind, by Daniel H. Pink. Full of ideas to think differently, explore all types of intelligence (artistic, physical, etc.) to innovate, pursue meaningful work, and stay relevant.
3. I Could Do Anything, If I Only Knew What It Was, by Barbara Sher. One of the best, most honest books on helping you visualize your perfect life, delivered in an empathic, amusing style.
4. Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. Exercises to plumb your deepest needs and how to tap into your unconscious for ideas your “editing” mind won’t allow.
5. Jump Start Your Brain, by Doug Hall. Promises to make you “500% more creative” from a marketing guru who creates products and campaigns that convince us to try, buy and stay loyal to stuff we never even knew we needed let alone wanted.
6. AHA! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas, by Jordan Ayan. Not just 10 ways, but thousands! Has unstuck even the most tenacious, stubborn, blank, fearful minds.
7. Write It Down, Make It Happen, by Henriette Ann Klauser. A free-association guide, with prompts, questions and lists to encourage you to think differently, identify goals and aspirations, and, yes, make them happen.
8. Second Acts, by Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine, attorney and author/collaborator. Guides you through what they call “sources of dissatisfaction€ so you arrive at your personal hopes and dreams.
9. Six-Week Start Up, by Rhonda Abrams. While Maria has more money coming her way than almost any other wife in America at this moment, this is for all those women who are, in fact, trying to figure out how to have their own money. An easy-to-complete workbook for launching a new venture, whether a business, nonprofit or other creative endeavor, especially if you don’t have the time or inclination to pour thousands of dollars into B-school, psychotherapy, or other forms of long-term torture.
10. Lest I forget, neglect and completely invalidate the positive environment of marketing, PR and self-promotion that got me here in the first place, my own book of advice, due out next month: Get DARE from Here: 12 Principles and Practices for Women Over 40 to Take Stock, Take Action and Take Charge of the Rest of Their Lives, by Liz DiMarco Weinmann. I’ll bet you think this is heart-stopping and blatant self-promotion, don’t you? Well, so be it. There will be No Self-Hell from me or for me! My mission is to DARE all visionary, intelligent, motivated women over 40 €“ to Get DARE from Here – DRIVE, ADVANCE, RULE and EXPRESS YOUR EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE!
So, take a letter, Maria. Any of THESE letters, Maria: DARE! You definitely can get DARE from Here!
– about whom more words have been written in one week than almost any other wife since Jenny Sanford (who ultimately took her own “hike†and divorced ex-Governor “Soul-Mateâ€) – has called out for insights and advice from others who have faced critical transitions in their lives.  Since Maria Shriver has little to worry about financially, my advice for her especially, and for any woman who is facing the unthinkable – whether in her personal life or career – is to be driven, strategic and creative. I suggest she return to the model of the goddess Athena, which is the archetype that drove much of Shriver’s career before her marriage.  After all, pigs fly, shit happens and before you know it, you’re sleepless in the battle and eating jumbo marshmallows as fast as you can incinerate them on your stove. My own career crisis ended happily, and led me to start my company and write a book about DARE-ING women over 40. Here are just a few of my favorite books that helped me Deal before that.  Several of these are filled with ideas for exploring and expanding one’s creativity rather than pondering remedies for the excruciating pain and humiliation Ms. Shriver is surely enduring. (For that, she surely has some of the universe’s best divorce lawyers and spiritual counselors).
1.     The Breaking Point: How Female Midlife Crisis is Transforming Today’s Women, by Sue Shellenbarger. The Wall Street Journal career columnist illuminates through anecdotes and excellent reporting, the many types of work, avocations and fun that women have Started after they hit 40.
2.     A Whole New Mind, by Daniel H. Pink.  Full of ideas to think differently, explore all types of intelligence (artistic, physical, etc.) to innovate, pursue meaningful work, and stay relevant.
3.     I Could Do Anything, If I Only Knew What It Was, by Barbara Sher. One of the best, most honest books on helping you visualize your “perfect life†– delivered in an empathic, amusing style.
4.     Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. Exercises to plumb your deepest needs and how to tap into your unconscious for ideas your “editing†mind won’t allow.
5.     Jump Start Your Brain, by Doug Hall. Promises to make you “500% more creative†– from a marketing guru who creates products and campaigns that convince us to try, buy and stay loyal to stuff we never even knew we needed let alone wanted.
6.     AHA! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas, by Jordan Ayan. Not just 10 ways, but thousands! Has unstuck even the most tenacious, stubborn, blank, fearful minds.
7.     Write It Down, Make It Happen, by Henriette Ann Klauser. A free-association guide, with prompts, questions and lists to encourage you to think differently, identify goals and aspirations, and, yes, make them happen.
8.     Second Acts, by Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine, attorney and author/collaborator. Guides you through what they call “sources of dissatisfaction†so you arrive at your personal hopes and dreams.
9.     Six-Week Start Up, by Rhonda Abrams. While Maria has more money coming her way than almost any other wife in America at this moment, this is for all those women who are, in fact, trying to figure out how to have their own money. An easy-to-complete workbook for launching a new venture, whether a business, nonprofit or other creative endeavor, especially if you don’t have the time or inclination to pour thousands of dollars into B-school, psychotherapy, or other forms of long-term torture.
10. Lest I forget, neglect and completely invalidate the positive environment of marketing, PR and self-promotion that got me here in the first place, my own book of advice, due out next month: Get DARE from Here: 12 Principles and Practices for Women Over 40 to Take Stock, Take Action and Take Charge of the Rest of Their Lives, by Liz DiMarco Weinmann. I’ll bet you think this is heart-stopping and blatant self-promotion, don’t you? Well, so be it. There will be No Self-Hell from me or for me!  My mission is to DARE all visionary, intelligent, motivated women over 40 – to Get DARE from Here – DRIVE, ADVANCE, RULE and EXPRESS YOUR EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE!
So, take a letter, Maria. Any of THESE letters, Maria: DARE! You definitely can get DARE from Here!
