Midlife brings big questions—about purpose, identity, relationships, and what truly matters. The COR blog is a space for those questions to breathe; it offers honest, thoughtful reflections on the challenges and opportunities that come with this chapter of life.
Whether you’re wrestling with restlessness, longing for deeper connection, or simply seeking clarity, these posts are a powerful place to start. Drawing on insights from psychology, philosophy, and lived experience, these articles aim to meet you where you are—with compassion, honesty, and a deep belief in what’s possible.
Explore the full blog for stories, tools, and thoughtful reflections or sign up to receive new ideas weekly.
Finding Compassion for What We Have Passed On
Not long ago, I wrote about the unsettling midlife realization that, in ways both obvious and hidden, we may not…
The Logic Beneath Our Actions: Understanding Ourselves and Others
James Hollis asserts that people don’t act irrationally; they act in ways that make sense based on their hidden beliefs,…
The Courage to Go Left Today and Right Tomorrow
There’s a pressure in midlife to finally “figure it out.” To have a clear, settled identity. To be known as…
What Are You Growing With Your Life?
In a recent reflection on the seasons of midlife, I invited you to consider the natural rhythms of our lives—the cycles…
Midlife and the Myth of Going It Alone
There’s a paradox at midlife that few of us name but many feel: The deeper we follow our truth, the…
When the Life You Built Starts to Own You
Preheader: When life starts to feel more like maintenance than growth, it’s time to take a closer look. There’s a…
The Wisdom of Seasons: Reframing Stuckness at Midlife
At midlife, many of us sense a deep longing—to be a force for good, to live with purpose, to serve…
When Words Fail: Trusting the Ineffable Call Within
There comes a point in every man’s life—especially in the thick of midlife—when he begins to sense something stirring within….
The Point Within Us: Our Center, Our Compass, Our Deepest Sense of Self
At midlife, life asks us questions it never posed before—or perhaps it has, but we’ve only now begun to hear…
Lost Your Spark? 4 Questions to Get Reconnected with Your Reason
A few years ago, my coach shared an idea with me that shifted how I see myself and my work….
What’s Holding You Back? The Four Fears That Shape Men’s Lives
Most of us move through midlife driven by forces we don’t fully understand. Sometimes we sense anxiety, restlessness, or a…
What Am I Asking of Others That I Need to Be Doing for Myself?
James Hollis poses a powerful question for anyone in midlife: “What am I asking of the other, that I need…
Life Never Unfolds the Way We Think It Will
If you’d asked me 20 years ago where I’d be living today, I would have confidently said California. At the…
Insight Is Just the Beginning: The Slow Work of Self-Transformation
Insight alone rarely changes us. This truth may seem disheartening at first, but it must be accepted for growth to…
Is It My Ego Talking? A Guide for Men at Midlife
Midlife is a curious chapter. For much of life, we’ve been in a season of building—careers, families, identities. This outward…
Whose Life Are You Living?
As men at midlife, we generally find ourselves restless, dissatisfied, or struggling with questions we can’t quite articulate. Beneath these…
Succeeding at Midlife Means Choosing Anxiety
Buddhism teaches us that life is suffering. James Hollis builds on this timeless wisdom with a stark but liberating insight:…
How to Create Movement at Midlife: Jung’s Wisdom on Opposites
For most of my life, I’ve identified as a person of depth. Complexity energizes me. Whether diving into interpersonal dynamics…
2025: The Year of the Truth Meter
The long-awaited Year of the Truth Meter is here! Unlike anything external—a gadget or a tool—the truth meter is universal,…
Behind the Curtain: The Hidden Secrets Men Carry (Part 3)
Over the past two weeks, we’ve explored the hidden truths shaping the lives of men, drawing on James Hollis’s insights…
Behind the Curtain: The Hidden Secrets Men Carry (Part 2)
We’ve previous began to peel back the layers of the hidden truths men carry—secrets that shape our lives in powerful…
A Look Behind the Curtain: The Hidden Secrets Men Carry (Part 1)
As men, we carry burdens we rarely name or even recognize. Beneath the surface of our outward lives—our work, our…
The Ironic Gifts of Midlife
Midlife is hard. There’s no way around it. The unease, the questions, the disconnection—it can feel like a never-ending storm…
Redefining Sensitivity: A Hidden Strength in Midlife
“Sensitivity is a superpower. It allows you to see what others can’t, feel what others avoid, and understand with a…
Embracing the Gift of Suffering: Midlife’s Surprising Teacher
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and…
The Midlife Shadow and Our Political Divide
As I move through midlife, I find that some of the most challenging work I’m called to do is to…
Are You Ready to Make the Turn?
There comes a point in every man’s life when he begins to sense a shift—a pull toward something deeper, more…
Navigating Shifting Relationships at Midlife: A Natural (and Scary) Transition
Relationships are one of the hardest things for me at midlife, and something I reflect on regularly. Friendships and activities…
Embracing Uncertainty is a Sign of Growth
As men in midlife, many of us feel a weight: the sense that we should have everything figured out by…