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  • An illustration shows a woman in a chysalsis hanging from a tree limb. In the tree are children's toys and a typewriter.  A road winds up a mountain in the distance.

    The Midlife Chrysalis

    SUMMER 2026

    Endnote

    My class of 2006 graduated ambitious as all hell, ready to break glass ceilings and find happiness, purpose, and a paycheck. Immediately. But in the 20 years since, we’ve experienced life’s bruises—losses, layoffs, breakups, fertility struggles, and mental health challenges. Some of us are more tired than we were at Wellesley, some have careers that bring us more joy and fulfillment than we could have imagined, and others are struggling with one of the toughest job markets in decades. Many of us are rethinking what matters most to us. Rather than a traditional midlife crisis, some refer to it as a “midlife chrysalis.”