Say Hello to a Healthy Midlife Crisis

Ho-hum. You've been at this 9-5 thing for awhile, and if you have to hear one more time about your cubemate's cheating boyfriend, you just might lose it. Have you thought about changing it up, taking your years of experience and striking out on your own to start a business?

Before you close your browser window in disgust and annoyance, hear us out! Any big career change is going to involve moments of uncertainty, which is why it's nice to start out with a trust fund, a second home to leverage, or a spouse who earns enough to keep the family's lifestyle intact. What? You don't have a family nest egg sitting around somewhere? Oh. Well, it's nice, but not essential, to have huge cash reserves and many people don’t have stock options or a sugar daddy. You can still make big leaps without a financial safety net. It just takes more planning, creativity, and flexibility. After all recession requires improvisation!

The best advice is to cash in on the kind of wealth you do have, which is an abundance of experience, patience, broad networks, a willingness to ask for help, and a stubborn and resilient enthusiasm. C'mon! How do you think all those fearless female entrepreneurs like Barbara Corcoran got ahead? If you've got a story about getting out of the grid and fulfilling your dream of starting a business, share it here! [More Magazine]