What You Learn in Your 40s
This article made the rounds among my 30-something friends last year when it was published in the Times. It popped up again on my computer screen recently, so I revisited it. While the article is titled "What You Learn in Your 40s," its lessons apply to people of all ages. A few of my favorite lessons shared by author Pamela Druckerman are quoted below:
"If you worry less about what people think of you, you can pick up an astonishing amount of information about them. You no longer leave conversations wondering what just happened. Other people’s minds and motives are finally revealed."
"There are no grown-ups. We suspect this when we are younger, but can confirm it only once we are the ones writing books and attending parent-teacher conferences. Everyone is winging it, some just do it more confidently."
"More about you is universal than not universal. My unscientific assessment is that we are 95 percent cohort, 5 percent unique. Knowing this is a bit of a disappointment, and a bit of a relief."
"But you find your tribe... By your 40s, you don’t want to be with the cool people; you want to be with your people."
"Just say 'no.' Never suggest lunch with people you don’t want to have lunch with. They will be much less disappointed than you think."
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Pamela Druckerman!
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Image via A Cup of Jo [What You Learn in Your 40s, Pamela Druckerman, New York Times, 2/28/14]