Middle-Aged Barbie Gets A Life Makeover

Jane Glenn Haas of The Orange County Register thinks Barbie should be allowed to act her age - she's 47

And now – pre-menopausal, yearning to move on to a more responsible midlife and aching to sit down – what's to be her next gig?

So Glenn sought some professional advice for Barbie, and got some people to play along:

They found, like most midlife professional women, she's got lots of money, honey, and the confidence to direct her own future when she recognizes her options.

Here's what they said:

... Eighty careers by midlife shows a lack of focus, says Ann Coil of Santa Ana-based Coil and Associates. ..."Although job portability is not a stigma like it once was, she carries it to an extreme."

... Financial planner Lisa Tatman assumes Barbie has been smart enough to keep her Malibu condo (1971) and vintage 1981 Corvette. "If she's not tapped the equity in the condo, her future is excellent financially," Tatman says. "But she does spend an awful lot on Botox and other cosmetic treatments."

Barbie needs to determine what brings real joy to her life, says Liz Barbour, Huntington Beach-based life coach.

"My sense is with the cars and clothes, there is a huge consumerism identity here," she says. "Barbie needs to ask to what purpose and who is served this way. What does she want to hold up as the next phase of life?

"I am asking her to step up and do some self-examination and reflection. She definitely needs to explore her spiritual side. ... This is a time of discovery. She is going to face different and difficult life transitions as she goes forward. She has to do this herself, with the help of a trusted adviser."

There's more -- follow the link above.