It's never too late to start over, even as one enters their second and, dare we say, "third" acts of life. If something can be dreamed, it quite often can be achieved no matter how many obstacles and circumstances stand in the way. If nothing else, it certainly doesn't hurt to try.

A user on Threads named Kari Bliss (@kari.bliss) posted, "Please show me the Gen X women who hit their 40s and 50s and decided to re-invent everything. Bonus points if you have a dog, a career, a hobby you take too seriously, or opinions about wellness."

In just a couple of days, there were over a thousand likes on this post and nearly 700 comments. Gen X women were ready to share and many of their stories were beautifully hopeful. Of course, the idea of positive reinvention is unique for everyone, but just the mere fact that so many came forward to relay their inspiration was a win. So much so that the OP made a separate post to thank everyone. "The honesty, the pivots, the late starts, the second chapters… it was a gift to read. I’m really honored people showed up with their stories."

A black and white photo by Anna Mullins.Photo Credit: Anna Mullins Via Threads

Anna Mullins (@a_mullinsphotography) became a photographer. "Turned 55 and decided to fill my shoes with being a black and white photographer. A longing since I was a teenager. I’m 60 now and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. My work feeds my soul like nothing ever has. I’m working on a series called The Menopause Effect. Interviews and photography of Appalachian women who want to tell their stories. It’s been incredible."

Some people have used roaring into a new life to effect change in terms of volunteering. "Never in a million years did I think I would move to Ukraine at 50 to spend my spare time delivering trucks to front-line units. But here I am." ~ @wolfpartyofone

Hollie Rogain (@hrogin), along those lines, wanted to make a difference more locally. "Decided to run for local office in 2020. Became a mayor in 2022. Never in my wildest punk rock dreams did I think this would be something I’d want, much less do. Also, dogs."

A Gen X woman becomes mayor of a town.Photo Credit: Threads, Hollie Rogin

Yet another, (@wren.artcher) on the older end of Gen X, seems to feel super seen by the question. "I think the algo (algorithm) called me to your post. Older Gen X-er here who some might say that I reinvented myself. I decided to change from a boy into a girl. That's pretty much changed everything. Oh... and I have a dog in my life. She's pretty awesome."

This Threader simply began appreciating themselves: "56th year just began… finally started living for myself unapologetically messy and magnificent. Terrified about the future but ready to conquer. Choosing myself with conviction."

One Gen X had a calling from the art world. Sandra Ebejer (@sandra_ebejer_author) writes, "I’m 50. Just started painting last year. On a whim, I submitted one of my paintings to an art gallery and last week I got to see it hanging on their walls. (No dog, but I do have a cat who follows me around like he’s a dog…)"

Sandra Ebejer's art hangs in a gallery.Photo Credit: Threads, Sandra Ebejer

Alison Corey (@fearlessforfiction) went from teaching kindergarten to writing novels, both extremely admirable careers. "Yep, that’s me! I’m 46. I was a kindergarten teacher for 15 years, then left my job after I started a blog. Now my blog is sold and I’m writing my first novel. Not sure where it’s all going to go but I get to write every day, and it’s such a joy! I love my pup, and taught myself to crochet this year."

And another (@devaney_camburn) is Madrid-bound! "I’m moving abroad in about 10 weeks. Sold my house and belongings and leaving my 20-year career. I’m anxious and scared and nervous and overwhelmed but I also know I got this."

Nearly every parent hopes their child will be better off than they are: smarter, more secure, and more well-adjusted. Many parents see this as a stamp of successful parenting, but something has changed for children growing up today. While younger generations are known for their empathy, their cognitive capabilities seem to be lagging behind those of previous generations for the first time in history.

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a teacher turned cognitive neuroscientist who focuses on human learning, appeared before Congress to discuss concerns about cognitive development in children. In his address to the members of Congress, he says, "A sad fact that our generation has to face is this: our kids are less cognitively capable than we were at their age. Since we've been standardizing and measuring cognitive development since the late 1800s, every generation has outperformed their parents, and that's exactly what we want. We want sharper kids."

Student smiling in a classroom, working on a laptop.Photo credit: Canva

Horvath explains that the reason this happens is that each generation has gone to school longer than the previous generation. Gen Z is no exception to the longer duration of time spent in school, but they're the first ones who aren't meeting this normal increase in cognitive development. According to the cognitive neuroscientist, the decline is due to the introduction of screens in the classroom, which started around 2010.

"Across 80 countries, as Jean was just saying, if you look at the data, once countries adopt digital technology widely in schools, performance goes down significantly. To the point where kids who use computers about five hours per day in school for learning purposes will score over two-thirds of a standard deviation less than kids who rarely or never touch tech at school," Horvath reveals.

In most cases, the decline in performance doesn't result in better strategies. The neuroscientist shares that the standardized testing has been adjusted to accommodate lower expectations and shorter attention spans. This is an approach that educators, scientists, and researchers went to Capitol Hill to express wasn't working. But not every country is taking the approach of lowering standards to meet lowered cognitive ability. Denmark went in the opposite direction when it realized their students were slipping behind.

France24 recently interviewed educators in Denmark following their seemingly novel approach to students struggling with cognitive development. Since the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year, Denmark has not only been having students turn in their cellphones, but they've also taken tablets, laptops, and computers out of the classroom. No more digital learning for the majority of the school day. Danes went old school by bringing back physical textbooks, workbooks, and writing assignments. The results have been undeniable. Even the students can't seem to deny the success of the countrywide shift in educational approach.

"I think the biggest issue has been that, because we kind of got rid of the books and started using screens instead, that we've noticed that a lot of the kids have trouble concentrating, so it's pretty easy to swipe with three fingers over to a different screen and have a video game going, for example, in class," Copenhagen English teacher, Islam Dijab tells France24.

Now, instead of computers being part of every lesson, Denmark uses computers very sparingly and with strict supervision. One student says that it has been nice not having screen time at school because she loves to read and write. But it wasn't just the lack of attention span children were developing, they were also developing low self-esteem and poor mental health due to the amount of time spent on devices.

Students focused and ready to learn in the classroom.Photo credit: Canva

The data showing the negative impact........

© Upworthy