Have you ever felt that things were not going the way you expected in your life? I think we all come to that conclusion at one point in our lives, but what do we do about it? Sometimes nothing. Sometimes we decide to make change by reframing the next chapter in our life. In 50 After 50–Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life by Maria Leonard Olsen, we learn about her courage self-discovery journey in reframing her life.

Book Summary

At age 50, Maria Leonard Olsen drank her way out of her 25-year marriage. She had, against advice, put all her eggs in the motherhood basket, will-fully derailing her successful law career. As teenagers, her precious children did not need her in the hands-on way they previously had. Her husband and she had grown apart. Among other things, they failed to nurture that important relationship. She was depressed and stuck. When she turned 50, she had the distinct feeling that she was on the downward slope of her life. Actually speaking, she was.

When she turned 50, her gift to herself was to go on a crusade to make the most of whatever time she had left. She set out to do 50 new things that were significant, at least to her. The list spanned physical challenges, adventure travel, and lifestyle changes. Each taught her something about herself and about how she wanted to lead the next years of her life to come.

This work follows the work she did to overcome addiction and trauma to accomplish those 50 new things and shows readers how to make their own action lists – whether it be joining a knitting club or hiking the Himalayas, every item has significance for each individual and speaks to her needs and desires. The list is the match to spark the fire that will light the years after 50. Readers will hear about Maria’s adventures and the rewards of each. Accomplishing new things, learn-ing new skills, deepening personal and spiritual relationships, and seeking out challenges will add the spice to a life that may feel repetitive, insignificant, inauthentic, or just plain boring

About the Author

Maria Leonard Olsen is an attorney, women writing/empowerment retreat leader, public speaker, and a cohost of the “Inside Out ” radio show on WPFW, FM 89.3, in Washington, D.C. Olsen was appointed by President Clinton as Special Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General. She has served on the boards of Children’s National Medical Center BOV, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Nepal Youth Fund and Girls Up, and empowerment organization for middle school-aged girls. She has written for the Washington Post, Washingtonian, Bethesda Magazine, Parenting, and other outlets. Olsen also counsels women recovering from addiction and trauma.

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