Book excerpt: What if it were possible to have the best sex of your life at 40, or even 70? With over twenty years of experience as a highly regarded physician and founder of the largest all-female-staffed OB/GYN practice in the nation, Dr. Susan Hartwick-Smith, also known as Dr. Susan, presents Sexually Woke, a surprisingly frank and thought-provoking look at midlife sexuality. This optimistic new perspective is based not only on wisdom gained from sharing intimate stories with thousands of patients, but also on her own very candid journey as a menopausal woman navigating life post-divorce. Through a unique and comprehensive research study and subsequent interviews, Dr. Susan outlines the misconception and conditioning around our attitudes to mature sex and shares the intimate secrets of a cohort of women who have discovered the path to a vibrant, deeply connected and intimated sex life after 40. These women are the mysterious "Sexually Woke", and their surprising secrets are now available to all of us. Through her own story, as well as the raw and uncensored interviews with study participants that include the "Sexually Woke", Dr. Susan re-frames the second half of life as an open field of possibility in which to play, explore, and finally be your true self. While openly discussing our tremendous struggles-with kids, aging parents, changing careers, divorce, death, abuse, sexual trauma, and personal illness-she teaches us that the wisdom of midlife allows us to look inward in order to recognize the importance of sex in making our lives whole. A reawakened sex life, an essential step towards living life to its fullest, is no longer the secret knowledge of a few outliers. The path to deep sexual connection and satisfaction in midlife and beyond is available to anyone who is ready to commit and willing to embark on the journey with Dr. Susan and Sexually Woke.