"You have to know when to leave a party" has long been my favourite life lesson. At its core, it means recognising the moment when something has peaked – whether that is a job, a relationship, a project, a social situation – and is now on the decline. It’s a metaphor about timing, self‑awareness, and the art of a graceful exit and it feels so relevant to many of us in midlife. When I quit my 'big job' in the media, it was a full-heart reckoning. It began the morning after t
