As baby boomers hit their 40s and 50s in record numbers, they're beginning to realize that middle age isn't what it used to be--that the old assumptions about these difficult years just aren't true anymore. Barbara Sher, the author of such motivational bestsellers as Live the Life You Love, believes that midlife is the beginning of something better than mere youth, a time when "you start to live your life to suit who you really are." Instead of worrying about your slowing body or unrealized expectations, Sher says, why not focus on new opportunities to take risks and try new experiences, or to take another crack at personal goals you never had a chance to go for in the past? Sher's unique view of aging is a heartening one, and it is sure to bring encouragement to those who would like to see "the big 4-0" as a beginning rather than an end.