654: Why your 40s & 50s are your most powerful years yet | psychologist Margie Lachman, Ph.D.
About this episode
Psychologist Margie Lachman discusses the potential and opportunities of midlife, emphasizing that the 40s and 50s can be powerful years for personal growth and development.
"Midlife is a perfect time for you to think about where you've been & where you want to go,” says Margie Lachman, PhD. Lachman is professor of psychology at Brandeis University and director of the Lifespan Lab. A leading expert on adult development and aging, Lachman is one of a small group of scholars who study midlife from a lifespan developmental perspective. Her honors include research awards from the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Gerontological Society of America. Lachman was a member of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development, which launched the landmark Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. She is a coinvestigator on MIDUS and several other projects exploring cognition, health, and well-being in midlife and later adulthood. 00:00 - Why midlife is actually prime time 04:37 - The hinge moment & the pivot point 08:08 - Looking back vs. looking ahead 11:16 - The midlife crisis myth, explained 14:24 - Stability, identity, & personality change 18:42 - Traits of people who thrive in midlife 22:55 - What to do in retirement 26:53 - No one wants to look older 29:00 - Emotional regulation gets…
People in this episode
Guest: Margie Lachman
Topics covered
- midlife development
- aging
- cognition
- emotional regulation
- resilience
- happiness
- retirement
Keywords
- midlife
- psychology
- aging
- happiness curve
- cognitive peak
- emotional regulation
- resilience
- retirement
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Brandeis University, American Psychological Association, Gerontological Society of America, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Books & works: Midlife in the United States (MIDUS)
More episodes of The mindbodygreen Podcast
- 659: How to build a flourishing mind in 5 minutes | Richard Davidson, Ph. D.
- 658: The most efficient path to better cardio | sports scientist Fraser Thurlow, Ph.D.
- 657: The science of art as medicine | behavioral scientist Daisy Fancourt
- 656: The connection between pain & the brain | Rachel Zoffness, Ph.D.
- 655: A cardiac surgeon had a heart attack—here’s what he missed | Jeremy London, M.D.
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The mindbodygreen Podcast podcast page.