You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife

   Dr. Nancy Irwin’s You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife is a fascinating self-help, educational text that combines theory with real life stories of individuals over forty. It breaks free from the notion that a timeline is set for each individual, and when that time passes, one can no longer be productive, change careers, or make a “you-turn” in life to do something that he/she always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity.

The message Dr. Nancy Irwin delivers to her readers is that, “It’s easy to get on the wrong path or get sidetracked, or even get run off the road.” In crystal-clear, layman’s terms, she hammers home her point: “It’s like driving 50 miles out of your way. Frustrating, isn’t it? But do you just give up and say, ‘Oh, well, I’ll just keep driving down the wrong road’? Of course not! You’d turn around, wouldn’t you? So why stay on the same course of life or career?”

In other words, it’s never too late to turn around and pursue something else; in fact, certain choices we make early on usually factor into our later decisions—and instill within us skills that will be useful, if and when the you-turn is made. For example, Dr. Nancy Irwin talks about her own life as a mediocre student with less than stellar SAT scores. At the time, her passion for performing for an audience led her to become a stand-up comedian. Dr. Irwin simultaneously volunteered in the community, working with sexually abused children. Her ability to speak in front of hundreds of people played an influential role in her decision to become a public speaker and to pursue her doctorate in psychology.

There are at least forty other cases of you-turns, like Dr. Nancy Irwin’s, that orchestrated a complete transformation within the individual. The stimulating aspect of this book is that it is very much like a career assessment counseling session. Dr. Irwin compiles a questionnaire for her readers, asking questions such as, “If money were no object, what would you be doing?” and “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”

You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife is the fusion of a self-help guide with memoirs of Dr. Irwin’s personal transformation, as well as the stories of forty others. While each story is touching and meaningful, there are several stories that truly stand out as ultimate you-turns. In chapter 14, for example, Irwin shares the story of a forty-six year-old woman with a crippling back injury. Instead of moping and giving up on life, the woman restructures her life en route to becoming a radio talk show host. Later, in Chapter 24 there is the example of another significant you-turn, as a fifty-year old divorcee seeks out his high school sweetheart and establishes a career as a relationship coach.

The bottom line with all these stories is to bring people to understand that it is never too late to turn around. There is no need to have regrets later when the possibility is always there to turn around and consider a new direction in life. Ultimately, You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife is a spectacular read that shares real life cases of people who reassessed their lives, and decided to make changes. Though the target audience is for middle age, this is a book that would be beneficial to a wide range of readers.