Aging is Cool. Everybody's Doing It.
I was sitting next to Chip Conley at MEA Baja with 16 other people in a circle when he turned to me and asked, "How many of your adult years do you think you have left?" I was puzzled by the question and replied, "I don't know. I'm 75 now, so I don't think I have many left."
This question was significant for me then because I was grappling with the reality of aging and not having accomplished all the things I had wanted to do nor lived the life I had desired. I didn’t realize then how it would reframe my whole concept of aging.
He helped me realize I had more time remaining than I originally thought. This was based on a mathematical formula that considered my expected lifespan. I assumed a lifespan of 98 years and discovered that I still had 23 years of my adult life ahead of me.
A short time later, a second question came into my life in the last line of Mary Oliver’s beautiful poem, The Summer Day: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
That question haunted me and paired well with Chip’s question about how many years I had left. We create our lives by the questions we ask, and those questions started me on a journey to create the life that I wanted for myself. Since then, I’ve attended a MEA event at least once a year for the last 6 years. I believe it has been a major factor in reaching the age of 81 in good physical and mental health.
I’m excited to announce that Chip Conley’s new book, Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age, is about to be released in January. The first chapter is all about the question that started me on my journey.
If you’re crossing that threshold into the second half of life and are unsure if life will get better, you’ll want to get this book. Here’s a preview of the twelve chapters:
THE PHYSICAL LIFE
“I Have More Life Left Than I Thought”
“I’m Relieved My Body No Longer Defines Me”
THE EMOTIONAL LIFE
3.“I’m Making Friends With My Emotions”
“I Invest in My Social Wellness”
“I Have No More ‘Fucks’ Left to Give”
THE MENTAL LIFE
“I’m Marveling at My Wisdom”
“I Understand How My Story Serves Me”
“I’ve Learned How to Edit My Life”
THE VOCATIONAL LIFE
9. “I’m Joyously Stepping off the Treadmill”
“I’m Starting to Experience Time Affluence”
THE SPIRITUAL LIFE
“I’ve Discovered My Soul”
“I Feel Like I’m Growing Whole”
Have some fun with a Midlife Check-up that helps you understand which of the 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age most and least resonates with you. Each question in this exercise could point you toward the next chapter of your life.