Anne Batterson is a woman whose life has been filled with adventure. We’re talking commercial pilot, international skydiving champion, and a trekking guide in Nepal. But she hasn’t always been so sure of herself. At the age of 56, her children grown, her husband contemplating retirement, Anne was suddenly, inexplicably at a loss. Packing up her VW camper and hitting the road with maps, bird guides, and little else except the desire to follow the fall migration and the bone-deep hunch that birds had something important to teach her, Anne went in search of a new sense of purpose. The Black Swan: Memory, Midlife, and Migration is the beautifully written narrative of that extraordinary trip.

At 72, Anne has learned a thing or two about life transitions. “You always think that you’re in the transition that’s the big one. And if you just wait five or six years, you’re going to be in another one.

In our video interview, Anne explains:

* Why she, so caught off guard at the age of 56, felt the overwhelming need to chase after birds
* Why we, as women, must carve out time and space for ourselves
* How the cover of Life magazine led her to self-esteem
* The trick to developing brand new passions
* The secret to accomplishing the impossible

We also talk about finding her strengths, rediscovering herself after an unhappy first marriage, and the key ingredient to a strong, healthy relationship. “I had gotten to where I needed to be and that’s made a huge difference.”

Anne Batterson’s newest book, Sounding, is currently being marketed by her agent.

If you’d like to hear our interview with Anne Batterson, head on over to the resources page and check out our Starting Over Interview series.  You won’t be sorry.