Act Three

The kids have left home, or maybe they’re just getting older and need less attention. Either way, it’s now your turn. You have more time, and you want to do something with it: perhaps go back to work, start a small business, commit to a cause you care about. But if you are like most women, you grapple with imagining what you want to do next—and may be plagued with doubts about how to succeed in the next stage of life. Millions of women struggle to form a post-full-time motherhood identity, but Julie Shifman’s Act Three turns that transition into an exciting journey of self-exploration. Through insightful advice and fun, hands-on exercises—all based on extensive research—Shifman takes you from imagining the rich possibilities for your third act to actually doing it. In these pages, you will learn how to • identify your “Gifted Passions”—the things you love and have talent for • pinpoint your biggest motivators • ready yourself for the big changes Act Three will bring • take “baby steps” to achieve your goals • proactively address what might hold you back • overcome the obstacles you’ll inevitably encounter along the way As she encourages and informs, Shifman also shares inspirational real-life stories of “Act Threes” that will make you wonder “Wow, how’d she do that?” She profiles an award-winning documentarian, the founder of an African orphanage, a fitness guru, a nationally syndicated radio host, and more—all of whom started the journey just like you, wondering what they would do next. With the tools and support in this book, you will be well equipped to embark on a fulfilling Act Three.