In her practice as a licensed therapist and through discussion groups all across the country, Sarah Brokaw has discovered that the women who navigate midlife most smoothly--who go on to prosper and to enjoy the best years of their lives--are those who foster five Core Values in themselves. In Fortytude, she shows how any woman can nourish these qualities in herself, and evolve and thrive. The five Core Values are: Grace--when a woman lives with integrity, capitalizing on her own strengths while admiring the strengths of others Connectedness--experiencing satisfaction in connections with others Accomplishment--the sense of realizing goals and getting things done--which is necessary in today's world, when women are expected to cram 48 hours of living into every 24-hour day Adventure--a willingness to seek challenges outside the normal comfort zone Spirituality--a personal approach to religion, and an understanding that life has a meaning beyond the day-to-day details In Brokaw's reassuring voice and through the stories of incredible women from all walks of life, readers can learn how they, too, can embrace and fully enjoy their forties, fifties, and beyond. Praise for Fortytude "Whether or not your forty is fast approaching or a long look back, Sarah Brokaw's Fortytude is a wise and compassionate book filled with specific exercises for meeting life's bumps and challenges, filled with the examples of women who rose to conquer them, beginning with Sarah herself." --Maureen Orth, Vanity Fair correspondent "Fortytude is a great book. It's honest, fun, and does a wonderful job tackling--and helping women transcend--their fear of aging." --Christiane Northrup, M.D., OB/GYN physician and author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause "Turning 40! It's a milestone that prompts many women to rethink the direction of their lives. Sarah Brokaw's thoughtful book provides an excellent framework for anyone seeking to find a path to greater happiness." --Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project "Sarah Brokaw's Fortytude looks at the hurdles, joys, and decisions women face at--or near, or after--age 40 from many thought-provoking angles, then cinches those observations into must-read insights that will make the reader feel inspired, connected, and grateful for the decades to come." --Lee Woodruff, author of In an Instant and Perfectly Imperfect: A Life in Progress