Midlife crisis at 30 : how the stakes have changed for a new generation-- and what to do about it

Title Page; Dedication; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction: Why Are Baby Boomers' Daughters Melting down Instead of Rallying for Change?; Part One: The Midlife Crisis at 30: Why Now?; Chapter 1: Generation Stressed; Chapter 2: The New Glass Ceiling; Chapter 3: The Bitch vs. The Good Witch; Chapter 4: Happily Ever After, Revised; Chapter 5: The Men's Room; Part Two: The New Girls' Club: Your Dream Team of Mentors; Introduction: Beyond 30; Chapter 6: Escaping the Sequential Success Trap: Finding Happiness, Maintaining Equal Partnerships, and Redefining Family.;At 30 ... Former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro was a stay-at-home mother. Founder and CEO of Oxygen Media Geraldine Laybourne was working at a public interest think tank for teachers. Political strategist Mary Matalin was a first-year law student0́4and about to drop out. And months prior to her thirtieth birthday, financial strategist and best-selling author Suze Orman was working as a waitress, making $400 a month. Decades later, these Boomer women and many others have reached the pinnacles of their professions. So why do Gen-X/Y women feel such pressure to have the perfect career, body, husband, and kids by the time they are at or around 30? Why has 30 become such a make-or-break moment?As the generation that came of age after the most visible glass ceilings had been broken, Gen-X/Y women were raised to believe in futures without limitations. Yet, as journalists Lia Macko and Kerry Rubin reveal in their fascinating investigation, many women have distorted the well-intentioned empowerment messages of their youth and are quietly blaming themselves when they fail to overcome the very real obstacles that still exist in our society. Though many Gen-X/Y women are hitting the same roadblocks at the same time, instead of questioning what's wrong with the system0́4as Boomer women did in their twenties--they're questioning their own "choices."Searching for solutions, Macko and Rubin have enlisted the aid of the New Girls' Club, a group of successful, satisfied women who've lived through their own crossroads moments, earned their battle scars, and now share their stories and strategies. While today's young women may indeed be a generation in the middle of a Midlife Crisis at 30, they now have a dream team of mentors to help guide them through it. At 30 ... Former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro was a stay-at-home mother. Founder and CEO of Oxygen Media Geraldine Laybourne was working at a public interest think tank for teachers. Political strategist Mary Matalin was a first-year law student-- and about to drop out. And months prior to her thirtieth birthday, financial strategist and best-selling author Suze Orman was working as a waitress, making $400 a month. Decades later, these Boomer women and many others have reached the pinnacles of their professions. So why do Gen-X/Y women feel such pressure to have the perfect career, body, husband, and kids by the time they are at or around 30? Why has 30 become such a make-or-break moment? As the generation that came of age after the most visible glass ceilings had been broken, Gen-X/Y women were raised to believe in futures without limitations. Yet, as journalists Lia Macko and Kerry Rubin reveal in their fascinating investigation, many women have distorted the well-intentioned empowerment messages of their youth and are quietly blaming themselves when they fail to overcome the very real obstacles that still exist in our society. Though many Gen-X/Y women are hitting the same roadblocks at the same time, instead of questioning what's wrong with the system-- as Boomer women did in their twenties-- they're questioning their own "choices." Searching for solutions, Macko and Rubin have enlisted the aid of the New Girls' Club, a group of successful, satisfied women who've lived through their own crossroads moments, earned their battle scars, and now share their stories and strategies. While today's young women may indeed be a generation in the middle of a Midlife Crisis at 30 , they now have a dream team of mentors to help guide them through it. At the age of 30: Financial strategist and bestselling author Suze Orman was a waitress Former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro was a stay-at-home mom Political strategist Mary Matalin was a first-year law studentand about to drop out CNN anchor Paula Zahn was unemployed Midlife Crisis at 30 offers hope for many of todays twenty- and thirty-somethings struggling with the unreasonable expectations that society and the media have placed on them. As a result of these powerful influences, many women blame themselves for not overcoming the very real obstacles to their fulfillment that still exist in American society. Raised to believe they could have it all in every part of their lives at a young age, these young women are exhausted, confused, and desperate to find the middle ground where they can enjoy full, well-rounded lives before it is too late. Through the candid and revealing stories of the New Girls Club, a group of successful women, such as Geraldine Ferraro, Judy Blume, Susan Sarandon, and Denise Austin, who have solved the work/life/love puzzle, Midlife Crisis at 30 presents pragmatic strategies and realistic suggestions for young women everywhere. Introduction : why are baby boomers' daughters melting down instead of rallying for change? The midlife crisis at 30 : why now? Generation stressed The new glass ceiling The bitch vs. the good witch Happily ever after, revised The men's room The new girls' club : your dream team of mentors Introduction : beyond 30 Escaping the sequential success trap : finding happiness, maintaining equal partnerships, and redefining family Navigating the new glass ceiling : finding the right fit in the work-family puzzle Tactical maneuvers : strategies, pragmatism, and the power of perseverance Changing direction : deliberate action, definitive results Letting go of perfect : getting over yourself to get the life you want Guts and grace : staying on course when it counts. A guide for professional women struggling with burnout or disillusionment shares the stories of women who have had similar experiences, analyzing the social and psychological factors that affect a woman's career and relationships, and offering strategies on how to achieve a healthier personal and professional balance. 50,000 first printing. A guide for professional women struggling with burnout or disillusionment shares the stories of women who have had similar experiences, analyzing the social and psychological factors that affect a woman's career and relationships, and offering strategies on how to achieve a healthier personal and professional balance. Reprint. A guide for professional women struggling with burnout analyzes the social and psychological factors that affect a woman's career and relationships, and offers strategies for achieving a healthy personal and professional balance