In 2010, Reinvention Was the Name of the Game

Whether by necessity or choice, 2010 was a year of reinvention for many people over 40.

Economists officially declared the recession over and done with. But the good news didn't have much effect on the job market, with unemployment rates continuing to hover just below 10 percent throughout the year.

Many midcareer workers used the uncertainty of the times to undertake major life changes, including launching new careers as entrepreneurs, pursuing long-held passions to give back to the community or getting involved with a favorite cause. 

I caught up with some of the people SecondAct.com interviewed during 2010 to find out what they learned about reinventing themselves this year, or in some cases, helping others find their own new path. Here's what they said:

1. New is good, even if it's scary. "Each year I name the year. I named 2010 'The Year of the New.' In reinventing myself this year, I took more risks, meaning I said, 'That is definitely out of my comfort zone and I am doing it anyhow.' Whatever the 'it' is, first feel your feelings, all the crazy and real ones about trying something new, get support, and then go for it. I am now, at the end of this year, so proud of myself that I took the vulnerable steps. They all worked out, and I wouldn't have learned about myself in new settings if I hadn't done the new." -- Natalie Caine, who started a counseling business, Empty Nest Support

2. Reinvention is ongoing. "2010 taught me that the path of reinvention may not always be smooth or predictable -- in fact, the challenges may grow, as they have for me. But pursued with discipline, optimism and openness to changing circumstances, real reinvention enlarges us in unexpected ways. It has taught me, too, that the timeline for discovery and mastery does not end. Lived right, life should be an ongoing series of reinventions -- not a twice-in-a-lifetime event." -- Bruce Frankel, author, What Should I Do With The Rest Of My Life? True Stories of Finding Success, Passion, and New Meaning in the Second Half of Life

3. You don't have to be young to feel young. "At 75 I still have it better than many of my friends in their 50s and 60s who have found they need to return to the workforce to live the lifestyle they had hoped to live during their retirement years." -- Art Koff, founder, RetiredBrains.com

4. When it's right, you know it. "I'd do it again anytime." -- Wally Pacholka, who made the leap from accountant to night sky photographer

5. Practice does indeed make perfect. "The more times you do it, the more confident you get. We are all lost at some points. The best feeling is to be lost and confident that you'll get out of it just fine." -- Penelope Trunk, careers expert, author and blogger, Brazen Careerist

6. Keep ahead of the trends. "All of life is a constant reinvention. For me, 2010 actually validated my business model, but one always must be 10 paces ahead, and that is a lesson I keep on learning." -- Davia Temin, marketing consultant and women's leadership expert, Temin and Co.