I don’t know about any of this “era” stuff but I do know and believe in just how much becoming a parent has changed me. It completely overhauled the calculus on what’s important in life. It’s given me a very clear main quest line, relegating all kinds of things I used to think were important to the “side quests” category.
And it has had positive side effects too. It’s incredibly useful to be uninterested in promotions and raises. To want to work less, not be paid more. It makes it easy to say and do the right thing rather than the self-preserving thing or self-promoting thing. It’s kind of ironic because I think that makes me better at my job.
It’s quite calming to have such a clear identity. There really is a peacefulness to knowing, at all times, where my compass points.
Kids rewired my brain too. Definitely not a perfect operator at all times, but I have - as you stated - a clear intention on how I'm spending my day.
Contrast to 20s and even some of 30s - definitely pre-kids but also pre-marriage - when I worked a lot more and thought that work was my most important north star.
And it has had positive side effects too. It’s incredibly useful to be uninterested in promotions and raises. To want to work less, not be paid more. It makes it easy to say and do the right thing rather than the self-preserving thing or self-promoting thing. It’s kind of ironic because I think that makes me better at my job.
It’s quite calming to have such a clear identity. There really is a peacefulness to knowing, at all times, where my compass points.