This post is not an advertisement to sell a book. Please read on and you'll see why I thought you might like to meet my husband, Joe's sister, Nancy.
Back in the 1950s, much to her family's dismay, Nancy was not interested in spending her life as a JW and left the group when she was 16. She married a fledgling banker at an early age (probably to escape the JWs and her family), moved from Dallas, Texas, to Apple Valley, Calif., and had three children. When the kids were in their teens, Nancy went to college in an era when few women followed their dreams. She eventually became successful as a career counselor. (Usually successful people dissatisfied in their careers sought Nancy's expertise to see in what field their real talents lay.)
Many years ago, Nancy wrote a book about working with passion, and, a few years ago, her publisher asked her to update it especially for the very large Baby Boomer group. She's semi-retired now, and is busy talking about her book in interviews, etc.
Today, we received an email Nancy sent to her fans that I've posted here and I also posted an excerpt from her book, advice that can be helpful to those of us in midlife and beyond who have begun a new life, but for different reasons than from most of her clients.
I'm not posting this information to sell Nancy's book because the book is a success. I'm sharing this story about Nancy because this presently successful woman's future could have been so different if she had been baptized like my husband at 11, and spent a lifetime chasing an illusionary pipedream as her brother and I did. We are very proud of Nancy and hope to continue to rekindle what we lost when we shunned her for decades because we had nothing in common as we went down a different road, one that led us nowhere.
I hope you enjoy Nancy's thoughts and here's Nancy's email.
Barbara
2012 is turning out to be a year of shedding illusions for what will work in the day to day world. At first, coming down to earth seems boring because there’s no drama. But when we make freedom our priority we experience the excitement that comes from knowing we can handle the challenges that life brings to us. You’ll find reminders of how to get to this confident state of mind in an excerpt from the Intro to the WwP Midlife book that was posted by BoomerCafe, a lively, informative website. Feel free to add your comment, and pass on the link:
http://www.boomercafe.com/2012/05/08/finding-passion-in-midlife-and-beyond/
Warmest regards,
Nancy
workwithpassion.com
Excerpt from the Intro found at the Boomer Cafe' link:
Finding Passion in Midlife and Beyond
May 8, 2012
Every once in a while, we hear from a boomer who has figured out — or is figuring out — how to thrive at this stage of our lives. For this edition of BoomerCafé, that would be Nancy Anderson, author of Work with Passion in Midlife and Beyond. She has adapted a short section from her book for BoomerCafé; it’s about Finding Passion in Midlife and Beyond. 
Nancy Anderson
After reading hundreds of boomers’ autobiographies over the past three decades, I’ve concluded that life is a story that needs to be rewritten in midlife to reflect the desires of the authentic self. This means, the personality that emerges in our early forties, when material goals are not as important as finding answers to questions of ultimate concern: who am I, why am I here, and what should I do with the rest of my life? By contrast, when we are younger, we need to go for the personal gold, experiment with many options, try on different personas, and compete with peers for status and recognition.
Navigating the transition into midlife and beyond takes courage and persistence, since the younger self holds on with all its might in a culture that values outer success more than inner success. Holding onto what is dead and gone can provoke the well-known midlife crisis , with its regressive symptoms of alienation and depression. The solution is to let go of everything that has outlived its usefulness so that life energy can be redirected into goals that bring personal fulfillment, particularly in your work.
Given the volatile economy, rising costs of living, and the likelihood that safety nets such as social security , and dividends from investments and savings, may not be enough to cover expenses when you are older, now it is not just a matter of if you should follow your passion. You absolutely must find the work that engages your heart in order to weather the turmoil that will be around for some time to come.
Passion will carry you through economic downturns because you get better and better as you age, expertise that makes you virtually recession-proof. Once you are in the niche that nourishes your soul and serves others, you will be the center of calm in a stormy world.
To use a business analogy, owners and managers who survive and thrive in difficult times adapt to changes in the marketplace. They get rid of what is not working to make room for what works. This can be painful, but a streamlined operation sets the stage for new and more profitable ways to serve consumers.
Similarly, to survive and thrive in midlife and beyond, get rid of distractions like obsolete possessions, over drinking, overeating, socializing too much, working too much, and spending time with people who drain your energy. With distractions out of the way (and this will take a while), rewrite your life story so that the outcome matches who you are and what you value at this stage of life.
For example, pay attention to passion clues, such as work you would do even if you did not get paid for it, and enjoy the process as much as the result. Make a list of what you do naturally and well, then connect with employers, customers, or clients who need your enthusiasm and expertise to reach their goals. Be assured, once you get and stay on the passion track, you will arrive at your destination, getting paid to do what makes you feel free, useful and creative.
Follow Nancy online at www.workwithpassion.com .