Dychtwald, Ph.D., Ken and Kadlec, Daniel J.The Power Years, 2005.

Book store “self help” sections are brimming with guides to preparing for life after 40. One of the most heavily promoted is “The Power Years,” which bills itself as, “A User’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life.”

The authors draw on both psychological research and real life examples, as they suggest strategies for renewal after mid-life. The book may not measure up to the publisher’s claim that it is a “step-by-step guide to repowerment and personal re-invention.” But certainly the authors offer insights that might be helpful if you’re starting to prepare for the next phase of your life. Among their suggestions are these:

• Get out there and find new ways to have fun.
• Use some of your leisure to enhance the relationships that matter most.
• Connect with other generations.
• Don’t just keep doing what you’re doing now – change your patterns and see what turns up,
• Decide what kind of work is most meaningful to you, and craft a new career, even if you don’t need the money.
• Spend less money now, so you’ll be under less pressure later.