I fully believe in being open to the moment. I believe that life falls out of the sky and into our laps, and if we're smart about it, we can recognize these gifts and make the most of them.

Life fell out of the sky and into Brian Westbye's lap when he was suddenly terminated from his corporate job of 12 years and he spiraled into a hideous depression/midlife crisis. Why? Because what do you do when you find yourself in a hideous depression/midlife crisis? You drive Route 66 solo and reconnect your life along the way, of course!

In Driving Toward Clarity: (Re)Discovering America and Myself Along Route 66, the Great American Midlife Crisis takes on the Great American Road Trip. In May of 2019, Westbye set out to drive on (but mostly along) Route 66 in order to see a foreign-to-him America and to retrace his life; to (re)discover himself. And over the course of seven days, eight states, and 2,539 miles, Westbye saw the country change before his eyes and compared the self that he was to the self that he had lost. He discovered old and new passions. And he discovered that a) Route 66 is pretty awesome, and b) his life is pretty good.

Westbye brings a keen sense of observation and a wicked sense of humor to a tale that will appeal to Depression and Anxiety Warriors and Route 66 fanatics alike and that conveys a very powerful message: regardless who you are, where you're from, or where you're at in life, you have a friend in yourself and the world at large.