Look to the past to shape the present
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You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Hey, listeners. You know I can't be bothered with lengthy beauty routines. Who has time for that? That's why I am so glad I discovered Merit. Merit is all about simplicity, high-performing products, and enhancing your natural beauty. If you're like me and prefer a less-is-more approach, you'll love that Merit can help you look put together in five minutes or less.

My favorite product has to be the minimalist. It's a two in one foundation and concealer that gives me smooth, even coverage with zero fuss. I also like the flush balm for cheeks. My shade is archival and it gives me that healthy, natural flush of color that blends in beautifully and makes me look like I spent more time on my makeup than I actually did. Ready to simplify your routine and make mornings a breeze.

Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good morning, this is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is that if you want something new in your present life, look to your past for ideas.

So I have noticed that a lot of people in their 40s and 50s crave a professional reset. Some people have been out of the workforce while parenting, and they are ready to reenter. Some people have made enough money to retire comfortably when the time comes, and they're looking for more meaning or more fun in the next season of work. Other people love their careers for years or decades, but the spark is gone, and they want to find new work that they will be excited about.

Then there are people who still love their careers but want to add a new twist or want to add a serious hobby or volunteer outlet on the side. I have been reflecting on mid-career resets since I interviewed Dr. Jillian Goddard for this podcast a few months ago. Jillian is a practicing endocrinologist, and she recently launched Hot Flash, a newsletter about menopause that has quickly scored a lot of readers looking for accurate information about this hot topic.

In our conversation, Jillian mentioned that she did journalism when she was much younger. That seems totally unrelated to her career in endocrinology. But she has returned to journalism in a way and combined it with her medical work by writing her newsletter. Her college pursuit connects with a midlife twist on a career she loves. She is a physician and a writer now. It makes sense that what we did as kids or teenagers or young adults would still speak to us.

We loved these things in the past, and while we might be different people now, we are not so different that former interests might not still spark something. So if you are trying to figure out what is next vocationally, one option is to consider the classes, extracurriculars, hobbies, jobs, and volunteer roles you loved when you were younger.

Is there anything your past self thought was cool that your present self might still want to do? There are lots of ways you could twist things together. Did you want to be a singer when you were a kid but you ended up as an accountant? Could you serve as the CFO for your city's opera company? Perhaps growing up you spent all your free time reading. You dreamed of being a librarian but became a lawyer instead. If your kids are launched and your law school loans are paid off,

It may not be too late to earn your MLS and become a librarian after all. Or perhaps you could stick with your current career, but provide pro bono legal services to the library or serve on your library foundation's board. Maybe your favorite job ever was teaching at a summer academic program during college, but now you lead your family business. Could you teach a night class at a nearby business school? To combine your experience of being a small business leader with your love of teaching,

Or maybe when you were in college, you worked in the kitchen of a fabulous restaurant and imagined being a chef one day. Whether you are a doctor or a teacher or communications officer these days, you could lean into your love of cooking by hosting dinner parties or cooking for a local feeding ministry in your off hours. If you are at a point in your life when you are craving something new, think about what your past self loved to do. This might point the way to a total career change.

but it also might point the way toward job crafting, as Dr. Gillian Goddard has done, or it might lead to something rich on the side. All of these could be fabulous outcomes. Is there anything from your youth that you would like to add to your present life? You can let me know at laura at lauravandercam.com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening. And here's to making the most of our time.

Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at laura at lauravandercam.com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

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My favorite product has to be the minimalist. It's a two in one foundation and concealer that gives me smooth, even coverage with zero fuss. I also like the flush balm for cheeks. My shade is archival and it gives me that healthy, natural flush of color that blends in beautifully and makes me look like I spent more time on my makeup than I actually did. Ready to simplify your routine and make mornings a breeze.

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