personal capacity 088: The Audacity of Your Capacity as You Age I learned the hard (yet instructive) way. Carrying baggage - personal or someone else's - into a particularly challenging season of life can overwhelm you to the point of having to throw in the towel. In 2006, I was exiting from nearly a decade of leadership on the
freedom 087: Live Free! As an American, July 4th is and always has been one of my favorite holidays. I have great memories of childhood July 4th events and shenanigans. * All-day events at the local park in my hometown as a kid * Hanging at the pool * Grilling * Pop-bottle rockets...Black Cat firecrackers...and Roman
advocating for yourself 086: The Power of Advocating for Yourself as You Age Me, myself, and I. That's not a statement of self-centeredness. But it is a statement relative to being in your own "corner" when necessary. Being your own "wing-person" or advocate is increasingly essential in the aging journey. Unfortunately, advocating for yourself is necessary for
personal growth 085: What's On Your Horizon Could Be a Gift as You Age It's amazing how staring at the endless horizon keeps things aligned. Life and legacy become clearer when you get away physically or mentally from all that obstructs your view. Our immediate family - including daughters, son-in-law, and grandkids - enjoyed that experience on our recent beach vacation. Back
avoid reacting 084: Are You Redemptive or Reactionary? It's common to see your relationships, your circumstances, or your life in general from one of two perspectives. I suggest that you see things as they are through either a redemptive or reactionary lens. By redemptive, I'm referring to seeing potential and productive alternatives to what
receiving feedback 083: Set Criticism Aside but Use Feedback to Your Advantage Does it seem that everyone’s a critic? Criticism does indeed run rampant. Yet its close “cousin,” feedback, often flies under the radar. However you frame it - criticism can sting while feedback can (and should) land more softly and beneficially. The greater sign of maturity isn’t dishing it
change 082: Who Said It's Too Late to Change? How often do your think about change (and I'm not talking about simply changing your mind)? Aging has a way of keeping change front and center. You might reflect on the change that's occurred in the past 10, 15, or 20 years. You might consider the
dealing with friction 081: Friction Could Be Exactly What Your Personal Growth and Longevity Needs It's one thing to have calloused hands. But a calloused heart...that's something entirely different - especially if it's become more calloused with age. The common cause could be none other than "friction." Calloused hands are typically the result of friction produced
meaningful life 080: Existing or Living: What's the Difference? There's an old cartoon I have somewhere in my files that shows a wise-looking, bearded guru sitting on a mountain top. In front of him is a hiker who's apparently traveled a great distance to ask him the timeless question: "what is the meaning of
aging journey 079: My Turn (One Year Later): Half-Marathon Reflections and Finishing Strong in the Aging Journey A lot can change in a year. Last year (April 2024) I watched my youngest daughter cross the finish line of her first half-marathon (13.1 miles) at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. As a spectator, I wrote about that experience sharing my practical observations and applying them to the
anxiety 078: Prepare for a Period of Unrest (But Before You Panic...) It's amazing how a season of seeming unrest awakens you. I'm accustomed to seasonal unrest in the environmental sense living in the region of the U.S. that's accustomed to watching the skies for Spring storms. It wouldn't be Spring around here
hope 077: Hope is a Powerful Thing It is indeed powerful - hope, that is! As it's Good Friday 2025 (when this issue is being published), hope is the essence. However you reflect, celebrate, or generally acknowledge the Easter weekend my hope is that your hope gives you energy, awareness, and purpose to keep going.
longevity 076: Longevity Adds More Than Years to Your Life How often do you think about longevity? It's a common topic especially in the aging, health, and wellness zone. Whether or not you give a lot of thought to the topic, I encourage you to clarify your thinking about it. Sure, there's a substantial scientific component
successful aging 075: Why Not Defy the Expectations of Aging? Whoever said that expectations are set in stone? Take aging for instance. There are certain expectations that accompany every decade you enter throughout your life. "Millennials (30 somethings) are so entitled!" "GenXrs (40s plus) are becoming their parents!" "Boomers (60s and then some) are out
depression 074: What to Do When You Just Aren't Feeling Up to It Blue days happen. I'm talking about the blues that might be signaling an oncoming storm of feeling down or worse, a bout of depression. However the blues hit you its common for those emotions to drag you into an abyss of hopelessness. This is where a strong sense
living on purpose 073: Make Sure You Cover Your Axis How often do you think about what your life revolves around? Or to put it another way: what's the axis of your life - especially as you age? Life evolves but it also revolves. You might often hear a birthday referred to as "another trip around the
legacy 072: There's More to a Rewarding Life than Recognition and Awards It's amazing how a simple request can trigger wondering or doubt about your personal accomplishments. That happened to me recently when I was asked to share any awards or recognitions I had received relative to my career as a writer. I went blank and then I was like,
healing hurt 071: Your Hurt Doesn't Have to Keep Hurting I was in a setting recently where I heard it said that, "Hurt people; hurt people." That could be true about a portion of the hurt you carry in your life. It's like the pay-it-forward concept only this time someone weaponized their personal pain or conflict
effortlessness 070: Habits for Effortless Aging You see it in athletes. Some musicians, actors, and actresses exemplify it. It's effortlessness. That captivating quality that rises above the striving and struggle within a skill, talent, or energy being expended. Effortlessness is achievable for those mentioned above but before you dismiss it thinking it's
purpose 069: Living on Purpose or Merely Living? "Ikigai" or "Plan De Vida?" You might already be ahead of me and know their meaning. Or I realize you might not be acquainted with either the Japanese or Spanish translations so I'll clue you in. "Ikigai" is a Japanese word that
trying too hard 068: Keep Trying (but Not So Hard) I recall a coach telling his players during a conditioning session: "Find your try...and keep trying!" File that away for useful motivation when you'd rather not...try, that is. When you lose your "try" its difficult to maintain any semblance of movement or
dealing with irritation 067: There Are Pearls in Those Irritations You Face This topic might get "under-your-skin." I'm talking about life's major or minor irritations that find their way into your life and shift your emotional response into high-gear. While you'd like to avoid irritations there's actually a pearl of wisdom within
ageless 066: What Does It (Really) Mean to Be Ageless? Ageless. It's a commonly used description that does have some longevity baked-into it. Since the idea of aging is on theme around here let's unpack what it truly means to be ageless. The term gets tossed around a lot. "She looks so ageless..." "
aging well 065: My Word for the Year and How It Could Positively Impact Your Aging Journey For a few years I've selected a word for the year. It's more of a compass bearing to stay on track and help me avoid randomness in my daily life. This year's word (drumroll...) is... "Agency" No, I'm not doing
motivation 064: What to Do When You Lose Motivation as You Age There's an old, somewhat outdated book on one of my numerous book shelves throughout my house. "Success Secrets of the Motivational Superstars" I'm not suggesting that "success secrets" or "motivation" is old or outdated. I've wrestled through the
