https://simplecast.com [B]OLD AGE With Debbie Weil A podcast about (b)oldly moving from midlife to old age in a society that devalues old people and/or misunderstands what (b)old age is *really* like. Debbie, who is 72, explores that question in frank 30-minute conversations with best-selling authors, experts, and exceptional individuals. With her guests she delves into the unretired (non-retired) life, ageism, ambition, slowing down (or not), physical deterioration, grandparenting, intergenerational collaboration, grief and widowhood, and more. As well as other stuff that piques her interest such as the craft of writing. She invites her husband, Sam Harrington, on as a frequent guest. He’s a retired physician with a dry sense of humor and he makes her laugh. Debbie and Sam took a grownup gap year at age 61, leaving behind a professional life in Washington D.C. Now in their early 70s, they live a busy and productive "unretired" life on an island off the coast of Maine. Debbie writes for Substack at debbieweil.substack.com. Over 100 previous episodes at debbieweil.com/podcast MEDIA PARTNERS: Encore.org Modern Elder Academy (Formerly) Next For Me @2023 WordBiz LLC en Fri, 31 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000 Tue, 4 Jun 2024 23:07:12 +0000 https://debbieweil.com/podcast [B]OLD AGE With Debbie Weil https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/01babd23-692d-4312-9e17-9bd87ae1bfcd/a6dd9265-7508-4cad-bb24-27100dc4eb1e/3000x3000/bold-age-podcast-cover-salmon.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://debbieweil.com/podcast episodic A podcast about (b)oldly moving from midlife to old age in a society that devalues old people and/or misunderstands what (b)old age is *really* like. Debbie, who is 72, explores that question in frank 30-minute conversations with best-selling authors, experts, and exceptional individuals. With her guests she delves into the unretired (non-retired) life, ageism, ambition, slowing down (or not), physical deterioration, grandparenting, intergenerational collaboration, grief and widowhood, and more. As well as other stuff that piques her interest such as the craft of writing. She invites her husband, Sam Harrington, on as a frequent guest. He’s a retired physician with a dry sense of humor and he makes her laugh. Debbie and Sam took a grownup gap year at age 61, leaving behind a professional life in Washington D.C. Now in their early 70s, they live a busy and productive "unretired" life on an island off the coast of Maine. Debbie writes for Substack at debbieweil.substack.com. Over 100 previous episodes at debbieweil.com/podcast MEDIA PARTNERS: Encore.org Modern Elder Academy (Formerly) Next For Me Debbie Weil false https://feeds.simplecast.com/OrykIiXb reinvention, aging, third act, baby boomers, clarity, gap year, finding purpose, meaning, legacy, bucket list, pandemic, wisdom, covid, covid19, genx, coronavirus, aging with purpose, midlife, women, women at midlife, aging with wisdom, midlife crisis, retirement, semi retirement, reinventing retirement Debbie Weil wordbiz@gmail.com bc7321fb-7c85-4025-a0fc-d79ff3c1f26f Podcast Finale: Debbie & Sam Reflect on Five Years of Podcasting and Ten Gap Years Today is a special episode because, after five years, this podcast is ending. You’ll hear why in this episode. Debbie and her husband, Sam Harrington, talk about why it’s time for a finale, about getting old, about legacy (and how it’s different for the two of them, right now), about their life during the past decade, how it's changing even now (they're both 72), and about what lies ahead, at least creatively.  Frankly, Debbie doesn't sound very happy in this episode, but that’s because this has been a hard decision. Debbie thinks it's the right one; Sam needs convincing. 

But there is some good news!

Debbie is continuing to explore the topic of [b]old age on Substack where she writes essays, host Q&A’s, and has created a lively community of [b]old women writers, in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. And some younger women too. She invites you to join her on Substack! It's more interactive than the podcast, you'll get to know other subscribers in the Comments, and you can offer your own take on the topic of what it's really like to get old and why it requires [b]oldness.

https://debbieweil.substack.com

Endings are always bittersweet but you've got access to 120 past episodes of [B]old Age on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

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Continue the conversation about [B]old Age, and what getting old is really like, on Debbie's [B]OLD AGE Substack. 

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Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

More [B]OLD AGE:

 

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  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 31 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today is a special episode because, after five years, this podcast is ending. You’ll hear why in this episode. Debbie and her husband, Sam Harrington, talk about why it’s time for a finale, about getting old, about legacy (and how it’s different for the two of them, right now), about their life during the past decade, how it's changing even now (they're both 72), and about what lies ahead, at least creatively.  Frankly, Debbie doesn't sound very happy in this episode, but that’s because this has been a hard decision. Debbie thinks it's the right one; Sam needs convincing. 

But there is some good news!

Debbie is continuing to explore the topic of [b]old age on Substack where she writes essays, host Q&A’s, and has created a lively community of [b]old women writers, in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. And some younger women too. She invites you to join her on Substack! It's more interactive than the podcast, you'll get to know other subscribers in the Comments, and you can offer your own take on the topic of what it's really like to get old and why it requires [b]oldness.

https://debbieweil.substack.com

Endings are always bittersweet but you've got access to 120 past episodes of [B]old Age on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

//////////

Continue the conversation about [B]old Age, and what getting old is really like, on Debbie's [B]OLD AGE Substack. 

//////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

More [B]OLD AGE:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

Credits:

]]> Podcast Finale: Debbie & Sam Reflect on Five Years of Podcasting and Ten Gap Years Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:32:17 Debbie and Sam sit down to record the last episode of the [B]OLD AGE podcast and reflect on five years of podcasting and what’s next, at least creatively. Debbie and Sam sit down to record the last episode of the [B]OLD AGE podcast and reflect on five years of podcasting and what’s next, at least creatively. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, getting older, substack, getting bold, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, getting old, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, creative outlet, money mindset, expert, podcast finale, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, getting bolder, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 12 6 db77c510-3e7d-4c82-af6c-57073c26dde5 Author Sarah Fay on Healing Her Own Mental Illness and Applying Less and Less of More and More to Life and Substack Today, Debbie talks with Sarah Fay, a 52-year-old award-winning author, writing teacher, and mental health keynote speaker whose work has been featured on NPR, Oprah Daily, Forbes, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Her journalistic memoir Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses (HarperCollins, 2022) was an Apple Best Books pick and was hailed in The New York Times as a “fiery manifesto of a memoir.” Her sequel, Cured: The Memoir, tells the story of Sarah’s full recovery from serious mental illness and how recovery is possible for everyone.

She writes for many publications, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, and The Paris Review, where she was an advisory editor. Her essays have been chosen as a Notable Mention in Best American Essays and nominated for Pushcart Prizes. As a teacher, she’s on the faculty at Northwestern University and runs Writers at Work, a weekly publication with workshops to help creative writers produce their best work on Substack and get paid (very) well to do it. Her master plan is to make Substack the literary center of the universe. 

They talk about the parallels between Sarah’s journey of recovery from misdiagnosis to curing her own serious mental illness and her work teaching Substack writers to think big (and get paid for it). Debbie wanted to know if Sarah’s journey to mental health was connected to her success as a writer AND to her ability and desire to help other writers. The answer is yes. They touch on emotional literacy, the prerequisites for healing from mental illness, how to deal with anxieties as writers, what Substack is and who it is for, and what Sarah loves most about helping other writers. 

 

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  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

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Credits:

]]> Fri, 10 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sarah Fay) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks with Sarah Fay, a 52-year-old award-winning author, writing teacher, and mental health keynote speaker whose work has been featured on NPR, Oprah Daily, Forbes, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Her journalistic memoir Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses (HarperCollins, 2022) was an Apple Best Books pick and was hailed in The New York Times as a “fiery manifesto of a memoir.” Her sequel, Cured: The Memoir, tells the story of Sarah’s full recovery from serious mental illness and how recovery is possible for everyone.

She writes for many publications, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, and The Paris Review, where she was an advisory editor. Her essays have been chosen as a Notable Mention in Best American Essays and nominated for Pushcart Prizes. As a teacher, she’s on the faculty at Northwestern University and runs Writers at Work, a weekly publication with workshops to help creative writers produce their best work on Substack and get paid (very) well to do it. Her master plan is to make Substack the literary center of the universe. 

They talk about the parallels between Sarah’s journey of recovery from misdiagnosis to curing her own serious mental illness and her work teaching Substack writers to think big (and get paid for it). Debbie wanted to know if Sarah’s journey to mental health was connected to her success as a writer AND to her ability and desire to help other writers. The answer is yes. They touch on emotional literacy, the prerequisites for healing from mental illness, how to deal with anxieties as writers, what Substack is and who it is for, and what Sarah loves most about helping other writers. 

 

//////////

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Mentioned in this episode or useful:


 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Author Sarah Fay on Healing Her Own Mental Illness and Applying Less and Less of More and More to Life and Substack Debbie Weil, Sarah Fay 00:40:12 Debbie talks to award-winning author and writing teacher Sarah Fay about the parallels between her journey of recovery from serious mental illness and her work supporting and teaching writers on Substack. Debbie talks to award-winning author and writing teacher Sarah Fay about the parallels between her journey of recovery from serious mental illness and her work supporting and teaching writers on Substack. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, patronage, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, community work, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, less and less, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, mental illness, trying new things, mental minimalism, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, teaching on substack, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, writers on substack, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reducing overwhelm, reinvention after 65, money, writers, reinvention after retirement, reducing stress, personal growth, writer’s anxieties, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, artists, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, writing coaches, misdiagnosis, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, anxiety, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, purpose, serious mental illness, payment, writing coaches on substack, mindful practice, teaching, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, retirement, saving for retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired, emotional literacy false full 11 6 3fc51329-dcfb-4a97-ac18-83806a4da198 Patty Ivey on Getting Breast Cancer at Age 70 and How It’s Changing What She Will Give Back to the World Today Debbie talks to Patty Ivey about life changes and opportunities opening up for her after being diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer last year. Inspiring doesn’t really cover it as a way to describe Patty. Neither does [b]old, as in [B]OLD AGE. Patty and Debbie go back at least 15 years, when Debbie was a regular at Patty's Down Dog yoga studio in DC. It was always special when Patty, the owner, taught a class. Her classes were different. They offered all the benefits that practicing yoga offers beyond what happens on the mat; with Patty teaching, the class was mind-expanding. She made yoga open up new possibilities for how to live. 

So when Debbie saw Patty posting beautiful, bald photos of herself on her LinkedIn page, she immediately got in touch to find out how she was doing. As Patty explains it, she is using life principles from yoga, which include leaving room for what we don’t know and focusing on something bigger than ourselves, as she looks ahead.  She acknowledges an identity shift that has come with cancer. Some older version of herself is no longer there, but she's okay with that. Like most women, Debbie is terrified of getting breast cancer, but with Patty as a guide (she’s also a mentor and a life coach as well as being a serial entrepreneur), it seems there could be an upside. We hope you are as inspired by this conversation as Debbie was. 

 

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Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 19 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Patty Ivey) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today Debbie talks to Patty Ivey about life changes and opportunities opening up for her after being diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer last year. Inspiring doesn’t really cover it as a way to describe Patty. Neither does [b]old, as in [B]OLD AGE. Patty and Debbie go back at least 15 years, when Debbie was a regular at Patty's Down Dog yoga studio in DC. It was always special when Patty, the owner, taught a class. Her classes were different. They offered all the benefits that practicing yoga offers beyond what happens on the mat; with Patty teaching, the class was mind-expanding. She made yoga open up new possibilities for how to live. 

So when Debbie saw Patty posting beautiful, bald photos of herself on her LinkedIn page, she immediately got in touch to find out how she was doing. As Patty explains it, she is using life principles from yoga, which include leaving room for what we don’t know and focusing on something bigger than ourselves, as she looks ahead.  She acknowledges an identity shift that has come with cancer. Some older version of herself is no longer there, but she's okay with that. Like most women, Debbie is terrified of getting breast cancer, but with Patty as a guide (she’s also a mentor and a life coach as well as being a serial entrepreneur), it seems there could be an upside. We hope you are as inspired by this conversation as Debbie was. 

 

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes  for every podcast episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter on Substack.

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Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Patty Ivey on Getting Breast Cancer at Age 70 and How It’s Changing What She Will Give Back to the World Debbie Weil, Patty Ivey 00:39:08 Debbie talks to visionary entrepreneur Patty Ivey about what breast cancer is teaching her and how she's using that to change the world. Debbie talks to visionary entrepreneur Patty Ivey about what breast cancer is teaching her and how she's using that to change the world. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, yoga life principles, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, cancer at 70, visionary entrepreneur, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, diagnosis journey, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, bold woman, cancer journey, skilling up, minimalism, cancer as a gift, experiment, experts, book writing, entrepreneur, life guide, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, identity after cancer, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, radiation therapy, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, chemo, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, founding a yoga studio, visionary leader, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, maverick, put a date to your goal, life coach, aging, beginner mindset, breast cancer, gig economy, yoga teacher, cancer diagnosis, mindful practice, bald pictures, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, college dropout, building a yoga studio, year off work, chemotherapy, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, yogi, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, yoga studio, early retirement, unretired false full 10 6 188654d2-4c54-497c-a7b8-cc82810092e5 Lyn Slater on How To Be Old and Why She Is No Longer a Fashion Influencer Debbie speaks with Lyn Slater, a writer and activist and former social media influencer. She spent her mid-60s becoming an icon of fashion, racking up nearly 800,000 Instagram followers, representing huge brands like Ilia Beauty, Kate Spade, Moncler, and Visa (among many others), speaking on fashion panels, and in general living a very public life. Her memoir, “How to Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly From the Accidental Icon" is just out.

But… and there’s a big BUT, Lyn has given up that identity and is now, at 70, a writer and hands-on grandmother. She has renounced social media and no longer offers fashion or style tips. In this episode she tells Debbie that she was unhappy at the peak of her influencer career, what she learned from her mother’s decline and death, and how we have to tell the truth about old age to young women. 
 

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter. 

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Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

]]> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Lyn Slater, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie speaks with Lyn Slater, a writer and activist and former social media influencer. She spent her mid-60s becoming an icon of fashion, racking up nearly 800,000 Instagram followers, representing huge brands like Ilia Beauty, Kate Spade, Moncler, and Visa (among many others), speaking on fashion panels, and in general living a very public life. Her memoir, “How to Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly From the Accidental Icon" is just out.

But… and there’s a big BUT, Lyn has given up that identity and is now, at 70, a writer and hands-on grandmother. She has renounced social media and no longer offers fashion or style tips. In this episode she tells Debbie that she was unhappy at the peak of her influencer career, what she learned from her mother’s decline and death, and how we have to tell the truth about old age to young women. 
 

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter. 

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Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

]]> Lyn Slater on How To Be Old and Why She Is No Longer a Fashion Influencer Lyn Slater, Debbie Weil 00:38:41 Debbie speaks to former fashion and social media influencer Lyn Slater about her life and her new memoir: “How to Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly From the Accidental Icon." Debbie speaks to former fashion and social media influencer Lyn Slater about her life and her new memoir: “How to Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly From the Accidental Icon." false full 9 6 9ad56057-e67d-4dbf-b78c-101679204aa5 Steven Petrow on His Sister Julie, the Importance of Choice, and Medical Aid in Dying In the Intro to this episode, you'll hear Steven Petrow talking about his sister Julie Petrow’s death last June 2023. After years of battling ovarian cancer, Julie, Steven’s five-years-younger little sister, chose to die in her New Jersey home by drinking a lethal cocktail. She was surrounded by her family. And it was legal. She used a procedure called MAID or medical aid in dying, which is now legal in 10 states in the U.S. plus the district of Columbia.

But before she died, she made Steven, who is a bestselling author and a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, promise to write about how she chose to die, in order to raise awareness around MAID, a practice that many people don’t know about, or don’t understand, even though it was first legalized in Oregon, almost 30 years ago. 

So Steven did, publishing an essay about Julie and her decision in The New York Times a few months ago. It got a huge reception with over 600 comments on the NYT’s site. 

In this episode, Steven explains more:
 

  • What the term medical aid in dying means and what it is exactly (it used to be called physician assisted suicide, but a physician is NOT present)
  • Why he thinks only 9,000 people have availed themselves of the procedure since it first became legalized
  • Why it’s mostly used by educated whites (for one thing, the cocktail of lethal drugs cost $700 to $900 and is NOT reimbursable)


This is simply a fascinating episode and Steven is a lovely guest, eloquent, respectful, and informed. It was such a pleasure to have him back on the show. As always, see below for links to his articles and books, including the NYT article, and a link to the first time he was on the show almost three years ago.  

 

//////////

Don't miss Debbie's Behind The Scenes essay on Substack accompanying every episode of the podcast. 

//////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 8 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast In the Intro to this episode, you'll hear Steven Petrow talking about his sister Julie Petrow’s death last June 2023. After years of battling ovarian cancer, Julie, Steven’s five-years-younger little sister, chose to die in her New Jersey home by drinking a lethal cocktail. She was surrounded by her family. And it was legal. She used a procedure called MAID or medical aid in dying, which is now legal in 10 states in the U.S. plus the district of Columbia.

But before she died, she made Steven, who is a bestselling author and a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, promise to write about how she chose to die, in order to raise awareness around MAID, a practice that many people don’t know about, or don’t understand, even though it was first legalized in Oregon, almost 30 years ago. 

So Steven did, publishing an essay about Julie and her decision in The New York Times a few months ago. It got a huge reception with over 600 comments on the NYT’s site. 

In this episode, Steven explains more:
 

  • What the term medical aid in dying means and what it is exactly (it used to be called physician assisted suicide, but a physician is NOT present)
  • Why he thinks only 9,000 people have availed themselves of the procedure since it first became legalized
  • Why it’s mostly used by educated whites (for one thing, the cocktail of lethal drugs cost $700 to $900 and is NOT reimbursable)


This is simply a fascinating episode and Steven is a lovely guest, eloquent, respectful, and informed. It was such a pleasure to have him back on the show. As always, see below for links to his articles and books, including the NYT article, and a link to the first time he was on the show almost three years ago.  

 

//////////

Don't miss Debbie's Behind The Scenes essay on Substack accompanying every episode of the podcast. 

//////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Steven Petrow on His Sister Julie, the Importance of Choice, and Medical Aid in Dying Debbie Weil 00:36:00 Debbie talks to bestselling author and Washington Post columnist Steven Petrow about his sister Julie's decision to end her life using a legal procedure called Medical Aid in Dying (MAID). Debbie talks to bestselling author and Washington Post columnist Steven Petrow about his sister Julie's decision to end her life using a legal procedure called Medical Aid in Dying (MAID). older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, choosing to die, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, death with dignity, unretirement, dying with choice, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, dying with dignity, book writing, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, dying, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, dying at home, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, physician assisted suicide, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, euthanasia, terminal illness, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, choosing death, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, maid, aging, beginner mindset, medical aid in dying, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 8 6 767d6c90-54c1-427d-8189-7e71901e161f Kirsten Powers on Changing the Channel From CNN Political Analyst to Easeful Living and Writing Today, Debbie talks with Kirsten Powers, a New York Times bestselling author, a liberal columnist and, most recently, an on-air political analyst with CNN. In 2023, after almost two decades, she left what she calls the “media circus” to pursue a different life as a writer and a life coach. Kirsten, who is 56, is [b]old by any definition.

Prior to CNN she was at Fox (as a liberal voice) and before that she was a columnist for USA Today, The Daily Beast, American Prospect Online, and the New York Post. Her recent bestselling book is Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts.

Currently Kirsten writes a very popular newsletter on Substack, called, appropriately, "Changing the Channel." It's about living authentically, unlearning societal conditioning, and how to actually change your life. She published an essay recently about her plan to move to Italy with her husband because, as she put it, the U.S. is unlivable, with school shootings, the frenetic pace of life and because it’s too expensive. Somehow we are societally conditioned to accept this, as if it’s normal. But it’s not, Kirsten emphasizes. The post went viral, hitting a nerve with her many readers. Now she’s working on a book proposal. 

Since leaving her on-air job, Kirsten has been deliberately pursuing what she calls a "more easeful life" that is less striving and less accomplishment-oriented. It includes writing on Substack, which she loves. In this episode she also talks about her transition from evangelical christian to atheist.

 Kirsten is fast thinking and provocative and Debbie loved this conversation with her. 

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.

//////////  

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Kirsten Powers) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks with Kirsten Powers, a New York Times bestselling author, a liberal columnist and, most recently, an on-air political analyst with CNN. In 2023, after almost two decades, she left what she calls the “media circus” to pursue a different life as a writer and a life coach. Kirsten, who is 56, is [b]old by any definition.

Prior to CNN she was at Fox (as a liberal voice) and before that she was a columnist for USA Today, The Daily Beast, American Prospect Online, and the New York Post. Her recent bestselling book is Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts.

Currently Kirsten writes a very popular newsletter on Substack, called, appropriately, "Changing the Channel." It's about living authentically, unlearning societal conditioning, and how to actually change your life. She published an essay recently about her plan to move to Italy with her husband because, as she put it, the U.S. is unlivable, with school shootings, the frenetic pace of life and because it’s too expensive. Somehow we are societally conditioned to accept this, as if it’s normal. But it’s not, Kirsten emphasizes. The post went viral, hitting a nerve with her many readers. Now she’s working on a book proposal. 

Since leaving her on-air job, Kirsten has been deliberately pursuing what she calls a "more easeful life" that is less striving and less accomplishment-oriented. It includes writing on Substack, which she loves. In this episode she also talks about her transition from evangelical christian to atheist.

 Kirsten is fast thinking and provocative and Debbie loved this conversation with her. 

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.

//////////  

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Kirsten Powers on Changing the Channel From CNN Political Analyst to Easeful Living and Writing Debbie Weil, Kirsten Powers 00:34:43 Debbie talks to former CNN political analyst Kirsten Powers about leaving the media circus to live a more easeful and authentic life. Debbie talks to former CNN political analyst Kirsten Powers about leaving the media circus to live a more easeful and authentic life. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, mea, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, spirituality, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, modern elder academy, experiment, experts, book writing, relocating, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, evangelical, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, living in italy, curious mindset, moving to europe, cnn senior analyst, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, substack, enneagram, put a date to it, tim keller, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, transition, evangelical christians, becoming an export, moving to italy, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, letting things come, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, growth path, substack writing, faith, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, religion, mindful practice, letting things be easy, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, viral post, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, kirsten powers, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 7 6 8dd36d40-9501-48a6-80c5-d6bc6711a037 Bestselling Author Dale Russakoff on Being a Southern Woman at Harvard, Ambition at 71, and How Family Matters Most Today, Debbie talks to Dale Russakoff, a veteran reporter for The Washington Post, a bestselling author, and a classmate from her Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974. 

They talk about her surprising experience at Harvard as a woman from the South, her distinguished career as a journalist, and the importance of family. 

Debbie knew that Dale had been a reporter for The Washington Post for almost 30 years. And that she is the author of a best-selling book, THE PRIZE. But in this episode she told Debbie something she'd never heard before: what it was like to be a Southern girl at Harvard. Dale, who had a Southern accent then, said she was reluctant to open her mouth at first. 

She'd grown up in Birmingham, AL and when she arrived in Cambridge she learned that the Radcliffe admissions committee hadn’t admitted a woman from the South in many years, unless she had gone to a Northern boarding school. The committee thought girls who grew up and went to school in the South wouldn't have “the values" Radcliffe wanted; i.e. they would be racist.
 

She and Debbie talk about what it was like to be a female student in the man's world of Harvard, how "ambition" fit into her college years and, later, how it related to Dale's career in journalism. They talk about the importance of family, including grandchildren. And how she feels AT. CAPACITY. (i.e. too busy) in semi-retirement, at age 71.

//////////

Don't miss Debbie's Substack essay on the topic of being too busy or AT. CAPACITY. 

//////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

THE FIRST TWO EPISODES IN THIS TRILOGY:

Conversations with two more of Debbie's classmates from the Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 26 Jan 2024 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Dale Russakoff) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks to Dale Russakoff, a veteran reporter for The Washington Post, a bestselling author, and a classmate from her Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974. 

They talk about her surprising experience at Harvard as a woman from the South, her distinguished career as a journalist, and the importance of family. 

Debbie knew that Dale had been a reporter for The Washington Post for almost 30 years. And that she is the author of a best-selling book, THE PRIZE. But in this episode she told Debbie something she'd never heard before: what it was like to be a Southern girl at Harvard. Dale, who had a Southern accent then, said she was reluctant to open her mouth at first. 

She'd grown up in Birmingham, AL and when she arrived in Cambridge she learned that the Radcliffe admissions committee hadn’t admitted a woman from the South in many years, unless she had gone to a Northern boarding school. The committee thought girls who grew up and went to school in the South wouldn't have “the values" Radcliffe wanted; i.e. they would be racist.
 

She and Debbie talk about what it was like to be a female student in the man's world of Harvard, how "ambition" fit into her college years and, later, how it related to Dale's career in journalism. They talk about the importance of family, including grandchildren. And how she feels AT. CAPACITY. (i.e. too busy) in semi-retirement, at age 71.

//////////

Don't miss Debbie's Substack essay on the topic of being too busy or AT. CAPACITY. 

//////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

THE FIRST TWO EPISODES IN THIS TRILOGY:

Conversations with two more of Debbie's classmates from the Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Bestselling Author Dale Russakoff on Being a Southern Woman at Harvard, Ambition at 71, and How Family Matters Most Debbie Weil, Dale Russakoff 00:38:10 Debbie interviews veteran reporter and bestselling author Dale Russakoff, her Harvard classmate, about her surprising experience at Harvard as a woman from the South, her distinguished career as a journalist, and the importance of family. Debbie interviews veteran reporter and bestselling author Dale Russakoff, her Harvard classmate, about her surprising experience at Harvard as a woman from the South, her distinguished career as a journalist, and the importance of family. older, family, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, segregated south, being a woman in a man’s world, recovering perfectionist, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, the burden of having to be the best, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, working woman, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, redefining ambition at 71, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, growing up in the segregated south, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, what matters most, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, perfectionism, southern, downsizing, becoming an export, growing up in the south, curiosity, writing a book, perfectionist, working mother, radcliffe, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, being from the south, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, going to harvard, beginner mindset, gig economy, grandchildren, mindful practice, harvard, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, ambition, aging well, old age, collective gap year, southern accent, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 6 6 78ecd37d-dbe2-4eae-9fd8-d4e16861df27 Bestselling Author Mary Pipher on Forgiveness, Happiness, and Old Age * This is the last episode in 2023. Back on Jan. 26, 2024! *

Debbie talks to Mary Pipher, a psychologist and bestselling author of 11 books including the ground-breaking Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls.  She was the first psychologist to recognize and articulate why life was difficult for adolescent girls and why so many of them felt bad about themselves.

More recently, she has written Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age, about women navigating the transition from middle age to old age (the topic of this podcast!).

In 2022, she published a memoir, A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence. In her new book, just out in paperback, Mary, now 76, talks about her difficult childhood and her relationship with her parents, the importance of family and community, living in a small town in Nebraska, and what the particular challenges of getting old are. She also talks about forgiveness, about adopting Buddhism and her definition of happiness. Per the title, she’s obsessed with light, through trees, on walks, at certain times of day, in certain rooms, and in memories — and how the light makes her feel happy and complete.

She says her knowledge about happiness comes from being someone who has struggled with sadness and anxiety much of her life, something that resonates strongly with Debbie.

This is a great episode. Mary articulates so well what it’s really like to get old and yet still feel so alive.

//////////
Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay on Substack accompanying this episode
 //////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 22 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Mary Pipher, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.substack.com/p/behind-the-scenes-with-mary-pipher * This is the last episode in 2023. Back on Jan. 26, 2024! *

Debbie talks to Mary Pipher, a psychologist and bestselling author of 11 books including the ground-breaking Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls.  She was the first psychologist to recognize and articulate why life was difficult for adolescent girls and why so many of them felt bad about themselves.

More recently, she has written Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age, about women navigating the transition from middle age to old age (the topic of this podcast!).

In 2022, she published a memoir, A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence. In her new book, just out in paperback, Mary, now 76, talks about her difficult childhood and her relationship with her parents, the importance of family and community, living in a small town in Nebraska, and what the particular challenges of getting old are. She also talks about forgiveness, about adopting Buddhism and her definition of happiness. Per the title, she’s obsessed with light, through trees, on walks, at certain times of day, in certain rooms, and in memories — and how the light makes her feel happy and complete.

She says her knowledge about happiness comes from being someone who has struggled with sadness and anxiety much of her life, something that resonates strongly with Debbie.

This is a great episode. Mary articulates so well what it’s really like to get old and yet still feel so alive.

//////////
Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay on Substack accompanying this episode
 //////////

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Bestselling Author Mary Pipher on Forgiveness, Happiness, and Old Age Mary Pipher, Debbie Weil 00:29:24 Debbie speaks with bestselling author Mary Pipher, 76, about happiness, forgiveness, surrendering, and old age. Debbie speaks with bestselling author Mary Pipher, 76, about happiness, forgiveness, surrendering, and old age. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, difficult childhood, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, forgiving, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, meditations, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, light and shadow, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, slow life, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, childhood trauma, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, almost drowning, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, buddhism. buddhist practice, curiosity, writing a book, anxiety, long-term thinking, near drowning experience, no hurry, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, depression, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, sadness, retirement, failure, forgiveness, aging well, old age, collective gap year, meditation, growing bolder, life in light, shadow and light, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, life at 76, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 5 6 c28b6ba7-866c-4f23-be5b-42c160600c44 Winifred White Neisser on Ambition, Embracing 70, and What Comes Next Today, Debbie speaks to Winifred White Neisser, a classmate from the Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1974. Winifred looks back on her career as a television executive in the all-male, all-white Hollywood entertainment industry and talks about what comes next.  Both Debbie and Winifred are looking forward to celebrating their 50th Harvard reunion next year.

Wini, as her friends call her, is very modest. She doesn’t think of herself as a [b]old woman. So it took Debbie a while to get her to talk about her success as an entertainment executive. She capped her 34-year career as Senior VP of Sony Pictures for Television Movies and Miniseries. Her award-winning projects include the movie A Raisin in the Sun for ABC and Call me Claus, a Christmas movie which starred Whoopi Goldberg.

It’s her Midwestern upbringing, Wini told Debbie. They don’t brag or show off in Milwaukee, WI where she grew up. She was never propelled by ambition, she told Debbie. Nor did she plan out next steps as she rose to her position as a top exec. But it wouldn’t be accurate to say that her career “just happened.”

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay on Substack accompanying this episode.

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This interview is a story of quiet capability and determination - and underneath, a fierce drive. Debbie was fascinated by her classmate’s story because, with one exception, it’s so different from hers. Debbie married at the absurdly young age of 21 (she was a junior at Harvard). She had her first baby at 25 and two more by age 31. Wini married much later and had her two children in her mid 30s, all the while climbing the TV executive ladder, first at NBC and later at Sony.

In contrast, Debbie’s early motherhood derailed her career in journalism. She was married to a busy young doctor so someone had to hold down the fort at home. She stepped willingly into that role, but felt a good deal of frustration trying to work part-time as a freelance journalist. Underneath, she had the same fierce drive that Wini had. She just couldn’t express it, career-wise, until some years later.

As the conversation continued, Debbie realized that fierce drive and determination sum up the common thread she shares with her female classmates from the Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1974. There were only 300 women (Cliffies, as they were called) in a class of 1,500 students. So they were vastly outnumbered. They were polite about it, but they were all determined to be successful in their chosen fields — both in Harvard’s male-dominated classrooms and later in the world of work. 


So much has changed for women in the past 50 years so this conversation with Wini is the first of several Debbie is planning with these [b]old women, her 1974 Radcliffe classmates. 

Note: it’s a bit confusing to explain but Radcliffe was the name of the women’s college that was part of Harvard in the 1970s and earlier, so technically the women attended Harvard/Radcliffe. Radcliffe has now been subsumed by Harvard. And the ratio of women to men in a Harvard class is now 50-50. So much has changed in 50 years.

Hope you enjoy this compelling conversation with a 70-year-old (b)old woman.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 8 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Winifred White Neisser) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie speaks to Winifred White Neisser, a classmate from the Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1974. Winifred looks back on her career as a television executive in the all-male, all-white Hollywood entertainment industry and talks about what comes next.  Both Debbie and Winifred are looking forward to celebrating their 50th Harvard reunion next year.

Wini, as her friends call her, is very modest. She doesn’t think of herself as a [b]old woman. So it took Debbie a while to get her to talk about her success as an entertainment executive. She capped her 34-year career as Senior VP of Sony Pictures for Television Movies and Miniseries. Her award-winning projects include the movie A Raisin in the Sun for ABC and Call me Claus, a Christmas movie which starred Whoopi Goldberg.

It’s her Midwestern upbringing, Wini told Debbie. They don’t brag or show off in Milwaukee, WI where she grew up. She was never propelled by ambition, she told Debbie. Nor did she plan out next steps as she rose to her position as a top exec. But it wouldn’t be accurate to say that her career “just happened.”

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay on Substack accompanying this episode.

//////////

This interview is a story of quiet capability and determination - and underneath, a fierce drive. Debbie was fascinated by her classmate’s story because, with one exception, it’s so different from hers. Debbie married at the absurdly young age of 21 (she was a junior at Harvard). She had her first baby at 25 and two more by age 31. Wini married much later and had her two children in her mid 30s, all the while climbing the TV executive ladder, first at NBC and later at Sony.

In contrast, Debbie’s early motherhood derailed her career in journalism. She was married to a busy young doctor so someone had to hold down the fort at home. She stepped willingly into that role, but felt a good deal of frustration trying to work part-time as a freelance journalist. Underneath, she had the same fierce drive that Wini had. She just couldn’t express it, career-wise, until some years later.

As the conversation continued, Debbie realized that fierce drive and determination sum up the common thread she shares with her female classmates from the Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1974. There were only 300 women (Cliffies, as they were called) in a class of 1,500 students. So they were vastly outnumbered. They were polite about it, but they were all determined to be successful in their chosen fields — both in Harvard’s male-dominated classrooms and later in the world of work. 


So much has changed for women in the past 50 years so this conversation with Wini is the first of several Debbie is planning with these [b]old women, her 1974 Radcliffe classmates. 

Note: it’s a bit confusing to explain but Radcliffe was the name of the women’s college that was part of Harvard in the 1970s and earlier, so technically the women attended Harvard/Radcliffe. Radcliffe has now been subsumed by Harvard. And the ratio of women to men in a Harvard class is now 50-50. So much has changed in 50 years.

Hope you enjoy this compelling conversation with a 70-year-old (b)old woman.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Winifred White Neisser on Ambition, Embracing 70, and What Comes Next Debbie Weil, Winifred White Neisser 00:49:14 Debbie interviews Winifred White Neisser, a classmate from the Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1974. Winifred looks back on her career as a television executive in the all-male, all-white Hollywood entertainment industry and talks about what comes next. Debbie interviews Winifred White Neisser, a classmate from the Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1974. Winifred looks back on her career as a television executive in the all-male, all-white Hollywood entertainment industry and talks about what comes next. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, entertainment career, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, going back to school at 60, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, homemaking mental load, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, being a black woman, put a date to it, harvard graduate, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, angel city chorale, curiosity, writing a book, successful career, top executive, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, entertainment industry, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, tv industry, aging, beginner mindset, career choices, gig economy, mindful practice, career as a woman, art education, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, black woman, career, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, long career, personal development, sony tv, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 4 6 fb0f569f-cf7c-4ce5-b307-750a2902e447 Best Of: Debbie and Sam Go Back to France Updated with a new introduction, this is a replay of an atmospheric episode from 2019 when Debbie and Sam studied French in Provence in an immersion program. They planned to go back in 2020 but of course the pandemic intervened. Now, they’ve just completed another week of immersion in Avignon with their favorite French teacher, Julie Gaudin.

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Don't miss the Substack essay accompanying this episode: Behind The Scenes With "French Debbie"

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In the episode you'll hear accordion music and a few snippets recorded in a cafe where Debbie speaks French. Both she and Sam have a special relationship with France from their adolescent years. And they both have a longstanding bucket list item: to live in France for an extended period in order to practice and improve their French. They both agree you can’t become a true ex-pat in only two weeks but it’s enough time to adopt a daily routine and to make a friend or two at the local boulangerie and at a favorite bar serving artisanal beer. 

Despite their many trips to Paris and other parts of France, they continue to find the French language and French culture both mysterious and alluring.  

 

Mentioned in this episode and/or useful links for visiting Avignon and Provence

  • Séjour linguistique means staying with a teacher (or prof) in their home for language immersion.
  • Julie Gaudin's immersion program in Avignon
  • A list of other French immersion programs via  FrenchToday.com Note: in the episode Debbie mistakenly refers to the site as FranceToday.
  • Pithiviers is a town south of France where Sam lived on a farm when he was 18. It was also the site of the infamous Pithiviers internment camp during the Second World War.
  • Collège Cévenol in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is where Debbie went to school for a year when she was 14.
  • Alliance Française in Paris
  • L’Atelier de Belinda (wonderful tiny restaurant in Avignon)
  • Les Halles, the famed covered market in Avignon filled with magnificent displays of fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese, olives, bread, lavendar honey, wine and more. Sam discovered “les bulots”: whelks or large snails best eaten alongside raw oysters and with a glass of white wine.

 

Connect with Debbie:

How to Support this podcast:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

Credits:

 

]]> Fri, 24 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Updated with a new introduction, this is a replay of an atmospheric episode from 2019 when Debbie and Sam studied French in Provence in an immersion program. They planned to go back in 2020 but of course the pandemic intervened. Now, they’ve just completed another week of immersion in Avignon with their favorite French teacher, Julie Gaudin.

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Don't miss the Substack essay accompanying this episode: Behind The Scenes With "French Debbie"

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In the episode you'll hear accordion music and a few snippets recorded in a cafe where Debbie speaks French. Both she and Sam have a special relationship with France from their adolescent years. And they both have a longstanding bucket list item: to live in France for an extended period in order to practice and improve their French. They both agree you can’t become a true ex-pat in only two weeks but it’s enough time to adopt a daily routine and to make a friend or two at the local boulangerie and at a favorite bar serving artisanal beer. 

Despite their many trips to Paris and other parts of France, they continue to find the French language and French culture both mysterious and alluring.  

 

Mentioned in this episode and/or useful links for visiting Avignon and Provence

  • Séjour linguistique means staying with a teacher (or prof) in their home for language immersion.
  • Julie Gaudin's immersion program in Avignon
  • A list of other French immersion programs via  FrenchToday.com Note: in the episode Debbie mistakenly refers to the site as FranceToday.
  • Pithiviers is a town south of France where Sam lived on a farm when he was 18. It was also the site of the infamous Pithiviers internment camp during the Second World War.
  • Collège Cévenol in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is where Debbie went to school for a year when she was 14.
  • Alliance Française in Paris
  • L’Atelier de Belinda (wonderful tiny restaurant in Avignon)
  • Les Halles, the famed covered market in Avignon filled with magnificent displays of fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese, olives, bread, lavendar honey, wine and more. Sam discovered “les bulots”: whelks or large snails best eaten alongside raw oysters and with a glass of white wine.

 

Connect with Debbie:

How to Support this podcast:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

Credits:

 

]]> Best Of: Debbie and Sam Go Back to France Debbie Weil 00:34:01 Becoming fluent in French in their 70s may be an impossible goal but Debbie and her husband Sam keep trying. This is a replay of an atmospheric episode describing their experience in an immersion program in Avignon. Becoming fluent in French in their 70s may be an impossible goal but Debbie and her husband Sam keep trying. This is a replay of an atmospheric episode describing their experience in an immersion program in Avignon. false full 3 6 651aab03-d94e-449b-8094-e36f322fa729 Rona Maynard on How Adopting a Rescue Mutt When She Was 65 Made Her a Better Person Today, Debbie talks with Rona Maynard, an author, writer, and former VIP, as she puts it. When she left Canada's leading magazine for women as editor-in-chief, she began looking for her next big project. Around this time, her husband suggested getting a dog. She resisted for several years, then relented. When she was 65, they adopted Casey, a two-year-old rescue mutt with an appealing personality.

He left dog hairs everywhere and peed on her favorite chair the day they brought him home. But the result was an unexpected next new thing, a gradual transformation  of how she is approaching life, and a lovely new book, a memoir, titled Starter Dog.

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Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay for each new episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter. 

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Of course, the book is not just about her dog. Rona is an extraordinary writer so it is  the woven story of her life as a young woman and a young wife, her ambitions, her relationship to food (and Casey’s), getting older, and how - with Casey leading the way through her Toronto neighborhood - she began to soften and notice more. In the book she illuminates how taking Casey for daily walks ultimately made her a better person. She pulls the past and present together, and, engagingly, includes quotations from two of Debbie's favorite poets: Emily Dickinson and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Rona learns how to be kind (kindness was not stressed when she was growing up in a household full of ambition), how to befriend strangers and the homeless, how to appreciate the details of changing seasons and the outdoors (after working at a desk for so many years), how to be more patient, and how to live in the moment.

Because of course while she was growing old - eight years pass - her dog was growing older. Casey is now 10, while Rona's in her mid-70s, and he’s teaching her how to embrace old age. Just take it one walk, one squirrel, one bowl of dog food (two if you’re lucky), and one day at a time.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 10 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Rona Maynard, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks with Rona Maynard, an author, writer, and former VIP, as she puts it. When she left Canada's leading magazine for women as editor-in-chief, she began looking for her next big project. Around this time, her husband suggested getting a dog. She resisted for several years, then relented. When she was 65, they adopted Casey, a two-year-old rescue mutt with an appealing personality.

He left dog hairs everywhere and peed on her favorite chair the day they brought him home. But the result was an unexpected next new thing, a gradual transformation  of how she is approaching life, and a lovely new book, a memoir, titled Starter Dog.

//////////

Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay for each new episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter. 

//////////

Of course, the book is not just about her dog. Rona is an extraordinary writer so it is  the woven story of her life as a young woman and a young wife, her ambitions, her relationship to food (and Casey’s), getting older, and how - with Casey leading the way through her Toronto neighborhood - she began to soften and notice more. In the book she illuminates how taking Casey for daily walks ultimately made her a better person. She pulls the past and present together, and, engagingly, includes quotations from two of Debbie's favorite poets: Emily Dickinson and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Rona learns how to be kind (kindness was not stressed when she was growing up in a household full of ambition), how to befriend strangers and the homeless, how to appreciate the details of changing seasons and the outdoors (after working at a desk for so many years), how to be more patient, and how to live in the moment.

Because of course while she was growing old - eight years pass - her dog was growing older. Casey is now 10, while Rona's in her mid-70s, and he’s teaching her how to embrace old age. Just take it one walk, one squirrel, one bowl of dog food (two if you’re lucky), and one day at a time.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Rona Maynard on How Adopting a Rescue Mutt When She Was 65 Made Her a Better Person Rona Maynard, Debbie Weil 00:33:50 Debbie speaks with writer Rona Maynard who tells us that adopting a rescue mutt when she was 65 made her a better person. Debbie speaks with writer Rona Maynard who tells us that adopting a rescue mutt when she was 65 made her a better person. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, getting a dog, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, bridge to nature, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, rescue dog, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, starter dog, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, becoming a better person, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, becoming kinder, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, losing people, old people and dogs, put a date to it, savour the moment, book coaching, switching gears, losing friends, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, dog mom, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, puppy, retirement dog, bolder, benefit of long marriage, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, slowing down, aging, getting a dog when older, beginner mindset, gig economy, long marriages, mindful practice, dog owner, older dog, retirement dogs, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, enjoy the moment, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, adopting, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, long marriage, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 2 6 a3df4640-015b-4f92-9cb7-074e2602aa5e Debbie & Sam on the Acceleration of Aging: Smudged Glasses, Creaky Bodies and Before It’s Too Late Welcome back to Season 6! You might’ve noticed that we changed the name of the show to more accurately reflect the focus, which is to explore the transition from midlife to old age. [B]OLDER seemed a bit too general, so it's now [B]OLD AGE. Given our ageist society, it requires [b]oldness to say proudly, "I am old." This season our goal is to be even more honest and vulnerable about what it’s like as the clock ticks away.

For this first episode, Debbie is joined by her husband, Sam Harrington, a popular recurring guest who is known for his dry humor. He's a retired physician and an author.

They start by talking about how aging has suddenly accelerated for both of them, in their early 70s. Sam says he can see his telomeres fraying when he looks in the mirror. He notes that only a decade ago they still looked remarkably young in photos. (See photo accompanying this episode; in 2014 Debbie and Sam were hanging out in Madagascar with lemurs.)

//////////

Don't miss the accompanying Behind The Scenes essay for this new episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.

//////////

They also talk about the long vigil of accompanying a dying parent and how that affects your own sense of old age; how health span has noticeably increased in the past 50 years;  and what the stunning demographic shift to an aging society will mean. By 2030, there will be more adults over 65 than children under 18. 

Debbie notes the parallel between the acceleration of aging and the acceleration of global warming. At first the changes are slow and hardly noticeable. Then they happen all at once, like this past summer.

But the conversation veers back to the physiological fact of aging. Sam's favorite mantra is that "80 might be the new 60, but 86 is the new 85." The current research to better understand and to slow aging may be too late to benefit them, Sam says.

  

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

How to Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Sam Harrington, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.substack.com/p/bold-age-podcast-s6-e1-behind-the Welcome back to Season 6! You might’ve noticed that we changed the name of the show to more accurately reflect the focus, which is to explore the transition from midlife to old age. [B]OLDER seemed a bit too general, so it's now [B]OLD AGE. Given our ageist society, it requires [b]oldness to say proudly, "I am old." This season our goal is to be even more honest and vulnerable about what it’s like as the clock ticks away.

For this first episode, Debbie is joined by her husband, Sam Harrington, a popular recurring guest who is known for his dry humor. He's a retired physician and an author.

They start by talking about how aging has suddenly accelerated for both of them, in their early 70s. Sam says he can see his telomeres fraying when he looks in the mirror. He notes that only a decade ago they still looked remarkably young in photos. (See photo accompanying this episode; in 2014 Debbie and Sam were hanging out in Madagascar with lemurs.)

//////////

Don't miss the accompanying Behind The Scenes essay for this new episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.

//////////

They also talk about the long vigil of accompanying a dying parent and how that affects your own sense of old age; how health span has noticeably increased in the past 50 years;  and what the stunning demographic shift to an aging society will mean. By 2030, there will be more adults over 65 than children under 18. 

Debbie notes the parallel between the acceleration of aging and the acceleration of global warming. At first the changes are slow and hardly noticeable. Then they happen all at once, like this past summer.

But the conversation veers back to the physiological fact of aging. Sam's favorite mantra is that "80 might be the new 60, but 86 is the new 85." The current research to better understand and to slow aging may be too late to benefit them, Sam says.

  

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

How to Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam on the Acceleration of Aging: Smudged Glasses, Creaky Bodies and Before It’s Too Late Sam Harrington, Debbie Weil 00:27:28 Debbie is joined by her husband, Sam Harrington, a popular recurring guest, to discuss the acceleration of aging in their 70s. Debbie is joined by her husband, Sam Harrington, a popular recurring guest, to discuss the acceleration of aging in their 70s. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, modern medicine, trying new things, bold age, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, gerontocracy, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, volunteering, health span, aging faster, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, achy body, curiosity, writing a book, life span, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, dying process, put a date to your goal, death process, aging, beginner mindset, aging slower, gig economy, mindful practice, before it’s too late, gap life, gap year after fifty, parent health, portfolio life, acceleration of aging, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, cataract, collective gap year, growing bolder, aging society, pandemic reinvention, slow down aging, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 1 6 9beb459a-b5cd-4124-930c-1ee30c93cb01 Season 6 - Trailer When Debbie started this podcast almost five years ago, she was as she puts it "a mere 67." Old age seemed very far away. Now it doesn’t.

So this season we’re focusing on the lived experience of old age. What’s it really like? What are the truths, both positive and negative, about moving from midlife to old age? How do you OWN being old in a society that devalues and even denigrates old people? 

//////////

Don't miss the BTS (behind-the-scenes) for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.

//////////

We’ll still talk about things like finding purpose and redefining retirement. But we’ll also look at the upside of slowing down; for example, "being" vs. "doing" when you’ve been driven by ambition your whole life. 

The point is to bring you honest and vulnerable dispatches of the ordinary and the profound. And so this little tweak in the name: it’s now the [B]OLD AGE podcast because it takes courage and [b]oldness to move gracefully from midlife into old age. 

We hope what we talk about here will help you on your own transition into [b]old age, wherever you are now. Maybe you're young and worrying about becoming middle-aged. Or you're in midlife and looking ahead.

As always, send comments or questions to thebolderpodcast@gmail.com.  And check out Debbie's new [B]OLD AGE newsletter where you can get the BTS (behind-the-scenes) on each episode of the podcast, read her personal essays, get writing tips, and more. You can leave your comments on every Substack post. Debbie promises to respond.  

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

Credits:

]]> Fri, 20 Oct 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast When Debbie started this podcast almost five years ago, she was as she puts it "a mere 67." Old age seemed very far away. Now it doesn’t.

So this season we’re focusing on the lived experience of old age. What’s it really like? What are the truths, both positive and negative, about moving from midlife to old age? How do you OWN being old in a society that devalues and even denigrates old people? 

//////////

Don't miss the BTS (behind-the-scenes) for every episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE newsletter.

//////////

We’ll still talk about things like finding purpose and redefining retirement. But we’ll also look at the upside of slowing down; for example, "being" vs. "doing" when you’ve been driven by ambition your whole life. 

The point is to bring you honest and vulnerable dispatches of the ordinary and the profound. And so this little tweak in the name: it’s now the [B]OLD AGE podcast because it takes courage and [b]oldness to move gracefully from midlife into old age. 

We hope what we talk about here will help you on your own transition into [b]old age, wherever you are now. Maybe you're young and worrying about becoming middle-aged. Or you're in midlife and looking ahead.

As always, send comments or questions to thebolderpodcast@gmail.com.  And check out Debbie's new [B]OLD AGE newsletter where you can get the BTS (behind-the-scenes) on each episode of the podcast, read her personal essays, get writing tips, and more. You can leave your comments on every Substack post. Debbie promises to respond.  

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

Credits:

]]> Season 6 - Trailer Debbie Weil 00:02:30 We're back with Season 6! And a new name: [B]OLDER is now the [B]OLD AGE podcast. We're back with Season 6! And a new name: [B]OLDER is now the [B]OLD AGE podcast. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, being vs doing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, growing older, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, letting go of ambition, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, growing old, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, learning new things after 70, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, becoming old, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, becoming an expert, gap life, gap year after fifty, reinvention after 70, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, aging well, growing bolder, the land of old age, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 0 6 4f0e1589-5508-4813-bd80-8e78ff9ae719 Debbie & Sam Wrap Up Season 5: Anniversaries, Unexpected Death, God, Grandchildren, and More. Today, Debbie brings her husband Sam Harrington back on the show to wrap up another [B]OLDER season.

You'll hear their 11-year-old granddaughter Ruthie talking about her recent trip with them to the Swiss Alps. Definitely a high point of the season and of the past year. 

A lot has happened during Season 5 of [B]OLDER: Debbie and Sam celebrated their 50th anniversary while they were in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Then, right after that, Debbie's 92-year-old mother died unexpectedly, prompting a lot of memories, much appreciation, and a blunt reminder of life’s finitude.

We re-ran episodes with some of our most popular guests who talked about psychedelic therapy and about Covid’s place in the history of plagues. 

 

*****

NEW! Read and subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes from a personal perspective about entering the land of the old at 71.

*****

 

In Season 5 Debbie talked to new guests about cellular research on aging, about helping elderly parents plan ahead, what UNretirement is really like, and one of her all-time favorite interviews: a conversation with famed New York Times health columnist Jane Brody about what she learned from a half century at the Times. And finally, renowned writer and speaker Jonathan Merritt eloquently explained God and religion to Debbie, a non-church person.

In this wrap-up you’ll hear Sam - hopefully not slurping his coffee but maybe a little - and teasing Debbie about "jumping right in." (She likes that podcast expression; he does not.)

This is the finale of Season 5 of the [B]OLDER podcast. Have a great summer, thank you for listening, and we’ll be back in the fall.

In the meantime, find Debbie on Substack where she writes about what it's really like to grow old(er)?

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

More links

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 21 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie brings her husband Sam Harrington back on the show to wrap up another [B]OLDER season.

You'll hear their 11-year-old granddaughter Ruthie talking about her recent trip with them to the Swiss Alps. Definitely a high point of the season and of the past year. 

A lot has happened during Season 5 of [B]OLDER: Debbie and Sam celebrated their 50th anniversary while they were in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Then, right after that, Debbie's 92-year-old mother died unexpectedly, prompting a lot of memories, much appreciation, and a blunt reminder of life’s finitude.

We re-ran episodes with some of our most popular guests who talked about psychedelic therapy and about Covid’s place in the history of plagues. 

 

*****

NEW! Read and subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes from a personal perspective about entering the land of the old at 71.

*****

 

In Season 5 Debbie talked to new guests about cellular research on aging, about helping elderly parents plan ahead, what UNretirement is really like, and one of her all-time favorite interviews: a conversation with famed New York Times health columnist Jane Brody about what she learned from a half century at the Times. And finally, renowned writer and speaker Jonathan Merritt eloquently explained God and religion to Debbie, a non-church person.

In this wrap-up you’ll hear Sam - hopefully not slurping his coffee but maybe a little - and teasing Debbie about "jumping right in." (She likes that podcast expression; he does not.)

This is the finale of Season 5 of the [B]OLDER podcast. Have a great summer, thank you for listening, and we’ll be back in the fall.

In the meantime, find Debbie on Substack where she writes about what it's really like to grow old(er)?

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

More links

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam Wrap Up Season 5: Anniversaries, Unexpected Death, God, Grandchildren, and More. Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:28:49 Debbie and Sam are back at it to wrap up Season 5 and review the big events of the season and of this past year. Debbie and Sam are back at it to wrap up Season 5 and review the big events of the season and of this past year. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, family reunion, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, 2022, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, substack, switzerland, synchronicities, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, psilocybin, downsizing, becoming an export, 2023, curiosity, writing a book, podcast recap, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, season 6, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, san miguel allende, beginner mindset, gig economy, coincidence, grandchildren, mindful practice, 50th wedding anniversary, vacation with family, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, psychedelics, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder year recap, grandparenting, pandemic reinvention, puerto vallarta, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 20 5 05dce37b-0467-44f5-8244-bb546f8dc5b4 Jonathan Merritt on Personal Transformation and the Complicated Intersection of Faith and Culture Today, Debbie speaks to Jonathan Merritt, one of America’s most renowned writers on faith and culture.

Debbie met Jonathan in the hot tub in Baja Mexico, but don’t get the wrong idea.

They were both in Baja to attend a weeklong workshop organized by Modern Elder Academy. And as you’ll hear in this episode, "change and transformation" were very much on the agenda.

You may have heard her talk about MEA. It’s billed as a midlife wisdom school whose core mission is to shift our negative mindset about aging. MEA is also a little bit of paradise. The campus, bursting with pink bougainvillea, sits on a wide, surf-pounded beach near Todos Santos, MX, just north of Cabo. 

 

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes from a personal perspective about entering the land of the old at 71.

*****

 

Debbie and Jonathan were part of a group of about 20 in a recent workshop, pondering how to use sensory experience in the here and now to map out their futures. Debbie was intrigued with Jonathan’s thoughtful comments. She was also drawn to his Atlanta accent which she couldn’t quite place at first but which she recognized. She has a bunch of Georgia cousins.

In the hot tub, Jonathan revealed a bit about why he had flown from New York to spend a week at MEA. She wanted to find out more so she invited him onto the show. And she wanted him to explain things to her, a non church-person. 

Jonathan is best known as a writer on the complicated intersection of faith and culture — as it applies to LGBTQ intolerance and evangelicalism  — and much more.

The son of an evangelical leader and a former pastor himself, Jonathan was outed as gay a decade ago. He moved to New York City and has since become an award-winning contributor to The Atlantic, a senior columnist for Religion News Service; has authored several books (including the critically-acclaimed How to Speak God From Scratch); has been interviewed on ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and PBS; is a literary agent; has ghostwritten or collaborated on more than 50 books (with several titles landing on the NYTimes, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists); speaks and teaches at colleges, conferences and churches; has just finished writing his first children’s book; and is writing a TV series about religion and popular culture.

Oh, and he just turned 40.

Despite — or perhaps because of — his achievements, Jonathan is working on a transformation, his own “what’s next.” He’s an old soul, he tells Debbie, so he’s approaching this with intentionality; his week at MEA was just one step.

On the podcast they talk about:

  • The urge to embrace spirituality (and religion) as you get older.
  • Why Sunday service at Yale’s Battell Chapel felt like a safe place for Debbie to weep after her mother died recently — even though she is not a church-person.
  • The definition of evangelicalism.
  • The connection between evangelicalism and fundamentalism and far right conservative ideologies.
  • The Rev. Tim Keller and his untimely death in May 2023 at age 72 (in his obituary, the NYT dubbed him Manhattan’s Pioneering Evangelist).
  • Jonathan’s personal story of being outed as gay  just days before his 30th birthday, and then moving from Atlanta to NYC to start a new life.
  • Appreciative inquiry and the art of asking ourselves the right questions.
  • Jonathan’s adaptation of The Ignation Examen as part of his daily intentional practice.
  • And, despite his notable success as a journalist, speaker, literary agent, ghostwriter, creative and more, why he’s feeling the need to transform himself at age 40.

As Debbie tells Jonathan, she could listen to him explain things all day — especially as they relate to religion, church, community, identity, intolerance and more. And yes, it's okay to go to church, he told her. Even if you don't believe in God, per se. She loved this conversation and hopes you will too.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 7 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Jonathan Merritt) https://gapyearforgrownups.simplecast.com/episodes/jonathan-merritt Today, Debbie speaks to Jonathan Merritt, one of America’s most renowned writers on faith and culture.

Debbie met Jonathan in the hot tub in Baja Mexico, but don’t get the wrong idea.

They were both in Baja to attend a weeklong workshop organized by Modern Elder Academy. And as you’ll hear in this episode, "change and transformation" were very much on the agenda.

You may have heard her talk about MEA. It’s billed as a midlife wisdom school whose core mission is to shift our negative mindset about aging. MEA is also a little bit of paradise. The campus, bursting with pink bougainvillea, sits on a wide, surf-pounded beach near Todos Santos, MX, just north of Cabo. 

 

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes from a personal perspective about entering the land of the old at 71.

*****

 

Debbie and Jonathan were part of a group of about 20 in a recent workshop, pondering how to use sensory experience in the here and now to map out their futures. Debbie was intrigued with Jonathan’s thoughtful comments. She was also drawn to his Atlanta accent which she couldn’t quite place at first but which she recognized. She has a bunch of Georgia cousins.

In the hot tub, Jonathan revealed a bit about why he had flown from New York to spend a week at MEA. She wanted to find out more so she invited him onto the show. And she wanted him to explain things to her, a non church-person. 

Jonathan is best known as a writer on the complicated intersection of faith and culture — as it applies to LGBTQ intolerance and evangelicalism  — and much more.

The son of an evangelical leader and a former pastor himself, Jonathan was outed as gay a decade ago. He moved to New York City and has since become an award-winning contributor to The Atlantic, a senior columnist for Religion News Service; has authored several books (including the critically-acclaimed How to Speak God From Scratch); has been interviewed on ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and PBS; is a literary agent; has ghostwritten or collaborated on more than 50 books (with several titles landing on the NYTimes, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists); speaks and teaches at colleges, conferences and churches; has just finished writing his first children’s book; and is writing a TV series about religion and popular culture.

Oh, and he just turned 40.

Despite — or perhaps because of — his achievements, Jonathan is working on a transformation, his own “what’s next.” He’s an old soul, he tells Debbie, so he’s approaching this with intentionality; his week at MEA was just one step.

On the podcast they talk about:

  • The urge to embrace spirituality (and religion) as you get older.
  • Why Sunday service at Yale’s Battell Chapel felt like a safe place for Debbie to weep after her mother died recently — even though she is not a church-person.
  • The definition of evangelicalism.
  • The connection between evangelicalism and fundamentalism and far right conservative ideologies.
  • The Rev. Tim Keller and his untimely death in May 2023 at age 72 (in his obituary, the NYT dubbed him Manhattan’s Pioneering Evangelist).
  • Jonathan’s personal story of being outed as gay  just days before his 30th birthday, and then moving from Atlanta to NYC to start a new life.
  • Appreciative inquiry and the art of asking ourselves the right questions.
  • Jonathan’s adaptation of The Ignation Examen as part of his daily intentional practice.
  • And, despite his notable success as a journalist, speaker, literary agent, ghostwriter, creative and more, why he’s feeling the need to transform himself at age 40.

As Debbie tells Jonathan, she could listen to him explain things all day — especially as they relate to religion, church, community, identity, intolerance and more. And yes, it's okay to go to church, he told her. Even if you don't believe in God, per se. She loved this conversation and hopes you will too.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

Credits:

]]> Jonathan Merritt on Personal Transformation and the Complicated Intersection of Faith and Culture Debbie Weil, Jonathan Merritt 00:43:16 Debbie invites renowned writer and speaker Jonathan Merritt onto the show to talk about the complicated intersection of faith, culture, personal transformation and more. Debbie invites renowned writer and speaker Jonathan Merritt onto the show to talk about the complicated intersection of faith, culture, personal transformation and more. older, beginner’s attitude, faith and growing older, mindfulness practices, spiritual practice, change vs transformation, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, going to church, pay-it-forward, jonathan merritt, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, losing a parent, mea, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, tim keller legacy, trying new things, navigating change, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, being outed as gay, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, modern elder academy, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, church, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, transformation, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, ask the right question, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, turning 40, change, evangelicalism, put a date to it, tim keller, book coaching, switching gears, grief, fundamentalism, happiness, downsizing, transition, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, spiritual community, faith & culture, lgbt, spiritualism, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, growing bolder spiritual communities, create a legacy, navigating transition, put a date to your goal, faith, aging, beginner mindset, appreciative inquiry, gig economy, religion, navigating transformation, spirituality in growing older, mindful practice, conservative ideologies, containers for spirituality, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, the examen, losing a loved one, moving to nyc, tim keller death, christian fundamentalism, pandemic reinvention, consistency, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, exploring the soul, early retirement, unretired false full 19 5 36dd7ffd-8d4d-4803-bf92-1cda648f039e Karen Wickre on Aging in Place As a Singleton After a Stellar Tech Career Debbie brings her friend Karen Wickre back on the show to talk about "aging in place" and other things, including being a singleton in her 70s.

They met over 20 years ago when Debbie interviewed Karen, who was editor of Google’s blog, for Debbie's book, The Corporate Blogging Book. Not surprisingly, Google was an early adopter of this new form of communication.  They've stayed in touch ever since.

Karen had a stellar career in tech, working at Google and then at Twitter. She retired when she was 65 (she didn’t call it “retirement” back then) and is now an editorial consultant. She lives alone in San Francisco where she's owned her apartment for over 20 years. Now that she’s completed a strategically-planned renovation, she plans to stay there to "age in place."

She is the author of Taking the Work Out of Networking: Your Guide to Making and Keeping Great Connections.

They talk about the power of networking, the importance of connections later in life, especially if you are a solo ager, planning ahead if you want to age in place, and what the definition of home is - beyond location - and how that might change as you grow older.

Debbie shares her thoughts about what and where home is - as she looks ahead. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. 

*****

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Karen Wickre) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie brings her friend Karen Wickre back on the show to talk about "aging in place" and other things, including being a singleton in her 70s.

They met over 20 years ago when Debbie interviewed Karen, who was editor of Google’s blog, for Debbie's book, The Corporate Blogging Book. Not surprisingly, Google was an early adopter of this new form of communication.  They've stayed in touch ever since.

Karen had a stellar career in tech, working at Google and then at Twitter. She retired when she was 65 (she didn’t call it “retirement” back then) and is now an editorial consultant. She lives alone in San Francisco where she's owned her apartment for over 20 years. Now that she’s completed a strategically-planned renovation, she plans to stay there to "age in place."

She is the author of Taking the Work Out of Networking: Your Guide to Making and Keeping Great Connections.

They talk about the power of networking, the importance of connections later in life, especially if you are a solo ager, planning ahead if you want to age in place, and what the definition of home is - beyond location - and how that might change as you grow older.

Debbie shares her thoughts about what and where home is - as she looks ahead. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. 

*****

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Karen Wickre on Aging in Place As a Singleton After a Stellar Tech Career Debbie Weil, Karen Wickre 00:33:00 Debbie talks to Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editor at Google and Twitter, about how she’s preparing to age in place, as a singleton, in her apartment in San Francisco. Debbie talks to Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editor at Google and Twitter, about how she’s preparing to age in place, as a singleton, in her apartment in San Francisco. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, aging in place, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, remodeling to age in place, networking, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, where to age, aging in san francisco, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, karen wickre, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, san francisco, semi-retirement, sf, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, right place right time, downsizing, ryan frederick, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, remodeling, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, networking magic, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, the art of networking, early retirement, corporate blogging, unretired false full 18 5 1d5b9e8f-20f8-4eb9-b97b-24a5563c18fa Best Of: Dr. Bree Johnston on Psilocybin Trips and the Growing Acceptance of Psychedelic Therapy Debbie talks with Dr. Bree Johnston, a geriatrician and palliative care physician in practice for 35 years who is also certified in psychedelic therapies. This is a re-airing of an episode published one year ago.

The topic of psychedelic therapy has gone mainstream in the past several years and especially in the past year. In the year since Debbie and Dr. Bree spoke, the use of psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics as therapy for addiction, depression and to ease fear of death has been increasingly in the news. The use of psilocybin is now legal or decriminalized in a handful of states in addition to Oregon.

Dr. Bree is an especially clear speaker and talks openly about the benefits of her own psilocybin trips. She tells us she wishes she could prescribe them for her elderly patients who are anxious about dying.

She explains everything you might want to know about different psychedelics, what their effects are, what to be wary of and more.

As to how this topic fits into aging and reinvention, Debbie says were she to receive a fatal diagnosis from cancer or another disease, she's pretty sure she would seek a guided psilocybin trip to ease fear of dying.  

 

UPDATE on legal status of psychedelics

 

 

RECENTLY IN THE NEWS:

 

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. 

*****
 

COMPLETE SHOW NOTES:

Complete show notes with more resources and links from the May 2022 airing of this episode are here.

 

NOTE FROM DEBBIE

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference.

 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

 

Media Partners

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • NEXT FOR ME: former media partner (and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)
     

Credits:

]]> Fri, 9 Jun 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Dr Bree Johnston) https://gapyearforgrownups.simplecast.com/episodes/dr-bree-johnston-2 Debbie talks with Dr. Bree Johnston, a geriatrician and palliative care physician in practice for 35 years who is also certified in psychedelic therapies. This is a re-airing of an episode published one year ago.

The topic of psychedelic therapy has gone mainstream in the past several years and especially in the past year. In the year since Debbie and Dr. Bree spoke, the use of psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics as therapy for addiction, depression and to ease fear of death has been increasingly in the news. The use of psilocybin is now legal or decriminalized in a handful of states in addition to Oregon.

Dr. Bree is an especially clear speaker and talks openly about the benefits of her own psilocybin trips. She tells us she wishes she could prescribe them for her elderly patients who are anxious about dying.

She explains everything you might want to know about different psychedelics, what their effects are, what to be wary of and more.

As to how this topic fits into aging and reinvention, Debbie says were she to receive a fatal diagnosis from cancer or another disease, she's pretty sure she would seek a guided psilocybin trip to ease fear of dying.  

 

UPDATE on legal status of psychedelics

 

 

RECENTLY IN THE NEWS:

 

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. 

*****
 

COMPLETE SHOW NOTES:

Complete show notes with more resources and links from the May 2022 airing of this episode are here.

 

NOTE FROM DEBBIE

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference.

 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

 

Media Partners

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • NEXT FOR ME: former media partner (and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)
     

Credits:

]]> Best Of: Dr. Bree Johnston on Psilocybin Trips and the Growing Acceptance of Psychedelic Therapy Debbie Weil, Dr Bree Johnston 00:47:05 Since Debbie spoke with Dr. Bree Johnston one year ago, psychedelic therapy has been legalized or decriminalized in several more states in addition to Oregon. And the topic of psychedelic therapy to treat addiction, depression and to ease fear of death is much in the news. So we are re-airing an especially informative episode that ran in May 2022. Since Debbie spoke with Dr. Bree Johnston one year ago, psychedelic therapy has been legalized or decriminalized in several more states in addition to Oregon. And the topic of psychedelic therapy to treat addiction, depression and to ease fear of death is much in the news. So we are re-airing an especially informative episode that ran in May 2022. older, beginner’s attitude, death facing depression, mindfulness practices, end of life, growth mindset, do things as tests, end of life anxiety, psychedelic therapist, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, bad trip, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, mdma, timeout, skilling up, set and setting, minimalism, psilocybin assisted therapy, experiment, experts, book writing, legality of psychedelics, mushrooms, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, fear of death, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, physician, abuse of power, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, lsd, psychedelic research, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, underground psychedelic guides, researched, ethics of psychedelics, palliative care physician, put a date to it, mystical experience, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, psilocybin, downsizing, becoming an export, johns hopkins, curiosity, writing a book, ayahuasca, easing fear of death, psilocybin research, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, oregon, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, magic mushrooms, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, psychedelic trip, mindful practice, death facing anxiety, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, professor, collective gap year, psychonaut, medical research, md, pandemic reinvention, nyu, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired, geriatrician false full 17 5 f72ce7f9-3914-479d-a661-992463f4ffeb Sari Botton on Oldster Magazine and the Hot Topic of Growing Old Debbie talks to the incomparably prolific writer and editor Sari Botton about her popular online Oldster Magazine and how the topic of growing old touches a nerve with everyone from Millennials to GenXers (she is 57) to Boomers. 

Sari Botton publishes three different newsletters on Substack and she’s got over 1,500 paying subscribers.  So growing old is definitely a hot topic - and not just for Boomers in their 60s and 70s.

Her approach to aging is interesting; in fact, she’s been obsessed with growing older since she turned 10 and entered double digits. And she says she still feels 10 or 11 inside her head. She describes aging as traveling through time in a human body—of any gender, at every phase of life. Thus Oldster Magazine is about the experience of getting older and what that means at different junctures. 

In this episode Sari and Debbie talk about ageism (what it is and isn’t); Sari's experiences of growing older (no more wooden clogs for her); and the close to 100 interviews she's done on Oldster about growing older (and what we can learn from them). They also talk about Martha Stewart’s recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover. Does it make the point that you can look good in a swimsuit at any age (Martha is 81)? That age doesn’t matter?? Or is this just Martha Stewart being Martha Stewart?

They also delve into Sari's new skincare routine (yes, a nod to getting older) and why birthday parties are so important to her.

Sari is the author of the memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself...Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo and was a contributing editor and columnist at Catapult, and the former Essays Editor for Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NewYork and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She teaches creative nonfiction at Bay Path University and Kingston Writers' Studio. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. She is the Writer in Residence in the creative writing department of SUNY New Paltz for Spring, 2023.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

More from Oldster:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.  

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • NEXT FOR ME: former media partner (and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)
     

How to Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Fri, 26 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Sari Botton, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie talks to the incomparably prolific writer and editor Sari Botton about her popular online Oldster Magazine and how the topic of growing old touches a nerve with everyone from Millennials to GenXers (she is 57) to Boomers. 

Sari Botton publishes three different newsletters on Substack and she’s got over 1,500 paying subscribers.  So growing old is definitely a hot topic - and not just for Boomers in their 60s and 70s.

Her approach to aging is interesting; in fact, she’s been obsessed with growing older since she turned 10 and entered double digits. And she says she still feels 10 or 11 inside her head. She describes aging as traveling through time in a human body—of any gender, at every phase of life. Thus Oldster Magazine is about the experience of getting older and what that means at different junctures. 

In this episode Sari and Debbie talk about ageism (what it is and isn’t); Sari's experiences of growing older (no more wooden clogs for her); and the close to 100 interviews she's done on Oldster about growing older (and what we can learn from them). They also talk about Martha Stewart’s recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover. Does it make the point that you can look good in a swimsuit at any age (Martha is 81)? That age doesn’t matter?? Or is this just Martha Stewart being Martha Stewart?

They also delve into Sari's new skincare routine (yes, a nod to getting older) and why birthday parties are so important to her.

Sari is the author of the memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself...Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo and was a contributing editor and columnist at Catapult, and the former Essays Editor for Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NewYork and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She teaches creative nonfiction at Bay Path University and Kingston Writers' Studio. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. She is the Writer in Residence in the creative writing department of SUNY New Paltz for Spring, 2023.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

More from Oldster:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.  

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • NEXT FOR ME: former media partner (and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)
     

How to Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Sari Botton on Oldster Magazine and the Hot Topic of Growing Old Sari Botton, Debbie Weil 00:32:02 Debbie talks to incomparably prolific writer and editor Sari Botton about her popular Oldster Magazine and how the topic of growing old touches a nerve with everyone from Millennials to GenXers to Boomers. Debbie talks to incomparably prolific writer and editor Sari Botton about her popular Oldster Magazine and how the topic of growing old touches a nerve with everyone from Millennials to GenXers to Boomers. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, meandering careers, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, martha stewart, ageism, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, oldster, legacy, trying new things, birthday, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, writing prompts, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, entrepreneur, aging as a woman, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, sari botton, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, writers, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, ageist, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, reflections on aging, substack, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, looking up to elders, downsizing, becoming an export, oldster magazine, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, writing exercises, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, birthday party, turning 60, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, reflections on age, gig economy, mindful practice, making a living writing, gap life, gap year after fifty, celebrating birthdays, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, self-employed, role models for aging, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, birthday parties, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, turning 30, birthday celebration, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired, meandering career false full 16 5 6decbfb0-4831-44f6-8d33-9a03540e5a1d Abigail Thomas on Life at 81: Liquid Moments, Memory, French Toast and Writing Today, Debbie speaks with bestselling author Abigail Thomas whom Stephen King calls “the Emily Dickinson of memoirists."

Her new memoir, titled "Still Life at Eighty," is a series of loosely connected essays on the topic of aging. But it's so much more than that. Abby, as she insisted that Debbie call her, is funny and frank and profane as she talks about the good and the bad of aging. Yes, there are aches and pains. No, she doesn't mind being old. In fact, she loves it. She no longer cares what people think of her and - just for the record - she is not afraid of death. As she puts it: "Please God, let there be no afterlife."

In this conversation she and Debbie talk about her writing (Debbie finds it "transcendent"), her relationship to time and memories, her longterm friendship with literary agent Chuck Verrill (who died in early 2022), and why she loves working with clay.

Abby is the daughter of renowned science writer Lewis Thomas, the mother of four children and a grandmother of 12. She is the bestselling author of several previous memoirs, including "A Three Dog Life" and "What Comes Next and How to Like It." She lives in Woodstock, NY with her dogs, where she writes and teaches writing.
 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

"STILL LIFE AT EIGHTY is a little jewel box of a book, full of epiphanies that are comforting and merciless in the gentlest possible way. Both a series of meditations and a user’s manual about growing old, I was amazed by its clarity... Even the title, with its deliberate ambiguity, is a very cool thing." — Stephen King

PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Waddell

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.
 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 12 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Abigail Thomas) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie speaks with bestselling author Abigail Thomas whom Stephen King calls “the Emily Dickinson of memoirists."

Her new memoir, titled "Still Life at Eighty," is a series of loosely connected essays on the topic of aging. But it's so much more than that. Abby, as she insisted that Debbie call her, is funny and frank and profane as she talks about the good and the bad of aging. Yes, there are aches and pains. No, she doesn't mind being old. In fact, she loves it. She no longer cares what people think of her and - just for the record - she is not afraid of death. As she puts it: "Please God, let there be no afterlife."

In this conversation she and Debbie talk about her writing (Debbie finds it "transcendent"), her relationship to time and memories, her longterm friendship with literary agent Chuck Verrill (who died in early 2022), and why she loves working with clay.

Abby is the daughter of renowned science writer Lewis Thomas, the mother of four children and a grandmother of 12. She is the bestselling author of several previous memoirs, including "A Three Dog Life" and "What Comes Next and How to Like It." She lives in Woodstock, NY with her dogs, where she writes and teaches writing.
 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

"STILL LIFE AT EIGHTY is a little jewel box of a book, full of epiphanies that are comforting and merciless in the gentlest possible way. Both a series of meditations and a user’s manual about growing old, I was amazed by its clarity... Even the title, with its deliberate ambiguity, is a very cool thing." — Stephen King

PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Waddell

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.
 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Abigail Thomas on Life at 81: Liquid Moments, Memory, French Toast and Writing Debbie Weil, Abigail Thomas 00:38:33 Debbie talks with bestselling author Abigail Thomas about her extraordinary new memoir “Still Life at Eighty” and why she loves being old. Debbie talks with bestselling author Abigail Thomas about her extraordinary new memoir “Still Life at Eighty” and why she loves being old. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, writing workshops, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, 80s, time, being 70, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, long term friendship, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, editor, timeout, skilling up, writing prompts, cancer, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, fleeting moments, positive aging, gapyear, aging creatively, planning a gap year, recognized experts, art at 80, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, dying, art, french toast, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, abigail thomas, curious mindset, life at 80, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, time passing, friendship, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, afterlife, early 80s, curiosity, writing a book, walking with a cane, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, death, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, people dying, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, early 70s, approaching death, creativity, still life, gap life, gap year after fifty, aging body, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, life, sweet tooth, retirement, failure, clay, aging well, collective gap year, 70s, essays, imperfection, cane, still life at 80, creative writing, growing bolder, relationship to time, being 80, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired, writing essays false full 15 5 c32279c8-dc46-405d-820d-8f340ba375ff Best Of: Plague Expert Nicholas Christakis on Why the Pandemic Will End in 2024 Today, Debbie re-runs the single most popular of 100+ episodes of [B]OLDER. Exactly two years ago, in the spring of 2021, she asked plague expert Nicholas Christakis, a distinguished Yale professor and author,  the burning question: when will the COVID-19 pandemic end? 

His answer: 2024. It startled her and burst her bubble of optimism. Vaccines were widely available by then and it seemed like the beginning of the end. Surely he was exaggerating how long it would take for the COVID pandemic to wind down? No, it was only the end of the beginning, he told her.

Today that makes sense. And of course, it was prescient.

Tune into a re-run of one of the most fascinating episodes of [B]OLDER. (Note that Debbie refers to it as The Gap Year Podcast, the name she gave the podcast during the height of the pandemic. It's now the [B]OLDER podcast. Same podcast; different name.)

PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Mann

 

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. 

*****

 

SHOW NOTES from the original interview with Nicholas Christakis (May 7, 2021)

Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, and a Sterling Professor at Yale, has been named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. His fluency in explaining the intertwined science, epidemiology, psychology, sociology and history of pandemics - and his sense of humor - make this a compelling episode. 

  • You’ll hear why he chose to publish his latest book, Apollo’s Arrow, in the fall of 2020, before we knew the end of the story of COVID-19
  • How his childhood experiences with illness and death affected his career choices
  • What the predictable three phases of a pandemic are (in 2021 we were still in the immediate phase)
  • Why he thinks this pandemic won’t be over until 2024
  • They also talked about separating the biological vs. the psychological impacts of the pandemic
  • What herd immunity actually means and whether we’ll get there
  • And what the public health messaging around the pandemic should be

Debbie asks him point blank: when is the next pandemic? The answer is unnerving – sooner than you might think.

 

About Nicholas Christakis

 

Books by Nicholas Christakis

 

Articles and interviews

 

Mentioned or useful

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

 

 

]]> Fri, 28 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Nicholas Christakis) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie re-runs the single most popular of 100+ episodes of [B]OLDER. Exactly two years ago, in the spring of 2021, she asked plague expert Nicholas Christakis, a distinguished Yale professor and author,  the burning question: when will the COVID-19 pandemic end? 

His answer: 2024. It startled her and burst her bubble of optimism. Vaccines were widely available by then and it seemed like the beginning of the end. Surely he was exaggerating how long it would take for the COVID pandemic to wind down? No, it was only the end of the beginning, he told her.

Today that makes sense. And of course, it was prescient.

Tune into a re-run of one of the most fascinating episodes of [B]OLDER. (Note that Debbie refers to it as The Gap Year Podcast, the name she gave the podcast during the height of the pandemic. It's now the [B]OLDER podcast. Same podcast; different name.)

PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Mann

 

*****

NEW! Subscribe to Debbie's Substack.
Substack is the new home for Debbie's regular newsletter. She offers behind-the-scenes commentary on the latest episodes of the podcast. She also writes in more depth, from a personal perspective, about the land of the old: the positives, the negatives, and the surprises. 

*****

 

SHOW NOTES from the original interview with Nicholas Christakis (May 7, 2021)

Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, and a Sterling Professor at Yale, has been named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. His fluency in explaining the intertwined science, epidemiology, psychology, sociology and history of pandemics - and his sense of humor - make this a compelling episode. 

  • You’ll hear why he chose to publish his latest book, Apollo’s Arrow, in the fall of 2020, before we knew the end of the story of COVID-19
  • How his childhood experiences with illness and death affected his career choices
  • What the predictable three phases of a pandemic are (in 2021 we were still in the immediate phase)
  • Why he thinks this pandemic won’t be over until 2024
  • They also talked about separating the biological vs. the psychological impacts of the pandemic
  • What herd immunity actually means and whether we’ll get there
  • And what the public health messaging around the pandemic should be

Debbie asks him point blank: when is the next pandemic? The answer is unnerving – sooner than you might think.

 

About Nicholas Christakis

 

Books by Nicholas Christakis

 

Articles and interviews

 

Mentioned or useful

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

 

 

]]> Best Of: Plague Expert Nicholas Christakis on Why the Pandemic Will End in 2024 Debbie Weil, Nicholas Christakis 00:55:56 Debbie re-runs the single most popular of 100+ episodes of [B]OLDER. Two years ago, in 2021, she asked plague expert Nicholas Christakis, a Yale professor and author, the burning question: when will the COVID-19 pandemic end? His answer: 2024. That startled her. Now it makes sense. And of course, it was prescient. Debbie re-runs the single most popular of 100+ episodes of [B]OLDER. Two years ago, in 2021, she asked plague expert Nicholas Christakis, a Yale professor and author, the burning question: when will the COVID-19 pandemic end? His answer: 2024. That startled her. Now it makes sense. And of course, it was prescient. mindfulness practices, get the shot, intuition, pandemic book, covid19 and children, nicholas christakis, end of the pandemic, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, get vaccinated, vaccine passports, quarantine, apollo’s arrow, doctor, spanish flu, shifting gears, modern medicine, trump administration, pandemic, gap year project, social effects of the pandemic, 2020, lies, herd immunity, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, medicine, phases of a pandemic, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, phases of a plague, sociologist, covid19 herd immunity, lockdown, historical plagues, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, all together, thinking about a gap year, covid 19 vaccine, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, intentional pause, christakis, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, all in this together, routine, anxiety during pandemic, phases of epidemic, vaccines, covid 19, phases of an epidemic, covid19 children, plague, gig economy, misinformation, grandchildren, mindful practice, next pandemic, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, next epidemic, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, get the vaccine, year off work, retirement, covid 19 herd immunity, pandemic phase, children, sanity during pandemic, biden administration, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, vaccine messaging, epidemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, sociology, influenza, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, next plague, keeping sane false full 14 5 e069a666-0d31-40c0-8eb2-99456dc137f8 One Year Later: Richard Eisenberg on the Unretired Life Debbie brings veteran journalist and prolific freelance writer Richard Eisenberg back on the podcast one year after he "unretired" from full-time work as managing editor of Next Avenue. When they spoke a year ago, he was just embarking on his new life. Today, he reflects on surprises, what he's learned, what he's working on, and more.

Richard defines unretirement as a mixture of paid and unpaid work, as well as the opportunity to delve into unexplored passions, travel, volunteer, and spend more time with family.

He tells Debbie that the biggest surprise so far is how challenging it has been to adjust to a wide-open schedule on his calendar. He has lots of days with a full plate but the blank days are discomfiting. Debbie suggests that he cheat and put "take a walk" or "pick up the dry cleaning" on his Apple calendar. He reveals that he much prefers a paper calendar and carries one around with him, with his appointments entered, changed, and scratched off.

He and Debbie also discuss ageism, the ethics of writing with help from AI (aka Chat GPT), and fraudulent Medicare Advantage marketing. They also talk about the increasing number of age-friendly jobs and why older workers (who value flexibility, autonomy, etc.) are NOT getting them.

This is a great conversation from a down-to-earth practitioner of the art of unretirement. You'll find links to some of his recent articles in the show notes below. All are about issues related to retirement and aging.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Recent Articles

 

Books he’s read and enjoyed recently:

 

[B]OLDER podcast episodes about intergenerational collaboration:

 

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

How to Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Richard Eisenberg, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie brings veteran journalist and prolific freelance writer Richard Eisenberg back on the podcast one year after he "unretired" from full-time work as managing editor of Next Avenue. When they spoke a year ago, he was just embarking on his new life. Today, he reflects on surprises, what he's learned, what he's working on, and more.

Richard defines unretirement as a mixture of paid and unpaid work, as well as the opportunity to delve into unexplored passions, travel, volunteer, and spend more time with family.

He tells Debbie that the biggest surprise so far is how challenging it has been to adjust to a wide-open schedule on his calendar. He has lots of days with a full plate but the blank days are discomfiting. Debbie suggests that he cheat and put "take a walk" or "pick up the dry cleaning" on his Apple calendar. He reveals that he much prefers a paper calendar and carries one around with him, with his appointments entered, changed, and scratched off.

He and Debbie also discuss ageism, the ethics of writing with help from AI (aka Chat GPT), and fraudulent Medicare Advantage marketing. They also talk about the increasing number of age-friendly jobs and why older workers (who value flexibility, autonomy, etc.) are NOT getting them.

This is a great conversation from a down-to-earth practitioner of the art of unretirement. You'll find links to some of his recent articles in the show notes below. All are about issues related to retirement and aging.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Recent Articles

 

Books he’s read and enjoyed recently:

 

[B]OLDER podcast episodes about intergenerational collaboration:

 

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

How to Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> One Year Later: Richard Eisenberg on the Unretired Life Richard Eisenberg, Debbie Weil 00:35:41 Debbie talks to veteran journalist and prolific writer Richard Eisenberg about his first year of unretirement: the adjustments, the travels and the meaningful work. Debbie talks to veteran journalist and prolific writer Richard Eisenberg about his first year of unretirement: the adjustments, the travels and the meaningful work. older, beginner’s attitude, intergenerational collaboration, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, age friendly employers, ageism, unretirement, intergenerational work, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, digital nomad, gap year project, retiring, traveling retired, strategic thinking, editor, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, medicare, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, internal ageism, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, ageism at work, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, travel plans, retired editor, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, favorite books, curiosity, writing a book, age friendly, unretired nomad, travel, long-term thinking, writer, child-like mindset, age friendly workplace, bolder, books, richard eisenberg, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, ageist preconceptions, mindful practice, age friendly jobs, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, the next 20 years, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, retired traveling, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired, chatgpt false full 13 5 f22de164-1d39-437b-9786-d2882111f8ef 100th Episode: Guy Kawasaki on ChatGPT, Remarkable People & Why Podcasting Is His Ikigai Debbie brings back a favorite recurring guest, Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki, to talk about legacy, aging, ChatGPT, why podcasting is his "ikigai," and more  — and to celebrate the 100th episode of [B]OLDER.

Guy is the original Apple evangelist, a prolific author, a surfer (at age 68), and perhaps most importantly, a podcaster. Guy is the creator and host of the popular Remarkable People podcast. 

Podcasting is his ikigai (a Japanese expression meaning reason for being or purpose) and Remarkable People is his best work, he says.

He and Debbie discuss ChatGPT, the natural language processing tool driven by AI  that everyone is talking about. Guy offers ways he is using ChatGPT, including:

- To write a first draft of a podcast intro for a guest

- To write form letters to an insurance company (he settled his claim favorably!)

- To write the first draft of his new book (based on his podcast). He is using ChatGPT as a more powerful thesaurus and in other ways.

Listen to the episode for more tips and to hear how Guy makes Debbie laugh - and think.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Episodes of Remarkable People that Debbie has especially enjoyed or that Guy mentioned:


Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.


Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 


Connect with Debbie:


Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)


How to Support this podcast:


Credits:

]]> Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Guy Kawasaki) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie brings back a favorite recurring guest, Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki, to talk about legacy, aging, ChatGPT, why podcasting is his "ikigai," and more  — and to celebrate the 100th episode of [B]OLDER.

Guy is the original Apple evangelist, a prolific author, a surfer (at age 68), and perhaps most importantly, a podcaster. Guy is the creator and host of the popular Remarkable People podcast. 

Podcasting is his ikigai (a Japanese expression meaning reason for being or purpose) and Remarkable People is his best work, he says.

He and Debbie discuss ChatGPT, the natural language processing tool driven by AI  that everyone is talking about. Guy offers ways he is using ChatGPT, including:

- To write a first draft of a podcast intro for a guest

- To write form letters to an insurance company (he settled his claim favorably!)

- To write the first draft of his new book (based on his podcast). He is using ChatGPT as a more powerful thesaurus and in other ways.

Listen to the episode for more tips and to hear how Guy makes Debbie laugh - and think.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Episodes of Remarkable People that Debbie has especially enjoyed or that Guy mentioned:


Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.


Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 


Connect with Debbie:


Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)


How to Support this podcast:


Credits:

]]> 100th Episode: Guy Kawasaki on ChatGPT, Remarkable People & Why Podcasting Is His Ikigai Debbie Weil, Guy Kawasaki 00:38:40 Debbie brings Guy Kawasaki back on the podcast to talk about legacy, aging and old age, why podcasting is his ikigai (i.e. purpose or reason for being) — and to celebrate the 100th episode of [B]OLDER. Debbie brings Guy Kawasaki back on the podcast to talk about legacy, aging and old age, why podcasting is his ikigai (i.e. purpose or reason for being) — and to celebrate the 100th episode of [B]OLDER. older, beginner’s attitude, the remarkable mindset, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, remarkable lives, pay-it-forward, interview, inspiring people, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, growing your audience, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, legacy, trying new things, journalism, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, tech worlds, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, ai-assisted writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, podcast guests, work, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, monetization, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, remarkable, surfing, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, ai, podcast, remarkable things, remarkable life, tech, put a date to it, remarkable people, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, interviews, surf, reporting, chat gbt, curiosity, writing a book, audience, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, santa cruz, monetizing a podcast, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, inspiring, put a date to your goal, reported, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, purpose, obituary, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, sponsor, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, monetizing, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, guy kawasaki, podcasting, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 12 5 bfe6df58-a743-4865-80c8-33161ac1f7dd Expat Bonnie Lee Black on the Pros (& Very Few Cons) of Retiring to San Miguel de Allende Debbie Weil talks to Bonnie Lee Black, an author and blogger who retired in her 70s to affordable and magical San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

SMA, as it's called, has become a haven for expat retirees, especially single older women. It has been named (three times in a row) the Best Small City in the World by Condé Nast Traveler.  And it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Debbie and her husband Sam spent three weeks there in February '23  and were charmed by the Spanish colonial architecture, the cobblestone streets, the tiny shops, the rooftop restaurants, the perfect weather, and of course the pink wedding cake cathedral, referred to as the Parroquia, in the main square.

While they are not seriously considering retiring there, Debbie was intrigued by Bonnie's blog and her experiences as a permanente (permanent resident). Bonnie's blog post titled Watch Your Step (about the dangerously uneven sidewalks) caught Debbie's attention so she reached out to invite her onto the podcast. They subsequently became friends.

Bonnie has been a professional writer and editor for more than 40 years (she's the author of five books), was an  educator in the U.S., and now writes a popular weekly blog, the WOW Factor.

Bonnie gives Debbie an insider's perspective on living full time in this beautiful place. First among the many pros is the low cost of living, making SMA affordable for single women living on a fixed income. And then there's the weather (yes, hard to overstate how perfect it is), the absence of ageism, the kindness of the people, the endless number of volunteer opportunities and classes to take and more. 

And she shares the one con for older retirees that Debbie noticed immediately upon arriving: those sidewalks.

Bonnie also interviewed Debbie  as part of her series on WOW (wise older women).

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

San Miguel de Allende

 

Recommended books about SMA

 

Selected WOW Factor blog posts:

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.  

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Bonnie Lee Black) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil talks to Bonnie Lee Black, an author and blogger who retired in her 70s to affordable and magical San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

SMA, as it's called, has become a haven for expat retirees, especially single older women. It has been named (three times in a row) the Best Small City in the World by Condé Nast Traveler.  And it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Debbie and her husband Sam spent three weeks there in February '23  and were charmed by the Spanish colonial architecture, the cobblestone streets, the tiny shops, the rooftop restaurants, the perfect weather, and of course the pink wedding cake cathedral, referred to as the Parroquia, in the main square.

While they are not seriously considering retiring there, Debbie was intrigued by Bonnie's blog and her experiences as a permanente (permanent resident). Bonnie's blog post titled Watch Your Step (about the dangerously uneven sidewalks) caught Debbie's attention so she reached out to invite her onto the podcast. They subsequently became friends.

Bonnie has been a professional writer and editor for more than 40 years (she's the author of five books), was an  educator in the U.S., and now writes a popular weekly blog, the WOW Factor.

Bonnie gives Debbie an insider's perspective on living full time in this beautiful place. First among the many pros is the low cost of living, making SMA affordable for single women living on a fixed income. And then there's the weather (yes, hard to overstate how perfect it is), the absence of ageism, the kindness of the people, the endless number of volunteer opportunities and classes to take and more. 

And she shares the one con for older retirees that Debbie noticed immediately upon arriving: those sidewalks.

Bonnie also interviewed Debbie  as part of her series on WOW (wise older women).

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

San Miguel de Allende

 

Recommended books about SMA

 

Selected WOW Factor blog posts:

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.  

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Expat Bonnie Lee Black on the Pros (& Very Few Cons) of Retiring to San Miguel de Allende Debbie Weil, Bonnie Lee Black 00:32:14 Host Debbie Weil talks to Bonnie Lee Black, an author and blogger who retired in her 70s to affordable and magical San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Host Debbie Weil talks to Bonnie Lee Black, an author and blogger who retired in her 70s to affordable and magical San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, learning a new language, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, traveling as an expat, living a purposeful life, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, aging woman, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, retirement strategy, retirement plan, aging as a woman, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, retired expat, blog writing, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, being old and respected, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, making friends as an expat, curious mindset, semi-retirement, writing a blog, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, mexico, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, retiring abroad, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, living with purpose, retired travel, lack of ageism, curiosity, writing a book, mexican healthcare, retire in mexico, friendships after 60, expat retiree, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, friendships after 70, beginner mindset, cost of living, gig economy, sma, san miguel de allende, mindful practice, learning spanish, aging women body image, gap life, gap year after fifty, traveling on a budget, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, making friends in retirement, blog, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, the craft of writing, woman aging, retiring in mexico, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, being a permanente in mexico, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, permanente, unretired false full 11 5 2b6e7d76-5836-48cd-ae23-712fcd56978d Star Bradbury on How to Successfully Navigate the Care of Elderly Parents Debbie talks to eldercare expert Star Bradbury about some of the most important topics in her comprehensive new book, Successfully Navigating Your Parents' Senior Years: Critical Information to Maximize Their Independence and Make Sure They Get the Care They Need (BenBella Books, March 21, 2023).

Soon after they spoke, Debbie's 92-year-old mother died unexpectedly, making the conversation especially timely.

Star's book is a compendium of how to plan and care for an elderly parent - or your own care many years down the road. She covers every topic you could think of including different types of assisted living and home care, assistive robots for seniors (yes, it's a thing), living wills and advance directives, hospice and death doulas, cremation and green burials, and much more.

"Expect the unexpected" is part of her message. And In my family's case, we were unprepared. We were stunned when our mom died. We had expected our dad to go first.

The book is the result of her 25 years of experience in senior healthcare and senior living and her answer to the overwhelming complexity  of options and situations when it comes to aging parents.

Star is also speaking to those of us in our 60s and 70s (and younger) who should be looking at planning for what she calls “post-retirement."

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 3 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Star Bradbury, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie talks to eldercare expert Star Bradbury about some of the most important topics in her comprehensive new book, Successfully Navigating Your Parents' Senior Years: Critical Information to Maximize Their Independence and Make Sure They Get the Care They Need (BenBella Books, March 21, 2023).

Soon after they spoke, Debbie's 92-year-old mother died unexpectedly, making the conversation especially timely.

Star's book is a compendium of how to plan and care for an elderly parent - or your own care many years down the road. She covers every topic you could think of including different types of assisted living and home care, assistive robots for seniors (yes, it's a thing), living wills and advance directives, hospice and death doulas, cremation and green burials, and much more.

"Expect the unexpected" is part of her message. And In my family's case, we were unprepared. We were stunned when our mom died. We had expected our dad to go first.

The book is the result of her 25 years of experience in senior healthcare and senior living and her answer to the overwhelming complexity  of options and situations when it comes to aging parents.

Star is also speaking to those of us in our 60s and 70s (and younger) who should be looking at planning for what she calls “post-retirement."

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Star Bradbury on How to Successfully Navigate the Care of Elderly Parents Star Bradbury, Debbie Weil 00:25:36 Debbie talks with eldercare expert Star Bradbury about her new book and about successfully navigating our parents’ senior years - and thinking ahead to our own. Debbie talks with eldercare expert Star Bradbury about her new book and about successfully navigating our parents’ senior years - and thinking ahead to our own. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, aging in place, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, the conversation project, trying new things, keeping our independence, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, just in time planning, caregiving, minimalism, experiment, experts, dying with dignity, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, assisted living, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, maximizing independence, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, loneliness, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, adapting to change, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, the conversation, make your life an adventure, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, assisted living facility, resiliency, curiosity, writing a book, end-of-life, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, bravery, gap life, gap year after fifty, independence as we age, aging successfully, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, do things before a crisis hits, successful aging, growing bolder, realistic optimism, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, do things before you’re ready, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, staying flexible, elderly parent, early retirement, unretired false full 10 5 544d571a-cd65-4b05-b940-4de37a8c1904 Debbie & Julie-Roxane on Different Styles of Decision-Making No Matter Your Age Today, Debbie brings her producer and friend Julie-Roxane back on the podcast to talk about decision-making.

When you plan ahead 10, 15 or 20 years how do you make the right decisions knowing the future is always uncertain?

Julie-Roxane, 30, and Debbie, 71, discuss the challenges of decision-making, whether it’s deciding to have children or planning for old age.

They talk about the concept of maximiser vs. satisficer, two different approaches to decision-making. (Can you guess which is more effective?) They end by reversing roles and giving each other advice about big upcoming decisions. 

Tune in for a rich intergenerational conversation.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Previous episodes with Debbie and Julie-Roxane:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

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]]> Fri, 17 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Julie-Roxane Krikorian) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie brings her producer and friend Julie-Roxane back on the podcast to talk about decision-making.

When you plan ahead 10, 15 or 20 years how do you make the right decisions knowing the future is always uncertain?

Julie-Roxane, 30, and Debbie, 71, discuss the challenges of decision-making, whether it’s deciding to have children or planning for old age.

They talk about the concept of maximiser vs. satisficer, two different approaches to decision-making. (Can you guess which is more effective?) They end by reversing roles and giving each other advice about big upcoming decisions. 

Tune in for a rich intergenerational conversation.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Previous episodes with Debbie and Julie-Roxane:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Julie-Roxane on Different Styles of Decision-Making No Matter Your Age Debbie Weil, Julie-Roxane Krikorian 00:29:01 Debbie and her producer and friend Julie-Roxane discuss decision-making styles whether you're planning ahead in your youth or in old age. Debbie and her producer and friend Julie-Roxane discuss decision-making styles whether you're planning ahead in your youth or in old age. older, beginner’s attitude, intergenerational collaboration, julie-roxane krikorian, intergenerational, mindfulness practices, julie-roxane, elder care, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, aging in place, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, maximiser, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, caregiving, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, decision making, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, dying, assisted living, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, elderly, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, planning for old age, learn new things, reinvention, maximizer, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, caregiver, put a date to it, intergenerational living, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, assisted living facility, growing old, sickness, curiosity, writing a book, preparing for the future, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, caretaking, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, decision, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, making decisions, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, old age, collective gap year, growing bolder, satisficer, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, planning, executive coaching, planning ahead, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 9 5 c25db6d2-94cc-484b-a4d6-70f970737976 Debbie & Sam on 50 Years of Marriage: Gratitude, Celebration... and Grief Debbie brings her favorite recurring guest, husband Sam Harrington, back onto the show. This is a special episode because they are celebrating 50 years of marriage today, Feb. 3, 2023.

They were married a half century ago, in 1973. It was truly another age,  pre-Internet and so much more. They were both 21. That's an astonishing fact: they were obviously too young to get married. But they did and the marriage has lasted. 

They acknowledge how lucky they are and how much they have to be grateful for.  They have six grandchildren, they like hanging out together, and Sam is still teasing Debbie and making her laugh.

They talk about the trivial and the existential and how it's okay to feel grief when they look back at their youthful passion and how young and beautiful they were. And how now is a time to think about their mortality and to try and enjoy each present moment.

Things do change in a long marriage, as you’ll hear. 

One thing doesn’t, however.  As always, Debbie and Sam disagree about a lot of things. "But that's all good..." A phrase they've adopted after watching W1A, a very funny British TV series starring Hugh Bonneville.
 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Previous episodes featuring Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 3 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s5-ep8-debbie-sam-on-50-years-of-marriage-gratitude-celebration-and-grief/ Debbie brings her favorite recurring guest, husband Sam Harrington, back onto the show. This is a special episode because they are celebrating 50 years of marriage today, Feb. 3, 2023.

They were married a half century ago, in 1973. It was truly another age,  pre-Internet and so much more. They were both 21. That's an astonishing fact: they were obviously too young to get married. But they did and the marriage has lasted. 

They acknowledge how lucky they are and how much they have to be grateful for.  They have six grandchildren, they like hanging out together, and Sam is still teasing Debbie and making her laugh.

They talk about the trivial and the existential and how it's okay to feel grief when they look back at their youthful passion and how young and beautiful they were. And how now is a time to think about their mortality and to try and enjoy each present moment.

Things do change in a long marriage, as you’ll hear. 

One thing doesn’t, however.  As always, Debbie and Sam disagree about a lot of things. "But that's all good..." A phrase they've adopted after watching W1A, a very funny British TV series starring Hugh Bonneville.
 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Previous episodes featuring Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam on 50 Years of Marriage: Gratitude, Celebration... and Grief Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:29:30 Debbie and Sam talk about 50 years of marriage in this episode: gratitude, celebration, grief, mortality, and appreciating the present moment. Feb. 3, 2023 is their 50th anniversary. Debbie and Sam talk about 50 years of marriage in this episode: gratitude, celebration, grief, mortality, and appreciating the present moment. Feb. 3, 2023 is their 50th anniversary. older, beginner’s attitude, present moment, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, success, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, gifts, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, parenting, celebration, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, relationship, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, being in the present moment, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, golden wedding anniversary, curious mindset, present, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, 50 years married, raising children, time passing, presents, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, grief, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, wedding anniversary, curiosity, writing a book, time’s passing, raising grandchildren, 50 years of marriage, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, grateful, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, thankful, mindful practice, 50th wedding anniversary, home, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gratitude, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, mortality, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, grandparenting, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, older relationship, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 8 5 9389bce7-a16b-4db3-bb56-ef34f900f902 Andrew Steele on Research at the Cellular Level That Could Slow Aging Today Debbie tackles the topic of aging (better? longer??) with Andrew Steele, an ebullient British scientist, writer and author of Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old.

After earning a PhD in physics from Oxford, Andrew decided that aging -  not cancer or other diseases - was the single most important scientific challenge of our time. Why? Because of the suffering that goes along with old age.

So he switched fields to biogerontology, the study of the processes of aging at the cellular level.

Andrew, 37, doesn’t advocate for immortality. As he puts it: “It’s not about extending lifespan, but rather healthspan." His interest, he maintains, is in helping humans stay healthier longer. 

Debbie asks Andrew what the most important biological aging processes are. He responds with a clear explanation of cell biology as it relates to aging: from senescent cells and cellular exhaustion to your epigenetic age, and more.

And he explains that some of these genes and processes can be manipulated to slow or possibly reverse aging - at least, so far, in worms and mice.

Andrew is exuberant and makes everything understandable.


They talk about:

  • The 10 hallmarks of the aging process
  • Specifically, how research on worms and mice translates to humans
  • Why 65 - 70 could be the ideal age to take an anti-aging pill (no, it doesn't exist yet)


They also discuss:

  • Dietary restriction (a topic of aging research since the 1950s)
  • Why the mega-wealthy are so interested in biohacking to improve health and extend life
  • Moral and ethical implications of humans living much longer


This is an important conversation and we hope you will find it as thought provoking as we did.  

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Andrew's book and bonus chapter


Articles and references

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 20 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Andrew Steele) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s5-ep7-andrew-steele-on-research-at-the-cellular-level-to-slow-aging/ Today Debbie tackles the topic of aging (better? longer??) with Andrew Steele, an ebullient British scientist, writer and author of Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old.

After earning a PhD in physics from Oxford, Andrew decided that aging -  not cancer or other diseases - was the single most important scientific challenge of our time. Why? Because of the suffering that goes along with old age.

So he switched fields to biogerontology, the study of the processes of aging at the cellular level.

Andrew, 37, doesn’t advocate for immortality. As he puts it: “It’s not about extending lifespan, but rather healthspan." His interest, he maintains, is in helping humans stay healthier longer. 

Debbie asks Andrew what the most important biological aging processes are. He responds with a clear explanation of cell biology as it relates to aging: from senescent cells and cellular exhaustion to your epigenetic age, and more.

And he explains that some of these genes and processes can be manipulated to slow or possibly reverse aging - at least, so far, in worms and mice.

Andrew is exuberant and makes everything understandable.


They talk about:

  • The 10 hallmarks of the aging process
  • Specifically, how research on worms and mice translates to humans
  • Why 65 - 70 could be the ideal age to take an anti-aging pill (no, it doesn't exist yet)


They also discuss:

  • Dietary restriction (a topic of aging research since the 1950s)
  • Why the mega-wealthy are so interested in biohacking to improve health and extend life
  • Moral and ethical implications of humans living much longer


This is an important conversation and we hope you will find it as thought provoking as we did.  

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


Andrew's book and bonus chapter


Articles and references

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Andrew Steele on Research at the Cellular Level That Could Slow Aging Debbie Weil, Andrew Steele 00:44:21 Debbie talks to ebullient author and scientist Andrew Steele about the biological processes of aging and how the newest research could slow aging in humans. Debbie talks to ebullient author and scientist Andrew Steele about the biological processes of aging and how the newest research could slow aging in humans. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, research, growth mindset, live healthier, healthspan vs lifespan, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, overpopulation, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, cure aging, legacy, modern medicine, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, aging biology, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, nutrition, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, curing aging, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, andrew steele, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, healthspan, stop aging, curious mindset, growing healthier, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, aging research, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, aging process, put a date to it, climate change, book coaching, switching gears, biohacking, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, biogerontology, anti-aging, diet restrictions, curiosity, writing a book, scientific research, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, live longer, aging, beginner mindset, diet, aging biologist, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, biogeriatry, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, epigenetic age, unretired false full 7 5 194a42c3-d839-47fd-a991-a085684613ec Jane Brody on Life and Lessons from a Half Century at The New York Times Today, Debbie talks to Jane Brody, the renowned New York Times columnist who until last year wrote the popular weekly Personal Health column. 

In this episode, she reflects on her 57-year career at the Times. They talk about how she moved from biochemistry to journalism and how she got hired by the Times at age 24.

Instead of wilting under discouraging words from the editor who was interviewing her for a job, she responded, "Mr. Rosenthal, if I didn't think I could do this job, I wouldn't be here." Abe Rosenthal was the managing editor and later the legendary executive editor of The New York Times. 

Jane applied her no-nonsense style to reporting, writing with a distinctive mix of personal anecdotes, interviews with experts and scientific fact.

 She started the Personal Health column in 1976 (right when Debbie was starting work as a reporter). She  invented the topic of personal health with the goal of teaching readers how to lead better, healthier lives. The column covered everything from common diseases to cancers to death and dying, as well as wellness, exercise, and nutrition.

Jane talks about what it was like to be a woman in an almost all-male newsroom and how squeamish editors wouldn’t let her use the words sexual intercourse or penis. She changed that. 

She also tells us why she decided to retire at age 80 and what her new retired life looks like. 

Debbie hopes you'll enjoy listening to this episode as much as she did recording it. Jane Brody does not disappoint on the topic of making the most of growing older.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Articles by Jane Brody

 

Articles about Jane:

 

Mentioned writers and editors:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 6 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Jane Brody) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks to Jane Brody, the renowned New York Times columnist who until last year wrote the popular weekly Personal Health column. 

In this episode, she reflects on her 57-year career at the Times. They talk about how she moved from biochemistry to journalism and how she got hired by the Times at age 24.

Instead of wilting under discouraging words from the editor who was interviewing her for a job, she responded, "Mr. Rosenthal, if I didn't think I could do this job, I wouldn't be here." Abe Rosenthal was the managing editor and later the legendary executive editor of The New York Times. 

Jane applied her no-nonsense style to reporting, writing with a distinctive mix of personal anecdotes, interviews with experts and scientific fact.

 She started the Personal Health column in 1976 (right when Debbie was starting work as a reporter). She  invented the topic of personal health with the goal of teaching readers how to lead better, healthier lives. The column covered everything from common diseases to cancers to death and dying, as well as wellness, exercise, and nutrition.

Jane talks about what it was like to be a woman in an almost all-male newsroom and how squeamish editors wouldn’t let her use the words sexual intercourse or penis. She changed that. 

She also tells us why she decided to retire at age 80 and what her new retired life looks like. 

Debbie hopes you'll enjoy listening to this episode as much as she did recording it. Jane Brody does not disappoint on the topic of making the most of growing older.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Articles by Jane Brody

 

Articles about Jane:

 

Mentioned writers and editors:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Jane Brody on Life and Lessons from a Half Century at The New York Times Debbie Weil, Jane Brody 00:36:32 Debbie interviews "High Priestess of Health" Jane Brody on her 57-year career as a columnist for The New York Times. Debbie interviews "High Priestess of Health" Jane Brody on her 57-year career as a columnist for The New York Times. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, sabbatical, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, journalism, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, new york times, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, science journalism, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, personal health, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, nyt column, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, year off, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, nyt, put a date to your goal, aging, jane brody nyt, beginner mindset, gig economy, life after retirement, newspaper column, mindful practice, health routine, career lessons, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, retirement, failure, aging well, retired routine, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, lessons from a long career, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, jane brody, unretired false full 6 5 4d274a72-a335-4ced-b3be-8db3d48ab87b Clementina Esposito on Memoir Writing, the Ugly Truth, and the Impact of the Spoken Word Debbie Weil talks to friend and exceptional writing teacher Clementina Esposito about memoir, the difficulty of sharing ugly truths, and why making meaning through writing matters. 

Clementina is founder of the Clementina Collective, a collaborative created to help entrepreneurs and visionary leaders advance their causes and their careers through writing and speaking. 

In Clementina's words: "No one writes alone, everyone values the power of a well-told story, and ugly truths become beautiful in the end.” 

Debbie met Clementina a half dozen years ago when Clementina coached her in a public speaking program. They've been friends ever since.

Clementina has been teaching memoir writing to a group of older students (60s to 80s). She and Debbie discuss the importance of reading aloud - of performing - what you’ve written and how maybe that should be a  goal instead of publication. Reading out loud builds community and intimacy. 

They also talk about the difficulty and challenge of finding your voice and speaking your truth and sharing it with others – especially if you think it’s an ugly truth. 

And they conclude by agreeing that anyone can be a writer. Even if you doubt yourself, sharing your writing is how you make meaning of your life... and help your readers do the same.

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Debbie's recommended books about memoir writing:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Clementina Esposito) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil talks to friend and exceptional writing teacher Clementina Esposito about memoir, the difficulty of sharing ugly truths, and why making meaning through writing matters. 

Clementina is founder of the Clementina Collective, a collaborative created to help entrepreneurs and visionary leaders advance their causes and their careers through writing and speaking. 

In Clementina's words: "No one writes alone, everyone values the power of a well-told story, and ugly truths become beautiful in the end.” 

Debbie met Clementina a half dozen years ago when Clementina coached her in a public speaking program. They've been friends ever since.

Clementina has been teaching memoir writing to a group of older students (60s to 80s). She and Debbie discuss the importance of reading aloud - of performing - what you’ve written and how maybe that should be a  goal instead of publication. Reading out loud builds community and intimacy. 

They also talk about the difficulty and challenge of finding your voice and speaking your truth and sharing it with others – especially if you think it’s an ugly truth. 

And they conclude by agreeing that anyone can be a writer. Even if you doubt yourself, sharing your writing is how you make meaning of your life... and help your readers do the same.

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Debbie's recommended books about memoir writing:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Clementina Esposito on Memoir Writing, the Ugly Truth, and the Impact of the Spoken Word Debbie Weil, Clementina Esposito 00:36:30 Debbie talks to friend and exceptional writing teacher Clementina Esposito about memoir, the difficulty of sharing ugly truths, and why making meaning through writing matters. Debbie talks to friend and exceptional writing teacher Clementina Esposito about memoir, the difficulty of sharing ugly truths, and why making meaning through writing matters. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, writing memoir, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, the art of memoir writing, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, find your voice, memoirs, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, writing your memoir, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, truth telling, put a date to it, sharing your truth, memoir writing class, book coaching, memoir, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, memoir writing, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, spoken word, portfolio life, tell the truth, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, share your truth, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, stop lying to yourself, unretired false full 5 5 deff9927-bfcc-4702-9d8d-9fa6fe1ee602 Ayse Birsel on How to Apply Design Thinking to a Longer Life Today Debbie talks with Ayse Birsel. She’s an award-winning industrial designer whose firm has designed hundreds of products for brand name companies like Herman Miller, Ikea and Target. And that includes a product you may have sat on: a toilet seat.

She’s taken her industrial design methodology, broken it down, simplified it, made it fun and inviting… and turned it into a process for life design. The result is her second and newest book: Design the Long Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Love, Purpose, Well-Being, and Friendship. 

One of her key points is that life, just like a design problem, is full of constraints -- time, money, age, location, and circumstances. And if you're an older adult reimagining your last chapter, you know what your final "constraint" is. You can’t have everything, so you have to be creative. You have to think like a designer. 

You have to get ideas and beliefs out of your head and down onto paper and cultivate an attitude of playfulness and optimism - if you want to change. So the book is filled with Ayse’s whimsical drawings, and her step-by-step maps: for how to make new friends, how to reimagine work, how to create meaning, how to separate achievement from success, how to check your well-being index, and more. 

One of Debbie's favorite exercises: how to reconcile yourself to unresolved issues. Make a list, Ayse says, pick three, personify them and write them a letter and then let them go.

Ayse calls her method deconstruction / reconstruction. That means deconstruct your life, do a lot of exploring through scribbling and list-making and drawing, and then reconstruct the life you want. 

Her new book is jammed with exercises and lists and interviews with her favorite mentors. Ayse says you have to draw (even if you think you can’t) every day to rev up your creative brain. Debbie's advance copy is littered with yellow sticky notes as well as scribbles and arrows. She can't draw but is trying anyway.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 2 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Ayse Birsel) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today Debbie talks with Ayse Birsel. She’s an award-winning industrial designer whose firm has designed hundreds of products for brand name companies like Herman Miller, Ikea and Target. And that includes a product you may have sat on: a toilet seat.

She’s taken her industrial design methodology, broken it down, simplified it, made it fun and inviting… and turned it into a process for life design. The result is her second and newest book: Design the Long Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Love, Purpose, Well-Being, and Friendship. 

One of her key points is that life, just like a design problem, is full of constraints -- time, money, age, location, and circumstances. And if you're an older adult reimagining your last chapter, you know what your final "constraint" is. You can’t have everything, so you have to be creative. You have to think like a designer. 

You have to get ideas and beliefs out of your head and down onto paper and cultivate an attitude of playfulness and optimism - if you want to change. So the book is filled with Ayse’s whimsical drawings, and her step-by-step maps: for how to make new friends, how to reimagine work, how to create meaning, how to separate achievement from success, how to check your well-being index, and more. 

One of Debbie's favorite exercises: how to reconcile yourself to unresolved issues. Make a list, Ayse says, pick three, personify them and write them a letter and then let them go.

Ayse calls her method deconstruction / reconstruction. That means deconstruct your life, do a lot of exploring through scribbling and list-making and drawing, and then reconstruct the life you want. 

Her new book is jammed with exercises and lists and interviews with her favorite mentors. Ayse says you have to draw (even if you think you can’t) every day to rev up your creative brain. Debbie's advance copy is littered with yellow sticky notes as well as scribbles and arrows. She can't draw but is trying anyway.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Ayse Birsel on How to Apply Design Thinking to a Longer Life Debbie Weil, Ayse Birsel 00:34:17 Debbie chats with leading industrial designer Ayse Birsel about her new book and how to use design thinking to reimagine a longer life, especially the last chapter. Debbie chats with leading industrial designer Ayse Birsel about her new book and how to use design thinking to reimagine a longer life, especially the last chapter. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, adulthood, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, industrial design, timeout, skilling up, brain-hand connection, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, wisdom, solving problems, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, reconstructing, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, design, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, life’s deadline, love your life, drawing, designer, put a date to it, all one, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, design yourself, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, all the same, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, the future you love, what’s next, make friends, deconstructing, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, transform, early retirement, design the life you love, unretired, design your life false full 4 5 29a5eecc-c3ce-4e99-a3ed-1f40baca57cb Joan Price on the Joys of (and Differences in) Senior Sex Today Debbie talks about a topic that interests us all, no matter our age… sex.

Given the focus of the podcast, she decided to go right to a senior sexspert, Joan Price, for a very frank conversation about all things related to, well, senior sex.

Joan, who is 79, has legions of followers on her blog, for her books, DVDs and webinars. She was quoted in a New York Times Magazine cover story this year and now gets so many requests for podcast interviews that she mostly turns them down.

She agreed to come on [B]OLDER after listening to the recent episode with nonagenarian author Hilma Wolitzer (Season 4, Episode 20) about writing through grief.

Joan calls herself an "advocate for ageless sexuality.” The media calls her “the woman leading a sex revolution for seniors” and, her favorite, "a wrinkly sex kitten."

Debbie and Joan talk about why senior sex is an embarrassing subject but, more importantly, they talk about how to expand our definition of sex and how to adjust our relationship to body image as we age. 

They get right into it. No words are off limits so they talk about orgasms and sex toys and more. Joan explains the different types of desire (and why that’s important to understand as you get older).

After this episode we promise that you’ll know what PIV stands for... if you don’t already.

Bottom line, Joan's message is that yes, sex is different after 60 or 70 or 80… but in some ways, she says, it’s better. Joan is funny as well as frank. "Spicy” is one of her favorite words. You’ll definitely want to check out her website joanprice.com for tons of resources.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 18 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Joan Price, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today Debbie talks about a topic that interests us all, no matter our age… sex.

Given the focus of the podcast, she decided to go right to a senior sexspert, Joan Price, for a very frank conversation about all things related to, well, senior sex.

Joan, who is 79, has legions of followers on her blog, for her books, DVDs and webinars. She was quoted in a New York Times Magazine cover story this year and now gets so many requests for podcast interviews that she mostly turns them down.

She agreed to come on [B]OLDER after listening to the recent episode with nonagenarian author Hilma Wolitzer (Season 4, Episode 20) about writing through grief.

Joan calls herself an "advocate for ageless sexuality.” The media calls her “the woman leading a sex revolution for seniors” and, her favorite, "a wrinkly sex kitten."

Debbie and Joan talk about why senior sex is an embarrassing subject but, more importantly, they talk about how to expand our definition of sex and how to adjust our relationship to body image as we age. 

They get right into it. No words are off limits so they talk about orgasms and sex toys and more. Joan explains the different types of desire (and why that’s important to understand as you get older).

After this episode we promise that you’ll know what PIV stands for... if you don’t already.

Bottom line, Joan's message is that yes, sex is different after 60 or 70 or 80… but in some ways, she says, it’s better. Joan is funny as well as frank. "Spicy” is one of her favorite words. You’ll definitely want to check out her website joanprice.com for tons of resources.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Joan Price on the Joys of (and Differences in) Senior Sex Joan Price, Debbie Weil 00:31:36 Debbie talks to Joan Price, 79, who is leading the sex revolution for seniors. Debbie talks to Joan Price, 79, who is leading the sex revolution for seniors. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, erectile dysfunction, do things as tests, sex toys, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, sex at 60, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, sex at 70, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, senior sex, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, sexual connection in late life, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, aging and sex, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, sex at 90, solo sex, bolder, sex and aging, sex at 80, money mindset, expert, elder sex, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, sexual pleasure as an elder, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, old people sex, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, sexual pleasure, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 3 5 c04527f3-6c5c-47fd-a829-131a69aa3c23 Veteran Blogger Shel Israel on Reinvention, Writing, and Moving Across Country at 78 Today’s episode was a chance for Debbie to reconnect with an old friend, Shel Israel, whom she met about 20 years ago…  in the blogosphere. Yes, there really was a blogosphere in the early 2000's. Shel and Debbie and a bunch of others were pioneers and they all knew each other. They'd meet at conferences and promote each other’s blogs AND explain blogging to everyone else.

In early 2006, Shel co-authored perhaps the first serious book about business blogging. And Debbie wrote the second one, published later that same year. Shel's book has a much sexier title, Naked Conversations. Debbie's is The Corporate Blogging Book.

Debbie and Shel talk about his decision to leave California after 50 years and move across country to Florida, just in time for Hurricane Ian. Debbie asks how he fared and how he plans to make friends and become part of his new community in St. Petersburg. He’s got some surprising answers.

As a tech pioneer and an optimist, he considers everyone he meets on social media to be a friend. He’s using Facebook to connect and to create a new network. And he’s even got a spreadsheet with 13 prospects on it… 13 prospective friends, that is.

This is an open and honest conversation which, not coincidentally, is the hallmark of good blogging. They talk about how important writing is to Shel, why he left a lucrative career in PR. and how he approaches tech-business ghostwriting and other projects.  

 

 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 4 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Shel Israel, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today’s episode was a chance for Debbie to reconnect with an old friend, Shel Israel, whom she met about 20 years ago…  in the blogosphere. Yes, there really was a blogosphere in the early 2000's. Shel and Debbie and a bunch of others were pioneers and they all knew each other. They'd meet at conferences and promote each other’s blogs AND explain blogging to everyone else.

In early 2006, Shel co-authored perhaps the first serious book about business blogging. And Debbie wrote the second one, published later that same year. Shel's book has a much sexier title, Naked Conversations. Debbie's is The Corporate Blogging Book.

Debbie and Shel talk about his decision to leave California after 50 years and move across country to Florida, just in time for Hurricane Ian. Debbie asks how he fared and how he plans to make friends and become part of his new community in St. Petersburg. He’s got some surprising answers.

As a tech pioneer and an optimist, he considers everyone he meets on social media to be a friend. He’s using Facebook to connect and to create a new network. And he’s even got a spreadsheet with 13 prospects on it… 13 prospective friends, that is.

This is an open and honest conversation which, not coincidentally, is the hallmark of good blogging. They talk about how important writing is to Shel, why he left a lucrative career in PR. and how he approaches tech-business ghostwriting and other projects.  

 

 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners.

 

 

Connect with Debbie:

 

 

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

 

Credits:

]]> Veteran Blogger Shel Israel on Reinvention, Writing, and Moving Across Country at 78 Shel Israel, Debbie Weil 00:32:58 Debbie chats with friend and veteran blogger Shel Israel about his move from CA to FL at age 78, how he uses Facebook as a blogging platform, and about his work as a writer. Debbie chats with friend and veteran blogger Shel Israel about his move from CA to FL at age 78, how he uses Facebook as a blogging platform, and about his work as a writer. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, end of life planning, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, from california to florida, leaving california, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, economic move, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, elderly, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, cross country move, last big move, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, cross country move after 75, curiosity, writing a book, eldery move, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, moving, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, cost of living, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, cheaper cost of living, early retirement, unretired false full 2 5 fc7abe4a-05e2-4ff5-bf88-5dbc0cc2ff84 Debbie & Sam Explore Iceland with Two Grandchildren Welcome to Season 5 of [B]OLDER where Debbie Weil talks about "making the most of growing older,"  both the good and the not-so-great parts of aging.

But today it’s all GOOD. 

Becoming a grandparent is something many people look forward to. Debbie and her husband, Sam Harrington, are lucky enough to have six grandchildren thus far.

In this episode she chats with Sam (aka "Ba"), to debrief their trip to Iceland this past summer with two grandchildren.

They talk about why they chose Iceland, and which grandchildren they took with them - and why - and how Dorothea and Lius fared as fellow travelers with their grandparents. 

They both remark on the  stunning natural wonders of Iceland, most notably the glaciers, the volcanic lava fields, and the waterfalls. 

They also reflect on their experience as grandparents and how it’s (mostly) different from being a parent.  

This is a leisurely conversation and perhaps most useful if you have grandchildren or if you have ever considered traveling to Iceland.

No matter why you’re listening, be sure to get to the last few seconds… for a nice surprise.




Mentioned in this episode or useful:




Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie's newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her free 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.



Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:


Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)



How to Support this podcast:



Credits:

]]> Fri, 21 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s5-ep1-debbie-sam-explore-iceland-with-two-grandchildren/ Welcome to Season 5 of [B]OLDER where Debbie Weil talks about "making the most of growing older,"  both the good and the not-so-great parts of aging.

But today it’s all GOOD. 

Becoming a grandparent is something many people look forward to. Debbie and her husband, Sam Harrington, are lucky enough to have six grandchildren thus far.

In this episode she chats with Sam (aka "Ba"), to debrief their trip to Iceland this past summer with two grandchildren.

They talk about why they chose Iceland, and which grandchildren they took with them - and why - and how Dorothea and Lius fared as fellow travelers with their grandparents. 

They both remark on the  stunning natural wonders of Iceland, most notably the glaciers, the volcanic lava fields, and the waterfalls. 

They also reflect on their experience as grandparents and how it’s (mostly) different from being a parent.  

This is a leisurely conversation and perhaps most useful if you have grandchildren or if you have ever considered traveling to Iceland.

No matter why you’re listening, be sure to get to the last few seconds… for a nice surprise.




Mentioned in this episode or useful:




Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

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]]> Debbie & Sam Explore Iceland with Two Grandchildren Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:32:49 Debbie and Sam debrief a recent trip to Iceland with two of their grandchildren: the best parts and the one big mistake they made. Debbie and Sam debrief a recent trip to Iceland with two of their grandchildren: the best parts and the one big mistake they made. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, grandparents, grandchild, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, traveling as grandparents, legacy, iceland summer, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, iceland, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, grandkids, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, traveling, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, iceland summer trip, child-like mindset, grandparent, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, traveling with grandkids, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, grandchildren, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, retired summer, growing bolder, grandparenting, pandemic reinvention, traveling with grandchildren, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 1 5 85011c39-97f5-4e1e-893e-77744c659414 Season 5 - Trailer [B]older is back for season 5. And we're back at it: unraveling what it means to make the most of growing older.

Each episode is a frank 30-minute conversation with a best-selling author, expert, or exceptional individual on a topic related to aging. 

For host Debbie Weil, 70, it’s a real-time exploration of growing old. But don’t worry; she’s not embracing old age just yet. She’s still (boldly) figuring things out. She asks the hard questions about how to use this later stage of life to create, to find meaning, and to make a difference. 

In the podcast Debbie delves into all the current  topics related to aging: the unretired life, reinventing work, slowing down, aging better, ageism, living your purpose, grownup gap years, grandparenting, intergenerational collaboration, effects of the pandemic, grief and widowhood, surviving cancer, and more. As well as other stuff that piques her interest; for example, the craft of writing. 

Her husband, physician author Sam Harrington, is a popular recurring guest. The Debbie & Sam shows feature his dry humor and medical expertise. 

Join us for another great season diving into what it means to be growing [b]older!

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast [B]older is back for season 5. And we're back at it: unraveling what it means to make the most of growing older.

Each episode is a frank 30-minute conversation with a best-selling author, expert, or exceptional individual on a topic related to aging. 

For host Debbie Weil, 70, it’s a real-time exploration of growing old. But don’t worry; she’s not embracing old age just yet. She’s still (boldly) figuring things out. She asks the hard questions about how to use this later stage of life to create, to find meaning, and to make a difference. 

In the podcast Debbie delves into all the current  topics related to aging: the unretired life, reinventing work, slowing down, aging better, ageism, living your purpose, grownup gap years, grandparenting, intergenerational collaboration, effects of the pandemic, grief and widowhood, surviving cancer, and more. As well as other stuff that piques her interest; for example, the craft of writing. 

Her husband, physician author Sam Harrington, is a popular recurring guest. The Debbie & Sam shows feature his dry humor and medical expertise. 

Join us for another great season diving into what it means to be growing [b]older!

 

Get the inside skinny on every episode of [B]OLDER:

Subscribe to Debbie’s newsletter for the inside story about every episode. You will also get her 34-page writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Request from Debbie:

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to leave a short review on Apple Podcasts. It really makes a difference in attracting new listeners. 

 

Connect with Debbie:

Our Media Partners:

  • CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)
  • MEA and with thanks to Chip Conley
  • Next For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell)

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Season 5 - Trailer Debbie Weil 00:01:44 [B]older is back for season 5 and we're back at it, unraveling what it means to make the most of growing older. [B]older is back for season 5 and we're back at it, unraveling what it means to make the most of growing older. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, growin bolder, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 0 5 b5bd164c-b616-4f51-b3d9-d11170cc190b Debbie & Sam Wrap Up Season 4 Debbie Weil brings her husband Sam Harrington back on the show for a dose of his dry humor and to wrap up Season 4.

Sam shares some of his favorite episodes (see below) and they discuss several topics in the news: Medical Aid In Dying and the 100-year life. If you've listened to Sam in previous episodes, you can probably guess what he thinks about living to 100. 

Sam is a retired physician; friends and family affectionately call him Dr. Death.

They also talk about grandparenting and what you can expect from Season 5. 

Sam's favorite episodes from Season 4

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor or to join a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 8 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil brings her husband Sam Harrington back on the show for a dose of his dry humor and to wrap up Season 4.

Sam shares some of his favorite episodes (see below) and they discuss several topics in the news: Medical Aid In Dying and the 100-year life. If you've listened to Sam in previous episodes, you can probably guess what he thinks about living to 100. 

Sam is a retired physician; friends and family affectionately call him Dr. Death.

They also talk about grandparenting and what you can expect from Season 5. 

Sam's favorite episodes from Season 4

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor or to join a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam Wrap Up Season 4 Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:30:10 Debbie invites her husband Sam back on the show to review Season 4 and to reflect on topics in the news such as Medical Aid in Dying and the 100-year life. Debbie invites her husband Sam back on the show to review Season 4 and to reflect on topics in the news such as Medical Aid in Dying and the 100-year life. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, breaking ageism, seasons, ageism, end of life care, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, breaking the age code, skilling up, minimalism, hospices, experiment, experts, dying with dignity, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, getting covid, psychedelic assisted therapy, covid, the 100 year old life, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, podcast, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, medical futility, curiosity, writing a book, taking grandkids on vacation, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, medical aid in dying, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, podcaster, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, grandparenting, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 21 4 5bb056a5-d1b0-4b1d-a16e-80812f7c61cb Hilma Wolitzer, 92, on Writing Through Grief and Turning Domestic Life Into Art Today, Debbie talks to writer and novelist Hilma Wolitzer, age 92. 

She’s just published a new book of short stories titled "Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket." So yes, this is someone who is "making the most of growing older."

Hilma's stories of sharply observed domestic life were published in the Saturday Evening Post and Esquire in the 1960s and 1970s. She has taught writing at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Iowa Writers' Workshop, NYU, and Columbia. She's also the author of nine novels and the recipient of national awards and fellowships.

Her husband of almost 70 years died of COVID in the first months of the pandemic. It was as if he vanished, she told Debbie.

She and her husband Morty both got Covid in April of 2020. They were taken to separate hospitals in New York City.

She never got to say good-bye.

He died two days before she was released from the hospital and went home to her apartment.

As she tells Debbie on the podcast:

"There were his slippers next to the bed. There was a pair of his drugstore eyeglasses. He seemed to have vanished and that was the sense I tried to depict in (the final) story (of her new book). Disappearance rather than dying." 

She was encouraged to write through her grief, and to write this story and add it to a new collection, by her daughters: New York Times bestselling novelist Meg Wolitzer and artist Nancy Wolitzer.

She titled the new story, "The Great Escape." It is as diamond sharp and perfect - and funny - as her earlier writing. There's even sex.
  
Hilma tells it all in this conversation:

  • What her writing process is
  • Why she writes about ordinary domestic life
  • Why and how she wrote through grief
  • What it was like, over 50 years ago, to be a woman and a writer and not be taken seriously

 


Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Fri, 1 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Hilma Wolitzer) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks to writer and novelist Hilma Wolitzer, age 92. 

She’s just published a new book of short stories titled "Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket." So yes, this is someone who is "making the most of growing older."

Hilma's stories of sharply observed domestic life were published in the Saturday Evening Post and Esquire in the 1960s and 1970s. She has taught writing at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Iowa Writers' Workshop, NYU, and Columbia. She's also the author of nine novels and the recipient of national awards and fellowships.

Her husband of almost 70 years died of COVID in the first months of the pandemic. It was as if he vanished, she told Debbie.

She and her husband Morty both got Covid in April of 2020. They were taken to separate hospitals in New York City.

She never got to say good-bye.

He died two days before she was released from the hospital and went home to her apartment.

As she tells Debbie on the podcast:

"There were his slippers next to the bed. There was a pair of his drugstore eyeglasses. He seemed to have vanished and that was the sense I tried to depict in (the final) story (of her new book). Disappearance rather than dying." 

She was encouraged to write through her grief, and to write this story and add it to a new collection, by her daughters: New York Times bestselling novelist Meg Wolitzer and artist Nancy Wolitzer.

She titled the new story, "The Great Escape." It is as diamond sharp and perfect - and funny - as her earlier writing. There's even sex.
  
Hilma tells it all in this conversation:

  • What her writing process is
  • Why she writes about ordinary domestic life
  • Why and how she wrote through grief
  • What it was like, over 50 years ago, to be a woman and a writer and not be taken seriously

 


Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Hilma Wolitzer, 92, on Writing Through Grief and Turning Domestic Life Into Art Debbie Weil, Hilma Wolitzer 00:42:41 Debbie talks with an extraordinary person and an extraordinary writer, 92-year-old Hilma Wolitzer. Debbie talks with an extraordinary person and an extraordinary writer, 92-year-old Hilma Wolitzer. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, sex, widow, the business of being old, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, processing grief, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, novelist, experiment, experts, book writing, widowhood, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, editors, planning a gap year, grief processing, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, lifetime of writing, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, fiction vs nonfiction, sex in marriage, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, homemaker, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, writer, child-like mindset, becoming older, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, writing a novel at 90, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, being old, mindful practice, housewife, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, style of writing, pandemic reinvention, metaphors, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 20 4 7ed5e568-607a-4978-81af-de710faaac8f Paula Span on Ageism, Journalism, and the Art of Grandparenting Today, Debbie speaks with Paula Span, a veteran journalist and the author since 2009 of the New York Times’ column, The New Old Age. The column explores, as the Times’ puts it, “the unprecedented challenges posed by a rapidly aging population.” 

That’s a pretty broad topic so Paula covers everything from the cost of growing older, to social security for same sex couples, to stubborn aging parents, to the evolving status of medical aid in dying (MAID), formerly known as death with dignity. 

In 2017, after becoming a grandmother, she added a second Times column, Generation Grandparent. She’s adapted those essays for her audiobook “The Bubbe Diaries,” released by Audible in 2021.

She’s also a revered professor of journalism, having taught at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism for over two decades. 

She is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions,” published by Hachette.

She and Debbie talk about how she explores the topic of pernicious ageism for the Times - not with personal opinion - but with research and data and expert interviews. Each of her columns gets a huge response with readers leaving as many as 500 comments.  

They talk about her approach to writing as a freelance journalist (always say YES, she tells Debbie, no matter what the assignment is). And they talk about her artful approach to grandparenting. She lives in Montclair, N.J., and travels to Brooklyn once a week to care for her granddaughter.

This is an intriguing behind-the-scenes peek at writing for the Times from a veteran journalist.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Paula Span) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie speaks with Paula Span, a veteran journalist and the author since 2009 of the New York Times’ column, The New Old Age. The column explores, as the Times’ puts it, “the unprecedented challenges posed by a rapidly aging population.” 

That’s a pretty broad topic so Paula covers everything from the cost of growing older, to social security for same sex couples, to stubborn aging parents, to the evolving status of medical aid in dying (MAID), formerly known as death with dignity. 

In 2017, after becoming a grandmother, she added a second Times column, Generation Grandparent. She’s adapted those essays for her audiobook “The Bubbe Diaries,” released by Audible in 2021.

She’s also a revered professor of journalism, having taught at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism for over two decades. 

She is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions,” published by Hachette.

She and Debbie talk about how she explores the topic of pernicious ageism for the Times - not with personal opinion - but with research and data and expert interviews. Each of her columns gets a huge response with readers leaving as many as 500 comments.  

They talk about her approach to writing as a freelance journalist (always say YES, she tells Debbie, no matter what the assignment is). And they talk about her artful approach to grandparenting. She lives in Montclair, N.J., and travels to Brooklyn once a week to care for her granddaughter.

This is an intriguing behind-the-scenes peek at writing for the Times from a veteran journalist.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Paula Span on Ageism, Journalism, and the Art of Grandparenting Debbie Weil, Paula Span 00:42:53 Debbie talks to veteran journalist and New York Times' columnist Paula Span about ageism, journalism, legacy, and the art of grandparenting. Debbie talks to veteran journalist and New York Times' columnist Paula Span about ageism, journalism, legacy, and the art of grandparenting. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, combating ageism, growth mindset, writing, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, columnist, grandparents, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, audio book, trying new things, journalism, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, new york times, fighting ageism, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, the art of grandparenting, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, audible, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, when to retire, reinvention after retirement, teaching journalism, personal growth, age bias, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, recording an audio book, learn new things, columbia university, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, combat ageism, inspiration, the bubbe diary, put a date to it, nyt columnist, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, becca levy, curiosity, writing a book, generation grandparent, writing a column, long-term thinking, journalist, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, being old, mindful practice, being an old person, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, research on ageism, year off work, teaching journalists, retirement, washington post, failure, audio books, author, aging well, collective gap year, grandparenting, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 19 4 c9390f61-7968-416e-bb96-a1c116d106d2 A’lelia Bundles on Legacy, Leadership, and Growing Bolder at 70 Today, Debbie Weil talks to A’Lelia Bundles: her college classmate and friend of almost 50 years. 

A’Lelia, or LeLe, as her friends call her, is an award-winning journalist, author, historian, biographer, speaker and nonprofit leader. She speaks at conferences, colleges, and corporations about entrepreneurship, philanthropy, historic preservation, financial literacy and women’s and African American history. She calls herself a truth seeker. She's also distinguished by her warm and humorous style. It's infectious, as you'll hear.

She and Debbie are both members of the Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974. (Another notable member of their class is Merrick Garland,  United States Attorney General.)

A'lelia is the great-great granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker, the 19th century hair-care entrepreneur, activist, and philanthropist, and the first black woman millionaire in America. 

She is the author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, a New York Times Notable Book and the definitive biography of her trailblazing great-great grandmother. Self Made, the fictional Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer, is "inspired by" (although not factually based upon) her biography. A'lelia is at work on her fifth book, The Joy Goddess of Harlem: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, about her great-grandmother whose parties, arts patronage and travels helped define the era. 

A former network television news executive and producer at ABC News and NBC News, she is a vice chair emerita of Columbia University’s Board of Trustees and chair emerita of the board of the National Archives Foundation. She is the founder of the Madam Walker Family Archives, the largest private collection of Walker documents, photographs and memorabilia.

Debbie and A’Lelia talk about not retiring, the pain of writing a book, and the importance of community and friends - especially the women in their college class. They discuss the legacy she wants to leave behind as a black woman and what she is looking forward to as she turns 70. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 3 Jun 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, A'Lelia Bundles) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie Weil talks to A’Lelia Bundles: her college classmate and friend of almost 50 years. 

A’Lelia, or LeLe, as her friends call her, is an award-winning journalist, author, historian, biographer, speaker and nonprofit leader. She speaks at conferences, colleges, and corporations about entrepreneurship, philanthropy, historic preservation, financial literacy and women’s and African American history. She calls herself a truth seeker. She's also distinguished by her warm and humorous style. It's infectious, as you'll hear.

She and Debbie are both members of the Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974. (Another notable member of their class is Merrick Garland,  United States Attorney General.)

A'lelia is the great-great granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker, the 19th century hair-care entrepreneur, activist, and philanthropist, and the first black woman millionaire in America. 

She is the author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, a New York Times Notable Book and the definitive biography of her trailblazing great-great grandmother. Self Made, the fictional Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer, is "inspired by" (although not factually based upon) her biography. A'lelia is at work on her fifth book, The Joy Goddess of Harlem: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, about her great-grandmother whose parties, arts patronage and travels helped define the era. 

A former network television news executive and producer at ABC News and NBC News, she is a vice chair emerita of Columbia University’s Board of Trustees and chair emerita of the board of the National Archives Foundation. She is the founder of the Madam Walker Family Archives, the largest private collection of Walker documents, photographs and memorabilia.

Debbie and A’Lelia talk about not retiring, the pain of writing a book, and the importance of community and friends - especially the women in their college class. They discuss the legacy she wants to leave behind as a black woman and what she is looking forward to as she turns 70. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

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]]> A’lelia Bundles on Legacy, Leadership, and Growing Bolder at 70 Debbie Weil, A'Lelia Bundles 00:37:48 Debbie talks to A’Lelia Bundles, one of her most accomplished classmates from the Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974. They've been friends for almost 50 years. Debbie talks to A’Lelia Bundles, one of her most accomplished classmates from the Harvard/Radcliffe class of 1974. They've been friends for almost 50 years. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, never retire, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, journalism, marriage, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, legacy as women of color, time out, empathy, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, madam cj walker, growth oriented, pain of writing a book, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, growing older, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, inner ageist, losses, authorship, woc, work as we age, bipoc, cj walker, put a date to it, community, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, regrets, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, journalist, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, support, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, aging after leadership, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, tv production, year off work, retirement, failure, author, children, aging well, collective gap year, poc, lessons learn, where we put our energy, growing bolder, pandemic reinvention, black woman, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, reflecting on the journey, early retirement, unretired false full 18 4 2f3a709c-661c-4e56-a8d5-beb0b6dc3906 Dr. Bree Johnston on Psychedelic Therapy to Ease Fear of Death Today, Debbie talks with Dr. Bree Johnston, a geriatrician and a palliative care physician who is also certified in psychedelic therapies.

In case you haven't noticed, the topic of psychedelic therapy has gone mainstream in the past several years. Taking a guided psilocybin trip is now viewed as a highly effective way to ease fear of dying. But it's complicated. It took Debbie several months to find just the right person to interview about the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. 

Her research led her to Dr. Bree Johnston who is perfectly credentialed for this topic as well as being a notably clear and wise teacher for [B]OLDER podcast listeners. She's been a practicing physician for 35 years and recently became certified in Psychedelic Therapies and Research through the California Institute of Integral Studies.

They talk about:

- The problem of legality (she predicts psilocybin therapy will be legal in a few years)
- Why psychedelic therapy is especially useful for older, dying patients
- Her own psychonaut experiences
- The dissolution of "self" and becoming part of a whole (a common experience on a psychedelic trip)
- The current studies being done at Johns Hopkins and NYU
- Microdosing
- And her evaluation of which psychedelic therapies are currently most useful: psilocybin, MDMA (aka ecstasy), ketamine (not illegal but results can vary widely).

They also explore the complexity that comes with medicalizing psychedelics as well as the ethics surrounding legalization.  This is a highly informative conversation with a knowledgeable physician. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

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]]> Fri, 20 May 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Dr Bree Johnston) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks with Dr. Bree Johnston, a geriatrician and a palliative care physician who is also certified in psychedelic therapies.

In case you haven't noticed, the topic of psychedelic therapy has gone mainstream in the past several years. Taking a guided psilocybin trip is now viewed as a highly effective way to ease fear of dying. But it's complicated. It took Debbie several months to find just the right person to interview about the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. 

Her research led her to Dr. Bree Johnston who is perfectly credentialed for this topic as well as being a notably clear and wise teacher for [B]OLDER podcast listeners. She's been a practicing physician for 35 years and recently became certified in Psychedelic Therapies and Research through the California Institute of Integral Studies.

They talk about:

- The problem of legality (she predicts psilocybin therapy will be legal in a few years)
- Why psychedelic therapy is especially useful for older, dying patients
- Her own psychonaut experiences
- The dissolution of "self" and becoming part of a whole (a common experience on a psychedelic trip)
- The current studies being done at Johns Hopkins and NYU
- Microdosing
- And her evaluation of which psychedelic therapies are currently most useful: psilocybin, MDMA (aka ecstasy), ketamine (not illegal but results can vary widely).

They also explore the complexity that comes with medicalizing psychedelics as well as the ethics surrounding legalization.  This is a highly informative conversation with a knowledgeable physician. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

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]]> Dr. Bree Johnston on Psychedelic Therapy to Ease Fear of Death Debbie Weil, Dr Bree Johnston 00:46:51 Debbie talks with geriatrician and palliative care physician Dr. Bree Johnston about psychedelic therapy and its uses and benefits for older adults. Debbie talks with geriatrician and palliative care physician Dr. Bree Johnston about psychedelic therapy and its uses and benefits for older adults. older, beginner’s attitude, death facing depression, mindfulness practices, end of life, growth mindset, do things as tests, end of life anxiety, psychedelic therapist, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, bad trip, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, mdma, timeout, skilling up, set and setting, minimalism, psilocybin assisted therapy, experiment, experts, book writing, legality of psychedelics, mushrooms, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, fear of death, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, physician, abuse of power, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, lsd, psychedelic research, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, underground psychedelic guides, researched, ethics of psychedelics, palliative care physician, put a date to it, mystical experience, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, psilocybin, downsizing, becoming an export, johns hopkins, curiosity, writing a book, ayahuasca, easing fear of death, psilocybin research, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, oregon, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, magic mushrooms, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, psychedelic trip, mindful practice, death facing anxiety, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, professor, collective gap year, psychonaut, medical research, md, pandemic reinvention, nyu, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired, geriatrician false full 17 4 d80a22d3-b027-402c-8fb5-09445571951d Bestselling Author Dan Pink on the Power of Regret at Any Age Debbie talks with five-time New York Times bestselling author Dan Pink about his latest book: The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. His books have been translated into 42 languages and have sold millions of copies around the world. 

She met Dan many years ago when she lived in DC and has been a fan ever since she read his first book, Free Agent Nation. That book was one of the first to legitimize solopreneurs and to predict the revolution in the workplace.

The premise of his new book is that while many people (especially Americans) proclaim "I have no regrets!" that statement is wrongheaded and, as Dan delights in pointing out, simply not true. 

We all have regrets and regret is a valuable emotion that can lead us to better understand ourselves and even to live our lives differently.

The book is partially based on the results of Dan's World Regret Survey. He read through 15,000 replies from 100+ countries and deduced that there are really only four core regrets.

  • Foundational (If only I'd done the work... )
  • Boldness (If only I'd taken the chance... )
  • Moral (If only I'd done the right thing... )
  • Connection (If only I'd reached out... )

Debbie went into this episode thinking that "regret" has a special resonance for those past midlife who may be reflecting on what lies behind them - or what DOESN’T lie behind them - because they didn’t do it.

But Dan is pretty clear that regretting an inaction - what he defines as a Boldness regret - can come at any age. And that it's never too late to do something about it.

Debbie reveals one of her biggest regrets to Dan and he offers some on-air therapy for how she should deal with it.

They also talk about Dan’s "failure resumé" and what he learned from it.

This is an entertaining and informative episode. But it doesn't cover everything in Dan's new book. Be sure to pick up your own copy to learn more about self-disclosing, self-compassion, and self-distancing when it comes to your own regrets; when to "undo" something you did in the past; and the importance of maintaining connections with friends.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

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]]> Fri, 6 May 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Dan Pink) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie talks with five-time New York Times bestselling author Dan Pink about his latest book: The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. His books have been translated into 42 languages and have sold millions of copies around the world. 

She met Dan many years ago when she lived in DC and has been a fan ever since she read his first book, Free Agent Nation. That book was one of the first to legitimize solopreneurs and to predict the revolution in the workplace.

The premise of his new book is that while many people (especially Americans) proclaim "I have no regrets!" that statement is wrongheaded and, as Dan delights in pointing out, simply not true. 

We all have regrets and regret is a valuable emotion that can lead us to better understand ourselves and even to live our lives differently.

The book is partially based on the results of Dan's World Regret Survey. He read through 15,000 replies from 100+ countries and deduced that there are really only four core regrets.

  • Foundational (If only I'd done the work... )
  • Boldness (If only I'd taken the chance... )
  • Moral (If only I'd done the right thing... )
  • Connection (If only I'd reached out... )

Debbie went into this episode thinking that "regret" has a special resonance for those past midlife who may be reflecting on what lies behind them - or what DOESN’T lie behind them - because they didn’t do it.

But Dan is pretty clear that regretting an inaction - what he defines as a Boldness regret - can come at any age. And that it's never too late to do something about it.

Debbie reveals one of her biggest regrets to Dan and he offers some on-air therapy for how she should deal with it.

They also talk about Dan’s "failure resumé" and what he learned from it.

This is an entertaining and informative episode. But it doesn't cover everything in Dan's new book. Be sure to pick up your own copy to learn more about self-disclosing, self-compassion, and self-distancing when it comes to your own regrets; when to "undo" something you did in the past; and the importance of maintaining connections with friends.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

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Credits:

]]> Bestselling Author Dan Pink on the Power of Regret at Any Age Debbie Weil, Dan Pink 00:44:07 Debbie talks with New York Times bestselling author Dan Pink about his new book: The Power of Regret. She wondered if "regret" was more common after midlife when you look back at the things you DIDN'T do. Debbie talks with New York Times bestselling author Dan Pink about his new book: The Power of Regret. She wondered if "regret" was more common after midlife when you look back at the things you DIDN'T do. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, sorrow, do things as tests, intuition, dan pink, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, action regret, inaction regret, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, grief, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, daniel pink, regrets, curiosity, writing a book, self-distancing, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, free agents nation, the power of regret, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, self-compassion, aging well, collective gap year, eulogy virtues, negative emotions, regret, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, resume virtues, early retirement, unretired, happiness curve false full 16 4 6713c52b-c107-4472-aa09-ca01bcc4314e Suzanne Carmichael on Reimagining Widowhood Debbie talks to Suzanne Carmichael about navigating a new phase of her life as a widow at age 78.

Becoming a widow is one of Debbie's greatest fears. But it is a reality for many married women after age 65. So she invited Suzanne, a new friend in coastal Maine, onto the show. Debbie wanted to learn more about how she is handling this difficult experience.

Suzanne's husband Don passed away in August of 2020 after what she calls a 46-year love affair. The early stages of grief were awful, she tells us. But then she realized she still had a lot of energy and wanted to do something with it. Thus was born her blog, titled Aging Fearlessly. 

Suzanne has also created a new nonprofit, Maine Widows in Action, to support and educate widows who want to be change agents in their communities and beyond. It’s a perfect match for her background as a retired public interest attorney.

This is a nuanced conversation about loneliness, pain, bravery, opportunity, and practicality. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

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]]> Fri, 22 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Suzanne Carmichael) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s4-ep15-suzanne-carmichael-on-reimagining-widowhood/ Debbie talks to Suzanne Carmichael about navigating a new phase of her life as a widow at age 78.

Becoming a widow is one of Debbie's greatest fears. But it is a reality for many married women after age 65. So she invited Suzanne, a new friend in coastal Maine, onto the show. Debbie wanted to learn more about how she is handling this difficult experience.

Suzanne's husband Don passed away in August of 2020 after what she calls a 46-year love affair. The early stages of grief were awful, she tells us. But then she realized she still had a lot of energy and wanted to do something with it. Thus was born her blog, titled Aging Fearlessly. 

Suzanne has also created a new nonprofit, Maine Widows in Action, to support and educate widows who want to be change agents in their communities and beyond. It’s a perfect match for her background as a retired public interest attorney.

This is a nuanced conversation about loneliness, pain, bravery, opportunity, and practicality. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

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]]> Suzanne Carmichael on Reimagining Widowhood Debbie Weil, Suzanne Carmichael 00:32:28 Debbie talks to Suzanne Carmichael about reimagining widowhood by teaching other widows how to become change agents. Debbie talks to Suzanne Carmichael about reimagining widowhood by teaching other widows how to become change agents. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, widow, making a change, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, retired lawyer, widowhood, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, money, widower, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, being a widow, put a date to it, reimagining widowhood, retired attorney, book coaching, switching gears, grief, happiness, grieving, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, prostate cancer, mourning, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, losing your partner, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, sadness, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, reimagining being a widow, life as a widow, executive coaching, aging alone, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 15 4 4f16663c-3f11-439f-b768-acb8d992f624 Debbie and Julie-Roxane on Messy Conversations About Old Age and Dying Debbie hands over the mic to her producer, Julie-Roxane Krikorian, for a deep dive on the conversations we need to have with ourselves and our loved ones about old age and dying. 

Together, they unpack the difference between theory and practice when it comes to these emotionally-loaded conversations. They talk about the challenges of becoming weaker and more vulnerable as our bodies decline, and the flipping of the dynamics of care between parents and children at the end of life.

They discuss the difficulty of giving space to our aging parents all the while trying to support them with practical help. They also talk about a reframe from weakening to softening and how to become elders who lead the way into the unknown of aging and dying.

Debbie shares her personal journey with this topic as a daughter, a big sister of four, and a mother of three. She even reveals what her “dream death” is. 

This is a real and honest account of Debbie’s experiences and, we believe, a useful conversation to anyone navigating the complex waters of aging parents and aging ourselves.

Don't worry, there's plenty of humor. 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

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]]> Fri, 8 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Julie-Roxane Krikorian, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie hands over the mic to her producer, Julie-Roxane Krikorian, for a deep dive on the conversations we need to have with ourselves and our loved ones about old age and dying. 

Together, they unpack the difference between theory and practice when it comes to these emotionally-loaded conversations. They talk about the challenges of becoming weaker and more vulnerable as our bodies decline, and the flipping of the dynamics of care between parents and children at the end of life.

They discuss the difficulty of giving space to our aging parents all the while trying to support them with practical help. They also talk about a reframe from weakening to softening and how to become elders who lead the way into the unknown of aging and dying.

Debbie shares her personal journey with this topic as a daughter, a big sister of four, and a mother of three. She even reveals what her “dream death” is. 

This is a real and honest account of Debbie’s experiences and, we believe, a useful conversation to anyone navigating the complex waters of aging parents and aging ourselves.

Don't worry, there's plenty of humor. 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie and Julie-Roxane on Messy Conversations About Old Age and Dying Julie-Roxane Krikorian, Debbie Weil 00:49:04 Debbie and her producer Julie-Roxane talk about how to have those messy conversations around old age and dying with family, friends, and elderly parents. Debbie and her producer Julie-Roxane talk about how to have those messy conversations around old age and dying with family, friends, and elderly parents. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, end of life, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, end of life conversation, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, elderly parents, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, dream death, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, aging and drying, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, dying, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, leading the way, facing mortality, aging loved one, put a date to it, aging parents, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, remembering our mortality, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, adult children, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, caring for elderly parents, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, messy conversations, ideal death, pandemic reinvention, dying parents, what’s next, executive coaching, vulnerability, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 14 4 c698ab51-ffba-45bc-a6f8-78a3fc0be539 Nicholas Christakis With a COVID Update and the Connection Between Pandemics, War, and Climate Change Debbie Weil brings Nicholas Christakis back on the show  for an update on all things COVID. Their conversation one year ago was one of the most popular episodes of Season 3. Nicholas is a Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale. He's a physician, a sociologist, and a public health expert and he's the bestselling author of several books, including, most recently, Apollo's Arrow, about the coronavirus pandemic. 

The book is out in paperback, with a new Preface and a new Afterword. Debbie wanted to ask Nicholas where are we now with the COVID-19 pandemic, where are we going, and what does this all mean in an historical context.

She could listen to Nicholas all day as he weaves together the history, the science, the epidemiology, the psychology and the sociology of pandemics, or plagues as he calls them. Not surprisingly, he's an in-demand expert for commentary about the coronavirus pandemic. 

Vaccines were widely available when the two spoke a year ago. Debbie, like many others, thought that meant the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Not quite, Nicholas said at the time. He was spot on in his predictions, saying that not until 2024 would the pandemic be behind us. A year later, he says we are finally through phase one of the pandemic. He expects we'll reach herd immunity several months from now.

He and Debbie discuss Long COVID, whether we should still be wearing masks, the continuing importance of getting thrice vaccinated, what metric to pay the most attention to (number of deaths per day),  addressing disinformation around this pandemic, and more. He notes that historically there has been a confluence of disasters associated with plagues, including war, famine, and climate change.

When the war against Ukraine erupted, he was astounded but also not surprised. World War I accompanied the 1918 pandemic. This time, Ukraine and climate change are the accompanying global disasters.

Nicholas ends by reminding us that plagues are not rare and may continue to become more present in our lifetime – but that we have the tools and technology to get through them.

Tune in for a fascinating conversation about where we are now with the COVID pandemic.

 

About Nicholas Christakis

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

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Credits

]]> Fri, 25 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Nicholas Christakis) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil brings Nicholas Christakis back on the show  for an update on all things COVID. Their conversation one year ago was one of the most popular episodes of Season 3. Nicholas is a Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale. He's a physician, a sociologist, and a public health expert and he's the bestselling author of several books, including, most recently, Apollo's Arrow, about the coronavirus pandemic. 

The book is out in paperback, with a new Preface and a new Afterword. Debbie wanted to ask Nicholas where are we now with the COVID-19 pandemic, where are we going, and what does this all mean in an historical context.

She could listen to Nicholas all day as he weaves together the history, the science, the epidemiology, the psychology and the sociology of pandemics, or plagues as he calls them. Not surprisingly, he's an in-demand expert for commentary about the coronavirus pandemic. 

Vaccines were widely available when the two spoke a year ago. Debbie, like many others, thought that meant the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Not quite, Nicholas said at the time. He was spot on in his predictions, saying that not until 2024 would the pandemic be behind us. A year later, he says we are finally through phase one of the pandemic. He expects we'll reach herd immunity several months from now.

He and Debbie discuss Long COVID, whether we should still be wearing masks, the continuing importance of getting thrice vaccinated, what metric to pay the most attention to (number of deaths per day),  addressing disinformation around this pandemic, and more. He notes that historically there has been a confluence of disasters associated with plagues, including war, famine, and climate change.

When the war against Ukraine erupted, he was astounded but also not surprised. World War I accompanied the 1918 pandemic. This time, Ukraine and climate change are the accompanying global disasters.

Nicholas ends by reminding us that plagues are not rare and may continue to become more present in our lifetime – but that we have the tools and technology to get through them.

Tune in for a fascinating conversation about where we are now with the COVID pandemic.

 

About Nicholas Christakis

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

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]]> Nicholas Christakis With a COVID Update and the Connection Between Pandemics, War, and Climate Change Debbie Weil, Nicholas Christakis 00:55:20 Debbie brings Nicholas Christakis back on the show to talk about Long COVID, herd immunity, what stage of the pandemic we're in, vaccines, mask-wearing, and the historical context of pandemics including a connection to war and climate change. Debbie brings Nicholas Christakis back on the show to talk about Long COVID, herd immunity, what stage of the pandemic we're in, vaccines, mask-wearing, and the historical context of pandemics including a connection to war and climate change. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, nicholas christakis, pay-it-forward, face masks, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, respiratory pandemic, apollo’s arrow, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, immunity, trying new things, pandemic, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, covid vaccine, herd immunity, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, plagues, long covid, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, covid, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, put a date to it, climate change, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, immunizations, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, pandemics, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, vaccines, war, put a date to your goal, masks, aging, beginner mindset, booster, gig economy, covid vaccines, mindful practice, vaccinated, gap life, gap year after fifty, immune, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, infection, public health crisis, epidemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 13 4 c9bf46ce-a2b4-49f4-b1e2-ec5e0ec9b9ed Bradley Schurman on Our Aging Population and How It Could Eradicate Ageism Today Debbie speaks with Bradley Schurman about the megatrend of an aging population, both in the U.S. and globally. Bradley is a demographic futurist and the author of a provocative new book: The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny.

The aging of our population represents the intersection of two other megatrends: decreased birth rates and increased longevity. 

The numbers are staggering: By 2030, one out of five Americans will be over 65. To put it another way, In the next two years the number of those 65 and over, in the U.S., will be equal to those under 18. 

So what does this mean? Well it’s complicated. 

Obviously it means that society needs to adapt and to change. But Debbie's question to Bradley is, will it - and how long will it take? 

There are so many interrelated factors.

In his book he talks about the economy (the impact on social security and medicare and more), societal attitudes (meaning ageism), workplace policies, lifetime education and training, housing, geography (urban vs. rural), advertising and marketing, and the startling inequities in longevity between the well off and the poor and between races.

In their conversation they focus on the workplace and the changes that will have to happen in order for businesses and the economy to thrive. 

Bradley is an incorrigible optimist, as you’ll hear, and Debbie so very much wants to believe him. 

In his future scenario older workers will be welcomed into the workforce well past retirement age, both society and government will change how older people are viewed and treated, and older people will move from the sidelines where they are now, often seen as expendable and not useful, to center stage. 

Bradley says this can happen in a decade. Debbie is skeptical about how fast we’ll see change.

 Lots to think about in this conversation and in Bradley’s new book.

 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

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]]> Fri, 11 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Bradley Schurman, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s4-ep12-bradley-schurman-on-our-aging-population-and-how-it-could-eradicate-ageism/ Today Debbie speaks with Bradley Schurman about the megatrend of an aging population, both in the U.S. and globally. Bradley is a demographic futurist and the author of a provocative new book: The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny.

The aging of our population represents the intersection of two other megatrends: decreased birth rates and increased longevity. 

The numbers are staggering: By 2030, one out of five Americans will be over 65. To put it another way, In the next two years the number of those 65 and over, in the U.S., will be equal to those under 18. 

So what does this mean? Well it’s complicated. 

Obviously it means that society needs to adapt and to change. But Debbie's question to Bradley is, will it - and how long will it take? 

There are so many interrelated factors.

In his book he talks about the economy (the impact on social security and medicare and more), societal attitudes (meaning ageism), workplace policies, lifetime education and training, housing, geography (urban vs. rural), advertising and marketing, and the startling inequities in longevity between the well off and the poor and between races.

In their conversation they focus on the workplace and the changes that will have to happen in order for businesses and the economy to thrive. 

Bradley is an incorrigible optimist, as you’ll hear, and Debbie so very much wants to believe him. 

In his future scenario older workers will be welcomed into the workforce well past retirement age, both society and government will change how older people are viewed and treated, and older people will move from the sidelines where they are now, often seen as expendable and not useful, to center stage. 

Bradley says this can happen in a decade. Debbie is skeptical about how fast we’ll see change.

 Lots to think about in this conversation and in Bradley’s new book.

 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Bradley Schurman on Our Aging Population and How It Could Eradicate Ageism Bradley Schurman, Debbie Weil 00:35:02 Debbie talks with demographic futurist Bradley Schurman about the megatrend of our aging population and what this means in terms of the economy, ageism, workplace policies, longevity and more. Debbie talks with demographic futurist Bradley Schurman about the megatrend of our aging population and what this means in terms of the economy, ageism, workplace policies, longevity and more. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, aging population, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, pandemic, gap year project, retiring, inequities, demographics, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, longevity, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, social media, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, less young people, ageist ideology, curious mindset, semi-retirement, super aged states, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, morbidity, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, anti ageist policies, compressed morbidity, robotics, put a date to it, market force, book coaching, switching gears, no clear path, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, ageism in advertising, child-like mindset, super age, super aged, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, evolution of workforce, gap life, gap year after fifty, longevity gap, demographics megatrend, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, extending working lives, pandemic reinvention, great resignation, rural vs city, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, end of ageism, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, data, unretired, compressing morbidity false full 12 4 cb6d011e-a97c-4359-a285-f8dcd4007e59 Richard Eisenberg, Renowned Editor, on Taking Practical First Steps Into Unretirement Today, Debbie talks to Richard Eisenberg, a veteran journalist and author who has covered careers and personal finance for 40+ years. Richard recently "unretired," as he puts it, from his 10-year run as managing editor of Next Avenue, the comprehensive online news source for Boomer and Gen X Americans.

As a journalist, he's made it his mission to cover money, work and purpose in a way that is useful and practical and lessens readers' stress. Debbie wondered how he would apply this approach to his own next chapter. Not surprisingly, he has a pragmatic plan for how to put together the pieces of "what’s next” for himself.

He tells us that his unretired life will include some work - writing and editing - but as a freelance. He also wants to mentor, travel, and spend more time with his sons on the West Coast. That's the plan so far but how it will all fit together is yet to be seen.

And that's a little scary.

No matter.  As you’ll hear, Richard is okay with taking small steps and experimenting to find the right balance. In other words, he is practicing what he's been preaching to readers for decades. Debbie agrees with much of what Richard says so there’s not much drama in this episode but it’s a lovely and relaxed conversation.

He and Debbie talk about the persistence of ageism in our society and the deeply entrenched “decline” narrative. And they delve into what has become a new meme: the 100-year-life and what it means from a policy and financial perspective. Richard reminds Debbie that health-span is a better concept than age span.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Richard's new "Unretired" column for Market Watch

 

Selection of Richard's articles for Next Avenue

 

Books

 

 

Also mentioned:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 25 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Richard Eisenberg) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s4-ep11-richard-eisenberg-renowned-editor-on-taking-practical-first-steps-into-unretirement/ Today, Debbie talks to Richard Eisenberg, a veteran journalist and author who has covered careers and personal finance for 40+ years. Richard recently "unretired," as he puts it, from his 10-year run as managing editor of Next Avenue, the comprehensive online news source for Boomer and Gen X Americans.

As a journalist, he's made it his mission to cover money, work and purpose in a way that is useful and practical and lessens readers' stress. Debbie wondered how he would apply this approach to his own next chapter. Not surprisingly, he has a pragmatic plan for how to put together the pieces of "what’s next” for himself.

He tells us that his unretired life will include some work - writing and editing - but as a freelance. He also wants to mentor, travel, and spend more time with his sons on the West Coast. That's the plan so far but how it will all fit together is yet to be seen.

And that's a little scary.

No matter.  As you’ll hear, Richard is okay with taking small steps and experimenting to find the right balance. In other words, he is practicing what he's been preaching to readers for decades. Debbie agrees with much of what Richard says so there’s not much drama in this episode but it’s a lovely and relaxed conversation.

He and Debbie talk about the persistence of ageism in our society and the deeply entrenched “decline” narrative. And they delve into what has become a new meme: the 100-year-life and what it means from a policy and financial perspective. Richard reminds Debbie that health-span is a better concept than age span.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Richard's new "Unretired" column for Market Watch

 

Selection of Richard's articles for Next Avenue

 

Books

 

 

Also mentioned:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 Connect with me:

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Richard Eisenberg, Renowned Editor, on Taking Practical First Steps Into Unretirement Debbie Weil, Richard Eisenberg 00:37:06 Debbie talks to Richard Eisenberg, former managing editor at Next Avenue, about his pragmatic first steps into unretirement at age 65. Debbie talks to Richard Eisenberg, former managing editor at Next Avenue, about his pragmatic first steps into unretirement at age 65. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, freshly retired, unretirement, shifting gears, aging with grace, baby boomers, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, honeymoon of retirement, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, meaning after retirement, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, the finances of retirement, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, decline narrative, the 100 year old life, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, boomers, ageist policies, put a date to it, aging parents, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, how to unretire, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, parents dying, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, boomer, gap life, gap year after fifty, baby boomer, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, growing bolder, meaning in retirement, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, freshly unretired, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, unretired false full 11 4 2d5d99e2-f495-4ccb-b257-2493075b80d5 Suzanne Watkins on Finding Her Wings at Age 60 Debbie talks with Suzanne Watkins, a friend she met several years ago, who became an international flight attendant at age 60. 

If you've ever wondered about the life of an international flight attendant - all those hours on your feet, exotic destinations, and constant jet lag - this episode's for you.

Suzanne wanted a career change when she turned 60 and realized that her life was "not a dress rehearsal." She’d spent years working a typical 9-5 in the travel industry helping others plan their adventures, and also raising her children. But then she had a serious health crisis, coming close to death. That experience reminded her that she is mortal and it was time to pursue her dreams.

So she applied to be an international flight attendant. She tells us about the bootcamp, a brutal selection process she survived in order to get hired by a private charter company that flies various groups, including the military, around the world. The airline industry is surprisingly open to hiring older employees, she tells us.

The job is exciting but challenging. Her passengers, often military personnel, may carry semi-automatic rifles but they are always compliant, following her orders to stow them with "butts to the captain and muzzles to the rear." 

That always gets a laugh, she says.

The disruption of her circadian rhythm is very hard, Suzanne says, as is being on call with only two hours notice to work the next flight. She sometimes works for 23 hours straight and then gets 9 hours off. Her biggest challenge is getting enough sleep. 

But she seems to thrive on the unpredictability. Her schedule might take her from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria to Guam, which is the largest of the Mariana Islands in the north Pacific and also a U.S. territory. Debbie had to look that one up. 

They end this delightful conversation with Suzanne offering a few tips for those thinking about reinventing themselves at midlife or later.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 11 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Suzanne Watkins, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie talks with Suzanne Watkins, a friend she met several years ago, who became an international flight attendant at age 60. 

If you've ever wondered about the life of an international flight attendant - all those hours on your feet, exotic destinations, and constant jet lag - this episode's for you.

Suzanne wanted a career change when she turned 60 and realized that her life was "not a dress rehearsal." She’d spent years working a typical 9-5 in the travel industry helping others plan their adventures, and also raising her children. But then she had a serious health crisis, coming close to death. That experience reminded her that she is mortal and it was time to pursue her dreams.

So she applied to be an international flight attendant. She tells us about the bootcamp, a brutal selection process she survived in order to get hired by a private charter company that flies various groups, including the military, around the world. The airline industry is surprisingly open to hiring older employees, she tells us.

The job is exciting but challenging. Her passengers, often military personnel, may carry semi-automatic rifles but they are always compliant, following her orders to stow them with "butts to the captain and muzzles to the rear." 

That always gets a laugh, she says.

The disruption of her circadian rhythm is very hard, Suzanne says, as is being on call with only two hours notice to work the next flight. She sometimes works for 23 hours straight and then gets 9 hours off. Her biggest challenge is getting enough sleep. 

But she seems to thrive on the unpredictability. Her schedule might take her from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria to Guam, which is the largest of the Mariana Islands in the north Pacific and also a U.S. territory. Debbie had to look that one up. 

They end this delightful conversation with Suzanne offering a few tips for those thinking about reinventing themselves at midlife or later.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Suzanne Watkins on Finding Her Wings at Age 60 Suzanne Watkins, Debbie Weil 00:24:39 Debbie talks to Suzanne Watkins about becoming an international flight attendant at age 60: exotic destinations, not enough sleep, loaded guns, and why she loves it. Debbie talks to Suzanne Watkins about becoming an international flight attendant at age 60: exotic destinations, not enough sleep, loaded guns, and why she loves it. older, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, getting your wings, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, changing careers at 60, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, life changing event, health crisis, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, change career, gig economy, getting bolder, mindful practice, flight attendant, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, bold reinvention, aging well, collective gap year, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, career reinvention, executive coaching, aging gracefully, life changing crisis, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 10 4 803e0e7e-f9ca-45ff-bcd6-b0b129e27878 Carl Honoré on Being [B]older, Slowing Down, and Aging Better Today, Debbie brings Carl Honoré on the show for a conversation about the slow movement and about aging and ageism.

Carl has a book titled BOLDER: Making the Most of Our Longer Lives so Debbie's first question is whether he minds if she uses the word as the new name for the podcast.

Carl says It's absolutely fine to use [B]OLDER. (Book titles can't be copyrighted.) As he puts it, the more fire power we can aim at the "ageist industrial complex," the better. We'll continue doing our part on this podcast.

Carl is a bestselling author and speaker and is considered the voice of the Slow Movement as well as a spokesman for anti-ageism. His two TED Talks, on the Power of Slow and the Power of Aging have racked up millions of views.

His first book, In Praise of Slowness, makes the point that slowing down is a better way to approach life. As he puts it: "to connect more, create more, focus more and achieve more." He’s also written a book about slow parenting.

Bolder, his more recent book, was inspired by an incident on the ice hockey rink when he realized, after scoring the winning goal, that he was the oldest member of the team. That struck a chord with him (he was in his 40s at the time) and he realized he needed to reexamine his ageist assumptions about himself, as well as society’s assumptions about aging.

They talk about:

- How Carl moved from slowness to aging as a focus of his work. The connection is "drilling down to the stuff that really matters and focussing on that," as he puts it.  

- Whether the Slow Movement has really caught on in the past two decades. Carl says it has; Debbie is a bit more skeptical.

- Why ageism is still difficult to root out. 

They discuss how changing our language around aging is hard (but we should keep trying!). And why we should consider the practice of contemplating death… lightly, as a way to remember to enjoy the here and now. 

This is a wonderful conversation with a highly articulate author and thinker on the topics of slowness and aging.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note: The subtitle of the American edition of Carl Honoré's book is: How to Age Better and Feel Better About Aging.

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide. Subscribers often print it out to save. 

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 28 Jan 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Carl Honoré) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie brings Carl Honoré on the show for a conversation about the slow movement and about aging and ageism.

Carl has a book titled BOLDER: Making the Most of Our Longer Lives so Debbie's first question is whether he minds if she uses the word as the new name for the podcast.

Carl says It's absolutely fine to use [B]OLDER. (Book titles can't be copyrighted.) As he puts it, the more fire power we can aim at the "ageist industrial complex," the better. We'll continue doing our part on this podcast.

Carl is a bestselling author and speaker and is considered the voice of the Slow Movement as well as a spokesman for anti-ageism. His two TED Talks, on the Power of Slow and the Power of Aging have racked up millions of views.

His first book, In Praise of Slowness, makes the point that slowing down is a better way to approach life. As he puts it: "to connect more, create more, focus more and achieve more." He’s also written a book about slow parenting.

Bolder, his more recent book, was inspired by an incident on the ice hockey rink when he realized, after scoring the winning goal, that he was the oldest member of the team. That struck a chord with him (he was in his 40s at the time) and he realized he needed to reexamine his ageist assumptions about himself, as well as society’s assumptions about aging.

They talk about:

- How Carl moved from slowness to aging as a focus of his work. The connection is "drilling down to the stuff that really matters and focussing on that," as he puts it.  

- Whether the Slow Movement has really caught on in the past two decades. Carl says it has; Debbie is a bit more skeptical.

- Why ageism is still difficult to root out. 

They discuss how changing our language around aging is hard (but we should keep trying!). And why we should consider the practice of contemplating death… lightly, as a way to remember to enjoy the here and now. 

This is a wonderful conversation with a highly articulate author and thinker on the topics of slowness and aging.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note: The subtitle of the American edition of Carl Honoré's book is: How to Age Better and Feel Better About Aging.

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide. Subscribers often print it out to save. 

 

Connect with me:

 

We are looking for a sponsor or a podcast network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Carl Honoré on Being [B]older, Slowing Down, and Aging Better Debbie Weil, Carl Honoré 00:37:56 Debbie talks to bestselling author Carl Honoré from his home in London about two related topics: slowing down and aging better. Debbie talks to bestselling author Carl Honoré from his home in London about two related topics: slowing down and aging better. older, beginner’s attitude, language, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, super-ager, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, go slower, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, positive aging, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, slow down, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, focus, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, 100 year life meme, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, importance of language, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, contemplating death, curiosity, writing a book, slow movement, long-term thinking, slowness, child-like mindset, ageist industrial complex, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, slowing down, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, ageist society, mindful practice, the slow movement, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, battling ageism, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement, 100 year life false full 9 4 2df075bf-12c1-486e-aee2-c41332e2184e Tom Peters on [B]OLDLY Turning 80: His Childhood, His Passion, His Outrage, His Mission Debbie talks to legendary business author and speaker Tom Peters.  And if you're wondering why she's interviewing a business management guru, it's because Tom exemplifies the new name of the podcast: [B]OLDER. I.e. getting bolder as you grow older. 

Tom is the co-author of In Search of Excellence, published 40 years ago and considered one of the most influential business books ever written. 

The book makes the argument that excellent companies treat their employees with respect. They put people first.

Tom is known for being brash, fanatical, even outrageous (a combination of Billy Graham and Sid Vicious as one commentator put it) and he's been haranguing audiences and readers around the world for decades with his philosophy of people first.   

Haranguing, because many companies are still not doing it. Although the pandemic may have changed that a bit.

In 2017 he received the Thinkers50 Lifetime Achievement Award. He also coined the term Personal Branding.

And he’s not stopping as he turns 80.

In this conversation, he reflects on why women should be leading; passion and outrage and why they are the most important quality in a good speaker; his love for research and data and the concept of compassionomics. 

He also gets personal, opening up about his childhood and his mother's influence and reiterating why he is not done yet.

He's as fanatical as ever (especially on the topic of women getting things done) and you’ll hear Debbie occasionally interrupting or trying to interrupt him in this conversation. Not something Debbie normally does but Tom's Director of Programs, Shelley Dolley, encouraged her to do so.

Debbie met Tom almost 15 years ago when he interviewed her for his Cool Friends series, shortly after her book (The Corporate Blogging Book) came out.

Coincidentally, he is married to a high school classmate of Debbie's, designer Susan Sargent.

His newest book, Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism, is more relevant than ever with its emphasis on creating a humane workplace. It's his eighteenth book and it may be his last, he tells Debbie. 

Much of his written and speech material is available—free to download—at tompeters.com and excellencenow.com.

Enjoy this spirited and wide-ranging conversation with a legendary thinker. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor or a Podcasting Network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 14 Jan 2022 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Tom Peters, Debbie Weil) https://gapyearforgrownups.simplecast.com/episodes/tom-peters Debbie talks to legendary business author and speaker Tom Peters.  And if you're wondering why she's interviewing a business management guru, it's because Tom exemplifies the new name of the podcast: [B]OLDER. I.e. getting bolder as you grow older. 

Tom is the co-author of In Search of Excellence, published 40 years ago and considered one of the most influential business books ever written. 

The book makes the argument that excellent companies treat their employees with respect. They put people first.

Tom is known for being brash, fanatical, even outrageous (a combination of Billy Graham and Sid Vicious as one commentator put it) and he's been haranguing audiences and readers around the world for decades with his philosophy of people first.   

Haranguing, because many companies are still not doing it. Although the pandemic may have changed that a bit.

In 2017 he received the Thinkers50 Lifetime Achievement Award. He also coined the term Personal Branding.

And he’s not stopping as he turns 80.

In this conversation, he reflects on why women should be leading; passion and outrage and why they are the most important quality in a good speaker; his love for research and data and the concept of compassionomics. 

He also gets personal, opening up about his childhood and his mother's influence and reiterating why he is not done yet.

He's as fanatical as ever (especially on the topic of women getting things done) and you’ll hear Debbie occasionally interrupting or trying to interrupt him in this conversation. Not something Debbie normally does but Tom's Director of Programs, Shelley Dolley, encouraged her to do so.

Debbie met Tom almost 15 years ago when he interviewed her for his Cool Friends series, shortly after her book (The Corporate Blogging Book) came out.

Coincidentally, he is married to a high school classmate of Debbie's, designer Susan Sargent.

His newest book, Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism, is more relevant than ever with its emphasis on creating a humane workplace. It's his eighteenth book and it may be his last, he tells Debbie. 

Much of his written and speech material is available—free to download—at tompeters.com and excellencenow.com.

Enjoy this spirited and wide-ranging conversation with a legendary thinker. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor or a Podcasting Network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Tom Peters on [B]OLDLY Turning 80: His Childhood, His Passion, His Outrage, His Mission Tom Peters, Debbie Weil 00:48:09 Debbie talks to legendary business author and speaker Tom Peters about his childhood, his passion and outrage, what matters most to him, and his relationship to work on the eve of turning 80. Debbie talks to legendary business author and speaker Tom Peters about his childhood, his passion and outrage, what matters most to him, and his relationship to work on the eve of turning 80. older, passion, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, management, management thinker, intuition, pay-it-forward, speaking, in search of excellence, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, leadership, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, leader, influential, trying new things, gap year project, kind leaders, retiring, humanism, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, excellence, women rule, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, speaker, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, good leaders, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, women leader, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, business mindset, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, people first, business savvy, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, passionate, child-like mindset, tom peters, bolder, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, caring, year off work, retirement, retirement, failure, aging well, collective gap year, mba, aging with wisdom business executive, pandemic reinvention, kindness, reading, what’s next, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, psychology of organization, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 8 4 5fead24f-a204-4e18-83d7-bb5e7e90a260 Oliver Burkeman on Embracing Finitude and Completing a Few Meaningful Things This is the last episode before we take a podcasting break for the holidays. See you back here in January 2022!  

And yes, we’re trying out a new name. The focus of the podcast has become broader than the topic of “taking a gap year.” So the new name is [B]OLDER: Making the most of growing older. 

In other words, boldly reinventing life and work at midlife and beyond.

 

Debbie is always on the lookout for guests who can lend a new perspective to the concept of time and our perception of how much of it we have. So when she read Oliver Burkeman’s new book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, she knew he had to come on the show. 

Plus the book is terrific and it's getting lots of notice.

The first sentence is “The average human life span is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short.” In other words, about 4,000 weeks.

Oliver is a British author and journalist who wrote a popular weekly column, This Column Will Change Your Life, for The Guardian for over a decade. He has reported from London, Washington and New York and recently moved with his wife and son from Brooklyn, NY back to Yorkshire in the UK to be near his family. 

He has established himself as a tongue-in-cheek expert on productivity and time management and how that does - or does not - lead to happiness. 

He sums up his new book very nicely in his Twitter profile: explaining that 4,000 Weeks is about embracing limitation and finally getting round to what matters. 

As he's 46, he's only lived about 2,400 of those 4,000 weeks himself but he tells Debbie in this episode  that he may be getting closer to a better relationship with time.

Debbie and Oliver talk about time and self-worth, why we are so future-oriented, the connection between time and happiness, and why it might be okay that we use social media as a distraction. 

Oliver is a contrarian thinker but he's truly interested in how to build a meaningful life. Debbie had a number of aha moments in this conversation and listeners will too!

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

References:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor or Podcast Network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 17 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Oliver Burkeman) https://debbieweil.com/podcast This is the last episode before we take a podcasting break for the holidays. See you back here in January 2022!  

And yes, we’re trying out a new name. The focus of the podcast has become broader than the topic of “taking a gap year.” So the new name is [B]OLDER: Making the most of growing older. 

In other words, boldly reinventing life and work at midlife and beyond.

 

Debbie is always on the lookout for guests who can lend a new perspective to the concept of time and our perception of how much of it we have. So when she read Oliver Burkeman’s new book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, she knew he had to come on the show. 

Plus the book is terrific and it's getting lots of notice.

The first sentence is “The average human life span is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short.” In other words, about 4,000 weeks.

Oliver is a British author and journalist who wrote a popular weekly column, This Column Will Change Your Life, for The Guardian for over a decade. He has reported from London, Washington and New York and recently moved with his wife and son from Brooklyn, NY back to Yorkshire in the UK to be near his family. 

He has established himself as a tongue-in-cheek expert on productivity and time management and how that does - or does not - lead to happiness. 

He sums up his new book very nicely in his Twitter profile: explaining that 4,000 Weeks is about embracing limitation and finally getting round to what matters. 

As he's 46, he's only lived about 2,400 of those 4,000 weeks himself but he tells Debbie in this episode  that he may be getting closer to a better relationship with time.

Debbie and Oliver talk about time and self-worth, why we are so future-oriented, the connection between time and happiness, and why it might be okay that we use social media as a distraction. 

Oliver is a contrarian thinker but he's truly interested in how to build a meaningful life. Debbie had a number of aha moments in this conversation and listeners will too!

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

References:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor or Podcast Network

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Oliver Burkeman on Embracing Finitude and Completing a Few Meaningful Things Debbie Weil, Oliver Burkeman 00:43:58 Debbie Weil talks to author Oliver Burkeman from his home in Yorkshire about the finitude of the human lifespan, the problem with bucket lists, and why it may be okay that we use social media as a distraction. Debbie Weil talks to author Oliver Burkeman from his home in Yorkshire about the finitude of the human lifespan, the problem with bucket lists, and why it may be okay that we use social media as a distraction. beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, jung, self-actualization, sabbatical, pay-it-forward, escaping the real work, buddhism, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, time control, life is short, time, flow state, shifting gears, aging with grace, no goals, legacy, nonlinear time, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, thinking about time, experiment, experts, book writing, changing lives, think in waves, clock ticking away, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, social media, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, time is the medium, life is not a rehearsal, curious mindset, provisional life, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, meaningful projects, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, chronos, meaningful life, twitter, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, finitude, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, where is happiness, deep time, how to find happiness, hobbies, long-term thinking, time freak, child-like mindset, kairos, not enough time, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, 4000 weeks, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, buddhist, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, meaningful experience, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, finding meaning, retirement, failure, collective gap year, time is running out, controlling time, relationship to time, pandemic reinvention, distractions, what’s next, executive coaching, jungian, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 7 4 f99441c0-9081-44c1-bd07-9d309efff53c Debbie & Sam on Entering the Land of the Old Yup, it's Debbie's 70th birthday today.

She's been chewing this milestone over for months, knowing that turning 70 means entering the land of the old.

Time is running out so fast. How many more good years does she have left before entering the land of the old, old? Realistically, at 70, she's got 10 to 15 good years of active living left. A sobering thought.

She invites her husband Sam back on the show to talk about their bucket lists for this eighth decade. She and Sam both turned 70 this year. They share some of their projects for the coming decade, from getting a puppy (Debbie's idea, so far not shared by Sam), to traveling again (they hope), to how they plan to deal with their own old, old age. 

They also discuss the idea of being challenged and the difference between challenges and accomplishments.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Related episodes:

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Music:

Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

]]> Sat, 11 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Yup, it's Debbie's 70th birthday today.

She's been chewing this milestone over for months, knowing that turning 70 means entering the land of the old.

Time is running out so fast. How many more good years does she have left before entering the land of the old, old? Realistically, at 70, she's got 10 to 15 good years of active living left. A sobering thought.

She invites her husband Sam back on the show to talk about their bucket lists for this eighth decade. She and Sam both turned 70 this year. They share some of their projects for the coming decade, from getting a puppy (Debbie's idea, so far not shared by Sam), to traveling again (they hope), to how they plan to deal with their own old, old age. 

They also discuss the idea of being challenged and the difference between challenges and accomplishments.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Related episodes:

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Music:

Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

]]> Debbie & Sam on Entering the Land of the Old Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:24:08 Debbie invites her husband Sam back on the show on her 70th birthday. Debbie invites her husband Sam back on the show on her 70th birthday. beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, becoming 70, pay-it-forward, the decade of 70, tropical life, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, birthday plans, too old for, being 70, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, birthday, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, life after 70, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, gap year after 70, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, island life, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, 70s bucket list, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, challenges, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, turning 70, parent’s death, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, regenerative community, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, the land of 70, collective gap year, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, good death, intergenerational community, accomplishments, executive coaching, aging gracefully, overnight success, moving in your 70s, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 6 4 63a5c6ea-3111-42e6-9aa9-dcb5eb93019a Debbie and Julie-Roxane Dissect How Reinventing Your Life Really Works Today, Debbie brings her producer Julie-Roxane back on the show. Or rather, the opposite. 

Julie-Roxane takes control of the mic to interview Debbie about her experiences of reinventing her life, starting at age 14 and continuing up to the present as she turns 70. Together they explore what life reinvention really means and how it works.

It's not that Debbie is a perfect model for life reinvention. Rather, what emerges in their conversation is a surprising life pattern. 

Why would a shy teen embrace an adventure in another country? 

What makes someone radically change course in a career?

What does personality type have to do with a propensity for reinvention?

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Music:

Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

]]> Fri, 3 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Julie-Roxane Krikorian) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie brings her producer Julie-Roxane back on the show. Or rather, the opposite. 

Julie-Roxane takes control of the mic to interview Debbie about her experiences of reinventing her life, starting at age 14 and continuing up to the present as she turns 70. Together they explore what life reinvention really means and how it works.

It's not that Debbie is a perfect model for life reinvention. Rather, what emerges in their conversation is a surprising life pattern. 

Why would a shy teen embrace an adventure in another country? 

What makes someone radically change course in a career?

What does personality type have to do with a propensity for reinvention?

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Music:

Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

]]> Debbie and Julie-Roxane Dissect How Reinventing Your Life Really Works Debbie Weil, Julie-Roxane Krikorian 00:47:39 You hear so much these days about reinvention and reinventing your life. But how does that really work? You hear so much these days about reinvention and reinventing your life. But how does that really work? beginner’s attitude, never stop growing, mindfulness practices, reminiscing, growth mindset, corporate life, do things as tests, intuition, a life of reinvention, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, finding your way, world wide web, leadership, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, caterpillar, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, adult education, experiment, experts, book writing, entrepreneur, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, finding yourself, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, finding your path, getting an mba, curious mindset, blogging, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, storytelling event, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, gap year in france, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, becoming an export, community leader, entrepreneurship, curiosity, writing a book, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, mindful practice, process of reinvention, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, butterfly, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, author, collective gap year, connecting the dots, remembering, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, working a corporate job, non profit, executive coaching, never stop reinventing, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 5 4 d2a21985-5c14-4083-b8d5-a032181072de Aging Options: Skylar Skikos on Intergenerational and Regenerative Communities One of the things Debbie is starting to think about is where and how she and her husband Sam might want to live as they get older - a lot older than their current 70. Like many Boomers, they are repelled by the idea of a retirement community.

This week on the podcast she turns to Skylar Skikos to learn about new options. Skylar, 40, is a philosopher at heart and a financier by trade. He’s a real estate developer and investor who specializes in hospitality and senior care and he’s Chief Development Officer of Modern Elder Academy in Baja, MX. 

You've heard Debbie talk before about MEA, the world's first midlife wisdom school. Skylar is fascinated with how to create places that help people flourish, particularly as they age. He thinks there’s something missing from age-segregated communities and Debbie couldn’t agree more. She wants to run screaming when she sees glossy ads for age 55+ retirement communities like The Villages in Florida because... who wants to live only with old people where the focus is solely on recreation and having fun?

This episode is her first attempt to start unpacking the topic of where and how older people can live where they can be part of a mixed-age community, still contributing and living productively, and avoid the loneliness and isolation that many of us associate with retirement communities. 

Debbie and Skylar talk about several alternatives. One is intergenerational housing that mixes age groups. A number of intergenerational developments are underway right now in different parts of the U.S. They also talk about something called Regenerative Communities, a concept being pioneered by MEA. 

Skylar joined MEA to help them develop a collection of Regenerative Communities, each of which will include mixed-age residents, a midlife wisdom school where you explore how to grow and thrive in the latter stages of life, and a surrounding regenerative farm. 

The first Regenerative Community being developed in the U.S. is outside Sante Fe, NM. Debbie and Sam are so intrigued with this concept and are hoping that MEA will turn its sights towards the East Coast, which is closer to home and family for them.

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE OR USEFUL:

 

Skylar Skikos on LinkedIn

Navigating the Youth-Midlife Divide: Musings Approaching a 40th Birthday by Skylar Skikos (Wisdom Well, Nov. 2, 2021)

Modern Elder Academy

MEA | Regenerative Communities

Don't Mind the Gap in Intergenerational Housing by Karrie Jacobs (New York Times, Sept. 2, 2021)

New Model of Active  Adult Senior Living Is Coming to the Austin Area  (Cantina)

Cantina Community

Right Place, Right Time: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Home for the Second Half of Life by Ryan Frederick (‎Johns Hopkins University Press 2021)

The Villages (Your Retirement Adventure Starts Here)

Public philosopher Tom Morris

Serenbe (a wellness community near Atlanta)

 

NOTE FROM DEBBIE

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

MEDIA PARTNERS

 

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST

 

CREDITS

]]> Fri, 19 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Skylar Skikos) https://debbieweil.com/podcast One of the things Debbie is starting to think about is where and how she and her husband Sam might want to live as they get older - a lot older than their current 70. Like many Boomers, they are repelled by the idea of a retirement community.

This week on the podcast she turns to Skylar Skikos to learn about new options. Skylar, 40, is a philosopher at heart and a financier by trade. He’s a real estate developer and investor who specializes in hospitality and senior care and he’s Chief Development Officer of Modern Elder Academy in Baja, MX. 

You've heard Debbie talk before about MEA, the world's first midlife wisdom school. Skylar is fascinated with how to create places that help people flourish, particularly as they age. He thinks there’s something missing from age-segregated communities and Debbie couldn’t agree more. She wants to run screaming when she sees glossy ads for age 55+ retirement communities like The Villages in Florida because... who wants to live only with old people where the focus is solely on recreation and having fun?

This episode is her first attempt to start unpacking the topic of where and how older people can live where they can be part of a mixed-age community, still contributing and living productively, and avoid the loneliness and isolation that many of us associate with retirement communities. 

Debbie and Skylar talk about several alternatives. One is intergenerational housing that mixes age groups. A number of intergenerational developments are underway right now in different parts of the U.S. They also talk about something called Regenerative Communities, a concept being pioneered by MEA. 

Skylar joined MEA to help them develop a collection of Regenerative Communities, each of which will include mixed-age residents, a midlife wisdom school where you explore how to grow and thrive in the latter stages of life, and a surrounding regenerative farm. 

The first Regenerative Community being developed in the U.S. is outside Sante Fe, NM. Debbie and Sam are so intrigued with this concept and are hoping that MEA will turn its sights towards the East Coast, which is closer to home and family for them.

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE OR USEFUL:

 

Skylar Skikos on LinkedIn

Navigating the Youth-Midlife Divide: Musings Approaching a 40th Birthday by Skylar Skikos (Wisdom Well, Nov. 2, 2021)

Modern Elder Academy

MEA | Regenerative Communities

Don't Mind the Gap in Intergenerational Housing by Karrie Jacobs (New York Times, Sept. 2, 2021)

New Model of Active  Adult Senior Living Is Coming to the Austin Area  (Cantina)

Cantina Community

Right Place, Right Time: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Home for the Second Half of Life by Ryan Frederick (‎Johns Hopkins University Press 2021)

The Villages (Your Retirement Adventure Starts Here)

Public philosopher Tom Morris

Serenbe (a wellness community near Atlanta)

 

NOTE FROM DEBBIE

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

MEDIA PARTNERS

 

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST

 

CREDITS

]]> Aging Options: Skylar Skikos on Intergenerational and Regenerative Communities Debbie Weil, Skylar Skikos 00:31:49 Debbie Weil talks to Skylar Skikos about options beyond retirement communities for those who can't stand the idea of living only with old people. Debbie Weil talks to Skylar Skikos about options beyond retirement communities for those who can't stand the idea of living only with old people. beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, soil, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, intergenerational communities, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, restoring wholeness, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, gen z, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, book writing, building the future, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, housing vs community, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, wholeness, legacy making, aging with wisdom, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, boomers, put a date to it, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, strategic location, downsizing, becoming an export, curiosity, writing a book, regenerative communities, long-term thinking, fragmentation, child-like mindset, gen x, regenerative community, multigenerational, money mindset, expert, community projects, the long game, create a legacy, community building, put a date to your goal, aging, small towns, beginner mindset, gig economy, regenerative agriculture, mindful practice, communal living, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, retirement, failure, collective gap year, pandemic reinvention, soul, what’s next, intergenerational community, executive coaching, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, gen y, early retirement, locale false full 4 4 3e2dd037-d984-4ffa-a2de-0ede10e56302 Richard Leider on Living Your Purpose Rather Than "Finding" It Today, Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily.

 Richard is considered a pioneer of the global purpose movement. Yes, the "purpose movement" is a thing. The topic of  finding meaning and purpose has come up repeatedly on this podcast.  It's key to a life well-lived, we’ve been told. But how DO you live a life of purpose? Are there any shortcuts or secrets? That’s what Debbie wanted to find out from Richard.

Richard Leider is the author of 11 books, many of which have been bestsellers, and recently co-authored the book "Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging." He's very much on the right path for himself. At 77, he’s working, writing, and still, happily, honing his own purpose. 

Together, they talk about the idea of purpose in elder hood, and why it is crucial to longevity. They discuss purpose as a verb: it’s not something you find but it’s something you “do” via purposeful living. Richard shares his story of a profound encounter with author and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl in 1968 and how that unlocked his lifelong fascination with purpose.

They also get into what he calls in his book the Ultimate Conversation - the one about death that you should have with your family but also with yourself. 

And Richard shares what he does everyday to practice being purposeful. This might be the secret, if there is one. This is a great conversation with a man who is truly living what he talks and writes about.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

 

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- Debbie

 

 

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If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

 

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]]> Fri, 5 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Richard Leider) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily.

 Richard is considered a pioneer of the global purpose movement. Yes, the "purpose movement" is a thing. The topic of  finding meaning and purpose has come up repeatedly on this podcast.  It's key to a life well-lived, we’ve been told. But how DO you live a life of purpose? Are there any shortcuts or secrets? That’s what Debbie wanted to find out from Richard.

Richard Leider is the author of 11 books, many of which have been bestsellers, and recently co-authored the book "Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging." He's very much on the right path for himself. At 77, he’s working, writing, and still, happily, honing his own purpose. 

Together, they talk about the idea of purpose in elder hood, and why it is crucial to longevity. They discuss purpose as a verb: it’s not something you find but it’s something you “do” via purposeful living. Richard shares his story of a profound encounter with author and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl in 1968 and how that unlocked his lifelong fascination with purpose.

They also get into what he calls in his book the Ultimate Conversation - the one about death that you should have with your family but also with yourself. 

And Richard shares what he does everyday to practice being purposeful. This might be the secret, if there is one. This is a great conversation with a man who is truly living what he talks and writes about.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

 

Media Partners

 

 

Support this podcast:

 

 

Credits:

]]> Richard Leider on Living Your Purpose Rather Than "Finding" It Debbie Weil, Richard Leider 00:34:37 Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily. Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily. beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, later age crisis, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, spirituality, strategic thinking, timeout, old age crisis, skilling up, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, ultimate conversation, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, meaning, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, semi-retirement, rethinking your life, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, growing older, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, getting older, unlocking your purpose, life crisis, turning point, put a date to it, existential crisis, search for meaning, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, curiosity, writing a book, search for purpose, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, talking about death, money mindset, expert, elderhood, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, viktor frankl, aging, beginner mindset, gig economy, purpose, mindful practice, becoming an expert, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, unlocking purpose, year off work, retirement, failure, collective gap year, heritage, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 3 4 79350dfc-377f-4bd0-8beb-7e4bb99cf81a Emily Moore on Vulnerability, Life, and Becoming a Cancer Survivor Today, Debbie brings her 43-year-old niece, Emily Moore, onto the podcast to talk about life and death and her recent grueling course of chemotherapy to eradicate breast cancer.

Emily teaches English at Stuyvesant, one of Manhattan's competitive-entry public high schools. She’s also a published poet (one of her poems was published in The New Yorker), and has a PhD in English. She lives in Brooklyn with her wife and two young children.

Those of us beyond midlife are (supposedly) starting to wrap our minds around  the disability of old age and the hard stop of death. So Debbie asks Emily what it was like to, unexpectedly, be forced to stare death in the face in her early 40s. But Emily doesn’t really answer because it turns out it was the wrong question.

Instead she speaks eloquently about how much energy she’s put into fighting for life (she calls it putting on her "game face" despite how horrific the chemotherapy was) and how vulnerable she now feels and how that has changed her.

She also talks about how she'll never be "okay" again, meaning that things won't ever really return to the way they were before her cancer diagnosis. And she compares it to our collective wish to go back to the pre-pandemic "normal" of 2019 and how that probably won't happen.

Tune in to a powerful episode to hear Emily’s lilting voice and positive take on her experience.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


 

 

AULD LANG SYNE

By Emily Moore

April 7, 2008

Here’s to the rock star with the crooked teeth,

the cellist, banker, mezzo bearing gifts,

the teacher with the flask inside her jeans—

those girls who made us sweat and lick our lips.

To the jeune fille who broke my heart in France,

the tramp who warmed your lap and licked your ear,

the one who bought me shots at 2 a.m.

that night I tied your pink tie at the bar.

Who smoked. Who locked you out. Who kissed my eyes

then pulled my hair and left me for a boy.

The girl who bit my upper, inner thigh.

My raspy laugh when I first heard your voice

toasting through broken kisses sloppy drunk:

To women! To abundance! To enough!

 

Published in the print edition of the April 14, 2008 New Yorker. Reprinted with permission.

 

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter for the inside story about each episode of the podcast and to get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 22 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Emily Moore, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s4ep2-poet-teacher-emily-moore-on-vulnerability-living-and-becoming-a-cancer-survivor/ Today, Debbie brings her 43-year-old niece, Emily Moore, onto the podcast to talk about life and death and her recent grueling course of chemotherapy to eradicate breast cancer.

Emily teaches English at Stuyvesant, one of Manhattan's competitive-entry public high schools. She’s also a published poet (one of her poems was published in The New Yorker), and has a PhD in English. She lives in Brooklyn with her wife and two young children.

Those of us beyond midlife are (supposedly) starting to wrap our minds around  the disability of old age and the hard stop of death. So Debbie asks Emily what it was like to, unexpectedly, be forced to stare death in the face in her early 40s. But Emily doesn’t really answer because it turns out it was the wrong question.

Instead she speaks eloquently about how much energy she’s put into fighting for life (she calls it putting on her "game face" despite how horrific the chemotherapy was) and how vulnerable she now feels and how that has changed her.

She also talks about how she'll never be "okay" again, meaning that things won't ever really return to the way they were before her cancer diagnosis. And she compares it to our collective wish to go back to the pre-pandemic "normal" of 2019 and how that probably won't happen.

Tune in to a powerful episode to hear Emily’s lilting voice and positive take on her experience.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:


 

 

AULD LANG SYNE

By Emily Moore

April 7, 2008

Here’s to the rock star with the crooked teeth,

the cellist, banker, mezzo bearing gifts,

the teacher with the flask inside her jeans—

those girls who made us sweat and lick our lips.

To the jeune fille who broke my heart in France,

the tramp who warmed your lap and licked your ear,

the one who bought me shots at 2 a.m.

that night I tied your pink tie at the bar.

Who smoked. Who locked you out. Who kissed my eyes

then pulled my hair and left me for a boy.

The girl who bit my upper, inner thigh.

My raspy laugh when I first heard your voice

toasting through broken kisses sloppy drunk:

To women! To abundance! To enough!

 

Published in the print edition of the April 14, 2008 New Yorker. Reprinted with permission.

 

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter for the inside story about each episode of the podcast and to get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Emily Moore on Vulnerability, Life, and Becoming a Cancer Survivor Emily Moore, Debbie Weil 00:37:14 Debbie interviews her 43-year-old niece, Emily Moore, about what she's learned about life after a brutal course of chemotherapy to eradicate breast cancer. Debbie interviews her 43-year-old niece, Emily Moore, about what she's learned about life after a brutal course of chemotherapy to eradicate breast cancer. active treatment, beginner’s attitude, mindfulness practices, growth mindset, the privilege of aging, do things as tests, intuition, pay-it-forward, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, aging with grace, legacy, be supportive, trying new things, gap year project, retiring, strategic thinking, timeout, skilling up, cancer, minimalism, experiment, experts, book writing, hereditary, chemo poem, changing lives, think in waves, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, recognized experts, what comes next, financial planning, growth oriented, mindfulness, reinvention after 65, being vulnerable, money, reinvention after retirement, personal growth, curious mindset, cancer battle, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, learn new things, reinvention, legacy making, aging with wisdom, becoming an elder, cancer survivor, writing about cancer, active cancer treatment, put a date to it, community, book coaching, switching gears, happiness, medical team, chemo, downsizing, becoming an export, support team, curiosity, writing a book, physical vulnerability, cancer writing, long-term thinking, child-like mindset, money mindset, expert, the long game, create a legacy, put a date to your goal, battling cancer, aging, beginner mindset, breast cancer, gig economy, support group, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, poem, portfolio life, gap year, learning new things after 60, reinvention after 60, year off work, chemotherapy, retirement, failure, collective gap year, breast cancer survivor, why me, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, executive coaching, vulnerability, overnight success, the cost of writing a book, personal development, learning new things after 65, early retirement false full 2 4 3feeaad7-a26b-4ff5-84d8-bd3c655747d2 Dorie Clark on Playing "The Long Game” to Get the Most Out of Life and Work Welcome back to the [B]OLDER podcast (formerly The Gap Year Podcast).

Today, Debbie Weil brings author, entrepreneur, and renowned business thinker Dorie Clark on the show, a perfect way to kick off Season 4.

Dorie is a 42-year-old business consultant whose life and work resonate strongly with Debbie.  She was a Philosophy major in college, graduated from Harvard Divinity school, worked as a journalist (something Debbie did for two decades) and was a presidential campaign spokesperson. 

Then, in a very intentional way, over a period of eleven years, she became a highly respected business author and speaker. Dorie is on the Thinkers50 list, the top 50 business thinkers in the world, and has just published her fourth book: THE LONG GAME: HOW TO BE A LONG-TERM THINKER IN A SHORT-TERM WORLD. She now teaches at Duke and Columbia’s business schools and consults with clients like Google and Microsoft and the World Bank.

But - and this is the part that applies to midlife reinvention - it took repeated rejection along the way for her to get to where she is today. She tells us those stories and more in THE LONG GAME. Her new book is aimed at a mid-career business audience but Debbie was struck over and over, as she read it, how Dorie's approach applies to life and work after 60 or 70.

Dorie is also a documentary filmmaker, a Broadway investor, and a trained musical theatre lyricist and composer.

She writes in THE LONG GAME about creating white space in your calendar, meaning give yourself unstructured time to think “differently” and to explore and experiment. She also talks about optimizing for meaning (instead of for money, usually the default) and optimizing for interesting: follow your curiosity even if you don’t know exactly where that will take you. 

Wow, she could be writing a script for a grown-up gap year and for optimizing a post-career, non-retired chapter of life - the focus of this podcast.

Needless to say, Dorie is also a huge proponent of trying new things even if they are way outside your current area of expertise.

This is a great conversation full of useful nuggets about how to think long-term and why that matters.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 8 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (what comes next, learning new things after 60, minimalism, speaker, trying new things, the long game, put a date to your goal, reinvention, pursuit of happiness, strategic thinking, science of happiness, year off work, personal development, thinking about a gap year, mindful practice, planning a gap year, retiring, think in waves, intuition, money, switching gears, failure, gap year after fifty, reinvention after 65, portfolio life, skilling up, the cost of writing a book, overnight success, growth oriented, semi-retirement, learn new things, retirement, pay-it-forward, legacy, reinvention after 60, recognized experts, put a date to it, retirement, writing a book, timeout, money mindset, mindfulness practices, learning new things after 65, happiness, mindfulness, legacy making, gapyear, reinvent yourself, personal growth, gap year project, long-term thinking, gap year, shifting gears, reinvention after retirement, expert, time out, growth mindset, gap life, gig economy, gap year after sixty, business thinking, do things as tests, experts, book coaching, financial planning, early retirement, downsizing, experiment, changing lives, executive coaching, create a legacy, curiosity, dorie clark, becoming an elder, curious mindset, child-like mindset, beginner mindset, becoming an export, book writing, book writing, author, business coach, aging with wisdom, beginner’s attitude, aging, Dorie Clark, aging with grace, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/ss4ep1-author-dorie-clark-on-playing-the-long-game-to-get-the-most-out-of-life-and-work/ Welcome back to the [B]OLDER podcast (formerly The Gap Year Podcast).

Today, Debbie Weil brings author, entrepreneur, and renowned business thinker Dorie Clark on the show, a perfect way to kick off Season 4.

Dorie is a 42-year-old business consultant whose life and work resonate strongly with Debbie.  She was a Philosophy major in college, graduated from Harvard Divinity school, worked as a journalist (something Debbie did for two decades) and was a presidential campaign spokesperson. 

Then, in a very intentional way, over a period of eleven years, she became a highly respected business author and speaker. Dorie is on the Thinkers50 list, the top 50 business thinkers in the world, and has just published her fourth book: THE LONG GAME: HOW TO BE A LONG-TERM THINKER IN A SHORT-TERM WORLD. She now teaches at Duke and Columbia’s business schools and consults with clients like Google and Microsoft and the World Bank.

But - and this is the part that applies to midlife reinvention - it took repeated rejection along the way for her to get to where she is today. She tells us those stories and more in THE LONG GAME. Her new book is aimed at a mid-career business audience but Debbie was struck over and over, as she read it, how Dorie's approach applies to life and work after 60 or 70.

Dorie is also a documentary filmmaker, a Broadway investor, and a trained musical theatre lyricist and composer.

She writes in THE LONG GAME about creating white space in your calendar, meaning give yourself unstructured time to think “differently” and to explore and experiment. She also talks about optimizing for meaning (instead of for money, usually the default) and optimizing for interesting: follow your curiosity even if you don’t know exactly where that will take you. 

Wow, she could be writing a script for a grown-up gap year and for optimizing a post-career, non-retired chapter of life - the focus of this podcast.

Needless to say, Dorie is also a huge proponent of trying new things even if they are way outside your current area of expertise.

This is a great conversation full of useful nuggets about how to think long-term and why that matters.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Dorie Clark on Playing "The Long Game” to Get the Most Out of Life and Work what comes next, learning new things after 60, minimalism, speaker, trying new things, the long game, put a date to your goal, reinvention, pursuit of happiness, strategic thinking, science of happiness, year off work, personal development, thinking about a gap year, mindful practice, planning a gap year, retiring, think in waves, intuition, money, switching gears, failure, gap year after fifty, reinvention after 65, portfolio life, skilling up, the cost of writing a book, overnight success, growth oriented, semi-retirement, learn new things, retirement, pay-it-forward, legacy, reinvention after 60, recognized experts, put a date to it, retirement, writing a book, timeout, money mindset, mindfulness practices, learning new things after 65, happiness, mindfulness, legacy making, gapyear, reinvent yourself, personal growth, gap year project, long-term thinking, gap year, shifting gears, reinvention after retirement, expert, time out, growth mindset, gap life, gig economy, gap year after sixty, business thinking, do things as tests, experts, book coaching, financial planning, early retirement, downsizing, experiment, changing lives, executive coaching, create a legacy, curiosity, dorie clark, becoming an elder, curious mindset, child-like mindset, beginner mindset, becoming an export, book writing, book writing, author, business coach, aging with wisdom, beginner’s attitude, aging, Dorie Clark, aging with grace, Debbie Weil 00:36:47 Debbie Weil talks to author and renowned business thinker Dorie Clark about applying long-term thinking to optimizing life and work after 60 - and why that matters. Debbie Weil talks to author and renowned business thinker Dorie Clark about applying long-term thinking to optimizing life and work after 60 - and why that matters. false full 1 4 66089ed2-8280-4ba5-8b10-6883833ecae2 Season 4 - Trailer The Gap Year Podcast is back for Season 4 and our topic is "making the most of growing older."

If you’ve been following the podcast since Season 1, you know that this topic has always been at the core of the podcast. But how do you make the most of growing older? What does that even mean?

After three years of podcasting and 65 episodes, I’m very close to turning 70. It’s increasingly apparent to me that this “how to grow older” question really has no definitive answer. It’s a messy question, with messy answers.

The simplest definition I’ve come up with is that it means reinventing life and work in what have traditionally been called the retirement years.  Well, that’s what’s most relevant to me right now. If you’re anywhere near midlife, or older, you’ve probably wrestled with the “growing older” question yourself. At the same time, you may think of aging as a five-letter word - something to be avoided and even feared. Why is that?

In truth, this podcast is my quest to answer my own aging and reinvention questions. But it’s also an invitation to you, dear listener, to join a conversation about what can be a difficult topic to unravel. I hope, as I fumble about, sometimes with more grace than others, I can inspire or nudge you to seek your own answers: What does it mean to make the most of growing older? 

We’ll delve into topics like confronting the fear of death and how that affects your life, how to create a post-career identity and make a difference, and how to find purpose, the holy grail of growing up and growing older, right?

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 1 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast The Gap Year Podcast is back for Season 4 and our topic is "making the most of growing older."

If you’ve been following the podcast since Season 1, you know that this topic has always been at the core of the podcast. But how do you make the most of growing older? What does that even mean?

After three years of podcasting and 65 episodes, I’m very close to turning 70. It’s increasingly apparent to me that this “how to grow older” question really has no definitive answer. It’s a messy question, with messy answers.

The simplest definition I’ve come up with is that it means reinventing life and work in what have traditionally been called the retirement years.  Well, that’s what’s most relevant to me right now. If you’re anywhere near midlife, or older, you’ve probably wrestled with the “growing older” question yourself. At the same time, you may think of aging as a five-letter word - something to be avoided and even feared. Why is that?

In truth, this podcast is my quest to answer my own aging and reinvention questions. But it’s also an invitation to you, dear listener, to join a conversation about what can be a difficult topic to unravel. I hope, as I fumble about, sometimes with more grace than others, I can inspire or nudge you to seek your own answers: What does it mean to make the most of growing older? 

We’ll delve into topics like confronting the fear of death and how that affects your life, how to create a post-career identity and make a difference, and how to find purpose, the holy grail of growing up and growing older, right?

 

Note from Debbie

If you've been enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than two minutes and it really makes a difference. It makes me feel loved and it also attracts new listeners.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get my free writing guide: https://bitly.com/debbie-free-guide.

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Season 4 - Trailer Debbie Weil 00:02:46 The Gap Year Podcast is back for Season 4! We'll dig into "making the most of growing older." The Gap Year Podcast is back for Season 4! We'll dig into "making the most of growing older." intergenerational collaboration, mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, quarantine, shifting gears, renaming podcast, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, bucket list, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, aging struggles, season 3, 48 years of marriage, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, bucket list 70, financial planning, dying, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, being older, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, aging with wisdom, new normal, podcast, work beyond 70, silver linings, embodying, intentional pause, collaborative effort of a podcast, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, contemplating death, coronavirus, morning routine, turning 70, 50 years of marriage, routine, anxiety during pandemic, death, contemplating mortality, gig economy, being old, mindful practice, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, mortality, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, embodiment, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, internalized ageism, podcasting, gap year podcast, aging gracefully, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane, productivity beyond 70 false trailer 4 05ec1505-436e-4e10-ba1c-126caef9fcd7 Debbie Weil on Turning 70, Mortality, and Making the Most of Growing Older Debbie Weil is interviewed by her producer Julie-Roxane Krikorian about turning 70, mortality, productivity, her halting efforts to age gracefully, and Season 4 of The Gap Year Podcast.

This is the last episode of Season 3. We'll be back in the fall with Season 4!

As a way to finish this season on a special note, Debbie turns the mic over to her producer, Julie-Roxane.

JR gets Debbie to reveal her ambivalent feelings about turning 70  and how she can't shake ageist thoughts about growing old. They talk about mortality and what her priorities are for the decades - well, maybe two decades - to come.  At almost 70, Debbie figures she's got 15 - 20 years of good time left. They talk about what “good time” means and how the definition of productivity might change in your 70s and 80s.

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that one of the broad topics of the podcast is aging with acceptance, wisdom, and grace. So the dirty secret is out. Debbie is not a model, yet, for how to do this.  It’s still aspirational. She continues to work on a more positive mindset as she looks ahead, as well as a more intentional way of living. In other words,  "making the most of growing older."  That will be the underlying theme of Season 4.

Thank you so much for listening and participating in Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. We’ll see you back here, in the fall, for Season 4.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you are enjoying this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 2 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Julie-Roxane Krikorian) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil is interviewed by her producer Julie-Roxane Krikorian about turning 70, mortality, productivity, her halting efforts to age gracefully, and Season 4 of The Gap Year Podcast.

This is the last episode of Season 3. We'll be back in the fall with Season 4!

As a way to finish this season on a special note, Debbie turns the mic over to her producer, Julie-Roxane.

JR gets Debbie to reveal her ambivalent feelings about turning 70  and how she can't shake ageist thoughts about growing old. They talk about mortality and what her priorities are for the decades - well, maybe two decades - to come.  At almost 70, Debbie figures she's got 15 - 20 years of good time left. They talk about what “good time” means and how the definition of productivity might change in your 70s and 80s.

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that one of the broad topics of the podcast is aging with acceptance, wisdom, and grace. So the dirty secret is out. Debbie is not a model, yet, for how to do this.  It’s still aspirational. She continues to work on a more positive mindset as she looks ahead, as well as a more intentional way of living. In other words,  "making the most of growing older."  That will be the underlying theme of Season 4.

Thank you so much for listening and participating in Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. We’ll see you back here, in the fall, for Season 4.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you are enjoying this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie Weil on Turning 70, Mortality, and Making the Most of Growing Older Debbie Weil, Julie-Roxane Krikorian 00:39:25 Debbie Weil is interviewed by her producer Julie-Roxane Krikorian about turning 70, mortality, productivity, her halting efforts to age gracefully, and Season 4 of The Gap Year Podcast. Debbie Weil is interviewed by her producer Julie-Roxane Krikorian about turning 70, mortality, productivity, her halting efforts to age gracefully, and Season 4 of The Gap Year Podcast. intergenerational collaboration, mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, quarantine, shifting gears, renaming podcast, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, bucket list, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, aging struggles, season 3, 48 years of marriage, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, bucket list 70, financial planning, dying, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, being older, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, aging with wisdom, new normal, podcast, work beyond 70, silver linings, embodying, intentional pause, collaborative effort of a podcast, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, contemplating death, coronavirus, morning routine, turning 70, 50 years of marriage, routine, anxiety during pandemic, death, contemplating mortality, gig economy, being old, mindful practice, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, mortality, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, embodiment, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, internalized ageism, podcasting, gap year podcast, aging gracefully, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane, productivity beyond 70 false full 25 3 3a1e7770-f33f-483c-ba2b-c1c3e717f725 Steven Petrow on the Stupid Things He Won’t Do When He Gets Old Today, Debbie talks with with Steven Petrow about his new book, Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old: A Highly Judgmental, Unapologetically Honest Accounting of All the Things Our Elders Are Doing Wrong. 

The title says it all, as does the format of the book. The list of stupid things to avoid is offered in 43 bite-size chapters. Steven is an award-winning journalist and author who is best known for his Washington Post and New York Times essays on aging, health, and LGBTQ issues. Debbie has been following his work for a while and when she heard about his new book on old age she jumped on getting him onto the show.

We've all had a lot of time to think about life - and death - during this pandemic gap year and old age is starting to get personal for Debbie (she turns 70 this year). She figured Steven's humorous approach to the topic would make it easier to get into a substantive discussion about getting old. It did and you'll find this conversation goes surprisingly deep. 

The book covers lighter topics like:

  • Why you shouldn’t color your hair
  • Why you shouldn’t avoid looking at yourself naked in the mirror
  • Why you shouldn’t lie about your age (even on dating apps)
  • Why you shouldn’t hoard those little jam packets (and otherwise collect clutter)
  • Why you shouldn’t tell your life story when someone says, "How are you"
  • Why you shouldn’t become a miserable curmudgeon

 

Debbie and Steven talk about harder stuff.  When does old age actually start? The looming uncertainty of how many years - how many good years - you have left? How to make that time count?

They also talk about things no one wants to talk about (like decreased libido, not wanting to use a walker, and the "smell" of old people). And they talk about how to have the hard conversations with elderly parents. You know the ones: “Maybe you shouldn’t be driving anymore” or “Maybe it’s time to think about getting more care at home” or “What kind of memorial service do you want?”

Steven offers candid answers for how to address the indignities and challenges of old age whether you are encountering them through family members and friends, or worrying about yourself. This is a fun, easy listen.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 18 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Steven Petrow, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks with with Steven Petrow about his new book, Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old: A Highly Judgmental, Unapologetically Honest Accounting of All the Things Our Elders Are Doing Wrong. 

The title says it all, as does the format of the book. The list of stupid things to avoid is offered in 43 bite-size chapters. Steven is an award-winning journalist and author who is best known for his Washington Post and New York Times essays on aging, health, and LGBTQ issues. Debbie has been following his work for a while and when she heard about his new book on old age she jumped on getting him onto the show.

We've all had a lot of time to think about life - and death - during this pandemic gap year and old age is starting to get personal for Debbie (she turns 70 this year). She figured Steven's humorous approach to the topic would make it easier to get into a substantive discussion about getting old. It did and you'll find this conversation goes surprisingly deep. 

The book covers lighter topics like:

  • Why you shouldn’t color your hair
  • Why you shouldn’t avoid looking at yourself naked in the mirror
  • Why you shouldn’t lie about your age (even on dating apps)
  • Why you shouldn’t hoard those little jam packets (and otherwise collect clutter)
  • Why you shouldn’t tell your life story when someone says, "How are you"
  • Why you shouldn’t become a miserable curmudgeon

 

Debbie and Steven talk about harder stuff.  When does old age actually start? The looming uncertainty of how many years - how many good years - you have left? How to make that time count?

They also talk about things no one wants to talk about (like decreased libido, not wanting to use a walker, and the "smell" of old people). And they talk about how to have the hard conversations with elderly parents. You know the ones: “Maybe you shouldn’t be driving anymore” or “Maybe it’s time to think about getting more care at home” or “What kind of memorial service do you want?”

Steven offers candid answers for how to address the indignities and challenges of old age whether you are encountering them through family members and friends, or worrying about yourself. This is a fun, easy listen.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Steven Petrow on the Stupid Things He Won’t Do When He Gets Old Steven Petrow, Debbie Weil 00:37:11 Debbie Weil talks to award-winning journalist and author Steven Petrow about our ambivalence about getting old, the long list of stupid things old people do (that he vows NOT to do), and how to talk about the hard stuff with our elders. A fun, easy listen about hard topics. Debbie Weil talks to award-winning journalist and author Steven Petrow about our ambivalence about getting old, the long list of stupid things old people do (that he vows NOT to do), and how to talk about the hard stuff with our elders. A fun, easy listen about hard topics. mindfulness practices, lessons from the pandemic, intuition, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, biggest fear about dying, ageism, quarantine, how many years left, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, elderly parents, timeout, skilling up, biggest fear about aging, libido, minimalism, covid-19, the home stretch, wait to worry, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, dying, old people smell, assisted living, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, assisted living community, preparing for old age, aging parents, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, coronavirus, morning routine, sex life when older, routine, anxiety during pandemic, humor to cope with aging, death, fear, aging, gig economy, being a burden, mindful practice, being dependent, stupid things old people do, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, old age, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, internalized ageism, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, prepare, early retirement, keeping sane false full 24 3 270726e4-7090-4935-9f97-427c304ead4e Bestselling Author Thomas E. Ricks on His Writing Process Today, Debbie Weil talks to good friend and bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks about writing.  This episode will appeal to listeners even if you're not a word nerd or put writing a book at the top of your bucket list. 

Tom is a military history columnist for the New York Times and author of seven books, the last five of which have been New York Times bestsellers. His best known book is "Fiasco: the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 - 2005," which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2007.  His most recent book, published in November 2020, is "First Principles: What America's Founders Learned From the Greeks and Romans, and How That Shaped Our Country."

He was a war correspondent and a member of Pulitzer Prize-winning teams covering the military for both the Wall Street Journal (2000) and the Washington Post (2002).  

As Debbie puts it, he's the "real deal" when it comes to writing serious books. Tom is currently working on his eighth book, a military appreciation of the Civil Rights Movement. Tom and his wife Mary Kay, also an author, are Debbie's good friends and neighbors in Maine.

Today, they talk about what drives Tom to write: is it for money, for recognition, to win another Pulitzer prize, to connect with his readers, the writing itself? His answer is a good one.  They address the big questions: how long does it take him to write a book, how does he choose his topics, what is his  advice for would-be book writers, and more.  

Debbie and Tom also get into the nitty gritty of his writing process. He takes us through a day in the life of Tom Ricks which includes bringing tea to Mary Kay in the morning and making lunch most days for the two of them. Despite how prolific he is, Tom does not write for 8 hours a day. 

He is witty and passionate on the topic of writing, as well as being honest and revealing, and this is a wonderful conversation.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

My newsletter: sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor for Season 4

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 4 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Thomas E. Ricks) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep23-bestselling-author-thomas-e-ricks-on-his-writing-process/ Today, Debbie Weil talks to good friend and bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks about writing.  This episode will appeal to listeners even if you're not a word nerd or put writing a book at the top of your bucket list. 

Tom is a military history columnist for the New York Times and author of seven books, the last five of which have been New York Times bestsellers. His best known book is "Fiasco: the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 - 2005," which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2007.  His most recent book, published in November 2020, is "First Principles: What America's Founders Learned From the Greeks and Romans, and How That Shaped Our Country."

He was a war correspondent and a member of Pulitzer Prize-winning teams covering the military for both the Wall Street Journal (2000) and the Washington Post (2002).  

As Debbie puts it, he's the "real deal" when it comes to writing serious books. Tom is currently working on his eighth book, a military appreciation of the Civil Rights Movement. Tom and his wife Mary Kay, also an author, are Debbie's good friends and neighbors in Maine.

Today, they talk about what drives Tom to write: is it for money, for recognition, to win another Pulitzer prize, to connect with his readers, the writing itself? His answer is a good one.  They address the big questions: how long does it take him to write a book, how does he choose his topics, what is his  advice for would-be book writers, and more.  

Debbie and Tom also get into the nitty gritty of his writing process. He takes us through a day in the life of Tom Ricks which includes bringing tea to Mary Kay in the morning and making lunch most days for the two of them. Despite how prolific he is, Tom does not write for 8 hours a day. 

He is witty and passionate on the topic of writing, as well as being honest and revealing, and this is a wonderful conversation.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

My newsletter: sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor for Season 4

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Bestselling Author Thomas E. Ricks on His Writing Process Debbie Weil, Thomas E. Ricks 00:39:10 Debbie talks to bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks about his writing process, what really goes into writing a book, and what drives him to write. He's working on his eighth book. The last five, including "Churchill & Orwell" and "First Principles," have been New York Times bestsellers. The Gap Year Podcast is about making the most of the collective gap year we’ve all been living through. As it is Debbie's show she also gets to talk to cool people about things she really cares about. High on that list is the topic of writing. Debbie talks to bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks about his writing process, what really goes into writing a book, and what drives him to write. He's working on his eighth book. The last five, including "Churchill & Orwell" and "First Principles," have been New York Times bestsellers. The Gap Year Podcast is about making the most of the collective gap year we’ve all been living through. As it is Debbie's show she also gets to talk to cool people about things she really cares about. High on that list is the topic of writing. mindfulness practices, writing, intuition, manuscript, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, editing a manuscript, quarantine, shifting gears, journalism, pandemic, gap year project, good writer, 2020, editor, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, bestselling author, book writing, civil rights movement, season 3, new yorker, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, editors, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, civil rights military strategy, new york times bestseller, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, editing a book, advice to write a book, writing habits, lockdown, semi-retirement, writing workshop, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, critical readers, podcast, twitter, silver linings, writing process, nyt bestseller, intentional pause, switching gears, day in the life of a bestselling author, happiness, downsizing, pulitzer price, sanity during lockdown, bestselling writer, coronavirus, first readers, morning routine, writing a book, pandemic routine, journalist, routine, writer, the life of a manuscript, anxiety during pandemic, how to become a good writer, bestseller, gig economy, writing faster, mindful practice, how long to write a book, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, rules for writers, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, the importance of editors, war history, pandemic reinvention, day of writing, distractions, writing well, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, bestselling book, early retirement, military history, keeping sane false full 23 3 c4389aa0-cfc2-4ad7-af46-6c35466bf69d Debbie & Sam on Getting Calm and Centered in Baja (Yes, Even Sam Felt It) Debbie Weil brings her husband, Sam Harrington, back onto the show. A retired physician, Sam is NOT a  believer in midlife-crisis camps nor in navel gazing, which is what he told family and friends Debbie was dragging him across the country to do. It took a lot of arm-twisting to persuade Sam to get on a plane and fly to Mexico’s Baja Sur, even after they had both been twice vaccinated and even after the long, dispiriting winter of the pandemic. Their destination: Modern Elder Academy.

If you've been listening to the podcast, you've heard about MEA. You could call MEA a wellness retreat. It’s idyllic: simple accommodations overlook the crashing waves of a broad mile-long beach. Birdsong fills the air, water trickles from fountains, and bright pink, yellow, and orange Bougainvillea blooms everywhere. An organic garden produces wonderful meals and a dusty dirt road leads to the nearest village.

But MEA is more than a wellness retreat. It’s also a school - and a community - of like-minded people. MEA tends to attract open-minded individuals from their 30s to 70s, who are on a quest to define "what's next” in their lives and who are willing to think differently about aging. 

Guests can attend structured discussions, there’s time for journal writing and reflection, and there are meditation and yoga classes. 

Debbie and Sam talk about a few of the topics that were on offer during their two-week stay, including the difference between growth vs. fixed mindsets (you can guess which one is preferable) and something called appreciative inquiry which is an expansive way of both listening and asking questions. 

Sam ultimately admits that he IS feeling calm and centered. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

A gift for listeners: a Baja meditation soundtrack

Debbie created a 20-minute meditation soundtrack (with help from producer Julie-Roxane) from the distinctive Baja birdsong and trickling water she heard every morning before meditation practice. Download the soundtrack.

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

 

Newsletter:

Sign up for updates and get my free writing guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor or partner

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 21 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil brings her husband, Sam Harrington, back onto the show. A retired physician, Sam is NOT a  believer in midlife-crisis camps nor in navel gazing, which is what he told family and friends Debbie was dragging him across the country to do. It took a lot of arm-twisting to persuade Sam to get on a plane and fly to Mexico’s Baja Sur, even after they had both been twice vaccinated and even after the long, dispiriting winter of the pandemic. Their destination: Modern Elder Academy.

If you've been listening to the podcast, you've heard about MEA. You could call MEA a wellness retreat. It’s idyllic: simple accommodations overlook the crashing waves of a broad mile-long beach. Birdsong fills the air, water trickles from fountains, and bright pink, yellow, and orange Bougainvillea blooms everywhere. An organic garden produces wonderful meals and a dusty dirt road leads to the nearest village.

But MEA is more than a wellness retreat. It’s also a school - and a community - of like-minded people. MEA tends to attract open-minded individuals from their 30s to 70s, who are on a quest to define "what's next” in their lives and who are willing to think differently about aging. 

Guests can attend structured discussions, there’s time for journal writing and reflection, and there are meditation and yoga classes. 

Debbie and Sam talk about a few of the topics that were on offer during their two-week stay, including the difference between growth vs. fixed mindsets (you can guess which one is preferable) and something called appreciative inquiry which is an expansive way of both listening and asking questions. 

Sam ultimately admits that he IS feeling calm and centered. 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie Weil and her husband Sam Harrington:

 

A gift for listeners: a Baja meditation soundtrack

Debbie created a 20-minute meditation soundtrack (with help from producer Julie-Roxane) from the distinctive Baja birdsong and trickling water she heard every morning before meditation practice. Download the soundtrack.

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

 

Newsletter:

Sign up for updates and get my free writing guide.

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor or partner

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam on Getting Calm and Centered in Baja (Yes, Even Sam Felt It) Debbie Weil, Sam Harrington 00:16:41 Why Debbie forced her husband to go to Mexico's Baja peninsula for a retreat and renewal on the idyllic Modern Elder Academy campus. Why Debbie forced her husband to go to Mexico's Baja peninsula for a retreat and renewal on the idyllic Modern Elder Academy campus. mindfulness practices, baja california, growth mindset, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, sit back and relax, quarantine, shifting gears, beach time, later stage of life, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, relationship, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, marriage after 60, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, nonviolent communication, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, travel in a pandemic, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, mexico, reinvention, reinvention, new normal, getting older, podcast, learning, mindfulness meditation, non violent communication, silver linings, inquiry, growth, intentional pause, relax, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, retreat, coronavirus, mindful, morning routine, learning mindset, pattern interruption, routine, anxiety during pandemic, aging, appreciative inquiry, gig economy, mindful practice, growth junkie, be grateful, positive psychology, mindful communication, nvc, be mindful, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gratitude, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, positive attitude, year off work, fixed mindset, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, meditation, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 22 3 02f61416-95ef-467b-8afc-bf9937570ed1 Nicholas Christakis on How the Pandemic Will Affect Your Life Until 2024 When will the Covid 19 pandemic end? That’s the question on everyone’s mind. Today Debbie talks to one person who just might have an answer to that question. 

Nicholas Christakis is a nationally-recognized expert in three fields: medicine, sociology and public health. He’s a distinguished Sterling Professor at Yale, a researcher on the topics of social networks and human goodness, and a bestselling author, most recently, of Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live.

He’s been named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. His fluency in explaining the science, epidemiology, psychology, sociology and history of pandemics makes this a fascinating conversation. Plus he’s got a good sense of humor:

  • You’ll hear why he chose to publish Apollo’s Arrow last fall, midway through the COVID 19 pandemic, before we knew the end of the story
  • How his childhood experiences with illness and death affected his career choices
  • What the predictable three phases of a pandemic are (HINT: we're still in the immediate phase)
  • Why he thinks this pandemic won’t be over until 2024
  • They also talked about separating the biological vs. the psychological impacts of the pandemic
  • What herd immunity actually means and whether we’ll get there
  • And what the public health messaging around the pandemic should be


Debbie asks him point blank: when is the next pandemic? The answer is unnerving - sooner than you might think. 

But they end on a positive note: plagues historically bring loss, grief, confusion, and misinformation. But they also reveal cooperative and generous behavior, the best of humankind.

 

About Nicholas Christakis


Photo Credit: Evan Mann

 

Books by Nicholas Christakis

 

Articles and interviews

 

Mentioned or useful

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Connect with me:

 

Newsletter
Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide.

 

- Debbie

 

We Are Looking For a Sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Our Media Partners

 

How to Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 7 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Nicholas Christakis, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep21-nicholas-christakis-on-how-the-pandemic-will-affect-your-life-until-2024/ When will the Covid 19 pandemic end? That’s the question on everyone’s mind. Today Debbie talks to one person who just might have an answer to that question. 

Nicholas Christakis is a nationally-recognized expert in three fields: medicine, sociology and public health. He’s a distinguished Sterling Professor at Yale, a researcher on the topics of social networks and human goodness, and a bestselling author, most recently, of Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live.

He’s been named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. His fluency in explaining the science, epidemiology, psychology, sociology and history of pandemics makes this a fascinating conversation. Plus he’s got a good sense of humor:

  • You’ll hear why he chose to publish Apollo’s Arrow last fall, midway through the COVID 19 pandemic, before we knew the end of the story
  • How his childhood experiences with illness and death affected his career choices
  • What the predictable three phases of a pandemic are (HINT: we're still in the immediate phase)
  • Why he thinks this pandemic won’t be over until 2024
  • They also talked about separating the biological vs. the psychological impacts of the pandemic
  • What herd immunity actually means and whether we’ll get there
  • And what the public health messaging around the pandemic should be


Debbie asks him point blank: when is the next pandemic? The answer is unnerving - sooner than you might think. 

But they end on a positive note: plagues historically bring loss, grief, confusion, and misinformation. But they also reveal cooperative and generous behavior, the best of humankind.

 

About Nicholas Christakis


Photo Credit: Evan Mann

 

Books by Nicholas Christakis

 

Articles and interviews

 

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]]> Nicholas Christakis on How the Pandemic Will Affect Your Life Until 2024 Nicholas Christakis, Debbie Weil 00:55:30 Debbie talks to bestselling author Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, about the predictable phases of plagues and what this means for our current pandemic, about herd immunity and vaccines, about public health messaging and more. This special 55-minute episode of the podcast is fascinating. Debbie talks to bestselling author Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, about the predictable phases of plagues and what this means for our current pandemic, about herd immunity and vaccines, about public health messaging and more. This special 55-minute episode of the podcast is fascinating. mindfulness practices, get the shot, intuition, pandemic book, covid19 and children, nicholas christakis, end of the pandemic, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, get vaccinated, vaccine passports, quarantine, apollo’s arrow, doctor, spanish flu, shifting gears, modern medicine, trump administration, pandemic, gap year project, social effects of the pandemic, 2020, lies, herd immunity, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, medicine, phases of a pandemic, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, phases of a plague, sociologist, covid19 herd immunity, lockdown, historical plagues, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, all together, thinking about a gap year, covid 19 vaccine, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, intentional pause, christakis, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, all in this together, routine, anxiety during pandemic, phases of epidemic, vaccines, covid 19, phases of an epidemic, covid19 children, plague, gig economy, misinformation, grandchildren, mindful practice, next pandemic, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, next epidemic, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, get the vaccine, year off work, retirement, covid 19 herd immunity, pandemic phase, children, sanity during pandemic, biden administration, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, vaccine messaging, epidemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, sociology, influenza, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, next plague, keeping sane false full 21 3 c964bb23-34b9-4e70-a179-f20bbbd42143 Jeff Hamaoui on Changing Mindsets and Navigating the Messy Middle of Transitions Debbie talks with Jeff Hamaoui, Modern Elder Academy Co-founder and Chief Education and Innovation Officer, about getting through the "messy middle" (a real term) of transitions. This time of global transformation is also a time of existential transition for many of us. What comes next - and when? And how? Especially if you are in midlife or older.

The messy middle of any life transition is not easy, or comfortable, to get through. The old has ended but the new has not yet started or is not yet clear. 

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while you’ve heard her mention MEA and you might have listened to her interviews with founder Chip Conley. Debbie joined MEA’s online program, Navigating Midlife Transitions, feeling she needed dedicated time and space to reflect on - and make sense of - this pandemic “gap” year. Jeff’s guidance through the program was provocative, so she called him to dive a little deeper.

Jeff, and others who have studied transitions (most notably William Bridges), have identified the "messy middle" as the most challenging phase of a transition. Adopting a mindset of growth and curiosity can help you get through it. This applies equally to transitioning into midlife and beyond. What we used to call "getting old."

Debbie and Jeff talk about:

  • Why Jeff's interest in transitions
  • What is a modern elder
  • The anatomy of a transition
  • The concept of messy middles and how to get through them
  • Why a growth mindset is important
  • Pattern interruption - why you need to go to a place to rethink aging and midlife

 

At the end of the episode, listen for the sound of birdsong and trickling water as Debbie reports back from a recent real-life visit, with her husband Sam, to the MEA campus in Baja Sur, Mexico.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Previous episodes you may like:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife listeners, with a bent towards growth and possibility, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 23 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Jeff Hamaoui, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep20-jeff-hamaoui-on-changing-mindsets-and-navigating-the-messy-middle-of-transitions/ Debbie talks with Jeff Hamaoui, Modern Elder Academy Co-founder and Chief Education and Innovation Officer, about getting through the "messy middle" (a real term) of transitions. This time of global transformation is also a time of existential transition for many of us. What comes next - and when? And how? Especially if you are in midlife or older.

The messy middle of any life transition is not easy, or comfortable, to get through. The old has ended but the new has not yet started or is not yet clear. 

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while you’ve heard her mention MEA and you might have listened to her interviews with founder Chip Conley. Debbie joined MEA’s online program, Navigating Midlife Transitions, feeling she needed dedicated time and space to reflect on - and make sense of - this pandemic “gap” year. Jeff’s guidance through the program was provocative, so she called him to dive a little deeper.

Jeff, and others who have studied transitions (most notably William Bridges), have identified the "messy middle" as the most challenging phase of a transition. Adopting a mindset of growth and curiosity can help you get through it. This applies equally to transitioning into midlife and beyond. What we used to call "getting old."

Debbie and Jeff talk about:

  • Why Jeff's interest in transitions
  • What is a modern elder
  • The anatomy of a transition
  • The concept of messy middles and how to get through them
  • Why a growth mindset is important
  • Pattern interruption - why you need to go to a place to rethink aging and midlife

 

At the end of the episode, listen for the sound of birdsong and trickling water as Debbie reports back from a recent real-life visit, with her husband Sam, to the MEA campus in Baja Sur, Mexico.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

 

Previous episodes you may like:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife listeners, with a bent towards growth and possibility, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Jeff Hamaoui on Changing Mindsets and Navigating the Messy Middle of Transitions Jeff Hamaoui, Debbie Weil 00:28:54 Debbie talks to Jeff Hamaoui about transitions during this time of global transformation, messy middles (a real term), mindset management, and the pattern-interrupting power of physical retreats. Debbie talks to Jeff Hamaoui about transitions during this time of global transformation, messy middles (a real term), mindset management, and the pattern-interrupting power of physical retreats. mindfulness practices, baja california, growth mindset, intuition, transitions, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, navigating transitions, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, mid-life, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, modern elder academy, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, changes, lockdown, modern elderhood, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, mexico, reinvention, growing older, mindset management, new normal, podcast, life transition, silver linings, change, professional transition, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, transition, sanity during lockdown, retreat, retreat space, coronavirus, coronavirus, midlife transition, morning routine, travel, routine, the anatomy of a transition, anxiety during pandemic, midlife, aging, gig economy, transitioning, mindful practice, modern elder, navigating a transition, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, fixed mindset, retirement, retirement, mid-life transition, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, online program, early retirement, keeping sane false full 20 3 475ac3c6-42d7-4901-9b66-011facff169d Island Women Speak About Their Pandemic Year One of the biggest "gaps" for Debbie this past year was the absence of Island Women Speak, the multi-generational women’s storytelling event she has produced and directed on Deer Isle, Maine.

For the past three winters, on a cold January night, seven local women representing seven decades from 20s to 80s have bravely stepped on stage to tell revealing five-minute stories about their lives, in the tradition of Moth storytelling. The other half of the storytelling equation is the audience: packed into Stonington, Maine’s historic Opera House theatre for warmth and intimacy, their presence has never failed to create a safe space for storytelling.

It has been a special evening that this community has talked about for weeks and months afterwards. It's meant so much to Debbie to work with these extraordinary women and to help make the event happen.

Well, it was NOT to be in January 2021.

So she decided to invite three past performers onto the show, representing three different decades (or teams), to get their differing perspectives on this pandemic year and to offer a taste of the intimacy and wisdom that the audience has loved in the past. In this short episode, you’ll hear from three women about loneliness and uncertainty but also about resilience and perseverance, the sturdy outlook on life that is typical of Mainers. 

Representing Team 30 is Amanda Larrabee who is a landscaper and mother of a teenager.  For Team 50 is Becky Siebert who has served the community for decades as a nurse. And for Team 80 is Lorraine Knowlton, a retired minister. All three are lifelong residents of Deer Isle, Maine, the remote coastal community that Debbie now calls home.

Debbie asks each of them a series of questions about their pandemic year:

- What has been most challenging for you?

- What is your NEW BEST THING that has come out of this year?

- What do you want more of?

- This has been a year of loss, but has it been a lost year for you?

Tune into this short episode to hear three women, three generations, and three perspectives on the ways we've all experienced this past year and how we are looking ahead.

 

Watch videos of their  Island Women Speak performances:

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a  sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

How to support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 9 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Becky Siebert, Lorraine Knowlton, Amanda Larrabee, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep19-island-women-speak-about-their-pandemic-year/ One of the biggest "gaps" for Debbie this past year was the absence of Island Women Speak, the multi-generational women’s storytelling event she has produced and directed on Deer Isle, Maine.

For the past three winters, on a cold January night, seven local women representing seven decades from 20s to 80s have bravely stepped on stage to tell revealing five-minute stories about their lives, in the tradition of Moth storytelling. The other half of the storytelling equation is the audience: packed into Stonington, Maine’s historic Opera House theatre for warmth and intimacy, their presence has never failed to create a safe space for storytelling.

It has been a special evening that this community has talked about for weeks and months afterwards. It's meant so much to Debbie to work with these extraordinary women and to help make the event happen.

Well, it was NOT to be in January 2021.

So she decided to invite three past performers onto the show, representing three different decades (or teams), to get their differing perspectives on this pandemic year and to offer a taste of the intimacy and wisdom that the audience has loved in the past. In this short episode, you’ll hear from three women about loneliness and uncertainty but also about resilience and perseverance, the sturdy outlook on life that is typical of Mainers. 

Representing Team 30 is Amanda Larrabee who is a landscaper and mother of a teenager.  For Team 50 is Becky Siebert who has served the community for decades as a nurse. And for Team 80 is Lorraine Knowlton, a retired minister. All three are lifelong residents of Deer Isle, Maine, the remote coastal community that Debbie now calls home.

Debbie asks each of them a series of questions about their pandemic year:

- What has been most challenging for you?

- What is your NEW BEST THING that has come out of this year?

- What do you want more of?

- This has been a year of loss, but has it been a lost year for you?

Tune into this short episode to hear three women, three generations, and three perspectives on the ways we've all experienced this past year and how we are looking ahead.

 

Watch videos of their  Island Women Speak performances:

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a  sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

How to support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Island Women Speak About Their Pandemic Year Becky Siebert, Lorraine Knowlton, Amanda Larrabee, Debbie Weil 00:18:16 Island Women Speak, the popular multi-generational women's storytelling event that Debbie produces, could not take place this winter. In this short episode, Debbie invites three past performers onto the show to offer a taste of the intimacy and wisdom that the live audience has loved in the past. Island Women Speak, the popular multi-generational women's storytelling event that Debbie produces, could not take place this winter. In this short episode, Debbie invites three past performers onto the show to offer a taste of the intimacy and wisdom that the live audience has loved in the past. covid stories, mindfulness practices, women event, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, reflecting on pandemic year, pandemic women, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, covid vaccine, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, new best thing, stories, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, storytelling, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, covid, women month, women speak, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, life stories, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, new normal, women in the pandemic, podcast, pandemic year, silver linings, covid vaccination, women, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, frontline workers, nurses, women stories, vaccine, routine, anxiety during pandemic, gig economy, mindful practice, women speech, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, lifestyle, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, international women day, early retirement, keeping sane false full 19 3 0dab2bd5-f789-4d68-b3c4-07c2b0b360ea Rene Colson Hudson on Fighting the Widespread Phenomenon of Pandemic Fatigue Today, Debbie talks to Rene Colson Hudson, executive director of the Healthy Island Project on Deer Isle, Maine. The two of them delve into something that many are grappling with right now:  pandemic fatigue. Or burnout or the pandemic wall, or whatever you want to call it. Debbie recently asked the question on her Facebook page: "Are you suffering from pandemic fatigue?" She was surprised by the several dozen responses she got saying, "Why, yes, I am!"  Which got her to thinking. Even with vaccines becoming readily available for anyone of any age, in many states - a cause for celebration - many continue to feel weary and depleted by this long year and the sameness of our days.

That includes Debbie who also admits that she is suffering from crankiness and impatience. So she went looking for a little pep talk. Rene has been at the center of COVID relief efforts on Deer Isle over the past 12 months, overseeing a lunch and dinner program that serves over 100 elderly residents every week. The Healthy Island Project is a nonprofit that focuses on improving community health and that brings together a cross section of Stonington / Deer Isle, Maine residents. The organization has grown fivefold since the beginning of the pandemic. Money has come pouring in from supporters, Rene told Debbie, and she is busier than ever.

Rene moved full-time from New Jersey to Deer Isle five years ago. She is an ordained minister and has studied leadership and contemplative practices. And she offers both a practical and a soulful approach to thinking about pandemic fatigue. She reminds us to be more mindful of the little things, to practice gratitude, and to find ways to help others. As an example, the Healthy Island Project put Debbie in touch with an elderly gentleman who, without an Internet connection or a computer, needed help making a vaccine appointment. He and Debbie became phone buddies. She and Rene reflect on how gratifying such a  small act can be.

What they talked about:

  • Rene’s definition of pandemic fatigue: she emphasizes the word "sameness"
  • Why there is a strong sense of fatigue now, even as things are starting to look up
  • What Rene misses most about traveling
  • How Rene sees pandemic fatigue in the community: the toll it's taking on high schoolers and on elderly residents
  • The importance of awareness and mindfulness of the little things
  • The practice of gratitude and the adventure of going nowhere
  • Rene’s antidote to pandemic fatigue: serving others

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

We are looking for a like-minded sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

Media Partners

Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Fri, 26 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (René Colson Hudson, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep18-deer-isles-rene-colson-hudson-on-fighting-pandemic-fatigue-by-helping-others/ Today, Debbie talks to Rene Colson Hudson, executive director of the Healthy Island Project on Deer Isle, Maine. The two of them delve into something that many are grappling with right now:  pandemic fatigue. Or burnout or the pandemic wall, or whatever you want to call it. Debbie recently asked the question on her Facebook page: "Are you suffering from pandemic fatigue?" She was surprised by the several dozen responses she got saying, "Why, yes, I am!"  Which got her to thinking. Even with vaccines becoming readily available for anyone of any age, in many states - a cause for celebration - many continue to feel weary and depleted by this long year and the sameness of our days.

That includes Debbie who also admits that she is suffering from crankiness and impatience. So she went looking for a little pep talk. Rene has been at the center of COVID relief efforts on Deer Isle over the past 12 months, overseeing a lunch and dinner program that serves over 100 elderly residents every week. The Healthy Island Project is a nonprofit that focuses on improving community health and that brings together a cross section of Stonington / Deer Isle, Maine residents. The organization has grown fivefold since the beginning of the pandemic. Money has come pouring in from supporters, Rene told Debbie, and she is busier than ever.

Rene moved full-time from New Jersey to Deer Isle five years ago. She is an ordained minister and has studied leadership and contemplative practices. And she offers both a practical and a soulful approach to thinking about pandemic fatigue. She reminds us to be more mindful of the little things, to practice gratitude, and to find ways to help others. As an example, the Healthy Island Project put Debbie in touch with an elderly gentleman who, without an Internet connection or a computer, needed help making a vaccine appointment. He and Debbie became phone buddies. She and Rene reflect on how gratifying such a  small act can be.

What they talked about:

  • Rene’s definition of pandemic fatigue: she emphasizes the word "sameness"
  • Why there is a strong sense of fatigue now, even as things are starting to look up
  • What Rene misses most about traveling
  • How Rene sees pandemic fatigue in the community: the toll it's taking on high schoolers and on elderly residents
  • The importance of awareness and mindfulness of the little things
  • The practice of gratitude and the adventure of going nowhere
  • Rene’s antidote to pandemic fatigue: serving others

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

We are looking for a like-minded sponsor

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

Media Partners

Support this podcast:

Credits:

]]> Rene Colson Hudson on Fighting the Widespread Phenomenon of Pandemic Fatigue René Colson Hudson, Debbie Weil 00:29:03 Debbie talks to Deer Isle, Maine community leader Rene Colson Hudson about the pandemic fatigue or burnout many of us are feeling even as we are celebrating readily available vaccines. Debbie talks to Deer Isle, Maine community leader Rene Colson Hudson about the pandemic fatigue or burnout many of us are feeling even as we are celebrating readily available vaccines. mindfulness practices, meal delivery program, pandemic fatigue, intuition, elerderly and pandemic, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, travelling during covid, missing travel, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, wanderlust, gap year project, healthy island project, 2020, covid vaccine, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, pandemic fatigue in community, sameness, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, serving community, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, covid vaccination, vaccination, travelling, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, locked down, coronavirus, mindful, morning routine, stuck in a rut, peaceful living, travel, vaccine, routine, routine, anxiety during pandemic, going nowhere, joy, gig economy, mindful practice, long maine winter, long winter, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gratitude, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, nutrition program, year off work, retirement, contemplative practices, pico iyer, highschoolers and pandemic, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, newness, slowing down during the pandemic, locked in, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, fatigue, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, awareness, early retirement, keeping sane false full 18 3 7143e456-3226-4e25-9683-53b51770e80e Maine Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum on Loss, Love, Preciousness, and Celebrating the Ordinary Moment Today, Debbie Weil has a conversation with Maine’s Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum. Whether or not you're a fan of reading or writing poetry, you won't want to miss this episode. Stuart tells stories in his soothing, often humorous style, including what led him to decide to become a poet and how he fell in love with  Maine. They talk about listening to poems read aloud and how that slows time down and creates a moment of community. They also talk about his process of discovery when he is writing poems. 

The topics they touch on: community and connection, love and loss, grief and creativity are relevant to this pandemic gap year. 

Stuart is the author of five collections of poems, most recently Things Seemed to Be Breaking (Deerbrook Editions 2021), and a collection of essays The View from Here (Brynmorgen Press). He was the director of the internationally renowned Haystack Mountain School of Crafts from 1988 until 2015. He was the host of Maine Public Radio’s popular program Poems from Here, where each week he read aloud a poem by a Maine author. He hosted/curated the podcast Make/Time and he is the host/curator of a soon-to-be-released podcast, Voices of the Future, a series of conversations with a dozen young Maine writers about their writing and their lives. This 12-episode podcast is his last project as Maine’s Poet Laureate as his five-year tenure, sadly, is coming to an end in 2021.

He also reads two of his poems on this episode, including one of Debbie's favorites, Starting the Subaru at Five Below. As former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser has written: “Stuart Kestenbaum writes the kind of poems I love to read, heartfelt responses to the privilege of having been given a life.  No hidden agendas here, no theories to espouse, nothing but life, pure life, set down with craft and love.” 

See below for  links to Stuart’s poetry collections, his podcasts, stage performances and more. He writes and speaks widely on craft-making and creativity. His poems and writing have appeared in numerous small press publications and magazines including Tikkun, The Sun, The Beloit Poetry Journal, The New York Times Magazine, and on the Writer’s Almanac and American Life in Poetry.

This was a wonderful conversation. 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Stuart Kestenbaum

Poems from Here with Maine Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum, on Maine Public Radio

For final project, Maine poet laureate puts out podcast featuring young writers by Bob Keyes, Portland Press-Herald, March 7, 2021

Words of Gratitude From Maine, New York Times, Nov. 25, 2020

Make/Time Podcast

Starting the Subaru at Five Below by Stuart Kestenbaum

Amen, Stuart's poem selected by Naomi Shihab Nye for the New York Times, Jan. 2, 2020

Sometime during eternity... by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking by Walt Whitman

Professor Fred Wagner

Stuart Kestenbaum's talk at Maine Live about his brother Howard who died in the Twin Towers on 9/11

Susan Webster:  Stuart’s wife and collaborator on art & writing:

Long Lake, Naples, Maine

Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

The Telling Room, Portland, Maine

 

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 12 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Stuart Kestenbaum) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/maine-poet-laureate-stuart-kestenbaum-on-loss-love-preciousness-and-celebrating-the-ordinary-moment/ Today, Debbie Weil has a conversation with Maine’s Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum. Whether or not you're a fan of reading or writing poetry, you won't want to miss this episode. Stuart tells stories in his soothing, often humorous style, including what led him to decide to become a poet and how he fell in love with  Maine. They talk about listening to poems read aloud and how that slows time down and creates a moment of community. They also talk about his process of discovery when he is writing poems. 

The topics they touch on: community and connection, love and loss, grief and creativity are relevant to this pandemic gap year. 

Stuart is the author of five collections of poems, most recently Things Seemed to Be Breaking (Deerbrook Editions 2021), and a collection of essays The View from Here (Brynmorgen Press). He was the director of the internationally renowned Haystack Mountain School of Crafts from 1988 until 2015. He was the host of Maine Public Radio’s popular program Poems from Here, where each week he read aloud a poem by a Maine author. He hosted/curated the podcast Make/Time and he is the host/curator of a soon-to-be-released podcast, Voices of the Future, a series of conversations with a dozen young Maine writers about their writing and their lives. This 12-episode podcast is his last project as Maine’s Poet Laureate as his five-year tenure, sadly, is coming to an end in 2021.

He also reads two of his poems on this episode, including one of Debbie's favorites, Starting the Subaru at Five Below. As former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser has written: “Stuart Kestenbaum writes the kind of poems I love to read, heartfelt responses to the privilege of having been given a life.  No hidden agendas here, no theories to espouse, nothing but life, pure life, set down with craft and love.” 

See below for  links to Stuart’s poetry collections, his podcasts, stage performances and more. He writes and speaks widely on craft-making and creativity. His poems and writing have appeared in numerous small press publications and magazines including Tikkun, The Sun, The Beloit Poetry Journal, The New York Times Magazine, and on the Writer’s Almanac and American Life in Poetry.

This was a wonderful conversation. 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Stuart Kestenbaum

Poems from Here with Maine Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum, on Maine Public Radio

For final project, Maine poet laureate puts out podcast featuring young writers by Bob Keyes, Portland Press-Herald, March 7, 2021

Words of Gratitude From Maine, New York Times, Nov. 25, 2020

Make/Time Podcast

Starting the Subaru at Five Below by Stuart Kestenbaum

Amen, Stuart's poem selected by Naomi Shihab Nye for the New York Times, Jan. 2, 2020

Sometime during eternity... by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking by Walt Whitman

Professor Fred Wagner

Stuart Kestenbaum's talk at Maine Live about his brother Howard who died in the Twin Towers on 9/11

Susan Webster:  Stuart’s wife and collaborator on art & writing:

Long Lake, Naples, Maine

Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

The Telling Room, Portland, Maine

 

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

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- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

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]]> Maine Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum on Loss, Love, Preciousness, and Celebrating the Ordinary Moment Debbie Weil, Stuart Kestenbaum 00:35:19 Debbie talks with Maine’s Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum about loss, love, life, creativity, and the importance of celebrating the ordinary moment. Debbie talks with Maine’s Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum about loss, love, life, creativity, and the importance of celebrating the ordinary moment. poetry, mindfulness practices, pandemic anniversary, writing, pandemic fatigue, intuition, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, poems, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, jersey, creative dip, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, loss, stuart kestenbaum, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, art, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, poet, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, black out poems, podcast, silver linings, poet laureate, creativity during the pandemic, intentional pause, switching gears, grief, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, reading poetry aloud, coronavirus, morning routine, routine, anxiety during pandemic, artist, creativity during covid, gig economy, mindful practice, love, maine, creativity, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, spoken word, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, life, creative slump, retirement, east coast, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, creative writing, haystack, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, uninspired, memories, early retirement, keeping sane false full 17 3 ac9924c5-9cf7-469f-8e46-bcc5f1a669ae Debbie & Sam on Fasting For Five Days and Why They Were Crazy Enough To Do It Today, Debbie Weil brings her husband Sam Harrington, a retired physician, back on the show to talk about fasting. One year ago the couple completed a five-day fast using a ProLon kit of dried soups and crackers. This year, after packing on the pounds during the stay-at-home pandemic holidays, they decided to repeat the fast. 

And this time, Debbie took notes to record the experience.  If you’ve listened to the pair kibitz in earlier episodes, it will be no surprise that they experienced the fast differently. They talk about what the fast felt like day by day (it was harder for Debbie) and what the possible benefits are in addition to losing weight. 

A month later, both are a number of pounds lighter (about four for Debbie; eight for Sam). And they've mostly kept the weight off. Debbie finds herself eating smaller portions and neither is snacking between meals.  Desserts and sweets still call to Debbie but she recognizes that the craving for sugar is not one that can be cured in five days or even a month.

Both agree that the fast led to a successful reset of their eating habits.

They talk about the science behind fasting and about something called intermittent fasting which means shortening the span of hours in the day during which you eat. 16 hours of fasting vs. 8 hours of "eating" is a typical ratio. That could mean skipping breakfast and eating only between 12 noon and 8 PM. And they speculate on whether fasting and intermittent fasting are merely the latest fad. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to fast and why you might want to do it, this is a conversation for you. 

 

Debbie's day-by-day fasting notes:

DAY 1: light-headed and mentally fuzzy.

DAY 2: 8:30 AM weak and sluggish; 1 PM fatigued and sluggish, as if I'm operating at 1/3 speed; 4:30 PM this is painful. Back hurts, muscles ache, dizzy, drowsy, and IRRITABLE.

DAY 3: feeling better, not so achey.

DAY 4: light-headed, fatigued, dreaming of the food I will eat when this is over; this feels never ending.

DAY 5:  feel debilitated and so weak; fuzzy thinking is really a problem; NEVER AGAIN. (Of course, I said that each time after giving birth.)
 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie and her husband Sam:

 

PHOTO: Definition of crazy? Debbie and Sam's visiting grand puppy leaping into the freezing waters of a Maine winter.

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

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Credits:

]]> Fri, 26 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Sam Harrington, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep16-debbie-sam-on-fasting-for-five-days/ Today, Debbie Weil brings her husband Sam Harrington, a retired physician, back on the show to talk about fasting. One year ago the couple completed a five-day fast using a ProLon kit of dried soups and crackers. This year, after packing on the pounds during the stay-at-home pandemic holidays, they decided to repeat the fast. 

And this time, Debbie took notes to record the experience.  If you’ve listened to the pair kibitz in earlier episodes, it will be no surprise that they experienced the fast differently. They talk about what the fast felt like day by day (it was harder for Debbie) and what the possible benefits are in addition to losing weight. 

A month later, both are a number of pounds lighter (about four for Debbie; eight for Sam). And they've mostly kept the weight off. Debbie finds herself eating smaller portions and neither is snacking between meals.  Desserts and sweets still call to Debbie but she recognizes that the craving for sugar is not one that can be cured in five days or even a month.

Both agree that the fast led to a successful reset of their eating habits.

They talk about the science behind fasting and about something called intermittent fasting which means shortening the span of hours in the day during which you eat. 16 hours of fasting vs. 8 hours of "eating" is a typical ratio. That could mean skipping breakfast and eating only between 12 noon and 8 PM. And they speculate on whether fasting and intermittent fasting are merely the latest fad. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to fast and why you might want to do it, this is a conversation for you. 

 

Debbie's day-by-day fasting notes:

DAY 1: light-headed and mentally fuzzy.

DAY 2: 8:30 AM weak and sluggish; 1 PM fatigued and sluggish, as if I'm operating at 1/3 speed; 4:30 PM this is painful. Back hurts, muscles ache, dizzy, drowsy, and IRRITABLE.

DAY 3: feeling better, not so achey.

DAY 4: light-headed, fatigued, dreaming of the food I will eat when this is over; this feels never ending.

DAY 5:  feel debilitated and so weak; fuzzy thinking is really a problem; NEVER AGAIN. (Of course, I said that each time after giving birth.)
 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie and her husband Sam:

 

PHOTO: Definition of crazy? Debbie and Sam's visiting grand puppy leaping into the freezing waters of a Maine winter.

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam on Fasting For Five Days and Why They Were Crazy Enough To Do It Sam Harrington, Debbie Weil 00:27:14 Debbie and Sam talk about their recent five-day fast, how hard it was, the few pounds they lost, and how it reset their eating habits Debbie and Sam talk about their recent five-day fast, how hard it was, the few pounds they lost, and how it reset their eating habits mindfulness practices, intuition, cleanse, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, regaining health, gap year project, 2020, snacking, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, whole30, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, healthy fasting, gapyear, fasting, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, cleansing program, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, eating habits, losing weight, weight loss, intermittent fasting, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, how to lose weight after 60, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, break fast, system detox, podcast, silver linings, healthy living, detox, intentional pause, body detox, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, fast, fasting experience, routine, anxiety during pandemic, january fast, health after 60, dieting, how to lose weight fast, how to lose weight, diet, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, prolon, year off work, retirement, retirement, fasting habits, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, detox program, slowing down during the pandemic, weight loss after 60, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 16 3 4bceaad0-b85a-45d2-be66-0135fc35bce4 Encore's Marci Alboher & Aanchal Dhar on Intergenerational Collaboration and Why It’s Important Right Now Today, Debbie talks to Encore.org's Marci Alboher and Aanchal Dhar about intergenerational  collaboration: how it works for them as a GenX and Millennial pair and how connecting different ages can address some of the biggest issues this country is facing right now, from pandemic loneliness to the political divide to the climate crisis.

Marci, Encore's Vice President of Narrative Change, is 54. Aanchal, Encore's Communications Strategist for Programs, is 39. The two have been collaborating for seven years in their work for this well-known nonprofit, which is partially responsible for the midlife reinvention movement.

Encore originally focussed on the second half of life.  More recently the group has turned to a focus on bridging divides and connecting generations to create a better future. That's a big goal. Encore calls it a movement. So Debbie asks Marci and Aanchal, in turn, why it's so important to bridge the demographic divide in the workplace, in communities, in our personal lives. The answer: connecting different ages, races, and genders creates value. Younger people bring a fresh perspective, seeing things for the first time. Older people have lived through crises and challenges (the unrest of the 60s, for example) and they bring a different lived experience. Together they can solve big problems.   

They also talk about "perennials," a term Debbie loves. It means people with a mindset of being hungry and curious and always wanting to learn regardless of age or generation. Curiosity is key to conversations with those who are different from you. And they talk about civic community, what that means, and why the virtual program Aanchal started has been so important during the pandemic.

Be sure to check out the links to articles Marci and Aanchal have written, as well as to Encore's many resources and programs.  

 

USEFUL LINKS

 

Partial List of Encore's Programs and Resources:

 

Mentioned:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 12 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Marci Alboher, Debbie Weil, Aanchal Dhar) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks to Encore.org's Marci Alboher and Aanchal Dhar about intergenerational  collaboration: how it works for them as a GenX and Millennial pair and how connecting different ages can address some of the biggest issues this country is facing right now, from pandemic loneliness to the political divide to the climate crisis.

Marci, Encore's Vice President of Narrative Change, is 54. Aanchal, Encore's Communications Strategist for Programs, is 39. The two have been collaborating for seven years in their work for this well-known nonprofit, which is partially responsible for the midlife reinvention movement.

Encore originally focussed on the second half of life.  More recently the group has turned to a focus on bridging divides and connecting generations to create a better future. That's a big goal. Encore calls it a movement. So Debbie asks Marci and Aanchal, in turn, why it's so important to bridge the demographic divide in the workplace, in communities, in our personal lives. The answer: connecting different ages, races, and genders creates value. Younger people bring a fresh perspective, seeing things for the first time. Older people have lived through crises and challenges (the unrest of the 60s, for example) and they bring a different lived experience. Together they can solve big problems.   

They also talk about "perennials," a term Debbie loves. It means people with a mindset of being hungry and curious and always wanting to learn regardless of age or generation. Curiosity is key to conversations with those who are different from you. And they talk about civic community, what that means, and why the virtual program Aanchal started has been so important during the pandemic.

Be sure to check out the links to articles Marci and Aanchal have written, as well as to Encore's many resources and programs.  

 

USEFUL LINKS

 

Partial List of Encore's Programs and Resources:

 

Mentioned:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Encore's Marci Alboher & Aanchal Dhar on Intergenerational Collaboration and Why It’s Important Right Now Marci Alboher, Debbie Weil, Aanchal Dhar 00:33:02 Debbie talks with Encore's Marci Alboher and Aanchal Dhar about intergenerational collaboration and how it can address some of the biggest issues this country is facing right now. Debbie talks with Encore's Marci Alboher and Aanchal Dhar about intergenerational collaboration and how it can address some of the biggest issues this country is facing right now. intergenerational collaboration, mindfulness practices, intuition, vaccine corps, reinvent yourself, intergenerational communities, gap year after sixty, intergenerational projects, ageism, different perspectives, quarantine, future of society, shifting gears, bridge gaps in society, aanchal dhar, diverse collaboration, hope, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, marci alboher, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, podcast, combat ageism, generational diversity, silver linings, using different strengths, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, diverse teams, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, intergenerational dinners, routine, anxiety during pandemic, virtual events, gig economy, mindful practice, liberals vs conservatives, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, civic community, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, intergenerational community, podcasting, cultivating hope, silver linings of lockdown, intergenerational movement, early retirement, keeping sane false full 15 3 6180fd85-6850-4258-a362-54e9f9a1f397 Diane Feldman on Bridging the Political Divide in the U.S., the Problems with Polling, and Contributing to Your Local Community Today Debbie Weil talks to Diane Feldman, an old friend and a veteran political consultant, to get her take on an issue that Debbie has been chewing and stewing over: the deep political divide in this country.

After running The Feldman Group, a Democratic research & polling firm in D.C. for almost 30 years, Diane shut down her firm two years ago and retired to Jackson, Mississippi. Debbie's first question for her might sound naive: is there a message that President Biden could send that would get us to the unity he calls for in his Inaugural Address? But it comes out of her genuine perplexity about how to unify the dramatically opposing factions in this country: Democrats vs. Republicans, those who voted for Trump vs. those who elected Biden, those who believe in truth and facts vs. those who don’t seem to.

This kind of polarization in America isn't new, Diane reminds us. It's been going on for a long, long time. Think back to the many who opposed Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement. What's new, she says, is that 85 million Americans were willing to stand up and vote for equity and anti-racism.  

They talk about this and more: the different kinds of political messaging, the Jan. 6th assault on the Capitol, white supremacy, the current echoes of the resistance to the civil rights movement, why people get stuck in their own political bubbles, and Diane’s analysis of why polling is not the strategically effective tool it used to be, which is one reason she decided to shut down The Feldman Group and start a new chapter of her life where she no longer sells her time but is finding ways to contribute in her new community.

Lots to chew on. Be sure to check out Diane’s blog, The View From the Pearl, referring to the river that runs through Jackson.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoy this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of GenX and Boomer listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 29 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Diane Feldman, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep14-diane-feldman-on-bridging-the-political-divide-in-the-u-s-the-problems-with-polling-and-contributing-to-your-local-community/ Today Debbie Weil talks to Diane Feldman, an old friend and a veteran political consultant, to get her take on an issue that Debbie has been chewing and stewing over: the deep political divide in this country.

After running The Feldman Group, a Democratic research & polling firm in D.C. for almost 30 years, Diane shut down her firm two years ago and retired to Jackson, Mississippi. Debbie's first question for her might sound naive: is there a message that President Biden could send that would get us to the unity he calls for in his Inaugural Address? But it comes out of her genuine perplexity about how to unify the dramatically opposing factions in this country: Democrats vs. Republicans, those who voted for Trump vs. those who elected Biden, those who believe in truth and facts vs. those who don’t seem to.

This kind of polarization in America isn't new, Diane reminds us. It's been going on for a long, long time. Think back to the many who opposed Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement. What's new, she says, is that 85 million Americans were willing to stand up and vote for equity and anti-racism.  

They talk about this and more: the different kinds of political messaging, the Jan. 6th assault on the Capitol, white supremacy, the current echoes of the resistance to the civil rights movement, why people get stuck in their own political bubbles, and Diane’s analysis of why polling is not the strategically effective tool it used to be, which is one reason she decided to shut down The Feldman Group and start a new chapter of her life where she no longer sells her time but is finding ways to contribute in her new community.

Lots to chew on. Be sure to check out Diane’s blog, The View From the Pearl, referring to the river that runs through Jackson.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoy this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of GenX and Boomer listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Diane Feldman on Bridging the Political Divide in the U.S., the Problems with Polling, and Contributing to Your Local Community Diane Feldman, Debbie Weil 00:35:41 Debbie talks with longtime friend and veteran political consultant Diane Feldman about the political divide in the U.S., why polarization is not new, and why polling no longer works the way it did. Debbie talks with longtime friend and veteran political consultant Diane Feldman about the political divide in the U.S., why polarization is not new, and why polling no longer works the way it did. mindfulness practices, intuition, racism, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, messaging to govern, election year, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, messaging to win, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, civil rights movement, season 3, us politics, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, political messaging, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, capitol, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, reinvention, mississippi, new normal, political views, podcast, local politics, silver linings, community, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, mississippi white supremacy, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, political strategy, morning routine, routine, anxiety during pandemic, trump, organize thoughts, local community, gig economy, mindful practice, martin luther king, mississippi racism, mlk, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, white supremacy, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, mississippi politics, retirement, politics, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, biden, slowing down during the pandemic, thinking process, political divide in the us, bridge collective divide, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, acting in local community, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 14 3 1c1acde3-eb18-42b5-baeb-95307d034ade Ashton Applewhite on the Ugly Heart of Ageism and How the Pandemic Has Exposed Our Prejudices This podcast is about making the most of the collective gap year that we’re all living through right now. It's a topic that applies to anyone, of any age, but our focus is on those in midlife and older. 

So today, to kick off 2021, Debbie talks to the perfect guest, Ashton Applewhite. Ashton is an author, speaker and activist on the topic of ageism, which can be defined as discrimination on the basis of age (no matter how old or how young you are). She's  been called a pro-aging radical and the "Malcolm Gladwell of ageism." She and Debbie really get into it in this wide-ranging conversation with Ashton poking and prodding at some of Debbie's assumptions. 

The topic of ageism (or any -ism) brings up a lot of emotion. Fear is generally at the top of the list so they talk about the fear of getting old and what that means in America. They talk about the value of human lives and why older people are often seen as less valuable or even invisible. And they delve into how the pandemic has revealed the deep well of ageism, as well as racism and ableism, in our society. 

They also talk about the irony of being ageist yourself, of unconsciously accepting the notion that old is ugly. (Debbie is 69 and Ashton is 68.) Ashton reminds us that studies like the U-Curve of Happiness show older people are happier. They end the conversation with Ashton offering one thing you can do to combat ageism: become aware of when you’re using the word “old” as a negative vs. “young” as a positive. Think about that while you're listening to this provocative episode.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast! We are asking our loyal listeners (and new ones too) to show their support by leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

 

How to learn more about the podcast
Sign up for my newsletter (you'll also get my free writing guide) at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:


Credits:

]]> Fri, 15 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Ashton Applewhite) https://debbieweil.com/podcast This podcast is about making the most of the collective gap year that we’re all living through right now. It's a topic that applies to anyone, of any age, but our focus is on those in midlife and older. 

So today, to kick off 2021, Debbie talks to the perfect guest, Ashton Applewhite. Ashton is an author, speaker and activist on the topic of ageism, which can be defined as discrimination on the basis of age (no matter how old or how young you are). She's  been called a pro-aging radical and the "Malcolm Gladwell of ageism." She and Debbie really get into it in this wide-ranging conversation with Ashton poking and prodding at some of Debbie's assumptions. 

The topic of ageism (or any -ism) brings up a lot of emotion. Fear is generally at the top of the list so they talk about the fear of getting old and what that means in America. They talk about the value of human lives and why older people are often seen as less valuable or even invisible. And they delve into how the pandemic has revealed the deep well of ageism, as well as racism and ableism, in our society. 

They also talk about the irony of being ageist yourself, of unconsciously accepting the notion that old is ugly. (Debbie is 69 and Ashton is 68.) Ashton reminds us that studies like the U-Curve of Happiness show older people are happier. They end the conversation with Ashton offering one thing you can do to combat ageism: become aware of when you’re using the word “old” as a negative vs. “young” as a positive. Think about that while you're listening to this provocative episode.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast! We are asking our loyal listeners (and new ones too) to show their support by leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts. It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

 

How to learn more about the podcast
Sign up for my newsletter (you'll also get my free writing guide) at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

 

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:


Credits:

]]> Ashton Applewhite on the Ugly Heart of Ageism and How the Pandemic Has Exposed Our Prejudices Debbie Weil, Ashton Applewhite 00:33:21 Debbie talks to activist and author Ashton Applewhite about ageism, why we need to combat it, and how the pandemic has exposed our prejudices. Debbie talks to activist and author Ashton Applewhite about ageism, why we need to combat it, and how the pandemic has exposed our prejudices. mindfulness practices, intuition, ageism consciousness raising, prejudice, racism, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, ageism, quarantine, this chair rocks, shifting gears, baby boomers, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, prejudices compound, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, generation x, baby boomers aging, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, pandemic exposing our prejudices, money, lockdown, ageist, intersectionality, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, older people and covid, against ageism, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, reckoning with mortality, podcast, triage, babyboomers, silver linings, raising consciousness, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, ventilators, coronavirus, coronavirus, age-based discrimination, morning routine, youngers, olders, ethics, routine, anxiety during pandemic, aging, gig economy, mindful practice, combatting ageism, combatting ageists, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, life ethics, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, ashton applewhite, internalized ageism, podcasting, oppression, silver linings of lockdown, ableism, babyboomer generation, early retirement, keeping sane false full 13 3 e7eac2e4-e221-4eae-aadb-134226694652 Debbie & Sam Recap 2020: COVID, Reminiscing on Cold Winter Nights, and Shaving Off His Beard Today, Debbie Weil brings Dr. Sam Harrington, her physician husband, back on the show to wrap up the year 2020. After 8 months of living with COVID as a backdrop, they sit down together to reflect on what lies ahead. 

First, the vaccine: how will it be distributed, to whom, and in what order? Is this the right order? How should we value human lives? Can the new Biden Administration improve the messaging around COVID and thus slow the continuing spread of the disease? When will life return to normal - or will it ever?

Sam talks about several books he’s read recently (links below) and they share some of the favorite TV programs they've binge watched. (The complete list is below.) They talk about mini-socializing outdoors, the old-fashioned Pen Pal club they’ve started with their six grandchildren (ages three to ten), the slowing down of time, and the opportunity to reminisce about their past travels during the long, cold, dark winter evenings in Maine. 

They end with an update on Sam’s beard (hallelujah) and a few predictions for 2021. The podcast will be back in January after a holiday break.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

PHOTO: Sam, minus beard, caught in the act of smiling.

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie and her husband Sam:

 

TV programs Debbie & Sam watched (March - Dec. 2020)

The “Un’s” (their favorites):

 

They also loved:

  • Succession
  • Shtisel
  • Ozark
  • Normal People
  • Little Fires Everywhere
  • Gentleman Jack
  • Occupied
  • The Vow (about NXIVM)
  • Seduced (about NXIVM)
  • Emily in Paris (Debbie)
  • Call the Midwife
  • The Crown (new season)
  • Mystery Road (set in Australia)
  • Belgravia
  • Room 2806: The Accusation (about Dominique Strauss-Kahn)
  • This Is Us (Debbie was obsessed; Sam refused to watch after 1st season)

 

More programs they watched:

  • Queens Gambit (didn’t love as much as everyone else seemed to)
  • Homeland (final season)
  • Le Chalet (in French; scary)
  • Deutschland 83
  • Fauda
  • Gold Digger
  • Bosch (Season 6)
  • Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
  • Babylon Berlin
  • Revenge (Debbie liked more than Sam did)
  • Rodham
  • Greyhound (new Tom Hanks movie)
  • Perry Mason
  • The Baby-Sitters Club
  • Doctor Foster
  • Silent Witness (a few episodes)
  • The Social Dilemma (movie)
  • Flesh and Blood
  • Hillbilly Elegy (film)
  • Mank (film about Herman Mankiewicz)
  • The Life Ahead (new Sophia Loren film)
  • Self Made
  • Chicago Seven (film)
  • Roadkill

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

THIS PODCAST IS LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR
If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Our Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Fri, 18 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Sam Harrington, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie Weil brings Dr. Sam Harrington, her physician husband, back on the show to wrap up the year 2020. After 8 months of living with COVID as a backdrop, they sit down together to reflect on what lies ahead. 

First, the vaccine: how will it be distributed, to whom, and in what order? Is this the right order? How should we value human lives? Can the new Biden Administration improve the messaging around COVID and thus slow the continuing spread of the disease? When will life return to normal - or will it ever?

Sam talks about several books he’s read recently (links below) and they share some of the favorite TV programs they've binge watched. (The complete list is below.) They talk about mini-socializing outdoors, the old-fashioned Pen Pal club they’ve started with their six grandchildren (ages three to ten), the slowing down of time, and the opportunity to reminisce about their past travels during the long, cold, dark winter evenings in Maine. 

They end with an update on Sam’s beard (hallelujah) and a few predictions for 2021. The podcast will be back in January after a holiday break.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

PHOTO: Sam, minus beard, caught in the act of smiling.

 

Previous episodes featuring host Debbie and her husband Sam:

 

TV programs Debbie & Sam watched (March - Dec. 2020)

The “Un’s” (their favorites):

 

They also loved:

  • Succession
  • Shtisel
  • Ozark
  • Normal People
  • Little Fires Everywhere
  • Gentleman Jack
  • Occupied
  • The Vow (about NXIVM)
  • Seduced (about NXIVM)
  • Emily in Paris (Debbie)
  • Call the Midwife
  • The Crown (new season)
  • Mystery Road (set in Australia)
  • Belgravia
  • Room 2806: The Accusation (about Dominique Strauss-Kahn)
  • This Is Us (Debbie was obsessed; Sam refused to watch after 1st season)

 

More programs they watched:

  • Queens Gambit (didn’t love as much as everyone else seemed to)
  • Homeland (final season)
  • Le Chalet (in French; scary)
  • Deutschland 83
  • Fauda
  • Gold Digger
  • Bosch (Season 6)
  • Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
  • Babylon Berlin
  • Revenge (Debbie liked more than Sam did)
  • Rodham
  • Greyhound (new Tom Hanks movie)
  • Perry Mason
  • The Baby-Sitters Club
  • Doctor Foster
  • Silent Witness (a few episodes)
  • The Social Dilemma (movie)
  • Flesh and Blood
  • Hillbilly Elegy (film)
  • Mank (film about Herman Mankiewicz)
  • The Life Ahead (new Sophia Loren film)
  • Self Made
  • Chicago Seven (film)
  • Roadkill

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

THIS PODCAST IS LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR
If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Our Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

]]> Debbie & Sam Recap 2020: COVID, Reminiscing on Cold Winter Nights, and Shaving Off His Beard Sam Harrington, Debbie Weil 00:28:01 Debbie and Sam sit down to wrap up 2020. They talk about the vaccine and (what they thought was) the beginning of the end of COVID, all the TV programs they watched, and more. Debbie and Sam sit down to wrap up 2020. They talk about the vaccine and (what they thought was) the beginning of the end of COVID, all the TV programs they watched, and more. mindfulness practices, reminiscing, intuition, mini socialization, writing letters, travelling again, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, fauci, quarantine, anthony fauci, vaccine distribution, apollo’s arrow, spanish flu, shifting gears, beard update, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, covid vaccine, timeout, netflix, skilling up, elections, minimalism, covid-19, covid test centers, podcast sponsor, spanish influenza, season 3, divided country, covid tests, 2021, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, mini socializing, what comes next, financial planning, covid reading, tests, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, social distancing, lockdown, covid, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, pen pals, morning routine, travel, vaccine, pen pal club, routine, usa, anxiety during pandemic, books, tv shows, essential workers, binge watching during lockdown, testing, masks, gig economy, divided electorate, ethical issues around vaccine distribution, mindful practice, dr fauci, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, sponsor, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, frontline worker, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, lockdown reading, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, covid testing, keeping sane false full 12 3 f40fe2f1-aea3-4c96-9d6e-fa4d04647506 DJ DiDonna on Why Sabbaticals Lead to a Stronger Identity, Increased Happiness, and an Appetite for Change Today, Debbie Weil brings DJ DiDonna on the show to talk about sabbaticals, first cousins to gap years. DJ  is a graduate of Harvard Business School, co-founder of a socially-conscious financial tech company, and now, an expert on sabbaticals. Like a lot of young entrepreneurs DJ was burned out after working flat out for seven years. So he took two sabbaticals: one to make the famous, 900-mile Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan. And another to hike and motorcycle across New Zealand.

Then he founded The Sabbatical Project to explore how and why sabbaticals lead to positive outcomes for working professionals. The goal of the project is to make corporate sabbatical policies more mainstream. He’s collaborating on academic research on the topic with Matt Bloom, a former Notre Dame professor who runs WorkWell Research.

As noted, a sabbatical is a close cousin to a gap year or timeout and DJ has lots to say about the psychological benefits of taking a timeout, whether it’s voluntary or involuntary. 

What they talked about

  • The difference between a gap year and a sabbatical
  • A forced sabbatical vs. a chosen sabbatical
  • The most surprising things that happened during DJ's sabbatical pilgrimage in Japan
  • Why we need research on sabbaticals - the results provide incentives and encouragement to companies to offer sabbatical options
  • One surprising discovery of the research: a phenomenon called functional workaholism
  • The courage it takes to take a sabbatical or a gap year and the importance of exemplars
  • Why Debbie and her husband, Sam Harrington, decided to take their Gap Year After Sixty
  • DJ’s book proposal, aptly titled Time Off Well Spent
  • The importance of retrospection and hindsight, during and after  taking a sabbatical

Mentioned in the episode or useful:


University sabbatical programs for older adults

 

Previous podcast episodes about taking a timeout

 

Photo credit: Cynthia Cendreda

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Fri, 11 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, DJ DiDonna) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie Weil brings DJ DiDonna on the show to talk about sabbaticals, first cousins to gap years. DJ  is a graduate of Harvard Business School, co-founder of a socially-conscious financial tech company, and now, an expert on sabbaticals. Like a lot of young entrepreneurs DJ was burned out after working flat out for seven years. So he took two sabbaticals: one to make the famous, 900-mile Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan. And another to hike and motorcycle across New Zealand.

Then he founded The Sabbatical Project to explore how and why sabbaticals lead to positive outcomes for working professionals. The goal of the project is to make corporate sabbatical policies more mainstream. He’s collaborating on academic research on the topic with Matt Bloom, a former Notre Dame professor who runs WorkWell Research.

As noted, a sabbatical is a close cousin to a gap year or timeout and DJ has lots to say about the psychological benefits of taking a timeout, whether it’s voluntary or involuntary. 

What they talked about

  • The difference between a gap year and a sabbatical
  • A forced sabbatical vs. a chosen sabbatical
  • The most surprising things that happened during DJ's sabbatical pilgrimage in Japan
  • Why we need research on sabbaticals - the results provide incentives and encouragement to companies to offer sabbatical options
  • One surprising discovery of the research: a phenomenon called functional workaholism
  • The courage it takes to take a sabbatical or a gap year and the importance of exemplars
  • Why Debbie and her husband, Sam Harrington, decided to take their Gap Year After Sixty
  • DJ’s book proposal, aptly titled Time Off Well Spent
  • The importance of retrospection and hindsight, during and after  taking a sabbatical

Mentioned in the episode or useful:


University sabbatical programs for older adults

 

Previous podcast episodes about taking a timeout

 

Photo credit: Cynthia Cendreda

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

We are looking for a sponsor. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> DJ DiDonna on Why Sabbaticals Lead to a Stronger Identity, Increased Happiness, and an Appetite for Change Debbie Weil, DJ DiDonna 00:27:34 Debbie talks to entrepreneur and researcher DJ DiDonna about sabbaticals, first cousins to gap years, and why they can be transformational. Debbie talks to entrepreneur and researcher DJ DiDonna about sabbaticals, first cousins to gap years, and why they can be transformational. mindfulness practices, functional workaholism, the sabbatical project, courage, intuition, sabbatical, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, getting back on your feet, bunt out, quarantine, burnout, getting fired, shifting gears, benefits from a sabbatical, pandemic, gap year project, spirituality, 2020, risk-averse, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, cabin in the woods, planning a gap year, risk embracing, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, pilgrimage, resigning, reinvention, new normal, podcast, lake tahoe, silver linings, risk-tolerant, inspired leadership, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, offer sabbaticals to employees, coronavirus, morning routine, writing a book, sabbatical benefits, routine, anxiety during pandemic, hindsight, reflection, faith, risk-resistant, gig economy, forced sabbatical, mindful practice, shikoku, company-sponsored sabbatical, time off well spent, exemplars, risk-tolerance, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, advanced leadership, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, career transition, pandemic reinvention, career, what’s next, time off, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, workaholism, shikoku pilgrimage, retrospect, early retirement, keeping sane false full 11 3 6cc5e8ce-4865-4c34-a9b3-4aaa34f8c9a5 Paul Jarvis on Work/Life in the Time of COVID, Why Bigger Does Not Mean Success, and Why Simplicity Drives What He Does Today, Debbie Weil brings Paul Jarvis on the show. An online tech veteran, Paul is an author and a designer of data analytics software and online courses aimed at freelancers. He lives on Canada's Vancouver Island in the Pacific Northwest and has worked with Silicon Valley startups, pro-sports athletes, Fortune 500 companies, and the world's biggest entrepreneurs (like Marie Forleo). But what’s truly notable about Paul is that even before the pandemic he was living an isolated, private, and minimalist life as a solo entrepreneur.

Paul is the author of Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for Business. He’s designed a number of online courses, bringing in several million dollars in revenue,  he's the co-founder of Fathom Analytics, and until very recently he wrote a popular weekly newsletter, The Sunday Dispatches, that he sent to his list of 35,000 subscribers. 

His driving value is simplicity. As he says in this conversation, “I crave simplicity" - especially as it relates to business and work. Meaning how can you solve a business problem simply rather than adding layers of complexity. 

In mid-November, Paul announced in an email to his 35,000 subscribers that he was halting his newsletter after eight years and also taking a break from podcasts and interviews. He noted that he's been sharing his thoughts online for 20 years. "I don’t want attention or power or admiration," he says. "I don’t want to be a personal brand or a known dude on the internet. I just want to exist and do my work privately." 

So we’re lucky to have this conversation with him. Debbie hopes you enjoy it as much as she did. And that you take away a few nuggets of wisdom about work - and life - that you can apply in this time of the pandemic. 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

A podcast episode with another successful solo entrepreneur:

Derek Sivers on Slow Thinking, Connecting, and Intentional Living

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR
If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are active, open to adventure and change, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Fri, 4 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Paul Jarvis, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/paul-jarvis-and-why-simplicity-drives-what-he-does/ Today, Debbie Weil brings Paul Jarvis on the show. An online tech veteran, Paul is an author and a designer of data analytics software and online courses aimed at freelancers. He lives on Canada's Vancouver Island in the Pacific Northwest and has worked with Silicon Valley startups, pro-sports athletes, Fortune 500 companies, and the world's biggest entrepreneurs (like Marie Forleo). But what’s truly notable about Paul is that even before the pandemic he was living an isolated, private, and minimalist life as a solo entrepreneur.

Paul is the author of Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for Business. He’s designed a number of online courses, bringing in several million dollars in revenue,  he's the co-founder of Fathom Analytics, and until very recently he wrote a popular weekly newsletter, The Sunday Dispatches, that he sent to his list of 35,000 subscribers. 

His driving value is simplicity. As he says in this conversation, “I crave simplicity" - especially as it relates to business and work. Meaning how can you solve a business problem simply rather than adding layers of complexity. 

In mid-November, Paul announced in an email to his 35,000 subscribers that he was halting his newsletter after eight years and also taking a break from podcasts and interviews. He noted that he's been sharing his thoughts online for 20 years. "I don’t want attention or power or admiration," he says. "I don’t want to be a personal brand or a known dude on the internet. I just want to exist and do my work privately." 

So we’re lucky to have this conversation with him. Debbie hopes you enjoy it as much as she did. And that you take away a few nuggets of wisdom about work - and life - that you can apply in this time of the pandemic. 

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

A podcast episode with another successful solo entrepreneur:

Derek Sivers on Slow Thinking, Connecting, and Intentional Living

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

Connect with me:

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR
If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are active, open to adventure and change, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Paul Jarvis on Work/Life in the Time of COVID, Why Bigger Does Not Mean Success, and Why Simplicity Drives What He Does Paul Jarvis, Debbie Weil 00:37:02 Debbie talks with successful solo entrepreneur, author, and designer Paul Jarvis about why he builds his life around simplicity and how that is relevant to living and working through the current pandemic. Debbie talks with successful solo entrepreneur, author, and designer Paul Jarvis about why he builds his life around simplicity and how that is relevant to living and working through the current pandemic. online privacy, mindfulness practices, introvert, ceo, intuition, success, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, paul jarvis, quarantine, shifting gears, living at work, tech guy, networking, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, work/life balance, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, data analytics, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, wfh, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, work for yourself, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, how much money do you need, lockdown, social introvert, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, retiring early, reinvention, new normal, redefining success, podcast, working from home, silver linings, privacy online, tech, intentional pause, switching gears, work from home, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, remote working, making money, routine, work life balance, anxiety during pandemic, freelancing, gig economy, minimalist life, mindful practice, support local businesses, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, simple life, retirement, silicon valley, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, freelancer, pandemic reinvention, simplicity, minimalist, what’s next, software design, freelance, working remotely, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, business growth, early retirement, keeping sane false full 10 3 8af7a5b6-9253-420d-b1fe-096ebc6ae59d An 18-Year-Old Reflects on Starting College in Lockdown and What She Will Tell Her Children About the Pandemic Debbie Weil chats with her niece, Phoebe Weil, about her experience living through COVID. While the audience for this podcast is those in midlife and older (50-plus), there is a lot to be learned from someone younger about what it’s like to handle the disappointments of the pandemic. Someone who’s been missing out on some of life’s most memorable milestones.

Debbie knew just the person to tell  this story: her 18-year-old niece. Phoebe missed senior spring of high school, she missed her high school graduation, and now she’s started college where she’s been in lockdown on her campus all fall.

But she remains so very optimistic. Inspired by Anne Frank, she’s been keeping a journal that she hopes to share, one day, with her children. She’s hitting the books to study organic chemistry (she tells us about the advantage of attending an all women’s college as a science major). And she’s keeping up her YouTube channel, which has over 5,000 subscribers. 

Phoebe notes that it was Anne Frank's impulse to record history while living through it that inspired her to start writing a journal.  She clarified in an email: "One doesn’t know how powerful an accounting of a historic moment can be while they’re living in it. I wanted to document my day-to-day life so that in the future I could read how I was feeling during the pandemic we live in now. In no way am I equating my experience living in COVID-19 to Anne Frank’s experience in the Holocaust."

Finally, what’s Phoebe's NEW BEST THING to come out of the pandemic? Writing letters, snail mail letters. And she’s prolific. Her Aunt Debbie and Uncle Sam have received a bunch.

We can all get a lift from Phoebe’s steady and refreshingly positive attitude.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR
If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are open to adventure and change, reinvention at 60+, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:30:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Phoebe Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep9-an-18-year-old-reflects-on-starting-college-in-lockdown-and-what-she-will-tell-her-children-about-living-through-the-pandemic/ Debbie Weil chats with her niece, Phoebe Weil, about her experience living through COVID. While the audience for this podcast is those in midlife and older (50-plus), there is a lot to be learned from someone younger about what it’s like to handle the disappointments of the pandemic. Someone who’s been missing out on some of life’s most memorable milestones.

Debbie knew just the person to tell  this story: her 18-year-old niece. Phoebe missed senior spring of high school, she missed her high school graduation, and now she’s started college where she’s been in lockdown on her campus all fall.

But she remains so very optimistic. Inspired by Anne Frank, she’s been keeping a journal that she hopes to share, one day, with her children. She’s hitting the books to study organic chemistry (she tells us about the advantage of attending an all women’s college as a science major). And she’s keeping up her YouTube channel, which has over 5,000 subscribers. 

Phoebe notes that it was Anne Frank's impulse to record history while living through it that inspired her to start writing a journal.  She clarified in an email: "One doesn’t know how powerful an accounting of a historic moment can be while they’re living in it. I wanted to document my day-to-day life so that in the future I could read how I was feeling during the pandemic we live in now. In no way am I equating my experience living in COVID-19 to Anne Frank’s experience in the Holocaust."

Finally, what’s Phoebe's NEW BEST THING to come out of the pandemic? Writing letters, snail mail letters. And she’s prolific. Her Aunt Debbie and Uncle Sam have received a bunch.

We can all get a lift from Phoebe’s steady and refreshingly positive attitude.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

- Debbie

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR
If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are open to adventure and change, reinvention at 60+, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie.

 

Media Partners

 

Support this podcast:

 

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]]> An 18-Year-Old Reflects on Starting College in Lockdown and What She Will Tell Her Children About the Pandemic Debbie Weil, Phoebe Weil 00:18:32 Debbie talks to her niece Phoebe about being 18 years old in 2020, starting college in lockdown, and what Phoebe will tell her kids about living through the pandemic. Debbie talks to her niece Phoebe about being 18 years old in 2020, starting college in lockdown, and what Phoebe will tell her kids about living through the pandemic. mindfulness practices, life on campus during covid, intuition, writing letters, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, historically women’s college, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, in person classes, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, fall 2020, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, graduation, slowing down during covid, money, virtual education, college in lockdown, freshman college during covid, lockdown, senior spring 2020, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, in person education, new normal, senior spring, podcast, virtual classroom, covid freshman, silver linings, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, virtual classes, women’s college, journaling in 2020, routine, anxiety during pandemic, rite of passage, gig economy, mindful practice, being 18 in 2020, lockdown on campus, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, college during covid, boarding school, year off work, graduation 2020, anne frank, retirement, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, graduating high school in 2020, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 9 3 fd3995e7-4a74-40aa-b916-7d4291d7f7a1 Screenwriter John Mankiewicz on the New Golden Age of Podcasts and Streaming TV Debbie Weil talks to John Mankiewicz, a veteran screenwriter as well as executive producer for TV and film. She asks him what he's working on and what kinds of stories may come out of this era of COVID and the pandemic.  One of his ideas is a show based on people driving around L.A. in their cars, who find themselves unwittingly connected or involved in a frightening conspiracy.

You’re undoubtedly familiar with several of John's TV series, including House of Cards and Bosch. He co-created, with Anders Weidemann, the CBS All Access series  Interrogation. which aired earlier this year.

John is Debbie's new neighbor, having left L.A. for Castine, the historic coastal town in Maine where he's living, for the moment, with his family. Castine is an hour from Debbie's home in Stonington. The two met this past summer when both worked on a passalong mystery novel - set in Castine. One person wrote a chapter and then the draft was passed along to another writer who wrote the next chapter and so on. You’ll hear in their conversation how John’s son, Jack Mankiewicz, also a writer, filmmaker and producer, bailed Debbie out when her chapter ended in a dead end.

Debbie and John talk about the anxiety of these times and the difficulty of writing anything, the transformation of the TV and movie industry in recent years, and the rise of podcasts. They also talk about John’s famous grandfather, Herman Mankiewicz, who wrote the screenplay for the 1941 Citizen Kane, considered by many to be the greatest film ever made. 

John tells us about his current project, a five-hour podcast about the blacklisted Hollywood Ten, tentatively called The Big Lie, that will be published by Audible in the first half of 2021. 

His NEW BEST THING as a result of the pandemic? A dog named Daisy from a Southern California lab rescue organization "that has no lab in her." But she is perfect.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Movies mentioned by John M. in this episode:

 

Note from Debbie

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- Debbie

 

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]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (John Mankiewicz, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep8-screenwriter-john-mankiewicz-on-the-new-golden-age-of-podcasts-and-tv/ Debbie Weil talks to John Mankiewicz, a veteran screenwriter as well as executive producer for TV and film. She asks him what he's working on and what kinds of stories may come out of this era of COVID and the pandemic.  One of his ideas is a show based on people driving around L.A. in their cars, who find themselves unwittingly connected or involved in a frightening conspiracy.

You’re undoubtedly familiar with several of John's TV series, including House of Cards and Bosch. He co-created, with Anders Weidemann, the CBS All Access series  Interrogation. which aired earlier this year.

John is Debbie's new neighbor, having left L.A. for Castine, the historic coastal town in Maine where he's living, for the moment, with his family. Castine is an hour from Debbie's home in Stonington. The two met this past summer when both worked on a passalong mystery novel - set in Castine. One person wrote a chapter and then the draft was passed along to another writer who wrote the next chapter and so on. You’ll hear in their conversation how John’s son, Jack Mankiewicz, also a writer, filmmaker and producer, bailed Debbie out when her chapter ended in a dead end.

Debbie and John talk about the anxiety of these times and the difficulty of writing anything, the transformation of the TV and movie industry in recent years, and the rise of podcasts. They also talk about John’s famous grandfather, Herman Mankiewicz, who wrote the screenplay for the 1941 Citizen Kane, considered by many to be the greatest film ever made. 

John tells us about his current project, a five-hour podcast about the blacklisted Hollywood Ten, tentatively called The Big Lie, that will be published by Audible in the first half of 2021. 

His NEW BEST THING as a result of the pandemic? A dog named Daisy from a Southern California lab rescue organization "that has no lab in her." But she is perfect.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Movies mentioned by John M. in this episode:

 

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

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- Debbie

 

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If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are active, open to adventure and change, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie.

 

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]]> Screenwriter John Mankiewicz on the New Golden Age of Podcasts and Streaming TV John Mankiewicz, Debbie Weil 00:28:42 Debbie talks to well-known screenwriter John Mankiewicz, her new neighbor in Maine, about his screenplay on the blacklisted Hollywood Ten that he's turning into a podcast. Debbie talks to well-known screenwriter John Mankiewicz, her new neighbor in Maine, about his screenplay on the blacklisted Hollywood Ten that he's turning into a podcast. mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, movie industry, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, imagination, tv show, changing lives, movie business, tv production during covid, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, mankiewicz family, what comes next, financial planning, screenwriting, hollywood during covid, audible, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, reinvention, binge watch, imagine, new normal, podcast, silver linings, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, imagination during covid, coronavirus, morning routine, family business, maine countryside, movie, john mankiewicz, routine, anxiety during pandemic, screenwriter, creativity during covid, gig economy, mindful practice, maine, creativity, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, screenwriting during covid, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, tv series industry, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, hollywood, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, create, early retirement, keeping sane false full 8 3 b3da3ce1-e1f5-4258-b7a0-73920135b01c Daphne Merkin on Living Through the Pandemic With Serious Clinical Depression Debbie Weil talks with Daphne Merkin, a highly acclaimed novelist, essayist and literary critic. She is known for writing boldly, without shame or modesty, about depression, obsession, money, sex, family, and religion. Her 2017 memoir, This Close to Happy: A Reckoning With Depression, which was 16 years in the making, got a front page review in The New York Times by Andrew Solomon, another acclaimed author on the topic of depression.

Daphne's latest novel, 22 Minutes of Unconditional Love, is a powerful story about sex and obsession. And underlying those twin themes, the theme of depression. Today she and Debbie talk not about her books, per se, but about her experience with  clinical depression and what that can teach us in this difficult year of COVID when many of us are experiencing deep uncertainty and anxiety. It's a topic of personal interest to Debbie who is an occasional sufferer of clinical depression. Depression is the story behind the story, if you will, of much of Daphne’s writing.

Debbie and Daphne explore why real depression - sometimes called endogenous depression - is not talked about, why it is so misunderstood, and why it’s something that NEEDS to be talked about. They talk about how her creativity as a writer, cooped up in her apartment in New York City, has been affected the past few months. They talk about the pros and cons of doing therapy via Zoom. And they talk briefly about Psilocybin and the new psychedelic-assisted therapies for depression. 

Daphne ends the conversation with some poignant thoughts on what the depths of depression are like and how society has a long way to go to better address depression, as well as thoughts of suicide.  This is a powerful conversation with a brilliant author. Be sure to explore the links to Daphne's writing  below.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

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]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Daphne Merkin) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep7-writer-daphne-merkin-on-living-through-the-pandemic-with-serious-depression/ Debbie Weil talks with Daphne Merkin, a highly acclaimed novelist, essayist and literary critic. She is known for writing boldly, without shame or modesty, about depression, obsession, money, sex, family, and religion. Her 2017 memoir, This Close to Happy: A Reckoning With Depression, which was 16 years in the making, got a front page review in The New York Times by Andrew Solomon, another acclaimed author on the topic of depression.

Daphne's latest novel, 22 Minutes of Unconditional Love, is a powerful story about sex and obsession. And underlying those twin themes, the theme of depression. Today she and Debbie talk not about her books, per se, but about her experience with  clinical depression and what that can teach us in this difficult year of COVID when many of us are experiencing deep uncertainty and anxiety. It's a topic of personal interest to Debbie who is an occasional sufferer of clinical depression. Depression is the story behind the story, if you will, of much of Daphne’s writing.

Debbie and Daphne explore why real depression - sometimes called endogenous depression - is not talked about, why it is so misunderstood, and why it’s something that NEEDS to be talked about. They talk about how her creativity as a writer, cooped up in her apartment in New York City, has been affected the past few months. They talk about the pros and cons of doing therapy via Zoom. And they talk briefly about Psilocybin and the new psychedelic-assisted therapies for depression. 

Daphne ends the conversation with some poignant thoughts on what the depths of depression are like and how society has a long way to go to better address depression, as well as thoughts of suicide.  This is a powerful conversation with a brilliant author. Be sure to explore the links to Daphne's writing  below.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

Note from Debbie

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than sixty seconds, and it really makes a difference in attracting new listeners and upcoming guests. I might read your review on my next episode!

Sign up for occasional updates and get my free writing guide at http://eepurl.com/qGTP

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]]> Daphne Merkin on Living Through the Pandemic With Serious Clinical Depression Debbie Weil, Daphne Merkin 00:23:28 Debbie talks to acclaimed author Daphne Merkin about what it's like to live through the pandemic as a lifelong sufferer of serious chronic depression. Debbie talks to acclaimed author Daphne Merkin about what it's like to live through the pandemic as a lifelong sufferer of serious chronic depression. mindfulness practices, zoom therapy, coping strategies, isolation, antidepressant, psychoanalyst, intuition, depressed, attention span during covid, remote therapy, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, depression group, quarantine, shifting gears, psilocybin therapy, isolated, pandemic, gap year project, depression from covid, 2020, mdma, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, societal taboos, mindfulness, therapy for depression, slowing down during covid, money, manic depression, reading during covid, lockdown, what to do when you are depressed, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, the stigma of depression, new normal, podcast, silver linings, depressed from covid, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, psilocybin, downsizing, suffering from depression, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, social isolation depression, morning routine, societal taboo, misunderstood, suicide, routine, anxiety during pandemic, chronic depression, therapist, creativity during covid, gig economy, mindful practice, depression, covid-related depression, depression medication, creativity, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, coping with covid times, year off work, living with depression, retirement, retirement, coping mechanisms, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, mdma therapy, slowing down during the pandemic, creativity and depression, ketamin, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, coping with isolation, societal structures, podcasting, phone therapy, silver linings of lockdown, depression groups, early retirement, keeping sane false full 7 3 613c1209-f7f0-4689-b4c9-d4a4cf9a804a Debbie’s 90-year-old Dad Talks About the Most Extraordinary Election of His Lifetime Debbie Weil brings Frank Weil, her almost 90-year-old father, back on the podcast to give us his perspective on the 2020 presidential election, even as votes are still being counted. Her Dad is a prolific blogger at FAWideas.com, where he regularly offers his thoughts on Democratic politics, including cogent tirades about you-know-who, whom he regards as incompetent, amoral, and dangerous.

So who else to make better sense of this nail-biting week than her Dad?

 He lives in Washington DC with her mother, Denie Weil; they’ve been married almost 70 years. In the late 1970s, Frank was an Assistant Secretary in the Dept. of Commerce under Jimmy Carter. In the decades since, as well as before, he has been deeply involved in Democratic politics. He’s been an informal advisor to Presidential candidates, including Barack Obama. And he always has an opinion. Plenty of them. 

They recorded the conversation you’re about to hear in the early afternoon of November 4th. The frustration of the previous night was starting to give way to patience as key swing states and counties continued to count votes. At the time they recorded, there was general agreement that Joe Biden would prevail, narrowly, and become the 46th President of the U.S.

Frank says this is the most extraordinary election of his lifetime, both in terms of nail-biting outcome but also in view of the massive turnout and unusual process of early voting and mail-in ballots.

He tells us that his frustration of the past weeks and months has turned into “inspiration” as he ponders the fact that a divided government might be a good thing, because it will force Washington to compromise and therefore better represent the people. He and Debbie take a brief walk down memory lane for some of the most memorable elections of his lifetime, the first being FDR’s unprecedented third election in 1940 with Henry Wallace as his running mate, when Frank was nine years old. When Debbie was nine, she remembers waking up with excitement the morning after Kennedy was elected in 1960.

There are a few things Debbie and Frank didn’t get around to specifically discussing, including the record turnout, the highest in a century. And they didn’t have enough time to go deeply into examining the divide in this country, between rural and urban, educated and less educated, and the belief in astonishingly opposing narratives.

You can’t help but sense this man's optimism, despite this difficult year and despite the real difficulties that lie ahead as we try to unite a deeply divided nation. He lets us go with a word of wisdom on the importance of collaboration even with those you don’t agree with.


 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are active, open to change and new possibilities, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie Weil.

 

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]]> Thu, 5 Nov 2020 21:40:25 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Frank Weil, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep6-debbies-90-year-old-dad-talks-about-the-most-extraordinary-election-of-his-lifetime/ Debbie Weil brings Frank Weil, her almost 90-year-old father, back on the podcast to give us his perspective on the 2020 presidential election, even as votes are still being counted. Her Dad is a prolific blogger at FAWideas.com, where he regularly offers his thoughts on Democratic politics, including cogent tirades about you-know-who, whom he regards as incompetent, amoral, and dangerous.

So who else to make better sense of this nail-biting week than her Dad?

 He lives in Washington DC with her mother, Denie Weil; they’ve been married almost 70 years. In the late 1970s, Frank was an Assistant Secretary in the Dept. of Commerce under Jimmy Carter. In the decades since, as well as before, he has been deeply involved in Democratic politics. He’s been an informal advisor to Presidential candidates, including Barack Obama. And he always has an opinion. Plenty of them. 

They recorded the conversation you’re about to hear in the early afternoon of November 4th. The frustration of the previous night was starting to give way to patience as key swing states and counties continued to count votes. At the time they recorded, there was general agreement that Joe Biden would prevail, narrowly, and become the 46th President of the U.S.

Frank says this is the most extraordinary election of his lifetime, both in terms of nail-biting outcome but also in view of the massive turnout and unusual process of early voting and mail-in ballots.

He tells us that his frustration of the past weeks and months has turned into “inspiration” as he ponders the fact that a divided government might be a good thing, because it will force Washington to compromise and therefore better represent the people. He and Debbie take a brief walk down memory lane for some of the most memorable elections of his lifetime, the first being FDR’s unprecedented third election in 1940 with Henry Wallace as his running mate, when Frank was nine years old. When Debbie was nine, she remembers waking up with excitement the morning after Kennedy was elected in 1960.

There are a few things Debbie and Frank didn’t get around to specifically discussing, including the record turnout, the highest in a century. And they didn’t have enough time to go deeply into examining the divide in this country, between rural and urban, educated and less educated, and the belief in astonishingly opposing narratives.

You can’t help but sense this man's optimism, despite this difficult year and despite the real difficulties that lie ahead as we try to unite a deeply divided nation. He lets us go with a word of wisdom on the importance of collaboration even with those you don’t agree with.


 

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WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife (GenX and Boomer) listeners, who are active, open to change and new possibilities, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact Debbie Weil.

 

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]]> Debbie’s 90-year-old Dad Talks About the Most Extraordinary Election of His Lifetime Frank Weil, Debbie Weil 00:17:32 Debbie Weil talks to her politically-minded 90-year-old father on the day after the 2020 presidential election. He says the divided vote might be okay and he talks about the need to think and act collaboratively. He reminisces about the most memorable elections in his lifetime - this one being the most extraordinary. Debbie Weil talks to her politically-minded 90-year-old father on the day after the 2020 presidential election. He says the divided vote might be okay and he talks about the need to think and act collaboratively. He reminisces about the most memorable elections in his lifetime - this one being the most extraordinary. counting votes, mindfulness practices, mail-in ballot, intuition, memorable election, collaboration, absentee ballots, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, trump vs biden, democrats vs republican, quarantine, elder, shifting gears, pandemic, joe biden, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, extraordinary elections, elections, red vs blue, minimalism, covid-19, optimism, season 3, wisdom, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, political views, podcast, memorable elections, silver linings, inspiration, early votes, older people, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, elections and covid, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, elder wisdom, usa election, routine, anxiety during pandemic, the importance of politics, divided government, collaboration across parties, gig economy, mindful practice, biden landslide, us election, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, election night, year off work, election, retirement, politics, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, vote count, slowing down during the pandemic, unity, early voting, pandemic reinvention, we the people, 90-year old, american people, what’s next, nixon vs kennedy, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, truman vs dewey, extraordinary politics, early retirement, frustration, keeping sane, donald trump false full 6 3 7c0abe4d-5e2a-4f93-ab4a-fa9da122a8eb Kathleen Billings on Steering a Small Town in Maine Through COVID and a Tense Election Year In this episode, Debbie talks to Kathleen Billings, town manager of Stonington, Maine, the small coastal village on Deer Isle that she and her husband now call home.

Debbie wanted to talk to a local leader about the challenges of this election and pandemic year and Kathleen was the perfect person. She is matter of fact, deeply knowledgeable, and forthright.

Kathleen, 56, has been Stonington’s Town Manager for almost 20 years. She tells us how the town’s twin industries of fishing and tourism have fared and how she began to prepare for COVID back in February.  She and Debbie talk about the friction between People From Away (PFA) and locals and how it was exacerbated by COVID. 

They also talk about the political tensions that Kathleen has had to face this year and how she‘s handled them. On a side note Kathleen talks about the very real issue of rising sea levels and how the town is addressing that.

They end by reflecting on the year 2020 and how Kathleen has focused on maintaining a positive atmosphere so that everyone can get through this time without being "ground under," as she puts it. She expresses gratitude for the many nonprofits on the island that address community needs.

PHOTO CREDIT: Debbie Weil

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Some of the local groups on Deer Isle that work together:

 

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]]> Fri, 30 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Kathleen Billings, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep5-kathleen-billings-on-running-a-small-town-in-maine-in-the-year-of-covid-and-political-tension/ In this episode, Debbie talks to Kathleen Billings, town manager of Stonington, Maine, the small coastal village on Deer Isle that she and her husband now call home.

Debbie wanted to talk to a local leader about the challenges of this election and pandemic year and Kathleen was the perfect person. She is matter of fact, deeply knowledgeable, and forthright.

Kathleen, 56, has been Stonington’s Town Manager for almost 20 years. She tells us how the town’s twin industries of fishing and tourism have fared and how she began to prepare for COVID back in February.  She and Debbie talk about the friction between People From Away (PFA) and locals and how it was exacerbated by COVID. 

They also talk about the political tensions that Kathleen has had to face this year and how she‘s handled them. On a side note Kathleen talks about the very real issue of rising sea levels and how the town is addressing that.

They end by reflecting on the year 2020 and how Kathleen has focused on maintaining a positive atmosphere so that everyone can get through this time without being "ground under," as she puts it. She expresses gratitude for the many nonprofits on the island that address community needs.

PHOTO CREDIT: Debbie Weil

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

Some of the local groups on Deer Isle that work together:

 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

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]]> Kathleen Billings on Steering a Small Town in Maine Through COVID and a Tense Election Year Kathleen Billings, Debbie Weil 00:29:46 Debbie Weil talks to Kathleen Billings about the challenges of running a small town in remote coastal Maine in the year of COVID and high political tension. Debbie Weil talks to Kathleen Billings about the challenges of running a small town in remote coastal Maine in the year of COVID and high political tension. mindfulness practices, election day, intuition, political tensions, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, election year, pandemic, blm, joe biden, gap year project, 2020, people from away, timeout, skilling up, elections, minimalism, covid-19, grassroots, season 3, facing covid, us elections, changing lives, tensions rising, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, stonington, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, climate, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, ecological planning, thinking about a gap year, locals, reinvention, reinvention, new normal, public service, protesting, rising sea levels, being of service, podcast, community tensions, silver linings, political tension, community, intentional pause, climate change, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, election time, sanity during lockdown, black lives matter, stonington maine, town manager, coronavirus, coronavirus, ecology, morning routine, sea levels rising, public servant, routine, usa, global warming, anxiety during pandemic, rural maine, local government, gig economy, ups and downs, mindful practice, maine, gap life, community tensions rising, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, right to protest, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, retirement, politics, mayor, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, government, early retirement, keeping sane, donald trump false full 5 3 6233fdf0-1a2d-48eb-9d01-2046aac39607 Kerry Hannon on Pajama Jobs, the New Age of Remote Work, and Why Older Workers May Benefit Today, Debbie talks to Kerry Hannon, author of the new and well-timed Great Pajama Jobs: Your Complete Guide to Working from Home. Kerry is the author of 14 books and an expert on career transitions, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and retirement. She writes regularly for The New York Times, MediaWatch, Forbes and other media outlets, including NextAvenue.org.

Kerry answers the question: will we ever return to the office or is remote working here to stay? Debbie wishes WFH (working from home) had been an accepted phenomenon decades ago when she had small children.

Kerry shares some key skills that can make working from home more effective (good communication, discipline, technical literacy) as well as tips for older and more experienced workers, including the semi-retired. She makes the point that work is not just about the money.

They also talk about ageism, still a pervasive issue in the workplace, and how remote work might alleviate it by focusing attention on performance and productivity.

Finally, they talk about one of Kerry's favorite topics: cultivating resilience by learning new skills. Expand your brain, she says. Adopt a beginner’s mind, stay open, and take risks. Consider living and working in a foreign country that is welcoming to location-independent workers. 

Perhaps not compatible with our pandemic world right now, but travel and living somewhere else are often part of a gap year dream.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

A few job boards recommended by Kerry:

 

Places Kerry recommends to work remotely (once the pandemic is over):

 

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]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Kerry Hannon) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today, Debbie talks to Kerry Hannon, author of the new and well-timed Great Pajama Jobs: Your Complete Guide to Working from Home. Kerry is the author of 14 books and an expert on career transitions, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and retirement. She writes regularly for The New York Times, MediaWatch, Forbes and other media outlets, including NextAvenue.org.

Kerry answers the question: will we ever return to the office or is remote working here to stay? Debbie wishes WFH (working from home) had been an accepted phenomenon decades ago when she had small children.

Kerry shares some key skills that can make working from home more effective (good communication, discipline, technical literacy) as well as tips for older and more experienced workers, including the semi-retired. She makes the point that work is not just about the money.

They also talk about ageism, still a pervasive issue in the workplace, and how remote work might alleviate it by focusing attention on performance and productivity.

Finally, they talk about one of Kerry's favorite topics: cultivating resilience by learning new skills. Expand your brain, she says. Adopt a beginner’s mind, stay open, and take risks. Consider living and working in a foreign country that is welcoming to location-independent workers. 

Perhaps not compatible with our pandemic world right now, but travel and living somewhere else are often part of a gap year dream.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

A few job boards recommended by Kerry:

 

Places Kerry recommends to work remotely (once the pandemic is over):

 

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]]> Kerry Hannon on Pajama Jobs, the New Age of Remote Work, and Why Older Workers May Benefit Debbie Weil, Kerry Hannon 00:24:22 If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife GenX / Boomer listeners who are active, open to change and new possibilities, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact host Debbie Weil. The Gap Year Podcast is looking for a like-minded sponsor.  If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife GenX / Boomer listeners who are active, open to change and new possibilities, and who think differently about lifestyle, finances, and retirement, contact host Debbie Weil. The Gap Year Podcast is looking for a like-minded sponsor.  passion, mindfulness practices, intuition, self-actualization, experienced workers, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, whfer, book, ageism, positive impact, quarantine, living abroad, pandemic remote work, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, building new skills, 2020, communication skills, timeout, remote work skills, skilling up, ageism with remote work, minimalism, covid-19, job board, season 3, new normal of work, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, learning new things, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, looking for a remote job, new normal, podcast, whf, creating a positive impact, working from home, soft skills, silver linings, job boards, intentional pause, working remotely from abroad, switching gears, happiness, work as a tool for self-actualization, downsizing, boundary setting, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, pajama jobs, morning routine, curiosity, remote working, ageism in the workplace, routine, anxiety during pandemic, nyt, gig economy, purpose, build resilience, working abroad, mindful practice, emotional strength, creativity, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, remote work, author, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, resilience, older workers, 21st century skills, pandemic reinvention, changing work, what’s next, podcasting, i want to work from home, skills, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 4 3 91db8e8f-ed64-4e6f-8c48-123d4adf3ff5 Juliette Kayyem on the Power of Twitter, Trump's Stochastic Terrorism, and Why She's an Optimist Today Debbie speaks with Juliette Kayyem, a longtime national security and terrorism expert with over 160,000 followers on Twitter. She has an extraordinary resume of public and private service, starting with the Dept. of Justice as a young lawyer, and then joining the National Commission on Terrorism in 1999 and helping to write their report, published in June 2000, recognizing the growing terror threat in the U.S. She gave birth to her first child a few weeks before 9/11.

She became the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security, where she handled the agency's response to the H1N1 pandemic and orchestrated the complicated government response to the BP oil spill in 2010. 

Later she became a Pulitzer Prize-nominated columnist for The Boston Globe and started her own consulting company. She's now a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and an analyst for CNN. She's also, importantly, the mother of three and the author of a terrific book - part memoir, part primer - titled Security Mom: My Life Protecting the Home and Homeland. Disaster is her thing, or as she puts it: "Sh*t happens."  It's how you assess risk, prepare for, and respond  to disaster that counts.

They recorded this conversation before Trump tested positive for COVID so you won’t hear mention of that. But they do talk about the sense of anxiety in this country right now, both because of COVID and because of the current President. And about Trump’s attempts to stoke fear, and to incite violence, with his veiled but clear Tweets. She calls what Trump does on Twitter #stochasticterrorism. To her delight, it’s been adopted as a hash tag. It means random and unpredictable violence which, she tells us, is the definition of terrorism.

Debbie loved this brief conversation and hopes you will too. Juliette is an optimist and endlessly energetic. She's a breath of fresh air during this anxiety-ridden period in the U.S. Towards the end of the interview, she says she has to get off the call to get ready for a CNN appearance. She's 51, she tells us, so she needs time to do her hair and make-up. The CNN segment, on which she appeared minutes later, showed her ready for primetime, Zooming in from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Tune in to hear from an optimistic and inspiring Security Mom (a play on Soccer Mom, in case that didn't jump out at you!).

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

We are looking for a sponsor. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

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]]> Fri, 16 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Juliette Kayyem) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Today Debbie speaks with Juliette Kayyem, a longtime national security and terrorism expert with over 160,000 followers on Twitter. She has an extraordinary resume of public and private service, starting with the Dept. of Justice as a young lawyer, and then joining the National Commission on Terrorism in 1999 and helping to write their report, published in June 2000, recognizing the growing terror threat in the U.S. She gave birth to her first child a few weeks before 9/11.

She became the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security, where she handled the agency's response to the H1N1 pandemic and orchestrated the complicated government response to the BP oil spill in 2010. 

Later she became a Pulitzer Prize-nominated columnist for The Boston Globe and started her own consulting company. She's now a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and an analyst for CNN. She's also, importantly, the mother of three and the author of a terrific book - part memoir, part primer - titled Security Mom: My Life Protecting the Home and Homeland. Disaster is her thing, or as she puts it: "Sh*t happens."  It's how you assess risk, prepare for, and respond  to disaster that counts.

They recorded this conversation before Trump tested positive for COVID so you won’t hear mention of that. But they do talk about the sense of anxiety in this country right now, both because of COVID and because of the current President. And about Trump’s attempts to stoke fear, and to incite violence, with his veiled but clear Tweets. She calls what Trump does on Twitter #stochasticterrorism. To her delight, it’s been adopted as a hash tag. It means random and unpredictable violence which, she tells us, is the definition of terrorism.

Debbie loved this brief conversation and hopes you will too. Juliette is an optimist and endlessly energetic. She's a breath of fresh air during this anxiety-ridden period in the U.S. Towards the end of the interview, she says she has to get off the call to get ready for a CNN appearance. She's 51, she tells us, so she needs time to do her hair and make-up. The CNN segment, on which she appeared minutes later, showed her ready for primetime, Zooming in from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Tune in to hear from an optimistic and inspiring Security Mom (a play on Soccer Mom, in case that didn't jump out at you!).

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

We are looking for a sponsor. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

Media Partners:

 

Support this podcast:

 

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]]> Juliette Kayyem on the Power of Twitter, Trump's Stochastic Terrorism, and Why She's an Optimist Debbie Weil, Juliette Kayyem 00:21:43 Debbie Weil speaks with national security and terrorism expert Juliette Kayyem who says that Trump is an aberration and that we WILL get through the COVID pandemic and this period of political turmoil. Debbie Weil speaks with national security and terrorism expert Juliette Kayyem who says that Trump is an aberration and that we WILL get through the COVID pandemic and this period of political turmoil. mindfulness practices, intuition, #stochasticterrorism, racism, reinvent yourself, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, trump vs biden, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, ideas before policy, 2020, stochastic terrorism, timeout, skilling up, relaxation, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, reclaim agency, us elections, cnn analyst, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, policies, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, covid, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, surfing, reinvention, stop the fear, new normal, podcast, fight racism, xenophobia, policy makers, twitter, #gapyear, silver linings, us november elections, november elections, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, reclaim your agency, routine, anxiety during pandemic, trump, juliette kayyem, systemic racism, change policies, gig economy, long distance running, mindful practice, long distance runner, terrorism, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, fight xenophobia, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, biden, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, terrorism expert, silver linings of lockdown, national security, early retirement, keeping sane false full 3 3 63491a50-fdd2-4000-8ca0-c8180b55c31b The View From London: Alyson Hoggart on Coping With COVID, Speeding Up Relationships, and the Importance of Communicating Note: The Gap Year Podcast is looking for a sponsor! If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.  More about the show here.

Debbie brings Alyson Hoggart, one of her oldest and most special friends, onto the show. She and Alyson have a transatlantic friendship of many decades. They are age mates, with almost identical birthdays in the same birth year. 

They chat about what it’s been like in Europe during COVID, with some interesting detours into Alyson’s life as a widow, with a new boyfriend. They talk about how the lockdown has speeded up this new relationship.

Alyson is a retired psychologist and one of the most insightful people Debbie knows. So she picks her brain for a few tips on how to cope, psychologically, during this period of social distancing. 

They chat briefly about Alyson's children. Amy Hoggart is a well-known actor, writer, and comedian who lives in New York. (Don't miss Amy's hilarious appearances on Full Frontal With Samantha Bee.) Her son Richard, a lawyer, lives in London.

They  also talk about Alyson's website, My Horrid Parent. It’s a site with resources for how to cope with a difficult parent, one who is especially critical or judgmental. It's aimed at the young but also the not-so-young. The topic is especially relevant right now for someone younger who may be unexpectedly stuck at home with a parent. Or for those dealing with an isolated elderly parent. 

It was great for Debbie to catch up with Alyson and she hopes you enjoy listening in to this conversation about life across the pond. Don't miss the bit about Richard's COVID cat.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

We are looking for a sponsor. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

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]]> Fri, 9 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil, Alyson Hoggart) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep2-the-view-from-london-alyson-hoggart-on-coping-with-covid-speeding-up-relationships-and-the-importance-of-communicating/ Note: The Gap Year Podcast is looking for a sponsor! If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.  More about the show here.

Debbie brings Alyson Hoggart, one of her oldest and most special friends, onto the show. She and Alyson have a transatlantic friendship of many decades. They are age mates, with almost identical birthdays in the same birth year. 

They chat about what it’s been like in Europe during COVID, with some interesting detours into Alyson’s life as a widow, with a new boyfriend. They talk about how the lockdown has speeded up this new relationship.

Alyson is a retired psychologist and one of the most insightful people Debbie knows. So she picks her brain for a few tips on how to cope, psychologically, during this period of social distancing. 

They chat briefly about Alyson's children. Amy Hoggart is a well-known actor, writer, and comedian who lives in New York. (Don't miss Amy's hilarious appearances on Full Frontal With Samantha Bee.) Her son Richard, a lawyer, lives in London.

They  also talk about Alyson's website, My Horrid Parent. It’s a site with resources for how to cope with a difficult parent, one who is especially critical or judgmental. It's aimed at the young but also the not-so-young. The topic is especially relevant right now for someone younger who may be unexpectedly stuck at home with a parent. Or for those dealing with an isolated elderly parent. 

It was great for Debbie to catch up with Alyson and she hopes you enjoy listening in to this conversation about life across the pond. Don't miss the bit about Richard's COVID cat.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

 

We are looking for a sponsor. If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife, and older, listeners, contact Debbie Weil.

 

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]]> The View From London: Alyson Hoggart on Coping With COVID, Speeding Up Relationships, and the Importance of Communicating Debbie Weil, Alyson Hoggart 00:23:52 Debbie Weil brings her longtime friend Alyson Hoggart onto the show to give you a view of pandemic life from London. Debbie Weil brings her longtime friend Alyson Hoggart onto the show to give you a view of pandemic life from London. mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, going on walks, better normal, widow, quarantine, shifting gears, coronavirus in europe, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, europe lockdown, timeout, skilling up, psychologist during lockdown, minimalism, covid-19, clinical psychologist, moving in with your partner after 60, season 3, missing family in lockdown, us elections, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, new relationships, one best thing, gapyear, covid19, new relationships after 60, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, widowed, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, podcast, new relationships after 50, wandering, vote, silver linings, british lockdown, london, discovering new places, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, vote biden, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, covid in europe, vote trump out, coronavirus, morning routine, the one best thing of the pandemic, routine, anxiety during pandemic, psychologist lockdown, romance after 50, gig economy, mindful practice, romance after 60, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, lockdown relationship, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, the one best thing of the lockdown, retirement, retirement, politics, covid 19 in europe, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, psychology, slowing down during the pandemic, psychologist, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, solidarity in the face of the virus, new romantic partner, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 2 3 49666a53-32d2-4c51-8944-4616538295ca Guy Kawasaki Gets Serious About His Better Normal, the American Experiment, and What History Will Say About 2020 Guy Kawasaki is a Silicon Valley legend. He’s worked with Steve Jobs at Apple, he’s written 15 books, and until recently, he was traveling all over the world for speaking engagements. He's also the creator and host of the Remarkable People podcast. He was a guest on Season 2 of this podcast.

On today’s episode, Debbie and Guy unpack the last few months. They talk about how the pandemic has changed Guy's life, how it has impacted his income, and what has been his ONE BEST THING during this strange time.

They also dive into the upcoming November elections in the U.S. Guy gets serious about the potential failure of the American Experiment, ponders how we can each make a difference, and wonders how history will remember the year 2020.

Guy also talks about his biggest lesson learned from 42 episodes of Remarkable People. Tune in for a surprisingly revealing conversation with the one and only Guy Kawasaki.

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]]> Fri, 2 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Guy Kawasaki, Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s3-ep1-guy-kawasaki-gets-serious-about-his-better-normal-the-american-experiment-and-what-history-will-say-about-2020/ Guy Kawasaki is a Silicon Valley legend. He’s worked with Steve Jobs at Apple, he’s written 15 books, and until recently, he was traveling all over the world for speaking engagements. He's also the creator and host of the Remarkable People podcast. He was a guest on Season 2 of this podcast.

On today’s episode, Debbie and Guy unpack the last few months. They talk about how the pandemic has changed Guy's life, how it has impacted his income, and what has been his ONE BEST THING during this strange time.

They also dive into the upcoming November elections in the U.S. Guy gets serious about the potential failure of the American Experiment, ponders how we can each make a difference, and wonders how history will remember the year 2020.

Guy also talks about his biggest lesson learned from 42 episodes of Remarkable People. Tune in for a surprisingly revealing conversation with the one and only Guy Kawasaki.

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]]> Guy Kawasaki Gets Serious About His Better Normal, the American Experiment, and What History Will Say About 2020 Guy Kawasaki, Debbie Weil 00:33:27 Debbie Weil brings the one and only Guy Kawasaki back on the show to kick off Season 3. It's a surprisingly revealing episode. Debbie Weil brings the one and only Guy Kawasaki back on the show to kick off Season 3. It's a surprisingly revealing episode. mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, trump vs biden, travel during pandemic, quarantine, shifting gears, republicans, pandemic, gap year project, united states of america, politics in the usa, 2020, covid vaccine, timeout, skilling up, coping with the pandemic, creating a better normal, minimalism, covid-19, no travel without a vaccine, season 3, no travel without vaccines, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, surfing, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, travel with covid, intentional pause, remarkable people, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, 2020 elections, routine, anxiety during pandemic, travel ban, speaking commitments, gig economy, democrats, mindful practice, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, us 2020 elections, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, biden, slowing down during the pandemic, the american experiment, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, guy kawasaki, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 1 3 1e4e1c8d-beb6-4bb8-a013-a2ec1a35bf9a Season 3 Trailer: Our Collective Gap Year Production team:

Host: Debbie Weil

Producer: Far Out Media 

 

Sponsors

Next For Me

Encore.org

Modern Elder Academy

 

Contact us:

By email: thegapyearpodcast(at)gmail.com

On Twitter

 

Music credit:

Lakeside Path by Duck Lake 

]]> Sat, 19 Sep 2020 00:11:24 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/season-3-trailer-our-collective-gap-year/ Production team:

Host: Debbie Weil

Producer: Far Out Media 

 

Sponsors

Next For Me

Encore.org

Modern Elder Academy

 

Contact us:

By email: thegapyearpodcast(at)gmail.com

On Twitter

 

Music credit:

Lakeside Path by Duck Lake 

]]> Season 3 Trailer: Our Collective Gap Year Debbie Weil 00:03:16 Welcome back to Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. We’ve got a slightly new name, a new look, and new music! This is a space to discuss change and transition, the challenge of midlife reinvention, and the collective gap year we are all living through together right now. Guests include well-known authors like Guy Kawasaki, Seth Godin, Chip Conley, and Marc Freedman. As well as inspiring individuals navigating their “What’s next?” More at https://debbieweil.com/podcast MEDIA PARTNERS: Encore.org, Modern Elder Academy and Next For Me. Welcome back to Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. We’ve got a slightly new name, a new look, and new music! This is a space to discuss change and transition, the challenge of midlife reinvention, and the collective gap year we are all living through together right now. Guests include well-known authors like Guy Kawasaki, Seth Godin, Chip Conley, and Marc Freedman. As well as inspiring individuals navigating their “What’s next?” More at https://debbieweil.com/podcast MEDIA PARTNERS: Encore.org, Modern Elder Academy and Next For Me. mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, new normal, podcast, silver linings, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, routine, anxiety during pandemic, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, collective gap year, slowing down during the pandemic, pandemic reinvention, what’s next, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, early retirement, keeping sane false full 0 3 97b033db-d563-4dd4-8927-e2c0e1c78e79 Debbie and Sam on The Gap Year For Everyone, Silver Linings, Not Should’ing, and Season 3 Debbie brings her husband Sam back on the show to reflect on this remarkable year of 2020 and to wrap up Season 2 of the podcast. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she has published almost twice as many episodes as the usual every other week schedule. Debbie shares with Sam how creating and producing the podcast has kept her sane.

She finds comfort in knowing that this podcast was a way to maintain her sanity while also sharing the stories of others: about getting comfortable with death,  about changing your mindset, about the future of travel, about stepping into a leadership role, about the science of happiness, among many other topics.

In this final episode of Season 2, she and Sam reflect on the past few months of this new normal. Sam shares how routine has been the key to getting through this time for him - in fact to enjoying this time. They share a few silver linings of social distancing. And they talk about should-ing and putting pressure on themselves to accomplish things. Debbie admits that she has relaxed a little about that as the weeks have gone by.

Finally, they look ahead at Season 3. The season will explore the gap year we’ve all been forced to take, collective reinvention, change and transition - along with how to figure out what’s next in midlife and beyond. And even though that is a broader topic than gap years, per se, they both decide that Gap Year should remain the title for this podcast. See you in the fall for Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast!

 

What Debbie and Sam talked about:

  • What has kept Debbie sane: meeting podcast deadlines and finding and interviewing thought-provoking guests
  • Sam’s sanity: his daily routine of cooking, shopping, exercise (writing on pause)
  • Their different relationships to should’ing on themselves
  • Silver linings of 2020 so far: socializing with two friends at a time (instead of in big groups)
  • The uncertainty of the future and the November elections
  • Polarization in Maine as it relates to the pandemic
  • 2020: a sort of gap year for everyone
  • How to use this slowing down time intentionally

 

Previous episodes featuring Debbie and Sam:

 

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]]> Fri, 14 Aug 2020 06:00:16 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep24-debbie-sam-on-the-gap-year-for-everyone-silver-linings-not-shoulding-and-season-3/ Debbie brings her husband Sam back on the show to reflect on this remarkable year of 2020 and to wrap up Season 2 of the podcast. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she has published almost twice as many episodes as the usual every other week schedule. Debbie shares with Sam how creating and producing the podcast has kept her sane.

She finds comfort in knowing that this podcast was a way to maintain her sanity while also sharing the stories of others: about getting comfortable with death,  about changing your mindset, about the future of travel, about stepping into a leadership role, about the science of happiness, among many other topics.

In this final episode of Season 2, she and Sam reflect on the past few months of this new normal. Sam shares how routine has been the key to getting through this time for him - in fact to enjoying this time. They share a few silver linings of social distancing. And they talk about should-ing and putting pressure on themselves to accomplish things. Debbie admits that she has relaxed a little about that as the weeks have gone by.

Finally, they look ahead at Season 3. The season will explore the gap year we’ve all been forced to take, collective reinvention, change and transition - along with how to figure out what’s next in midlife and beyond. And even though that is a broader topic than gap years, per se, they both decide that Gap Year should remain the title for this podcast. See you in the fall for Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast!

 

What Debbie and Sam talked about:

  • What has kept Debbie sane: meeting podcast deadlines and finding and interviewing thought-provoking guests
  • Sam’s sanity: his daily routine of cooking, shopping, exercise (writing on pause)
  • Their different relationships to should’ing on themselves
  • Silver linings of 2020 so far: socializing with two friends at a time (instead of in big groups)
  • The uncertainty of the future and the November elections
  • Polarization in Maine as it relates to the pandemic
  • 2020: a sort of gap year for everyone
  • How to use this slowing down time intentionally

 

Previous episodes featuring Debbie and Sam:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

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]]> Debbie and Sam on The Gap Year For Everyone, Silver Linings, Not Should’ing, and Season 3 Debbie Weil 00:23:42 Debbie Weil brings her husband, Sam Harrington, back on the show to reflect on 2020 (the gap year for everyone), to wrap up Season 2, and to talk about Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. Debbie Weil brings her husband, Sam Harrington, back on the show to reflect on 2020 (the gap year for everyone), to wrap up Season 2, and to talk about Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, gap year project, 2020, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, season 3, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, slowing down in 2020, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, slowing down during covid, money, lockdown, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, podcast, shoulda woulda coulda, intentional pause, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, sanity during lockdown, coronavirus, morning routine, routine, anxiety during pandemic, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, silver linings of pandemic, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, reinventing ourselves during covid, year off work, retirement, sanity during pandemic, slowing down during the pandemic, podcasting, silver linings of lockdown, shoulding, early retirement, keeping sane false full 24 2 98b55fa1-30e0-4c48-9697-330d06362905 Chip Conley on the Future of Travel, the Journey Within, and Hitting Play After the Pause Debbie brings Chip back on the show to discuss the future of travel, what travel means for many of us, and what the substitutions might be.

Chip is a New York Times bestselling author, a thought leader at the intersection of psychology and business, and an influential hospitality entrepreneur. Recently he has become a rockstar of the mid-life transition movement, as the founder of Modern Elder Academy in Baja, Mexico. Chip was a guest on Season 1 of this podcast over a year ago, right after Debbie attended one of MEA’s week-long programs, a transformative experience.

We’ve all been wondering what travel will look like in the future, whether it’s for a gap year or timeout, or for bucket list destinations.  Debbie felt Chip was just the right person to talk to about this.

They discuss how digital nomads might become mainstream now that remote working is becoming the norm. Chip shares his prognostications about the future of travel: what kind of travel will come back first? What parts of the industry will NOT come back?

They also talk about how to reinvent yourself without travel (connect with nature, connect with yourself via mindfulness, yoga, journaling) and how to satisfy your cultural curiosity without getting on a plane.

Chip shares one of his “Chip-isms” (as Debbie calls his wordplays) on the current situation and they talk about some of the silver linings of their respective lockdown experiences.

Mentioned in this episode or useful

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Lisa Keating

 

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]]> Fri, 31 Jul 2020 06:00:10 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep23-chip-conley-on-the-future-of-travel-the-journey-within-and-hitting-play-after-the-pause/ Debbie brings Chip back on the show to discuss the future of travel, what travel means for many of us, and what the substitutions might be.

Chip is a New York Times bestselling author, a thought leader at the intersection of psychology and business, and an influential hospitality entrepreneur. Recently he has become a rockstar of the mid-life transition movement, as the founder of Modern Elder Academy in Baja, Mexico. Chip was a guest on Season 1 of this podcast over a year ago, right after Debbie attended one of MEA’s week-long programs, a transformative experience.

We’ve all been wondering what travel will look like in the future, whether it’s for a gap year or timeout, or for bucket list destinations.  Debbie felt Chip was just the right person to talk to about this.

They discuss how digital nomads might become mainstream now that remote working is becoming the norm. Chip shares his prognostications about the future of travel: what kind of travel will come back first? What parts of the industry will NOT come back?

They also talk about how to reinvent yourself without travel (connect with nature, connect with yourself via mindfulness, yoga, journaling) and how to satisfy your cultural curiosity without getting on a plane.

Chip shares one of his “Chip-isms” (as Debbie calls his wordplays) on the current situation and they talk about some of the silver linings of their respective lockdown experiences.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Lisa Keating

 

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]]> Chip Conley on the Future of Travel, the Journey Within, and Hitting Play After the Pause Debbie Weil 00:23:54 Debbie Weil brings Chip Conley back on the show to discuss the future of travel in the current pandemic and what travel means for so many of us. Debbie Weil brings Chip Conley back on the show to discuss the future of travel in the current pandemic and what travel means for so many of us. mindfulness practices, intuition, chip conley, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, explore creatively, creative travel, quarantine, mea, yoga, digital nomadism, shifting gears, digital nomad, gap year project, future of travel industry, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, modern elder academy, changing lives, future of hotel industry, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, money, hotel industry, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, travel plans, journaling, economical crisis, silver linings, post covid recession, switching gears, happiness, cultural curiosity, downsizing, travel industry, coronavirus, post covid depression, travel in the time of covid, get to know yourself, gig economy, mindful practice, gap life, gap year after fifty, know yourself, portfolio life, future of travel, gap year, year off work, digital nomads, retirement, remote work, meditation, connect with nature, early retirement false full 23 2 ea008b11-bc2c-4e2c-ba0e-25f1ea8b411a Blanche Colson on Being an Ordinary Person and Getting Comfortable With Death Blanche Colson got in touch with Debbie Weil after listening to a previous episode with entrepreneur Peter Corbett on the topic of mortality, death and becoming a hospice volunteer. Blanche knew Peter through the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and wanted to tell her own story about her evolving relationship with death. 

Blanche retired after a career in school administration in Eugene, OR. She’s an empty nester, having raised two children as a single parent, and was wondering what’s next when a near fatal car accident jolted her into realizing it was time to make a change.  She wanted to get more comfortable with the mystery of death and our reluctance to talk about it so she moved from Eugene to New York to study at the Zen Center, where she met Peter. This is where Debbie challenges her on being ordinary, as not everyone would get on a plane and move to New York to study death and dying.

Through the Zen Center’s program, she learnt the basics of contemplative care: sitting at the bedside of the sick and dying, truly listening and resisting the impulse to save or rescue them. As part of the training, she volunteered at a geriatric center where the residents were wheelchair or bed bound and utterly dependent on the staff for their needs. 

You’ll hear her mention Chodo. Robert Chodo Campbell is a well-known Sensei or Buddhist teacher and the co-founder of NY’s Zen Center. He was Blanche’s mentor. 

There’s one more thing Blanche mentions: an intentional community.  It means a planned residential community designed around social cohesion and teamwork. Not a hippie commune exactly but definitely a place for the alternative-minded. She lived in an intentional community near Eugene for 20 years. And she chose Ganas, an intentional community on Staten Island, as her home in New York. Again not something that an ordinary person might do.

Finally, Blanche’s time at the Zen Center was only the first step in her journey to change the perception of death as dark, fearful and something we can’t talk about. Since this conversation she has officially started her training to become a death celebrant or death doula. 

Blanche pitched herself as an ordinary person, someone whose perspective is too often lacking on podcasts. But she’s really not ordinary at all. She’s brave and adventurous, just the kind of guest who should be on a Gap Year podcast.

 

What they talked about

  • Why death as a topic is taboo
  • What it means to be an ordinary person
  • How her experience as an African American woman has affected her spirituality
  • The unfairness of life for an African American woman
  • How old people are tucked away
  • Learning to really listen instead of wanting to fix other people’s suffering
  • Learning how not to judge
  • The advantage of spontaneity in making life changing decisions
  • Her advice for ordinary people seeking to make a change: take the next step and forget about the big picture

 

Mentioned in the episode or useful links

 

 

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]]> Fri, 17 Jul 2020 06:00:01 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep22-blanche-colson-on-being-an-ordinary-person-and-getting-comfortable-with-death/ Blanche Colson got in touch with Debbie Weil after listening to a previous episode with entrepreneur Peter Corbett on the topic of mortality, death and becoming a hospice volunteer. Blanche knew Peter through the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and wanted to tell her own story about her evolving relationship with death. 

Blanche retired after a career in school administration in Eugene, OR. She’s an empty nester, having raised two children as a single parent, and was wondering what’s next when a near fatal car accident jolted her into realizing it was time to make a change.  She wanted to get more comfortable with the mystery of death and our reluctance to talk about it so she moved from Eugene to New York to study at the Zen Center, where she met Peter. This is where Debbie challenges her on being ordinary, as not everyone would get on a plane and move to New York to study death and dying.

Through the Zen Center’s program, she learnt the basics of contemplative care: sitting at the bedside of the sick and dying, truly listening and resisting the impulse to save or rescue them. As part of the training, she volunteered at a geriatric center where the residents were wheelchair or bed bound and utterly dependent on the staff for their needs. 

You’ll hear her mention Chodo. Robert Chodo Campbell is a well-known Sensei or Buddhist teacher and the co-founder of NY’s Zen Center. He was Blanche’s mentor. 

There’s one more thing Blanche mentions: an intentional community.  It means a planned residential community designed around social cohesion and teamwork. Not a hippie commune exactly but definitely a place for the alternative-minded. She lived in an intentional community near Eugene for 20 years. And she chose Ganas, an intentional community on Staten Island, as her home in New York. Again not something that an ordinary person might do.

Finally, Blanche’s time at the Zen Center was only the first step in her journey to change the perception of death as dark, fearful and something we can’t talk about. Since this conversation she has officially started her training to become a death celebrant or death doula. 

Blanche pitched herself as an ordinary person, someone whose perspective is too often lacking on podcasts. But she’s really not ordinary at all. She’s brave and adventurous, just the kind of guest who should be on a Gap Year podcast.

 

What they talked about

  • Why death as a topic is taboo
  • What it means to be an ordinary person
  • How her experience as an African American woman has affected her spirituality
  • The unfairness of life for an African American woman
  • How old people are tucked away
  • Learning to really listen instead of wanting to fix other people’s suffering
  • Learning how not to judge
  • The advantage of spontaneity in making life changing decisions
  • Her advice for ordinary people seeking to make a change: take the next step and forget about the big picture

 

Mentioned in the episode or useful links

 

 

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]]> Blanche Colson on Being an Ordinary Person and Getting Comfortable With Death Debbie Weil 00:28:04 Debbie Weil talks to Blanche Colson, a 67-year-old Black woman who reached out to ask about coming on the show because, she said, her perspective is an important one it and was not being represented. She was right. "I'm not rich or famous," she told Debbie. "I'm just an ordinary person." Of course, there was more to Blanche's story than that. Debbie Weil talks to Blanche Colson, a 67-year-old Black woman who reached out to ask about coming on the show because, she said, her perspective is an important one it and was not being represented. She was right. "I'm not rich or famous," she told Debbie. "I'm just an ordinary person." Of course, there was more to Blanche's story than that. mindfulness practices, african-american, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, death celebrant, quarantine, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, death doula, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, dying, nonviolent communication, mindfulness, money, being an ordinary person, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, hospice culture, reinvention, sick and dying, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, take one step at a time, geriatric center, coronavirus, taboo, being with the sick and dying, facing our mortality, death, geriatrics, surrender to death, facing death, trust the process, trust death, sitting with the dying, african-american woman, gig economy, facing our own death, mindful practice, nvc, bedside, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, surrender to life, retirement, mortality, death midfwife, trust the mysteries, trust, trust life, ordinary person, true listening, hospice care, early retirement false full 22 2 769d5985-a61d-4038-ada9-8c90de5bf6e5 Seth Godin on Taking a Gap Year, Changing Your Mindset, and Why He Isn’t Pausing Debbie Weil interviews the one and only Seth Godin.

Seth writes one of the most popular blogs in the world, read by more than a million people. He’s been blogging abut marketing for almost 20 years but his topic is really life: how to live well and fully. He blogs every day, seven days a week. Suffice it to say that when Seth talks, or writes, people listen. 

It's hard to put your finger on exactly what makes Seth so appealing. He is generous as a person. He's full of ideas, often counterintuitive, that he gently urges you to consider. And he always makes you think. For Debbie and for thousands of others, he’s an unofficial mentor, sitting on your shoulder like Jiminy Cricket, and challenging you to think bigger, or deeper - and always, more truthfully. 

Debbie got to know Seth about 15 years ago. He was holding funky workshops in a walk-up space in Chinatown in lower Manhattan. They were very Seth. There were no handouts, you were not allowed to take notes, he encouraged questions by handing out prizes and he served weird (at the time) vegetarian snacks. Always, there was his insistence on authenticity and consistency. In other words, be clear about who you are and what you do and why it matters. Debbie was working on her book about blogging (The Corporate Blogging Book) and he suggested that she call herself “the Mona Lisa of Blogging.” She did, for a time!

Seth has published 19 bestselling books (The Dip and Linchpin are two of Debbie's favorites). Although he may be best known as an author and blogger, in the past five years Seth has increasingly defined  himself as a teacher. He’s gotten deeply into online learning through Akimbo, the organization he founded  that, with a small team, is the hub of his online projects. It’s also the name of his podcast. But take the emphasis off online learning because it’s really the future of learning that he’s interested in. A future that leverages the wisdom of your cohort, the people you are enrolled with, and that requires engagement, generosity and kindness.

One of his online projects is a podcasting workshop. It’s where this podcast was born and where Debbie met producer Julie-Roxane.

Debbie invited him on the show after he blogged recently about taking a gap year. She figured it was a perfect chance to hear more of his thoughts about gap years, for adults or students, and how or why such an experience might be relevant right now. And to find out what else was on his mind during this unprecedented time. They talk about:

  • Whether or not he has paused over the past several months
  • How his life is an art project and what that means
  • What you might consider doing with your time during the pandemic
  • Why in-person learning is not necessarily better
  • The future of business travel
  • The importance of mindset (and how changing that might be enough right now)
  • His thoughts about aging (he works very hard and realizes that can't last forever)
  • And building the habit of initiative

 

Mentioned in the episode or useful links

 

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]]> Fri, 3 Jul 2020 06:00:27 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/seth-godin-on-taking-a-gap-year-changing-your-mindset-and-why-he-isnt-pausing/ Debbie Weil interviews the one and only Seth Godin.

Seth writes one of the most popular blogs in the world, read by more than a million people. He’s been blogging abut marketing for almost 20 years but his topic is really life: how to live well and fully. He blogs every day, seven days a week. Suffice it to say that when Seth talks, or writes, people listen. 

It's hard to put your finger on exactly what makes Seth so appealing. He is generous as a person. He's full of ideas, often counterintuitive, that he gently urges you to consider. And he always makes you think. For Debbie and for thousands of others, he’s an unofficial mentor, sitting on your shoulder like Jiminy Cricket, and challenging you to think bigger, or deeper - and always, more truthfully. 

Debbie got to know Seth about 15 years ago. He was holding funky workshops in a walk-up space in Chinatown in lower Manhattan. They were very Seth. There were no handouts, you were not allowed to take notes, he encouraged questions by handing out prizes and he served weird (at the time) vegetarian snacks. Always, there was his insistence on authenticity and consistency. In other words, be clear about who you are and what you do and why it matters. Debbie was working on her book about blogging (The Corporate Blogging Book) and he suggested that she call herself “the Mona Lisa of Blogging.” She did, for a time!

Seth has published 19 bestselling books (The Dip and Linchpin are two of Debbie's favorites). Although he may be best known as an author and blogger, in the past five years Seth has increasingly defined  himself as a teacher. He’s gotten deeply into online learning through Akimbo, the organization he founded  that, with a small team, is the hub of his online projects. It’s also the name of his podcast. But take the emphasis off online learning because it’s really the future of learning that he’s interested in. A future that leverages the wisdom of your cohort, the people you are enrolled with, and that requires engagement, generosity and kindness.

One of his online projects is a podcasting workshop. It’s where this podcast was born and where Debbie met producer Julie-Roxane.

Debbie invited him on the show after he blogged recently about taking a gap year. She figured it was a perfect chance to hear more of his thoughts about gap years, for adults or students, and how or why such an experience might be relevant right now. And to find out what else was on his mind during this unprecedented time. They talk about:

  • Whether or not he has paused over the past several months
  • How his life is an art project and what that means
  • What you might consider doing with your time during the pandemic
  • Why in-person learning is not necessarily better
  • The future of business travel
  • The importance of mindset (and how changing that might be enough right now)
  • His thoughts about aging (he works very hard and realizes that can't last forever)
  • And building the habit of initiative

 

Mentioned in the episode or useful links

 

Support this podcast:

 

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]]> Seth Godin on Taking a Gap Year, Changing Your Mindset, and Why He Isn’t Pausing Debbie Weil 00:29:33 Debbie Weil interviews the one and only Seth Godin. They talk about his definition of a gap year, whether he's ever taken one himself (yes and no), what he's been up to over the past several months of social distancing (he has not paused), aging (but not yet), and more. Debbie Weil interviews the one and only Seth Godin. They talk about his definition of a gap year, whether he's ever taken one himself (yes and no), what he's been up to over the past several months of social distancing (he has not paused), aging (but not yet), and more. false full 21 2 89cac54b-e67c-4cd7-b27c-c6867c553a09 Rep. Genevieve McDonald on Stepping Into the Role of Fierce Female Leader During a Pandemic Debbie Weil talks with Genevieve McDonald, the Maine State Representative for the remote coastal district Debbie now calls home. In addition to completing her first term in the Maine State House, Genevieve is the mother of two-year-old twin girls. She is also Capt. McDonald, lobster fishing out of Stonington, ME. Last year, at the age of 37, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maine.

Debbie knew there was something special about Genevieve and invited her to come on the podcast to talk about stepping up during the pandemic. Genevieve has been dispensing lifeline information to the hundreds in her district out of work, steadily answering a myriad of questions about unemployment and healthcare. She also weighs in, calmly, on difficult issues like the tension between people from away and those who live in this remote corner of Maine and how the coronavirus might get here.

This podcast is about reinvention as much as gap years and it is clear that Genevieve has stepped into an unexpected role during the pandemic, reinventing herself as a fearless female leader, in her words. 

They talk about how Genevieve answers 100 emails, calls, and text messages a day.  How she does this while taking care of toddler twins with her husband Cory. She holds office hours between 1 and 3 PM, when the twins are hopefully napping. They talk about the blurring of the line between personal and professional on social media. And the devastating impact of the pandemic on the local economy in rural Maine both the fishing industry and tourism.

Mentioned in the episode

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]]> Fri, 19 Jun 2020 06:00:10 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep20-rep-genevieve-mcdonald-on-stepping-into-the-role-of-fierce-female-leader-during-a-pandemic/ Debbie Weil talks with Genevieve McDonald, the Maine State Representative for the remote coastal district Debbie now calls home. In addition to completing her first term in the Maine State House, Genevieve is the mother of two-year-old twin girls. She is also Capt. McDonald, lobster fishing out of Stonington, ME. Last year, at the age of 37, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maine.

Debbie knew there was something special about Genevieve and invited her to come on the podcast to talk about stepping up during the pandemic. Genevieve has been dispensing lifeline information to the hundreds in her district out of work, steadily answering a myriad of questions about unemployment and healthcare. She also weighs in, calmly, on difficult issues like the tension between people from away and those who live in this remote corner of Maine and how the coronavirus might get here.

This podcast is about reinvention as much as gap years and it is clear that Genevieve has stepped into an unexpected role during the pandemic, reinventing herself as a fearless female leader, in her words. 

They talk about how Genevieve answers 100 emails, calls, and text messages a day.  How she does this while taking care of toddler twins with her husband Cory. She holds office hours between 1 and 3 PM, when the twins are hopefully napping. They talk about the blurring of the line between personal and professional on social media. And the devastating impact of the pandemic on the local economy in rural Maine both the fishing industry and tourism.

Mentioned in the episode

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]]> Rep. Genevieve McDonald on Stepping Into the Role of Fierce Female Leader During a Pandemic Debbie Weil 00:21:37 Rep. Genevieve McDonald of the Maine State House has stepped up into an expanded role during the pandemic, reinventing herself as a leader and a lifeline for hundreds of her constituents. She and Debbie Weil talk about how she answers 100 emails, calls, and text messages a day while also taking care of two-year-old twin daughters and lobster fishing out of Stonington, ME, as captain of her own boat. Rep. Genevieve McDonald of the Maine State House has stepped up into an expanded role during the pandemic, reinventing herself as a leader and a lifeline for hundreds of her constituents. She and Debbie Weil talk about how she answers 100 emails, calls, and text messages a day while also taking care of two-year-old twin daughters and lobster fishing out of Stonington, ME, as captain of her own boat. mindfulness practices, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, quarantine, covid leadership, leadership, shifting gears, leader, pandemic, gap year project, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, reinvention as a state rep, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, money, rural coastal maine, covid, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, economical impact, maine state rep, local politics, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, stepping up to a leadership role, coronavirus, state rep, impact of covid, gig economy, mindful practice, maine, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, retirement, politics, reinventing your role, commercial fisherman, fishing, helping people, early retirement true full 20 2 9e98bd61-18c6-44d9-bbcb-739cd8c8fa92 Anne Fadiman on Writing: Taking Risks, Improving, and Witnessing History Debbie has a conversation about writing with friend and college classmate Anne Fadiman. Anne is an illustrious - and revered - essayist and author, perhaps best known for her first book, the prize-winning The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, an account of the unbridgeable cultural conflicts between a family of Hmong refugees and their American doctors. She’s spent her whole career as a reporter and editor and for the past 15 years as an award-winning teacher of nonfiction writing at Yale University. She’s a writer’s writer and Debbie couldn’t be more excited to have her on the show.

They talk about writing in the context of the pandemic we are living through. Should we all be writing about our daily lives right now as witnesses to history? Her answer is "Yes, keep a journal," just as Anne Frank did during World War II when she hid from the Nazis with her family in Amsterdam.

They talk about the intimacy of Anne's work as a writing teacher at Yale, how she and her students nonetheless jumped into Zoom classes, and how proud she is of her students, a number of whom have gone on to become well-known writers. They discuss the therapeutic benefits of writing, what it really means to take risks and to become a better writer, and the importance of reading.

She also reminisces about being confined to bed, at home, for eight months during a difficult pregnancy and how that was more difficult than sheltering in place during the pandemic. That's when she started writing essays.

 

Mentioned in the episode:

  • Memories of a Catholic Girlhood by Mary McCarthy. Anne assigns her students "C’est le Premier Pas Qui Coûte," about how, as a girl in a new school, McCarthy reinvented her identity by pretending to lose her faith - and then found that the pretense had become real.
  • The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
  • The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
  • John McPhee, a pioneer of creative nonfiction and a professor of journalism at Princeton University

Two of Anne Fadiman's books:

Pandemic-related reporting by two of her students:

 

Photo of Anne Fadiman by Gabriel Amadeus Cooney

 

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]]> Fri, 5 Jun 2020 06:00:14 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep19-anne-fadiman-on-writing-taking-risks-improving-and-witnessing-history/ Debbie has a conversation about writing with friend and college classmate Anne Fadiman. Anne is an illustrious - and revered - essayist and author, perhaps best known for her first book, the prize-winning The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, an account of the unbridgeable cultural conflicts between a family of Hmong refugees and their American doctors. She’s spent her whole career as a reporter and editor and for the past 15 years as an award-winning teacher of nonfiction writing at Yale University. She’s a writer’s writer and Debbie couldn’t be more excited to have her on the show.

They talk about writing in the context of the pandemic we are living through. Should we all be writing about our daily lives right now as witnesses to history? Her answer is "Yes, keep a journal," just as Anne Frank did during World War II when she hid from the Nazis with her family in Amsterdam.

They talk about the intimacy of Anne's work as a writing teacher at Yale, how she and her students nonetheless jumped into Zoom classes, and how proud she is of her students, a number of whom have gone on to become well-known writers. They discuss the therapeutic benefits of writing, what it really means to take risks and to become a better writer, and the importance of reading.

She also reminisces about being confined to bed, at home, for eight months during a difficult pregnancy and how that was more difficult than sheltering in place during the pandemic. That's when she started writing essays.

 

Mentioned in the episode:

  • Memories of a Catholic Girlhood by Mary McCarthy. Anne assigns her students "C’est le Premier Pas Qui Coûte," about how, as a girl in a new school, McCarthy reinvented her identity by pretending to lose her faith - and then found that the pretense had become real.
  • The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
  • The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
  • John McPhee, a pioneer of creative nonfiction and a professor of journalism at Princeton University

Two of Anne Fadiman's books:

Pandemic-related reporting by two of her students:

 

Photo of Anne Fadiman by Gabriel Amadeus Cooney

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

 

]]> Anne Fadiman on Writing: Taking Risks, Improving, and Witnessing History Debbie Weil 00:40:51 Debbie Weil speaks with Anne Fadiman, a brilliant author and beloved writing teacher, about the writing process and how we should all be a witness to history, as writers, during this unprecedented time of a pandemic. Debbie Weil speaks with Anne Fadiman, a brilliant author and beloved writing teacher, about the writing process and how we should all be a witness to history, as writers, during this unprecedented time of a pandemic. mindfulness practices, writing, yale university, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, take risks, quarantine, shifting gears, pandemic, become a better writer, gap year project, editor, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, memoirs, published writer, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, covid19, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, mindfulness, money, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, journaling, therapeutic writing, escapism reading, anne fadiman, memoir, switching gears, yale, happiness, downsizing, writing teachers, coronavirus, write about it, great writers, write, write better, reporter, gig economy, mindful practice, journal, live fully, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, essay, gap year, year off work, anne frank, retirement, essays, unique time in history, reading, writing through a pandemic, early retirement false full 19 2 47cac0d6-1b10-43c8-be3a-ad3b8d9c863e Debbie & Sam on the New Normal, Quarantines, Immunity Passports, and Masks & Gloves Debbie Weil brings her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, back on the show for an update on their evolving state of mind about the continuing pandemic. Like everyone else, they are settling into social distancing for the long haul. This is their new normal, at least for now.

After two months of self-isolating in their little apartment in New Haven, CT they drove back to Stonington, ME, the remote coastal village where they live. Debbie knew they would feel much safer in Maine where the infection rate is exceptionally low. Sam is not so sure. The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Maine is less than 2,000 and the number of deaths, statewide, is fewer than 100, with only one death in their county. Those numbers are as of mid-May 2020. 

But are they really that much safer? Is there really a safe place anywhere?

 

What they talked about:

  • How Sam is feeling: less fearful but still uncertain.
  • Feeling emotionally safe does not mean we are safe from the virus.
  • The 14-day quarantine for people coming to Maine from out-of-state (known as People From Away or PFAs) and its impact on tourism and the local economy.
  • The tension between locals and PFAs.
  • Will the new normal include immunity licenses or passports? The pros and cons and practicalities.
  • What the proper use of masks and gloves is (and Sam's recent blog post on the topic)
  • BONUS: Sam’s new protest beard... and why it is important

 

 

Mentioned in the episode or relevant links:

 

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]]> Fri, 22 May 2020 06:00:31 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep18-debbie-sam-on-the-new-normal-quarantines-immunity-passports-and-masks-gloves/ Debbie Weil brings her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, back on the show for an update on their evolving state of mind about the continuing pandemic. Like everyone else, they are settling into social distancing for the long haul. This is their new normal, at least for now.

After two months of self-isolating in their little apartment in New Haven, CT they drove back to Stonington, ME, the remote coastal village where they live. Debbie knew they would feel much safer in Maine where the infection rate is exceptionally low. Sam is not so sure. The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Maine is less than 2,000 and the number of deaths, statewide, is fewer than 100, with only one death in their county. Those numbers are as of mid-May 2020. 

But are they really that much safer? Is there really a safe place anywhere?

 

What they talked about:

  • How Sam is feeling: less fearful but still uncertain.
  • Feeling emotionally safe does not mean we are safe from the virus.
  • The 14-day quarantine for people coming to Maine from out-of-state (known as People From Away or PFAs) and its impact on tourism and the local economy.
  • The tension between locals and PFAs.
  • Will the new normal include immunity licenses or passports? The pros and cons and practicalities.
  • What the proper use of masks and gloves is (and Sam's recent blog post on the topic)
  • BONUS: Sam’s new protest beard... and why it is important

 

 

Mentioned in the episode or relevant links:

 

Support this podcast:

 

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]]> Debbie & Sam on the New Normal, Quarantines, Immunity Passports, and Masks & Gloves Debbie Weil 00:23:12 Debbie Weil & Sam Harrington talk about their evolving state of mind in the continuing pandemic and what the new normal of social distancing and quarantining means. Debbie Weil & Sam Harrington talk about their evolving state of mind in the continuing pandemic and what the new normal of social distancing and quarantining means. false full 18 2 9d2c1a98-be8f-4f49-aa75-9ccc7f5d8a3a Kim Klaft on a Global Gap Year and Living Without Regret In this episode Debbie talks to a real adventurer, a 63-year-old woman who spent 2019 on a self-organized global gap year. Kim Klaft quit a well-paid position as a nonprofit executive to travel and volunteer in 25 countries. Over the course of one calendar year she worked in soup kitchens, food banks, homeless shelters, orphanages and in hurricane relief efforts (see her list below) as she moved around the globe. She did this on her own, as a single woman, with the goal of embedding herself into cultures and communities. And because it was something she had always wanted to do.

 

When she told her financial planner about her proposed year, she expected him to put the kibosh on it because she had not finished saving for retirement. Instead he said, "Go! Otherwise you will always regret not having done it."

 

They talk about how she chose one humanitarian project after another using Google and word-of-mouth. As Kim explains it, "I researched volunteer opportunities in three ways:  1. Google searches and reading reviews; 2.  speaking with people in-country when I was fortunate enough to have a connection and/or to be introduced via e-mail; and 3. meeting people along the way who were volunteering for a particular agency. I asked questions about how volunteers were treated, whether the group was true to its cause, whether it was run in a financially responsible way, etc."

 

They also talk about writing and why Kim decided not to write about her year while she was living it, so as to stay in the moment. 

 

Kim is now back in Detroit and feeling lucky to have found work as a consultant for several nonprofits. She describes herself on her LinkedIn profile (convincingly) as having a heart for the under-served, a head for business and the spirit of an entrepreneur. In today’s conversation, they dig into how she engineered the logistics of her gap year and how it unfolded organically.  Despite - or perhaps because of - the disparate nature of her experiences in so many different places, the trip made her life feel “in sync,” as if the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle were falling into place. 

 

As to how Debbie found Kim, Kim sent her an email out of the blue halfway through her year saying she had just stumbled onto this podcast. She was in Budapest at the time searching for her next thing. They stayed in touch and Debbie followed up in early 2020 to ask if she would come on the podcast to talk about her experience.

 

At first Kim declined. She wrote in an email:

 

"I haven't yet had the ideal opportunity to wrap my head around:  1) What was my purpose? 2) How did that compare to the reality? 3) I knew going into it that there would be a ripple effect but the ripples were bigger and more far reaching than I would have been able to imagine proactively 4) What unexpected humanitarian efforts arose and how can we recognize those in everyday life? 5) How have I changed (or, perhaps, what about my passions were confirmed by this experience)? 6) What's next?" 

 

Of course, Kim's email touched on all the key questions, revealing that she had indeed thought a lot about her gap year. 

 

They recorded this conversation several months ago, before the pandemic and social distancing. So at the end Debbie checks in with Kim again to find out how she’s doing now. Living without regret (her reason for taking her gap year) has an even bigger resonance today as she looks back at an extraordinary year of travel and service.

 

 

Mentioned in the episode

 

Kim's list of her favorite volunteer humanitarian efforts:

 

 

 

List of countries she visited:  

  • Puerto Rico
  • Haiti
  • Japan
  • China
  • Greece
  • Bulgaria
  • Albania
  • Kosovo
  • Macedonia
  • Spain
  • Netherlands
  • Germany
  • France
  • Switzerland
  • Poland
  • Slovakia
  • Hungary
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Australia
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Singapore
  • Malaysia
  • England
  • Canada
  • USA

 

Kim notes: "I do realize that Puerto Rico is part of the USA but I count it separately because it was a different world!"

 

 

Support this podcast:

 

 

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]]> Fri, 8 May 2020 06:00:03 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep17-kim-klaft-on-a-global-gap-year-and-living-without-regret/ In this episode Debbie talks to a real adventurer, a 63-year-old woman who spent 2019 on a self-organized global gap year. Kim Klaft quit a well-paid position as a nonprofit executive to travel and volunteer in 25 countries. Over the course of one calendar year she worked in soup kitchens, food banks, homeless shelters, orphanages and in hurricane relief efforts (see her list below) as she moved around the globe. She did this on her own, as a single woman, with the goal of embedding herself into cultures and communities. And because it was something she had always wanted to do.

 

When she told her financial planner about her proposed year, she expected him to put the kibosh on it because she had not finished saving for retirement. Instead he said, "Go! Otherwise you will always regret not having done it."

 

They talk about how she chose one humanitarian project after another using Google and word-of-mouth. As Kim explains it, "I researched volunteer opportunities in three ways:  1. Google searches and reading reviews; 2.  speaking with people in-country when I was fortunate enough to have a connection and/or to be introduced via e-mail; and 3. meeting people along the way who were volunteering for a particular agency. I asked questions about how volunteers were treated, whether the group was true to its cause, whether it was run in a financially responsible way, etc."

 

They also talk about writing and why Kim decided not to write about her year while she was living it, so as to stay in the moment. 

 

Kim is now back in Detroit and feeling lucky to have found work as a consultant for several nonprofits. She describes herself on her LinkedIn profile (convincingly) as having a heart for the under-served, a head for business and the spirit of an entrepreneur. In today’s conversation, they dig into how she engineered the logistics of her gap year and how it unfolded organically.  Despite - or perhaps because of - the disparate nature of her experiences in so many different places, the trip made her life feel “in sync,” as if the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle were falling into place. 

 

As to how Debbie found Kim, Kim sent her an email out of the blue halfway through her year saying she had just stumbled onto this podcast. She was in Budapest at the time searching for her next thing. They stayed in touch and Debbie followed up in early 2020 to ask if she would come on the podcast to talk about her experience.

 

At first Kim declined. She wrote in an email:

 

"I haven't yet had the ideal opportunity to wrap my head around:  1) What was my purpose? 2) How did that compare to the reality? 3) I knew going into it that there would be a ripple effect but the ripples were bigger and more far reaching than I would have been able to imagine proactively 4) What unexpected humanitarian efforts arose and how can we recognize those in everyday life? 5) How have I changed (or, perhaps, what about my passions were confirmed by this experience)? 6) What's next?" 

 

Of course, Kim's email touched on all the key questions, revealing that she had indeed thought a lot about her gap year. 

 

They recorded this conversation several months ago, before the pandemic and social distancing. So at the end Debbie checks in with Kim again to find out how she’s doing now. Living without regret (her reason for taking her gap year) has an even bigger resonance today as she looks back at an extraordinary year of travel and service.

 

 

Mentioned in the episode

 

Kim's list of her favorite volunteer humanitarian efforts:

 

 

 

List of countries she visited:  

  • Puerto Rico
  • Haiti
  • Japan
  • China
  • Greece
  • Bulgaria
  • Albania
  • Kosovo
  • Macedonia
  • Spain
  • Netherlands
  • Germany
  • France
  • Switzerland
  • Poland
  • Slovakia
  • Hungary
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Australia
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Singapore
  • Malaysia
  • England
  • Canada
  • USA

 

Kim notes: "I do realize that Puerto Rico is part of the USA but I count it separately because it was a different world!"

 

 

Support this podcast:

 

 

Credits:

 

 

Connect with us:

 

 

]]> Kim Klaft on a Global Gap Year and Living Without Regret Debbie Weil 00:38:18 Debbie talks to Kim Klaft, a 63-year-old woman who spent 2019 on a self-organized global gap year, traveling and volunteering in 25 countries. Kim quit a well-paid position as a nonprofit executive near Detroit, MI to work in soup kitchens, food banks, homeless shelters, orphanages and in hurricane relief efforts as she moved around the globe. Debbie talks to Kim Klaft, a 63-year-old woman who spent 2019 on a self-organized global gap year, traveling and volunteering in 25 countries. Kim quit a well-paid position as a nonprofit executive near Detroit, MI to work in soup kitchens, food banks, homeless shelters, orphanages and in hurricane relief efforts as she moved around the globe. false full 17 2 10dfd7f7-f34b-421c-aea4-6a2987a495e5 Peter Corbett on Mortality, Dying, and a New Life of Service Debbie talks with Peter Corbett, a retired CEO who moved to Brooklyn from DC, sold his tech company to J. Walter Thompson (part of WPP), and completely changed his life. 

Peter was a young guy in his 20s when Debbie knew him back in DC's tech heyday. He was well known in DC’s tech community as the founder and CEO of iStrategy Labs as well as the convener of popular tech meetups. iStrategy Labs was one of the first digital marketing agencies, known for its creativity in bridging online and offline. The company won lots of awards and grew to have dozens of Fortune 500 clients. But after almost ten years of running the company Peter moved to New York to open an office there. Shortly after, he realized he’d had enough of the CEO life - it wasn’t who he really was. He sold the company for tens of millions of dollars and began living a completely different life. 

Now, at age 39, he is a Zen hospice practitioner volunteering at a hospital in Brooklyn as well as continuing his training. He also mentors entrepreneurs. Together they talk about how he found this new path, how meditation plays a crucial role for him and why he thinks it’s so important to contemplate mortality. This is not a Coronavirus episode, per se. But the virus - and the pain it’s causing for so many people - is hovering in the background. They talk about a bunch of things, including white privilege and what that means to him.

It was a pleasure for Debbie to reconnect with an old friend. 

 

What was talked about:

  • What Peter does now: serving the sick and dying as a Zen hospice volunteer plus advising entrepreneurs
  • Moving to NYC to find anonymity
  • Realizing he wanted to change his life as he deepened his Zen practice
  • His profound realizations around being white and the privilege that gave him
  • What a spiritual caregiver does and why he chose that path
  • Is the older generation more disposable?
  • Coming to terms with your own mortality
  • Why you should meditate

 

Mentioned in episode or useful:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2020 06:00:03 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep16-peter-corbett-on-mortality-dying-and-a-new-life-of-service/ Debbie talks with Peter Corbett, a retired CEO who moved to Brooklyn from DC, sold his tech company to J. Walter Thompson (part of WPP), and completely changed his life. 

Peter was a young guy in his 20s when Debbie knew him back in DC's tech heyday. He was well known in DC’s tech community as the founder and CEO of iStrategy Labs as well as the convener of popular tech meetups. iStrategy Labs was one of the first digital marketing agencies, known for its creativity in bridging online and offline. The company won lots of awards and grew to have dozens of Fortune 500 clients. But after almost ten years of running the company Peter moved to New York to open an office there. Shortly after, he realized he’d had enough of the CEO life - it wasn’t who he really was. He sold the company for tens of millions of dollars and began living a completely different life. 

Now, at age 39, he is a Zen hospice practitioner volunteering at a hospital in Brooklyn as well as continuing his training. He also mentors entrepreneurs. Together they talk about how he found this new path, how meditation plays a crucial role for him and why he thinks it’s so important to contemplate mortality. This is not a Coronavirus episode, per se. But the virus - and the pain it’s causing for so many people - is hovering in the background. They talk about a bunch of things, including white privilege and what that means to him.

It was a pleasure for Debbie to reconnect with an old friend. 

 

What was talked about:

  • What Peter does now: serving the sick and dying as a Zen hospice volunteer plus advising entrepreneurs
  • Moving to NYC to find anonymity
  • Realizing he wanted to change his life as he deepened his Zen practice
  • His profound realizations around being white and the privilege that gave him
  • What a spiritual caregiver does and why he chose that path
  • Is the older generation more disposable?
  • Coming to terms with your own mortality
  • Why you should meditate

 

Mentioned in episode or useful:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Peter Corbett on Mortality, Dying, and a New Life of Service Debbie Weil 00:28:37 Debbie talks with Peter Corbett, an old friend from her DC tech days. Peter is an ex-CEO who made a boatload of money when he sold his DC-based tech company, iStrategy Labs, in 2016. He moved to Brooklyn and completely changed his life, becoming a Zen hospice practitioner and volunteer. A perfect example of a life reinvented. Debbie talks with Peter Corbett, an old friend from her DC tech days. Peter is an ex-CEO who made a boatload of money when he sold his DC-based tech company, iStrategy Labs, in 2016. He moved to Brooklyn and completely changed his life, becoming a Zen hospice practitioner and volunteer. A perfect example of a life reinvented. mindfulness practices, white privilege, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, spiritual caregiver, stress management, shifting gears, gap year project, peter corbett, dc tech meetup, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, covid-19, entrepreneur, changing lives, science of happiness, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, dying, mindfulness, money, mindful life, self isolation, semi-retirement, pursuit of happiness, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, peace of mind, sick and dying, switching gears, happiness, downsizing, uncertain times, coronavirus, mindful, dc tech scene, managing stress, stress free, gig economy, mindful practice, stress, gap life, gap year after fifty, zen meditation, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, retirement, mortality, come to terms with mortality, navigating uncertainty, meditation, living stress free, early retirement false full 16 2 0d432241-e213-40df-a362-8ccbef067c1f Emiliana Simon-Thomas on the Science of Happiness in Times of Crisis Debbie Weil talks to Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, PhD, the science director of UC-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. This was a conversation the two arranged many weeks before the pandemic. It turned out to be perfectly timed.

The center studies the psychology, sociology and neuroscience of well-being and teaches skills to foster a resilient and compassionate society. Kind of what we need right now as millions of Americans grapple with the realities of life defined by social distancing and with the economic repercussions. 

Emiliana is co-instructor, with Dacher Keltner, of the center's The Science of Happiness course which has been taken by over half a million students. It’s an eight-week online program which explores the roots of a happy, meaningful life by studying positive psychology and by learning how to create stronger social ties and contribute to  something bigger than yourself. In other words, the greater good. 

Debbie and Emiliana discuss happiness - what it means and what it is not. Hint: it is not pleasure or enjoyment. They talk about how happiness is different from gratitude and how we can cultivate a calm mind during a time of extreme uncertainty like the one we’re living in. Emiliana shares with us what she does to stay grounded (mindfulness during her daily shower is key). And offers practical tips for more compassionate communication either while Zooming for work or connecting remotely with family and friends.

 

What they talked about:

  • Simplifying your daily To Do list by reframing it into three categories (set a reachable goal, find joy, call a friend)
  • Tips on how to work, teach and learn remotely (the importance of eye contact and taking time to ensure that emails are not ambiguous)
  • Slowing down as a way to be more intentional
  • To gain a feeling of control: focus on small things that are certain and for which you have agency

 

Mentioned in the episode or useful

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2020 06:00:01 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil talks to Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, PhD, the science director of UC-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. This was a conversation the two arranged many weeks before the pandemic. It turned out to be perfectly timed.

The center studies the psychology, sociology and neuroscience of well-being and teaches skills to foster a resilient and compassionate society. Kind of what we need right now as millions of Americans grapple with the realities of life defined by social distancing and with the economic repercussions. 

Emiliana is co-instructor, with Dacher Keltner, of the center's The Science of Happiness course which has been taken by over half a million students. It’s an eight-week online program which explores the roots of a happy, meaningful life by studying positive psychology and by learning how to create stronger social ties and contribute to  something bigger than yourself. In other words, the greater good. 

Debbie and Emiliana discuss happiness - what it means and what it is not. Hint: it is not pleasure or enjoyment. They talk about how happiness is different from gratitude and how we can cultivate a calm mind during a time of extreme uncertainty like the one we’re living in. Emiliana shares with us what she does to stay grounded (mindfulness during her daily shower is key). And offers practical tips for more compassionate communication either while Zooming for work or connecting remotely with family and friends.

 

What they talked about:

  • Simplifying your daily To Do list by reframing it into three categories (set a reachable goal, find joy, call a friend)
  • Tips on how to work, teach and learn remotely (the importance of eye contact and taking time to ensure that emails are not ambiguous)
  • Slowing down as a way to be more intentional
  • To gain a feeling of control: focus on small things that are certain and for which you have agency

 

Mentioned in the episode or useful

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Emiliana Simon-Thomas on the Science of Happiness in Times of Crisis Debbie Weil 00:33:53 Debbie Weil and Emiliana Simon-Thomas of UC-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center talk about happiness and gratitude, resilience and connectedness, simplifying your day, and how to cope in this unprecedented time. Debbie Weil and Emiliana Simon-Thomas of UC-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center talk about happiness and gratitude, resilience and connectedness, simplifying your day, and how to cope in this unprecedented time. false full 15 2 11a1d834-5a35-4b64-b7d4-e40bf40a54de J-R & Alasdair on Living the Dream (or Winging It) in Guatemala This week on the show, Debbie brings back Julie-Roxane Krikorian and Alasdair Plambeck. Last time they were on, this young couple was living in a tiny caravan in southwest France. A few months ago, they decided to ditch that life and move to Guatemala. J-R, as Debbie calls her, is the producer for this podcast. Both she and her husband are entrepreneurs doing location-independent work as podcasters, life coaches, and retreat leaders. Their podcast is named, aptly, Far Out: Adventures in Unconventional Living.

The couple now live in a rental house perched above Lake Atitlan, said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. They would seem to be Living The Dream, if that means running away to a warm beautiful place, away from city traffic and desk jobs, where life is simpler and quieter and more problem-free. It's certainly one of Debbie's dreams. So she felt compelled to bring them back on the show to ask, "Are you really living the dream?"

Together the three of them discuss how J-R and Alasdair chose Guatemala, how they modeled a financial scenario that would work for them (they live frugally), and what their daily lives are like. Debbie and Alasdair joke about Debbie's misattributing "Wherever You Go, There You Are" to Winnie the Pooh. It was said by meditation and mindfulness teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn - the point being that your problems tend to follow you wherever you go.

She picks their brains about the difference between reinventing yourself at 30 or at 60. Which is more difficult? Which is braver? J-R ultimately admits that they are "creating a life forward" and dreaming up their lives as they go. "Winging it," she admits.

This show was recorded before the Coronavirus had spread to Guatemala so the pandemic is only mentioned in passing.

 

What they talk about:

  • How J-R and Alasdair somewhat randomly made the decision to move from France to Guatemala
  • An Airbnb tip they used to find Lake Atitlan
  • How they prepared financially (they live on about US $1,000 a month)
  • How reinvention is different in your early thirties compared with later in life
  • Creating a life looking forward instead of looking backwards
  • The unpredictability and uncertainty of being digital nomads
  • J-R and Alasdair’s favorite moments of the day on the lake
  • Tips for living your dream: remove things, go minimal, and figure out what your values are

 

Useful links

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Fri, 10 Apr 2020 06:00:01 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep14-julie-roxane-and-alasdair-on-living-the-dream-winging-it-in-guatemala/ This week on the show, Debbie brings back Julie-Roxane Krikorian and Alasdair Plambeck. Last time they were on, this young couple was living in a tiny caravan in southwest France. A few months ago, they decided to ditch that life and move to Guatemala. J-R, as Debbie calls her, is the producer for this podcast. Both she and her husband are entrepreneurs doing location-independent work as podcasters, life coaches, and retreat leaders. Their podcast is named, aptly, Far Out: Adventures in Unconventional Living.

The couple now live in a rental house perched above Lake Atitlan, said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. They would seem to be Living The Dream, if that means running away to a warm beautiful place, away from city traffic and desk jobs, where life is simpler and quieter and more problem-free. It's certainly one of Debbie's dreams. So she felt compelled to bring them back on the show to ask, "Are you really living the dream?"

Together the three of them discuss how J-R and Alasdair chose Guatemala, how they modeled a financial scenario that would work for them (they live frugally), and what their daily lives are like. Debbie and Alasdair joke about Debbie's misattributing "Wherever You Go, There You Are" to Winnie the Pooh. It was said by meditation and mindfulness teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn - the point being that your problems tend to follow you wherever you go.

She picks their brains about the difference between reinventing yourself at 30 or at 60. Which is more difficult? Which is braver? J-R ultimately admits that they are "creating a life forward" and dreaming up their lives as they go. "Winging it," she admits.

This show was recorded before the Coronavirus had spread to Guatemala so the pandemic is only mentioned in passing.

 

What they talk about:

  • How J-R and Alasdair somewhat randomly made the decision to move from France to Guatemala
  • An Airbnb tip they used to find Lake Atitlan
  • How they prepared financially (they live on about US $1,000 a month)
  • How reinvention is different in your early thirties compared with later in life
  • Creating a life looking forward instead of looking backwards
  • The unpredictability and uncertainty of being digital nomads
  • J-R and Alasdair’s favorite moments of the day on the lake
  • Tips for living your dream: remove things, go minimal, and figure out what your values are

 

Useful links

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> J-R & Alasdair on Living the Dream (or Winging It) in Guatemala Debbie Weil 00:33:48 Debbie brings back J-R and Alasdair, a young couple who have deliberately stepped off the beaten path and who recently moved from France to beautiful Lake Atitlan in Guatemala's highlands. With the lake in view, birds chirping and flowering bushes everywhere, it looks like they are Living the Dream. But are they? Debbie was compelled to ask them... certainly this is her idea of a dream life. The answer is yes and no. Like everything, it's more complicated than it looks. Debbie brings back J-R and Alasdair, a young couple who have deliberately stepped off the beaten path and who recently moved from France to beautiful Lake Atitlan in Guatemala's highlands. With the lake in view, birds chirping and flowering bushes everywhere, it looks like they are Living the Dream. But are they? Debbie was compelled to ask them... certainly this is her idea of a dream life. The answer is yes and no. Like everything, it's more complicated than it looks. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, working online, living abroad, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, changing lives, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, vanlife, what comes next, financial planning, money, unconventional living, semi-retirement, burn out, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, podcasters, expat life, unconventional life, unconventional couple, gig economy, online work, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, retirement, remote work, caravan life, podcasting, live cheaply, early retirement false full 14 2 cf004a8e-df41-4c43-90f4-d1ca6b3822c0 Derek Sivers on Slow Thinking, Connecting, and Intentional Living In this episode host Debbie Weil has a wide-ranging conversation with online legend Derek Sivers. Debbie has been following Derek’s work for close to a decade and was thrilled when he agreed to come on the show.  They focus on one of his current obsessions - slow thinking and slow living - but they also talk about much more. 

According to his About page, Derek has been a musician, a producer, a circus performer, an entrepreneur, a TED speaker and a book publisher.  You might know him for, as he puts it, “accidentally” creating CD Baby, an online CD store that grew to represent 150,000 independent musicians. (It started as a personal project to sell his own music.) He sold CD Baby in 2008 for $22 million, with the money going into a charitable trust he set up for music education. After that, he moved to New York, to Singapore and then to New Zealand where he became a mostly-full-time Dad and took a sabbatical for about four years. A year ago he moved to England.

Since 2008 Derek has, in his words, optimized his life for learning and creating. He focuses on writing (he has written a number of books, including Anything You Want) and on programming, and, most important, he tackles one thing at a time. Tim Ferriss calls him a philosopher-king programmer and a master teacher. He has developed a philosophy of life - and a way of living - that is based on minimalism. He is very deliberate with how he uses his time, typing for hours a day on a seven-year-old clunky laptop. He spends a lot of time alone. But he also spends long stretches with his now 8-year-old son and connects via email and phone with friends and acquaintances around the globe. 

He invites anyone listening to this episode to please get in touch. He loves hearing from people. Go to sivers.org/contact to send him a message introducing yourself.

His website, sivers.org is minimalist (there's not one extra line of code) but it’s a treasure trove of content: hundreds if not thousands of blog posts, his reviews of over 250 books, FAQs (he gets lots of questions about his lifestyle), his podcast (the audio version of his blog), and more.

In the past few weeks, as the Coronavirus pandemic has swept the world, we’ve all been forced to change, to adapt, and to reinvent. In this episode Derek shares with us how to cultivate slow thinking in a fast-paced and uncertain world, what slow thinking means and why it's important, and how he handles the daily and hourly onslaught of news. 

He and Debbie talk about the task he set himself of answering 6,800 emails. (A project he has completed since their conversation.) He got those in response to a very short email he sent out recently to the 50,000 people on his email list. The subject line was so simple but it was relevant. It said, “Debbie - are you okay?” In the body of the message he wrote: “I care and I’m really asking.” (Debbie wrote back and invited him to come on the show.) 

Derek is a breath of fresh air right now. He’s no bullshit. He’s wise. He’s eloquent. Debbie loves his very clear diction and wishes they had continued their conversation for another half hour. As soon as she stopped the recording, Derek said, "Oh! I thought we were going to talk for another 30 minutes." Well, that was Debbie's mistake. Check out all the links below to learn more.

Mentioned in this episode or useful resources:

A selection of blog posts that Derek recommends:

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

]]> Fri, 3 Apr 2020 06:00:21 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast In this episode host Debbie Weil has a wide-ranging conversation with online legend Derek Sivers. Debbie has been following Derek’s work for close to a decade and was thrilled when he agreed to come on the show.  They focus on one of his current obsessions - slow thinking and slow living - but they also talk about much more. 

According to his About page, Derek has been a musician, a producer, a circus performer, an entrepreneur, a TED speaker and a book publisher.  You might know him for, as he puts it, “accidentally” creating CD Baby, an online CD store that grew to represent 150,000 independent musicians. (It started as a personal project to sell his own music.) He sold CD Baby in 2008 for $22 million, with the money going into a charitable trust he set up for music education. After that, he moved to New York, to Singapore and then to New Zealand where he became a mostly-full-time Dad and took a sabbatical for about four years. A year ago he moved to England.

Since 2008 Derek has, in his words, optimized his life for learning and creating. He focuses on writing (he has written a number of books, including Anything You Want) and on programming, and, most important, he tackles one thing at a time. Tim Ferriss calls him a philosopher-king programmer and a master teacher. He has developed a philosophy of life - and a way of living - that is based on minimalism. He is very deliberate with how he uses his time, typing for hours a day on a seven-year-old clunky laptop. He spends a lot of time alone. But he also spends long stretches with his now 8-year-old son and connects via email and phone with friends and acquaintances around the globe. 

He invites anyone listening to this episode to please get in touch. He loves hearing from people. Go to sivers.org/contact to send him a message introducing yourself.

His website, sivers.org is minimalist (there's not one extra line of code) but it’s a treasure trove of content: hundreds if not thousands of blog posts, his reviews of over 250 books, FAQs (he gets lots of questions about his lifestyle), his podcast (the audio version of his blog), and more.

In the past few weeks, as the Coronavirus pandemic has swept the world, we’ve all been forced to change, to adapt, and to reinvent. In this episode Derek shares with us how to cultivate slow thinking in a fast-paced and uncertain world, what slow thinking means and why it's important, and how he handles the daily and hourly onslaught of news. 

He and Debbie talk about the task he set himself of answering 6,800 emails. (A project he has completed since their conversation.) He got those in response to a very short email he sent out recently to the 50,000 people on his email list. The subject line was so simple but it was relevant. It said, “Debbie - are you okay?” In the body of the message he wrote: “I care and I’m really asking.” (Debbie wrote back and invited him to come on the show.) 

Derek is a breath of fresh air right now. He’s no bullshit. He’s wise. He’s eloquent. Debbie loves his very clear diction and wishes they had continued their conversation for another half hour. As soon as she stopped the recording, Derek said, "Oh! I thought we were going to talk for another 30 minutes." Well, that was Debbie's mistake. Check out all the links below to learn more.

Mentioned in this episode or useful resources:

A selection of blog posts that Derek recommends:

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

]]> Derek Sivers on Slow Thinking, Connecting, and Intentional Living Debbie Weil 00:38:27 Host Debbie Weil enjoys a wide-ranging conversation with online legend Derek Sivers. Known by many as the creator of CD Baby, Sivers has been living a minimalist lifestyle since he sold the company in 2008 for $22 million. Derek has, in his words, optimized his life for learning and creating. He focuses on writing and, most important, he concentrates on one thing at a time. This is an illuminating conversation with an original thinker and an inspiring minimalist. Host Debbie Weil enjoys a wide-ranging conversation with online legend Derek Sivers. Known by many as the creator of CD Baby, Sivers has been living a minimalist lifestyle since he sold the company in 2008 for $22 million. Derek has, in his words, optimized his life for learning and creating. He focuses on writing and, most important, he concentrates on one thing at a time. This is an illuminating conversation with an original thinker and an inspiring minimalist. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, skilling up, minimalism, changing lives, time out, gapyear, planning a gap year, what comes next, financial planning, money, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, programming, derek sivers, gig economy, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, retirement, early retirement false full 13 2 22f4aa33-79f9-48b8-9129-bd40fc1689b9 Debbie & Sam on the Coronavirus, Magical Thinking, and Aging Debbie Weil interrupts regular programming to address the Coronavirus pandemic and how this evolving situation is impacting older Americans. She is joined by her husband Sam Harrington, a retired physician, and a recurring guest on the show. They talk about how they are navigating uncertainty and unknowns differently (Sam as a physician, Debbie as a non-physician but with a new hunger for charts and numbers); magical thinking about what lies ahead; and what it really means to be older (they are both 68) and to face the possibility of illness and death.

This episode was recorded on March 15, 2020 so the number of positive Coronavirus cases Debbie cites is already sadly out of date. The pandemic in the U.S. continues to worsen: one of their greatest concerns, shared by many others, is that the U.S. hospital system will not have enough ICU beds for those who need them. Older Americans are worrying that medical triage of the critically ill will begin, with the elderly being passed over in favor of younger and potentially stronger patients.

The conversation is not about specific guidelines or statistics related to COVID-19, available elsewhere. See Resources below. It is about the psychological aspect of the pandemic. Debbie and Sam talk about how aging and ageism are interwoven; the way social distancing might impact different age groups; and the lingering question of how best to navigate these uncertain and confusing times.

 

What they talk about:

  • The "herd" of elephants in the room: anxiety over who will die, the importance of flattening the curve and the reality of social distancing over a long period of time
  • How members of Debbie and Sam’s immediate family have been responding differently to the pandemic (the physicians vs. the non-physicians)
  • How doctors deny their own mortality when they go to work in a public health crisis
  • Being old - or at least older - during the Coronavirus pandemic and how that feels
  • Magical Thinking: nonsensical, perhaps, but a way to manage uncertainty and unknowns
  • What Debbie and Sam’s biggest fears are
  • Why the U.S. is not set up for "slow motion" uncertainty

 

At a time of crisis, it felt important to share a conversation between an older - yet young at heart and mind - couple. As Debbie says, there’s a lot of meaning in the words: we are all in this together. She sees a ray of hope in that phrase. Whatever we can do to comfort, to inform or even to entertain each other is useful. Podcasts are having a moment - to do just that. Which is why Debbie decided to go ahead with this episode even though it is not definitive, nor does it address everything.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful resources:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:05:14 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie Weil interrupts regular programming to address the Coronavirus pandemic and how this evolving situation is impacting older Americans. She is joined by her husband Sam Harrington, a retired physician, and a recurring guest on the show. They talk about how they are navigating uncertainty and unknowns differently (Sam as a physician, Debbie as a non-physician but with a new hunger for charts and numbers); magical thinking about what lies ahead; and what it really means to be older (they are both 68) and to face the possibility of illness and death.

This episode was recorded on March 15, 2020 so the number of positive Coronavirus cases Debbie cites is already sadly out of date. The pandemic in the U.S. continues to worsen: one of their greatest concerns, shared by many others, is that the U.S. hospital system will not have enough ICU beds for those who need them. Older Americans are worrying that medical triage of the critically ill will begin, with the elderly being passed over in favor of younger and potentially stronger patients.

The conversation is not about specific guidelines or statistics related to COVID-19, available elsewhere. See Resources below. It is about the psychological aspect of the pandemic. Debbie and Sam talk about how aging and ageism are interwoven; the way social distancing might impact different age groups; and the lingering question of how best to navigate these uncertain and confusing times.

 

What they talk about:

  • The "herd" of elephants in the room: anxiety over who will die, the importance of flattening the curve and the reality of social distancing over a long period of time
  • How members of Debbie and Sam’s immediate family have been responding differently to the pandemic (the physicians vs. the non-physicians)
  • How doctors deny their own mortality when they go to work in a public health crisis
  • Being old - or at least older - during the Coronavirus pandemic and how that feels
  • Magical Thinking: nonsensical, perhaps, but a way to manage uncertainty and unknowns
  • What Debbie and Sam’s biggest fears are
  • Why the U.S. is not set up for "slow motion" uncertainty

 

At a time of crisis, it felt important to share a conversation between an older - yet young at heart and mind - couple. As Debbie says, there’s a lot of meaning in the words: we are all in this together. She sees a ray of hope in that phrase. Whatever we can do to comfort, to inform or even to entertain each other is useful. Podcasts are having a moment - to do just that. Which is why Debbie decided to go ahead with this episode even though it is not definitive, nor does it address everything.

 

Mentioned in this episode or useful resources:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

]]> Debbie & Sam on the Coronavirus, Magical Thinking, and Aging Debbie Weil 00:35:24 Debbie Weil and her husband, retired physician Sam Harrington, talk about the Coronavirus pandemic and how the evolving situation is impacting older Americans. They talk about how they are navigating uncertainty and unknowns differently (Sam as a physician, Debbie as a non-physician but with a new hunger for numbers and graphs); magical thinking about what lies ahead; and what it really means to be older (they are both 68) and to face the possibility of illness and death. Debbie Weil and her husband, retired physician Sam Harrington, talk about the Coronavirus pandemic and how the evolving situation is impacting older Americans. They talk about how they are navigating uncertainty and unknowns differently (Sam as a physician, Debbie as a non-physician but with a new hunger for numbers and graphs); magical thinking about what lies ahead; and what it really means to be older (they are both 68) and to face the possibility of illness and death. coronavirus and aging, intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, covid-19, changing lives, time out, gapyear, what comes next, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, coronavirus, gig economy, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, retirement, early retirement false full 12 2 6dd16ef8-341b-4a19-acc2-3d65824a73de Sean Bailey on Financial Planning For a Gap Year Debbie speaks with Sean Bailey, founding editor-in-chief of Horsesmouth, a New York-based company that creates educational programs on retirement planning, Social Security, Medicare, college planning, cybersecurity, and more for industry professionals.

The focus of their conversation is financial planning around a gap year. Sean shares some basic practicalities: you have to create a budget, you have to assess your own situation (what money have you saved, can you dip into it now, etc.) and you have to consider the real cost of a gap year. That usually means stepping out of your current life for a period while still covering the costs of that life. 

Use a spreadsheet, use a whiteboard, use the back of a napkin, but force yourself to do the calculations.

He talks about a concept he calls “retire at 60, or earlier... work til 70!” By that he means start thinking creatively now about your financial situation. Take advantage of opportunities to explore different kinds of work, different ways of making money and different ways to build flexibility into your life. 

In other words, start living your dream even before you retire or think about taking an official gap year.

Sean also talks about his experience of taking a gap two years, almost thirty years ago, to join the Peace Corps. Sean and Debbie share similar values around the idea that we should pursue our dreams now, not later. But with a reasonable amount of planning. 

 

What they talk about:

  • MUG: Mortgage, Utilities, Groceries and the importance of considering these things, plus healthcare, when planning a gap year.
  • The two different types of money: qualified and unqualified.
  • The real cost of a gap year: leaving your default life temporarily while still maintaining it while you’re gone.
  • The uncertainty of a gap year even when the finances are all planned out.
  • His mantra: "retire at 60, work til you're 70." Look for opportunities to take mini "gap" breaks. Going to Arizona for work? Turn it into a seven-day trip to visit the Grand Canyon and hike in Sedona.
  • Skilling up: learn new skills in areas you love to supplement your retirement and/or to keep active in a field you’re passionate about.
  • The advisability of consulting a financial professional before claiming your social security and/or pulling the trigger on your retirement/gap year.

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 6 Mar 2020 07:00:12 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie speaks with Sean Bailey, founding editor-in-chief of Horsesmouth, a New York-based company that creates educational programs on retirement planning, Social Security, Medicare, college planning, cybersecurity, and more for industry professionals.

The focus of their conversation is financial planning around a gap year. Sean shares some basic practicalities: you have to create a budget, you have to assess your own situation (what money have you saved, can you dip into it now, etc.) and you have to consider the real cost of a gap year. That usually means stepping out of your current life for a period while still covering the costs of that life. 

Use a spreadsheet, use a whiteboard, use the back of a napkin, but force yourself to do the calculations.

He talks about a concept he calls “retire at 60, or earlier... work til 70!” By that he means start thinking creatively now about your financial situation. Take advantage of opportunities to explore different kinds of work, different ways of making money and different ways to build flexibility into your life. 

In other words, start living your dream even before you retire or think about taking an official gap year.

Sean also talks about his experience of taking a gap two years, almost thirty years ago, to join the Peace Corps. Sean and Debbie share similar values around the idea that we should pursue our dreams now, not later. But with a reasonable amount of planning. 

 

What they talk about:

  • MUG: Mortgage, Utilities, Groceries and the importance of considering these things, plus healthcare, when planning a gap year.
  • The two different types of money: qualified and unqualified.
  • The real cost of a gap year: leaving your default life temporarily while still maintaining it while you’re gone.
  • The uncertainty of a gap year even when the finances are all planned out.
  • His mantra: "retire at 60, work til you're 70." Look for opportunities to take mini "gap" breaks. Going to Arizona for work? Turn it into a seven-day trip to visit the Grand Canyon and hike in Sedona.
  • Skilling up: learn new skills in areas you love to supplement your retirement and/or to keep active in a field you’re passionate about.
  • The advisability of consulting a financial professional before claiming your social security and/or pulling the trigger on your retirement/gap year.

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Sean Bailey on Financial Planning For a Gap Year Debbie Weil 00:33:15 Debbie talks to finance expert Sean Bailey about all the issues surrounding planning for a gap year. Create a budget, assess your savings, and don’t forget the cost of maintaining the life you are stepping out of for a period. Use a spreadsheet, use a whiteboard, use the back of a napkin, but force yourself to do the calculations. Debbie talks to finance expert Sean Bailey about all the issues surrounding planning for a gap year. Create a budget, assess your savings, and don’t forget the cost of maintaining the life you are stepping out of for a period. Use a spreadsheet, use a whiteboard, use the back of a napkin, but force yourself to do the calculations. false full 11 2 6f3e8dbd-a99d-4d07-8a41-d85dd8c928fe Dr. Sam Harrington on End-of-Life, Reinvention, and Legacy Debbie brings her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, back on the show to talk about end-of-life and how that relates to the topic of reinvention.

They talk about the inevitability of being forced to reinvent yourself in the last stage of your life when you gradually become disabled by disease and old age. It's a reinvention of mindset, if not of action. 

It’s also a glass half full vs. glass half empty kind of conversation with Debbie saying, "But Sam, I’m one of those who really doesn’t want to think about the end of life." And Sam responding, "Well, you have to." The good news is that you can think about "the hard stop," as Debbie calls it, in a positive way. If you’ve been following Debbie and Sam's conversations on the podcast you know that Sam is very practical but also pretty wise.

If this all sounds like doom and gloom, it’s really not. This episode is an affirmation of the time that we have left and how we can use mindfulness around our own mortality to live better lives.

What they talk about:

  • How getting closer to the end-of-life connects to the desire for reinvention that many of us crave
  • Dr. Doom vs. Dr. Look Ahead: becoming more aware of the healthy time we have left is helpful
  • Active reinvention vs. reinvention imposed on us as we become more limited and we adjust to that
  • Sam's XYZ options as he looks ahead: both mental & physical challenges
  • Debunking the idea that we're all living longer and that life expectancy is increasing. Not so, Sam says, if you define "living" as being vibrant and healthy
  • The fear of dependency as you get very old (past 90 or 100)
  • Looking at our parents’ health to get an idea of how we might age
  • The difference between Medical Aid in Dying (MAD) and euthanasia
  • On the topic of legacy: a traditional Jewish saying when someone dies is "May his or her memory be a blessing" (see links to 75th commemoration of Auschwitz liberation)

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 21 Feb 2020 07:00:02 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast Debbie brings her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, back on the show to talk about end-of-life and how that relates to the topic of reinvention.

They talk about the inevitability of being forced to reinvent yourself in the last stage of your life when you gradually become disabled by disease and old age. It's a reinvention of mindset, if not of action. 

It’s also a glass half full vs. glass half empty kind of conversation with Debbie saying, "But Sam, I’m one of those who really doesn’t want to think about the end of life." And Sam responding, "Well, you have to." The good news is that you can think about "the hard stop," as Debbie calls it, in a positive way. If you’ve been following Debbie and Sam's conversations on the podcast you know that Sam is very practical but also pretty wise.

If this all sounds like doom and gloom, it’s really not. This episode is an affirmation of the time that we have left and how we can use mindfulness around our own mortality to live better lives.

What they talk about:

  • How getting closer to the end-of-life connects to the desire for reinvention that many of us crave
  • Dr. Doom vs. Dr. Look Ahead: becoming more aware of the healthy time we have left is helpful
  • Active reinvention vs. reinvention imposed on us as we become more limited and we adjust to that
  • Sam's XYZ options as he looks ahead: both mental & physical challenges
  • Debunking the idea that we're all living longer and that life expectancy is increasing. Not so, Sam says, if you define "living" as being vibrant and healthy
  • The fear of dependency as you get very old (past 90 or 100)
  • Looking at our parents’ health to get an idea of how we might age
  • The difference between Medical Aid in Dying (MAD) and euthanasia
  • On the topic of legacy: a traditional Jewish saying when someone dies is "May his or her memory be a blessing" (see links to 75th commemoration of Auschwitz liberation)

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Dr. Sam Harrington on End-of-Life, Reinvention, and Legacy Debbie Weil 00:28:31 In this episode Debbie and her husband, physician author Sam Harrington, talk about end-of-life and how we can use mindfulness around our own mortality to live better lives. The takeaway is that we can and should reinvent ourselves through challenges and adventures as long as we understand that (for most of us) there are a finite number of healthy years left - once you hit 65. In this episode Debbie and her husband, physician author Sam Harrington, talk about end-of-life and how we can use mindfulness around our own mortality to live better lives. The takeaway is that we can and should reinvent ourselves through challenges and adventures as long as we understand that (for most of us) there are a finite number of healthy years left - once you hit 65. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, what comes next, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 10 2 16d178f6-5112-4861-85c4-46f1e7d09f53 Kathy Davies on Life Design As a Tool for Women's Midlife Reinvention Debbie talks to Kathy Davies who teaches design thinking at Stanford and is the co-creator, with Susan Burnett of the Designing Your Life for Women workshops. The workshops grew out of the bestselling book, Designing Your Life, by Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

They talk about how design thinking crossed over from product design to designing your life, how the workshops for women got started, and why it is so important to take that first small step - even if you are dreaming big.

Debbie's experience attending a DYLFW workshop in 2018 led to a three-minute audio recording that was the prototype for this podcast. So you can thank Kathy if you’re enjoying the podcast.

What they talked about:

  • Dave Evans's mantra for the book: “Get curious, try things, talk to people and then tell your story”
  • The difficult writing process behind the book, Designing Your Life
  • Why networking is more challenging for women
  • Start Tiny: the importance of the first step
  • Why women need a safe space to explore and share
  • The importance of embracing uncertainty
  • Kathy’s surprising advice to her younger and older self

This is a great conversation with some solid tips on how to use the process of life design to reinvent yourself - no matter what your age and applicable to both women and men.

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 7 Feb 2020 07:00:05 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/kathy-davies-on-life-design-as-a-tool-for-womens-midlife-reinvention/ Debbie talks to Kathy Davies who teaches design thinking at Stanford and is the co-creator, with Susan Burnett of the Designing Your Life for Women workshops. The workshops grew out of the bestselling book, Designing Your Life, by Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

They talk about how design thinking crossed over from product design to designing your life, how the workshops for women got started, and why it is so important to take that first small step - even if you are dreaming big.

Debbie's experience attending a DYLFW workshop in 2018 led to a three-minute audio recording that was the prototype for this podcast. So you can thank Kathy if you’re enjoying the podcast.

What they talked about:

  • Dave Evans's mantra for the book: “Get curious, try things, talk to people and then tell your story”
  • The difficult writing process behind the book, Designing Your Life
  • Why networking is more challenging for women
  • Start Tiny: the importance of the first step
  • Why women need a safe space to explore and share
  • The importance of embracing uncertainty
  • Kathy’s surprising advice to her younger and older self

This is a great conversation with some solid tips on how to use the process of life design to reinvent yourself - no matter what your age and applicable to both women and men.

 

Mentioned in this episode:

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Kathy Davies on Life Design As a Tool for Women's Midlife Reinvention Debbie Weil 00:32:05 Debbie talks to Kathy Davies, co-creator of the Designing Your Life for Women workshops, about life design as a process for midlife reinvention — especially for women. Debbie talks to Kathy Davies, co-creator of the Designing Your Life for Women workshops, about life design as a process for midlife reinvention — especially for women. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, what comes next, women over 60, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, life design for reinvention, life design for women, life design, early retirement false full 9 2 4499cf47-105a-4f73-a2c0-18508a19d35e Sonja O'Donnell on the Challenge of a Self-directed Life Debbie chats with a friend, Sonja O’Donnell, about the sabbatical gap year she took traveling around the world with her husband and their then 13-year-old son in tow. Both teachers, they had stepped out of highly-structured lives as long-time faculty at a prestigious secondary boarding school in Massachusetts. Their approach to a gap year was highly organized and purposeful; they were determined to make the most of an extraordinary opportunity.

Several years later, they realized that the gap year had opened up new ways of thinking and they were ready for a major life shift. Sonja, now 53, talks frankly about how they continue to adjust to uncertainties as well as new possibilities. She also asks Debbie some important questions, such as “Do you find it easy to ask for help, to ask questions, to find mentors?” Debbie doesn't answer fully on the podcast. But the answer is "No," it's not easy asking for help.

What they talked about:

  • The logistics of planning a traveling sabbatical with a 13-year-old in tow
  • Deliberately "unschooling" their son
  • How life was different after returning from the sabbatical
  • Planning an encore career in her early 50s
  • The challenge of creating a self-directed life
  • Highs and lows and her biggest lessons learned

Mentioned in this episode:

PHOTO: Sonja in the western provinces of China in 2013 - 2014, during her family sabbatical

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 24 Jan 2020 07:00:03 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep8-sonja-odonnell-on-the-challenge-of-a-self-directed-life/ Debbie chats with a friend, Sonja O’Donnell, about the sabbatical gap year she took traveling around the world with her husband and their then 13-year-old son in tow. Both teachers, they had stepped out of highly-structured lives as long-time faculty at a prestigious secondary boarding school in Massachusetts. Their approach to a gap year was highly organized and purposeful; they were determined to make the most of an extraordinary opportunity.

Several years later, they realized that the gap year had opened up new ways of thinking and they were ready for a major life shift. Sonja, now 53, talks frankly about how they continue to adjust to uncertainties as well as new possibilities. She also asks Debbie some important questions, such as “Do you find it easy to ask for help, to ask questions, to find mentors?” Debbie doesn't answer fully on the podcast. But the answer is "No," it's not easy asking for help.

What they talked about:

  • The logistics of planning a traveling sabbatical with a 13-year-old in tow
  • Deliberately "unschooling" their son
  • How life was different after returning from the sabbatical
  • Planning an encore career in her early 50s
  • The challenge of creating a self-directed life
  • Highs and lows and her biggest lessons learned

Mentioned in this episode:

PHOTO: Sonja in the western provinces of China in 2013 - 2014, during her family sabbatical

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Sonja O'Donnell on the Challenge of a Self-directed Life Debbie Weil 00:30:16 Debbie chats with a younger friend about taking a gap year sabbatical with her husband and then 13-year-old son. And how that led, a few years later, to a major life shift and an encore career, one full of possibility as well as uncertainty. Debbie chats with a younger friend about taking a gap year sabbatical with her husband and then 13-year-old son. And how that led, a few years later, to a major life shift and an encore career, one full of possibility as well as uncertainty. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, what comes next, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, gap life, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 8 2 35290ac8-269c-4255-8f19-7335db957744 Guy Kawasaki's Life Lessons at 65: Skip the Email, Find Joy, and Speak the Truth We kick off 2020 with a conversation with Silicon Valley legend and all-around wise guy, Guy Kawasaki. Not surprisingly, he is funny, and opinionated in addition to being wise. Guy worked with Steve Jobs at Apple as the original evangelist for the Macintosh computer. Then he went on to a career as an author, speaker and investor. He has written 15 books, a number of them New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers (the most recent is a quasi memoir, Wise Guy). He gives over 50 keynotes a year on the topics of innovation, evangelism and entrepreneurship for brand name companies like Nike, Google and Microsoft. Most recently, he became chief evangelist for Canva, an online design tool.

So how does Debbie know Guy? She met him 20 years ago when she heard him speak at a small business conference. She was so taken with his presentation that she went up afterwards to say thank you and introduce herself. He responded by scribbling a note on a scrap of paper and handing it to her: "Think digital, act analog - Guy Kawasaki. May 25, 1999." Bingo. Even back then, in the early days of the Web, that hit home. She treasures the note and has thought of Guy as one of her unofficial mentors since then. (Check the episode web page to see the framed note.)

Guy is a social media celebrity with 1.4 million Twitter followers. But he's also a genuinely nice guy, respectful and responsive. When Debbie got an email from him recently announcing his new podcast, Remarkable People, she replied to congratulate him and asked if he’d come on the Gap Year podcast. He responded, “I’d be happy to!”

She was a little nervous about interviewing him so she prepared a list of specific questions. Generally she likes to let the conversation wander a bit more, but this worked out pretty well.

She and Guy talk about:

  • his Rule of Ten
  • lessons learned from working with Steve Jobs
  • the practice of gratitude
  • what changed when he turned 60 (he's now 65)
  • the importance of having a growth mindset and continuing to learn
  • why you should seek moments of joy (and not eternal happiness)
  • his thoughts on the writing process (an obsession Debbie shares with him)
  • why he mixes politics and social media
  • his positive outlook on life
  • how asking simple questions can yield big answers
  • his advice for those seeking to reinvent themselves (hint: don't spend all your time on social media and answering email)

Be sure to listen to Remarkable People. Debbie's favorite of the episodes so far are his interviews with Jane Goodall and Margaret Atwood. Both are legends but he manages to walk the line between admiring… and fawning. Debbie hopes she's done the same in this conversation with Guy.

 

Mentioned in this episode

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 10 Jan 2020 07:00:10 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep7-guy-kawasaki-life-lessons-at-65/ We kick off 2020 with a conversation with Silicon Valley legend and all-around wise guy, Guy Kawasaki. Not surprisingly, he is funny, and opinionated in addition to being wise. Guy worked with Steve Jobs at Apple as the original evangelist for the Macintosh computer. Then he went on to a career as an author, speaker and investor. He has written 15 books, a number of them New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers (the most recent is a quasi memoir, Wise Guy). He gives over 50 keynotes a year on the topics of innovation, evangelism and entrepreneurship for brand name companies like Nike, Google and Microsoft. Most recently, he became chief evangelist for Canva, an online design tool.

So how does Debbie know Guy? She met him 20 years ago when she heard him speak at a small business conference. She was so taken with his presentation that she went up afterwards to say thank you and introduce herself. He responded by scribbling a note on a scrap of paper and handing it to her: "Think digital, act analog - Guy Kawasaki. May 25, 1999." Bingo. Even back then, in the early days of the Web, that hit home. She treasures the note and has thought of Guy as one of her unofficial mentors since then. (Check the episode web page to see the framed note.)

Guy is a social media celebrity with 1.4 million Twitter followers. But he's also a genuinely nice guy, respectful and responsive. When Debbie got an email from him recently announcing his new podcast, Remarkable People, she replied to congratulate him and asked if he’d come on the Gap Year podcast. He responded, “I’d be happy to!”

She was a little nervous about interviewing him so she prepared a list of specific questions. Generally she likes to let the conversation wander a bit more, but this worked out pretty well.

She and Guy talk about:

  • his Rule of Ten
  • lessons learned from working with Steve Jobs
  • the practice of gratitude
  • what changed when he turned 60 (he's now 65)
  • the importance of having a growth mindset and continuing to learn
  • why you should seek moments of joy (and not eternal happiness)
  • his thoughts on the writing process (an obsession Debbie shares with him)
  • why he mixes politics and social media
  • his positive outlook on life
  • how asking simple questions can yield big answers
  • his advice for those seeking to reinvent themselves (hint: don't spend all your time on social media and answering email)

Be sure to listen to Remarkable People. Debbie's favorite of the episodes so far are his interviews with Jane Goodall and Margaret Atwood. Both are legends but he manages to walk the line between admiring… and fawning. Debbie hopes she's done the same in this conversation with Guy.

 

Mentioned in this episode

 

Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:

 

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Guy Kawasaki's Life Lessons at 65: Skip the Email, Find Joy, and Speak the Truth Debbie Weil 00:24:29 Debbie talks to Silicon Valley legend and all-around wise guy, Guy Kawasaki about his Rule of Ten, gratitude, what he learned from Steve Jobs, what changed when he turned 60, the importance of a growth mindset, the writing process, and why he mixes social media and politics. He's funny, opinionated and wise. Plenty of wisdom about "what's next" and how to reinvent yourself. Debbie talks to Silicon Valley legend and all-around wise guy, Guy Kawasaki about his Rule of Ten, gratitude, what he learned from Steve Jobs, what changed when he turned 60, the importance of a growth mindset, the writing process, and why he mixes social media and politics. He's funny, opinionated and wise. Plenty of wisdom about "what's next" and how to reinvent yourself. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, remarkable people, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, silicon valley legend, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, guy kawasaki, early retirement false full 7 2 e7fd6861-ff8f-41b8-ace7-249c6298a353 Debbie's Story: Connecting the Dots Backwards As a special episode to celebrate the conclusion of the first year of this podcast, host Debbie Weil shares her own story.

At her recent college reunion, she performed a five-minute story on the theme of picking up the pieces. That means finding happiness after a setback or a challenge or, in the case of some of her other classmates who told stories, a personal tragedy.

Debbie's story starts when she is a young mother and takes us up to the present day. Don't worry; it goes fast. Her story unfolds in five minutes with some unexpected twists and turns. We knew this story had to air on the podcast because it's a version of one we hear over and over from so many: what happens when things don't go as planned?

Tune in to hear a story of how life can lead you down a path you never could have imagined. Debbie's is a story of dreams fulfilled after the age of 60. It's a story that proves it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 20 Dec 2019 07:00:19 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast As a special episode to celebrate the conclusion of the first year of this podcast, host Debbie Weil shares her own story.

At her recent college reunion, she performed a five-minute story on the theme of picking up the pieces. That means finding happiness after a setback or a challenge or, in the case of some of her other classmates who told stories, a personal tragedy.

Debbie's story starts when she is a young mother and takes us up to the present day. Don't worry; it goes fast. Her story unfolds in five minutes with some unexpected twists and turns. We knew this story had to air on the podcast because it's a version of one we hear over and over from so many: what happens when things don't go as planned?

Tune in to hear a story of how life can lead you down a path you never could have imagined. Debbie's is a story of dreams fulfilled after the age of 60. It's a story that proves it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Debbie's Story: Connecting the Dots Backwards Debbie Weil 00:08:30 In this episode, host Debbie Weil performs a five-minute personal story about what happened, beginning at age 25, when her life didn't go as planned. In this episode, host Debbie Weil performs a five-minute personal story about what happened, beginning at age 25, when her life didn't go as planned. false full 6 2 57f0f1a4-13f1-4fe6-9688-460d9492cffe An Executive's Story: Taking a Sabbatical With Susan De Cuba Debbie talks with Susan De Cuba, an accomplished nonprofit executive who spent the last 13 years of her career as CEO of a hospice group in Florida.

When Debbie met Susan, she was at the end of her gap year. After 40+ years of non-stop work, she had decided to take a year off - but in a purposeful way. Susan is practical and she is strategic. And she had a goal - to figure out her next step.

Listen in as Debbie picks her brain about:

  • The steps in her decision-making that led her to leave a high-profile career
  • How as a leader you see junctures, or forks in the road, where you can continue on the same path - or step off and do something different
  • How she divided her gap year into fiscal year quarters, like any successful executive making an annual plan, and what she chose to do
  • What it was like to jump into the unknown
  • And finally, how she ended up creating a new consulting career, by combining her existing skills and experience

She felt a desire to serve others and she also knew she wanted freedom and flexibility. Most important, we talk about how she remained open to possibilities, especially around money and resources, and how that led her through a rejuvenating and, ultimately, successful gap year.

PHOTO: Susan dancing in Mexico at the beginning of her gap year sabbatical.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 6 Dec 2019 07:00:01 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/an-executives-story-taking-a-sabbatical-with-susan-de-cuba/ Debbie talks with Susan De Cuba, an accomplished nonprofit executive who spent the last 13 years of her career as CEO of a hospice group in Florida.

When Debbie met Susan, she was at the end of her gap year. After 40+ years of non-stop work, she had decided to take a year off - but in a purposeful way. Susan is practical and she is strategic. And she had a goal - to figure out her next step.

Listen in as Debbie picks her brain about:

  • The steps in her decision-making that led her to leave a high-profile career
  • How as a leader you see junctures, or forks in the road, where you can continue on the same path - or step off and do something different
  • How she divided her gap year into fiscal year quarters, like any successful executive making an annual plan, and what she chose to do
  • What it was like to jump into the unknown
  • And finally, how she ended up creating a new consulting career, by combining her existing skills and experience

She felt a desire to serve others and she also knew she wanted freedom and flexibility. Most important, we talk about how she remained open to possibilities, especially around money and resources, and how that led her through a rejuvenating and, ultimately, successful gap year.

PHOTO: Susan dancing in Mexico at the beginning of her gap year sabbatical.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> An Executive's Story: Taking a Sabbatical With Susan De Cuba Debbie Weil 00:30:28 Susan De Cuba, an accomplished nonprofit executive, talks about her intentional gap year at age 59, how she planned it out in fiscal quarters, and where she is now at the completion of her sabbatical. Susan De Cuba, an accomplished nonprofit executive, talks about her intentional gap year at age 59, how she planned it out in fiscal quarters, and where she is now at the completion of her sabbatical. sabbatical, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, wanting more, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, middle age, middlescence, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, creative outlet, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, taking a sabbatical, early retirement false full 5 2 10180d0b-91a8-4c27-a619-8dfdb8fd1c03 Aging Myths and Misconceptions and How They Translate Into a Missed Market Opportunity Recently this podcast was invited to co-host a Next For Me event in NYC called “Myths & Misconceptions: The Truth About 50+ Consumers." (Full disclosure: NFM is one of our sponsors.) The other co-hosts were Stria News and Silvernest. Stria News is a media platform for the longevity market that inspires cross-sector solutions for our aging society. Silvernest is an online service that pairs boomers, retirees and empty nesters with compatible housemates for long-term home sharing.

The event took place at Trove Social, a social club for people in their prime, in lower Manhattan. About 50 people attended, all of whom are active in one way or another with the midlife reinvention movement. That included members of the media, marketers, entrepreneurs and consumers.

The goal was to discuss, honestly and openly, the myths and misconceptions surrounding the age 50+ demographic and how this translates into a lost market opportunity. And to bust those myths. You’re probably familiar with a lot of them:

 

  • Older people are grumpy.
  • Older people hate technology and don’t use it.
  • Older people don’t spend money.
  • Older people don’t have sex... and they don’t want to.
  • Older people have less to contribute.

 

The underlying question: what if more people recognized that those 50 and up are a vast, diverse and untapped source of potential dollar revenue as well as being overlooked contributors to society?

Some of us might still be having sex while others don’t. Some of us love technology and the latest iPhone while others tolerate it or ignore it. The point is that the millions of members of this age 50-plus demographic are all different. And yet we all seem to be confronted with the same ageist attitudes and the same misconceptions about who we are as individuals.

In this episode Debbie chats with Jeff Tidwell, co-founder of Next For Me. This is a follow-up to Debbie's conversation with Jeff in EP8 of Season 1. She also talks to Susan Donley, founder, publisher and CEO of Stria News, and to Wendi Burkhardt, co-founder and CEO of Silvernest.

PHOTO: Debbie, left, and Wendi Burkhardt of Silvernest.

 

 

Mentioned in the episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

 

 

]]> Fri, 22 Nov 2019 07:00:02 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep4-aging-myths-misconceptions-with-next-for-me-stria-news-and-silvernest/ Recently this podcast was invited to co-host a Next For Me event in NYC called “Myths & Misconceptions: The Truth About 50+ Consumers." (Full disclosure: NFM is one of our sponsors.) The other co-hosts were Stria News and Silvernest. Stria News is a media platform for the longevity market that inspires cross-sector solutions for our aging society. Silvernest is an online service that pairs boomers, retirees and empty nesters with compatible housemates for long-term home sharing.

The event took place at Trove Social, a social club for people in their prime, in lower Manhattan. About 50 people attended, all of whom are active in one way or another with the midlife reinvention movement. That included members of the media, marketers, entrepreneurs and consumers.

The goal was to discuss, honestly and openly, the myths and misconceptions surrounding the age 50+ demographic and how this translates into a lost market opportunity. And to bust those myths. You’re probably familiar with a lot of them:

 

  • Older people are grumpy.
  • Older people hate technology and don’t use it.
  • Older people don’t spend money.
  • Older people don’t have sex... and they don’t want to.
  • Older people have less to contribute.

 

The underlying question: what if more people recognized that those 50 and up are a vast, diverse and untapped source of potential dollar revenue as well as being overlooked contributors to society?

Some of us might still be having sex while others don’t. Some of us love technology and the latest iPhone while others tolerate it or ignore it. The point is that the millions of members of this age 50-plus demographic are all different. And yet we all seem to be confronted with the same ageist attitudes and the same misconceptions about who we are as individuals.

In this episode Debbie chats with Jeff Tidwell, co-founder of Next For Me. This is a follow-up to Debbie's conversation with Jeff in EP8 of Season 1. She also talks to Susan Donley, founder, publisher and CEO of Stria News, and to Wendi Burkhardt, co-founder and CEO of Silvernest.

PHOTO: Debbie, left, and Wendi Burkhardt of Silvernest.

 

 

Mentioned in the episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

 

 

]]> Aging Myths and Misconceptions and How They Translate Into a Missed Market Opportunity Debbie Weil 00:27:39 What if more people recognized that those 50 and up are a vast, diverse and untapped source of dollar revenue as well as being overlooked contributors to society? That was the topic of a NEXT FOR ME event in New York City on Oct. 7, 2019: “Myths & Misconceptions: The Truth About 50+ Consumers." The event was co-hosted by Stria News, Silvernest, and this podcast. What if more people recognized that those 50 and up are a vast, diverse and untapped source of dollar revenue as well as being overlooked contributors to society? That was the topic of a NEXT FOR ME event in New York City on Oct. 7, 2019: “Myths & Misconceptions: The Truth About 50+ Consumers." The event was co-hosted by Stria News, Silvernest, and this podcast. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, misconceptions, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, myths, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, longevity market, older people, switching gears, downsizing, aging misconceptions, 50+, myth-busting, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, what’s next, early retirement false full 4 2 b8862740-b8a7-443c-93de-f439e36f3513 Nomadic Matt on travel as a way to reinvent yourself Matthew Kepnes is best known as Nomadic Matt, the name of his eponymous website dedicated to traveling smarter, cheaper and longer. He tells us in the first few pages of his new memoir that he has spent more than 3,000 nights in a thousand different cities in 90 countries so Debbie figured he would be the perfect guest to talk about travel as a way to reinvent yourself.

Now 38, Matt recently settled down in Austin, Texas after over 10 years of longterm traveling in Asia and other parts of the world. We talk about the emotional aspects of travel, the courage it takes to detach yourself from societal expectations (keep a steady job, stay in one place), the difference between travel and a vacation and the importance of journaling or writing while you are on the journey. Only by recording what you are thinking and feeling while in the midst of it can you look back later to truly understand the experience.

Matt also shares his encounters with older travelers and the common fears that he hears in people 50 and older who want to travel on the cheap.

Mentioned in the episode

  • Nomadicmatt.com is full of resources for traveling at any age
  • Ten Years a Nomad by Matthew Kepnes (part memoir and part philosophical exploration of why we travel)
  • Vagabonding by Rolf Potts (the original book about the art of longterm world travel)

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 8 Nov 2019 07:00:05 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/s2-ep3-nomadic-matt-on-travel-as-a-way-to-reinvent-yourself/ Matthew Kepnes is best known as Nomadic Matt, the name of his eponymous website dedicated to traveling smarter, cheaper and longer. He tells us in the first few pages of his new memoir that he has spent more than 3,000 nights in a thousand different cities in 90 countries so Debbie figured he would be the perfect guest to talk about travel as a way to reinvent yourself.

Now 38, Matt recently settled down in Austin, Texas after over 10 years of longterm traveling in Asia and other parts of the world. We talk about the emotional aspects of travel, the courage it takes to detach yourself from societal expectations (keep a steady job, stay in one place), the difference between travel and a vacation and the importance of journaling or writing while you are on the journey. Only by recording what you are thinking and feeling while in the midst of it can you look back later to truly understand the experience.

Matt also shares his encounters with older travelers and the common fears that he hears in people 50 and older who want to travel on the cheap.

Mentioned in the episode

  • Nomadicmatt.com is full of resources for traveling at any age
  • Ten Years a Nomad by Matthew Kepnes (part memoir and part philosophical exploration of why we travel)
  • Vagabonding by Rolf Potts (the original book about the art of longterm world travel)

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Nomadic Matt on travel as a way to reinvent yourself Debbie Weil 00:22:15 Debbie talks to Matt Kepnes, better known as Nomadic Matt, about his new memoir based on 10 years of traveling. Travel is on everyone's bucket list when they talk about taking time off. Matt talks about reinventing yourself - no matter what your age - as part of the reward of longterm travel. Debbie talks to Matt Kepnes, better known as Nomadic Matt, about his new memoir based on 10 years of traveling. Travel is on everyone's bucket list when they talk about taking time off. Matt talks about reinventing yourself - no matter what your age - as part of the reward of longterm travel. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, travel on a dime, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, travel, cheap travel, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, hostel travel, early retirement false full 3 2 f9146ae4-d2e8-4884-ac43-4d1cba53db3e Exploring Middlescence with Barbara Waxman Barbara Waxman, a gerontologist, author and coach, has coined the term middlescence to describe a new stage in midlife and beyond.

She describes it as a transitional period often accompanied by physical changes, as well as social and economic changes. Sound familiar? Physical and hormonal changes are what we think of when we talk about adolescence. More important, Middlescence is like adolescence but with wisdom thrown in. Barbara defines it as the period from age 45 to 75ish. In her words, it is “a turning point from which adults continue to develop and grow. (It is) a life stage created by increased longevity patterns in the 21st century.”

Our conversation ranges widely, from exploring the concept of Middlescence, to redefining success in this stage of life.

What we talked about:

  • Why midlife is such a popular topic right now
  • Middlescence vs. adolescence
  • How to counter ageism
  • How to change the narrative of how we feel when we look in the mirror and see our aging selves
  • Barbara’s gap year in Italy – she calls it repotting (like a plant)
  • The importance of lifelong learning
  • What contributes to thriving or not thriving
  • The 5 essentials mindset and why it is so important

Mentioned in this episode:


Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:


Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 25 Oct 2019 06:00:23 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/exploring-middlescence-with-barbara-waxman/ Barbara Waxman, a gerontologist, author and coach, has coined the term middlescence to describe a new stage in midlife and beyond.

She describes it as a transitional period often accompanied by physical changes, as well as social and economic changes. Sound familiar? Physical and hormonal changes are what we think of when we talk about adolescence. More important, Middlescence is like adolescence but with wisdom thrown in. Barbara defines it as the period from age 45 to 75ish. In her words, it is “a turning point from which adults continue to develop and grow. (It is) a life stage created by increased longevity patterns in the 21st century.”

Our conversation ranges widely, from exploring the concept of Middlescence, to redefining success in this stage of life.

What we talked about:

  • Why midlife is such a popular topic right now
  • Middlescence vs. adolescence
  • How to counter ageism
  • How to change the narrative of how we feel when we look in the mirror and see our aging selves
  • Barbara’s gap year in Italy – she calls it repotting (like a plant)
  • The importance of lifelong learning
  • What contributes to thriving or not thriving
  • The 5 essentials mindset and why it is so important

Mentioned in this episode:


Support this podcast:

 

Credits:

 

Connect with us:


Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Exploring Middlescence with Barbara Waxman Debbie Weil 00:26:01 Barbara Waxman has her finger squarely on the pulse of a movement to redefine midlife - so she is a perfect guest for this podcast. She has coined the term Middlescence to describe this new stage. Think of it as adolescence with wisdom added in. Barbara Waxman has her finger squarely on the pulse of a movement to redefine midlife - so she is a perfect guest for this podcast. She has coined the term Middlescence to describe this new stage. Think of it as adolescence with wisdom added in. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, young old, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, middlescence, changing lives, time out, gapyear, midlife reinvention, middlescence manifesto, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, barbara waxman, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, transition, midlife, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, new stage of life, early retirement false full 2 2 1dcf0822-5c9c-4ff1-a0e7-baf740cce268 A Year of Wellness with Katie Tremper Debbie and Katie Tremper talk about the challenges of slowing down to take care of yourself. More recently, Katie, 56, has also been coping with a chronic illness, MS. Ironically, her diagnosis has helped her reconnect with herself.

In this conversation Katie is remarkably open about why she is starting a Year of Wellness. After 33 years as a nonprofit executive in education, she is making a radical life change. But her story is about more than deciding to taking a grown-up gap year. Katie was diagnosed with MS - multiple sclerosis - several years ago. She talks about what it means to live with a chronic illness, all the ups and downs and frustrations.

Her goal for her Year of Wellness is to reduce and slow her symptoms. She and her husband have downsized from high pressure San Francisco to the smaller quieter city of Davis, CA and she plans to take better care of herself in a multitude of ways: from cooking and eating more healthy foods to exercising to finding moments of joy in her daily life. We talk about the complexity of slowing down after a lifetime of working so hard. We also talk about dying and whether the horizon has shifted for her.

After we spoke, Katie offered this revealing update via email about her Year of Wellness:

"We have completed our move to Davis, where we are now the proud owners of a lovely little house in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by lots of trees and great neighbors. A big part of my vision for my "Year of Wellness" is finding a place of peace, and I think I have found it! Although I have not been working at a job for almost 3 months, I have been very busy with the move.

One big learning for me is to ASK for help when I need it. I didn't do that going into the move, and we ended up bringing a lot of boxes that I wish I'd been able to go through, sort and purge beforehand.

My "bucket list," or program that I have envisioned and developed has not changed. It includes: establishing healthy daily habits to improve my mind, body and spirit; managing our finances (to include learning to live on 1/2 the income we had last year); exploring and expressing my creative side, and having fun, laughing, and experiencing joy.

I've not been able to implement everything as quickly as I would have liked, but I remind myself that the changes we are going through (jobs, major move, chronic illness) are big, stressful, and exhausting at times.

I also haven't begun a creative endeavor yet... I want to start writing regularly. I also haven't done much cooking or developing a better diet and nutrition plan for myself. But I'm being compassionate with myself on not being as "successful" as quickly as I imagined, and I truly believe that I will get to all of my goals, in some form or another, by the end of this calendar year.

My career has been dedicated to helping other people realize their goals and dreams through education, but I have become burned out, exhausted, and spent after three decades. I've always had a hard time with self-care (God forbid I try to take care of myself first) and I realized that was part of my problem.

One thing that has surprised me is that I am not having the chronic pain I was having the past couple of years in San Francisco, when I was so stressed it was making me sick. MS causes inflammation throughout the body, and I regularly had headaches, backaches, and tendonitis.

I know have the time to be more present in the moment, and to really spend quality time with people and doing things I love." - Katie Tremper

PHOTO: Katie posing with Debbie's husband Sam, in Baja, Mexico.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> Fri, 11 Oct 2019 06:00:03 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/a-year-of-wellness-with-katie-tremper/ Debbie and Katie Tremper talk about the challenges of slowing down to take care of yourself. More recently, Katie, 56, has also been coping with a chronic illness, MS. Ironically, her diagnosis has helped her reconnect with herself.

In this conversation Katie is remarkably open about why she is starting a Year of Wellness. After 33 years as a nonprofit executive in education, she is making a radical life change. But her story is about more than deciding to taking a grown-up gap year. Katie was diagnosed with MS - multiple sclerosis - several years ago. She talks about what it means to live with a chronic illness, all the ups and downs and frustrations.

Her goal for her Year of Wellness is to reduce and slow her symptoms. She and her husband have downsized from high pressure San Francisco to the smaller quieter city of Davis, CA and she plans to take better care of herself in a multitude of ways: from cooking and eating more healthy foods to exercising to finding moments of joy in her daily life. We talk about the complexity of slowing down after a lifetime of working so hard. We also talk about dying and whether the horizon has shifted for her.

After we spoke, Katie offered this revealing update via email about her Year of Wellness:

"We have completed our move to Davis, where we are now the proud owners of a lovely little house in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by lots of trees and great neighbors. A big part of my vision for my "Year of Wellness" is finding a place of peace, and I think I have found it! Although I have not been working at a job for almost 3 months, I have been very busy with the move.

One big learning for me is to ASK for help when I need it. I didn't do that going into the move, and we ended up bringing a lot of boxes that I wish I'd been able to go through, sort and purge beforehand.

My "bucket list," or program that I have envisioned and developed has not changed. It includes: establishing healthy daily habits to improve my mind, body and spirit; managing our finances (to include learning to live on 1/2 the income we had last year); exploring and expressing my creative side, and having fun, laughing, and experiencing joy.

I've not been able to implement everything as quickly as I would have liked, but I remind myself that the changes we are going through (jobs, major move, chronic illness) are big, stressful, and exhausting at times.

I also haven't begun a creative endeavor yet... I want to start writing regularly. I also haven't done much cooking or developing a better diet and nutrition plan for myself. But I'm being compassionate with myself on not being as "successful" as quickly as I imagined, and I truly believe that I will get to all of my goals, in some form or another, by the end of this calendar year.

My career has been dedicated to helping other people realize their goals and dreams through education, but I have become burned out, exhausted, and spent after three decades. I've always had a hard time with self-care (God forbid I try to take care of myself first) and I realized that was part of my problem.

One thing that has surprised me is that I am not having the chronic pain I was having the past couple of years in San Francisco, when I was so stressed it was making me sick. MS causes inflammation throughout the body, and I regularly had headaches, backaches, and tendonitis.

I know have the time to be more present in the moment, and to really spend quality time with people and doing things I love." - Katie Tremper

PHOTO: Katie posing with Debbie's husband Sam, in Baja, Mexico.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.
]]> A Year of Wellness with Katie Tremper Debbie Weil 00:33:02 Debbie talks with nonprofit executive Katie Tremper about embarking on a Year of Wellness to take care of herself after a lifetime of working full-time and, mostly, ignoring her health. Debbie talks with nonprofit executive Katie Tremper about embarking on a Year of Wellness to take care of herself after a lifetime of working full-time and, mostly, ignoring her health. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, slowing down., changing lives, time out, gapyear, multiple sclerosis, ms, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, wellness, life with ms, illness, gig economy, health, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 1 2 63fda708-8697-4124-a88e-825fd714f5c1 Season 2 Trailer The term gap year symbolizes so much more than taking a time out. It is a frame for examining such topics as reinvention, a new purpose, aging with wisdom, trying new things, bucket list travel, a new approach to health and well-being, and more. All the topics that relate to living well in this stage of life.

My guests in Season 2 will be a mix of inspiring individuals who are taking or have taken grown-up gap years along with well-known authors and experts on all the topics I’ve mentioned.

Join us on this new season of Gap Year for Grown-Ups, and let’s dive deep... into what’s next.

And as always, if you’ve got ideas for future shows or guests, email us at thegapyearpodcast@gmail.com

We will publish a new episode every other Friday, starting Oct. 18, 2019. (With a week off here or there over the holidays.)

Debbie Weil, your host

Our Media Partners

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

Credits:

]]> Wed, 2 Oct 2019 14:04:26 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast The term gap year symbolizes so much more than taking a time out. It is a frame for examining such topics as reinvention, a new purpose, aging with wisdom, trying new things, bucket list travel, a new approach to health and well-being, and more. All the topics that relate to living well in this stage of life.

My guests in Season 2 will be a mix of inspiring individuals who are taking or have taken grown-up gap years along with well-known authors and experts on all the topics I’ve mentioned.

Join us on this new season of Gap Year for Grown-Ups, and let’s dive deep... into what’s next.

And as always, if you’ve got ideas for future shows or guests, email us at thegapyearpodcast@gmail.com

We will publish a new episode every other Friday, starting Oct. 18, 2019. (With a week off here or there over the holidays.)

Debbie Weil, your host

Our Media Partners

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

Credits:

]]> Season 2 Trailer Debbie Weil 00:02:57 Turns out this podcast is about MORE than taking a gap year after the age of 50 or 60. It’s about taking a look at all the aspects of “what’s next” when you are in mid-life and beyond. Turns out this podcast is about MORE than taking a gap year after the age of 50 or 60. It’s about taking a look at all the aspects of “what’s next” when you are in mid-life and beyond. false full 0 2 75315a7d-c5dc-4985-ad71-a99ebdf4ec69 Marc Freedman on How to Live Forever (It's Not What You Think) In the last episode of Season 1 of Gap Year For Grown-Ups, Debbie reflects on how the podcast has evolved. Initially she aimed to appeal to adults of any age seeking a timeout. But she realized that her focus was really on mid-life reinvention (50+), whether it's a gap year or a gap week, as a way to reflect, redirect, find new meaning and purpose - and find happiness. And of course that is the topic closest to her own heart.

Fittingly, for this episode she invited Marc Freedman - best-selling author, renowned social entrepreneur and leading expert on the longevity revolution - to be her guest. The subject was Marc's bestselling new book, How to Live Forever, but their conversation ranges widely. They talk about aging and ageism, age segregation, the meaning of legacy, how Silicon Valley's quest for immortality is misguided, how older and younger generations are built for each other (the old want to be needed and the young want to be nurtured), how Marc is becoming an elder himself, his challenges writing his new book, and more.

Marc is the founder of Encore.org, a 20-year-old ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good. Encore Fellows, the Encore Prize, Gen2Gen and other programs are among Encore's practical approaches to solving the problem of the generational divide and the exploding number of those age 60+.

Full disclosure: Encore.org is this podcast's newest Media Partner.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.

  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.

  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

]]> Fri, 12 Jul 2019 09:00:14 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-12-marc-freedman-on-how-to-live-forever-its-not-what-you-think/ In the last episode of Season 1 of Gap Year For Grown-Ups, Debbie reflects on how the podcast has evolved. Initially she aimed to appeal to adults of any age seeking a timeout. But she realized that her focus was really on mid-life reinvention (50+), whether it's a gap year or a gap week, as a way to reflect, redirect, find new meaning and purpose - and find happiness. And of course that is the topic closest to her own heart.

Fittingly, for this episode she invited Marc Freedman - best-selling author, renowned social entrepreneur and leading expert on the longevity revolution - to be her guest. The subject was Marc's bestselling new book, How to Live Forever, but their conversation ranges widely. They talk about aging and ageism, age segregation, the meaning of legacy, how Silicon Valley's quest for immortality is misguided, how older and younger generations are built for each other (the old want to be needed and the young want to be nurtured), how Marc is becoming an elder himself, his challenges writing his new book, and more.

Marc is the founder of Encore.org, a 20-year-old ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good. Encore Fellows, the Encore Prize, Gen2Gen and other programs are among Encore's practical approaches to solving the problem of the generational divide and the exploding number of those age 60+.

Full disclosure: Encore.org is this podcast's newest Media Partner.

Mentioned in this episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.

  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.

  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

]]> Marc Freedman on How to Live Forever (It's Not What You Think) Debbie Weil 00:34:58 Today Debbie talks with Marc Freedman, a best-selling author, renowned social entrepreneur and leading expert on the longevity revolution. Their subject is Marc's new book, "How to Live Forever." But their conversation ranges widely, touching on all the important topics related to mid-life transition: aging and ageism, legacy, how the older and younger generations can collaborate and care for each other, the continuing quest to find purpose, and more. Today Debbie talks with Marc Freedman, a best-selling author, renowned social entrepreneur and leading expert on the longevity revolution. Their subject is Marc's new book, "How to Live Forever." But their conversation ranges widely, touching on all the important topics related to mid-life transition: aging and ageism, legacy, how the older and younger generations can collaborate and care for each other, the continuing quest to find purpose, and more. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, legacy, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, marc freedman, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, how to live forever, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 12 1 b6736e0a-4fc3-42b9-b39f-7b02244f9ddd Dr. Joy Dryer: Asking the Existential Questions Debbie sits down with Dr. Joy Dryer, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst who has been in private practice for 40 years. Dr. Joy (as her patients call her) works with individuals, families and couples making transitions. So the big existential questions have special interest for her: Who am I right now? Who do I want to be? And where? And with whom?

These are essential gap year questions, especially for those in mid-life thinking about their marriage or other partner relationships and how they want to spend the time they have left. She has a special interest in couples and how they try to answer the big questions together.

When Debbie and Sam left D.C. to take their gap year, they transitioned from essentially individual pursuits to a shared life. They found themselves spending a lot more time together and decided they needed someone to help them navigate this new shared stage in their relationship. They went to Dr. Joy looking for tools to communicate better as a mid-life couple; she was terrifically helpful.

But this episode is not a therapy session. Debbie met up with Dr. Joy in her Brooklyn office to discuss mid-life and transitions, how marriages and relationships stay strong or sink, and how thinking about death can be a good thing.

Mentioned in this episode

Her website: Dr. Joy Dryer, PhD

Dr. Joy's Acronyms:

  • MC{squared}: Money X Children X Career (plus Sex)

  • BLT (the existential questions, not the sandwich): Body, Love and Time

Definition of Existential Psychotherapy (PDF)

International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy at whose International Conference Dr. Joy recently presented a paper.

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.

  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.

  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

]]> Fri, 28 Jun 2019 09:00:21 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-11-dr-joy-dryer-on-asking-the-existential-questions/ Debbie sits down with Dr. Joy Dryer, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst who has been in private practice for 40 years. Dr. Joy (as her patients call her) works with individuals, families and couples making transitions. So the big existential questions have special interest for her: Who am I right now? Who do I want to be? And where? And with whom?

These are essential gap year questions, especially for those in mid-life thinking about their marriage or other partner relationships and how they want to spend the time they have left. She has a special interest in couples and how they try to answer the big questions together.

When Debbie and Sam left D.C. to take their gap year, they transitioned from essentially individual pursuits to a shared life. They found themselves spending a lot more time together and decided they needed someone to help them navigate this new shared stage in their relationship. They went to Dr. Joy looking for tools to communicate better as a mid-life couple; she was terrifically helpful.

But this episode is not a therapy session. Debbie met up with Dr. Joy in her Brooklyn office to discuss mid-life and transitions, how marriages and relationships stay strong or sink, and how thinking about death can be a good thing.

Mentioned in this episode

Her website: Dr. Joy Dryer, PhD

Dr. Joy's Acronyms:

  • MC{squared}: Money X Children X Career (plus Sex)

  • BLT (the existential questions, not the sandwich): Body, Love and Time

Definition of Existential Psychotherapy (PDF)

International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy at whose International Conference Dr. Joy recently presented a paper.

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.

  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.

  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

]]> Dr. Joy Dryer: Asking the Existential Questions Debbie Weil 00:25:45 Debbie interviews psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Joy Dryer about the existential questions around mid-life transitions: Who am I right now? Who do I want to be? And where? And with whom? These are essential gap year questions. Debbie interviews psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Joy Dryer about the existential questions around mid-life transitions: Who am I right now? Who do I want to be? And where? And with whom? These are essential gap year questions. intuition, psychotherapy, transitions, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, mid-life crisis, psychoanalysis, life transition, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, psychology, early retirement false full 11 1 9684cafd-ed03-45fe-8e42-6f6068ca8241 On Our Bucket List: Debbie and Sam Live in France In this episode Debbie talks with Sam, her husband and gap year co-conspirator, about a longstanding bucket list item: to live in France for an extended period in order to practice and improve their French. Coincidentally, both have childhood ties to France. Debbie speaks semi fluently and Sam almost as well.

After two weeks in Avignon, they’re back in the U.S. where they sit down to make sense of the experience. Their first week they studied in an immersion program with an excellent young teacher, Julie Gaudin. Listen to the sounds of Avignon during their second week as they wander the pedestrian-only streets of this marvelous small city, sit in cafés, and shop at the famous covered market. They also took several excursions outside the city, which meant renting a car and figuring out where to park it.

They both agree you can't become a true ex-pat in only two weeks but it's enough time to adopt a daily routine and to make a friend or two at the local boulangerie and at a favorite bar serving artisanal beer. Despite their many trips to Paris and other parts of France, they continue to find French culture slightly mysterious. The solution? Go back and live in France for a year. That may or may not happen...

PHOTO: Debbie and Sam in the poppy fields near Uzès.

Mentioned in this episode

  • Séjour linguistique means staying with a teacher (or prof) in their home for language immersion.

  • Pithiviers is a town south of France where Sam lived on a farm when he was 18. It was also the site of the infamous Pithiviers internment camp during the Second World War.

  • Collège Cévenol in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is where Debbie Went to school for a year when she was 14.

  • French immersion programs via FrenchToday.com Note: in this episode Debbie mistakenly refers to the site as FranceToday.

  • Julie's immersion program in Avignon

  • Alliance Française in Paris

  • Les Tables de la Fontaine in Avignon where Debbie interviewed the owner

  • Cheer Me Up, one of the cafés we frequented with Julie for our morning French lessons. Serving coffee and tiramisu, which means cheer me up in Italian.

  • Les Halles, the famed covered market in Avignon filled with magnificent displays of fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese, olives, bread, lavendar honey, wine and more. Sam discovered les bulots: whelks or large snails best eaten alongside raw oysters and with a glass of white wine.

  • Quirky Cinéma Utopia in Avignon where we saw two French films on two rainy afternoons. Debbie insisted she got the gist of both films. At the end of the second one, Sam said, "Well, I know I understood the last sentence."

  • Our AirBnB in the center of old Avignon

  • Parking des Italiens just outside the ancient walls of Avignon (1,150 free parking spaces... AND the free navette shuttle bus we talk about.)

  • Our favorite excursion outside the city: Les Gorges de la Nesque (near Sault)

  • Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence (small Cézanne collection with a focus on his obsession, the nearby Mont Sainte-Victoire)

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our partners!

]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2019 09:00:12 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast In this episode Debbie talks with Sam, her husband and gap year co-conspirator, about a longstanding bucket list item: to live in France for an extended period in order to practice and improve their French. Coincidentally, both have childhood ties to France. Debbie speaks semi fluently and Sam almost as well.

After two weeks in Avignon, they’re back in the U.S. where they sit down to make sense of the experience. Their first week they studied in an immersion program with an excellent young teacher, Julie Gaudin. Listen to the sounds of Avignon during their second week as they wander the pedestrian-only streets of this marvelous small city, sit in cafés, and shop at the famous covered market. They also took several excursions outside the city, which meant renting a car and figuring out where to park it.

They both agree you can't become a true ex-pat in only two weeks but it's enough time to adopt a daily routine and to make a friend or two at the local boulangerie and at a favorite bar serving artisanal beer. Despite their many trips to Paris and other parts of France, they continue to find French culture slightly mysterious. The solution? Go back and live in France for a year. That may or may not happen...

PHOTO: Debbie and Sam in the poppy fields near Uzès.

Mentioned in this episode

  • Séjour linguistique means staying with a teacher (or prof) in their home for language immersion.

  • Pithiviers is a town south of France where Sam lived on a farm when he was 18. It was also the site of the infamous Pithiviers internment camp during the Second World War.

  • Collège Cévenol in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is where Debbie Went to school for a year when she was 14.

  • French immersion programs via FrenchToday.com Note: in this episode Debbie mistakenly refers to the site as FranceToday.

  • Julie's immersion program in Avignon

  • Alliance Française in Paris

  • Les Tables de la Fontaine in Avignon where Debbie interviewed the owner

  • Cheer Me Up, one of the cafés we frequented with Julie for our morning French lessons. Serving coffee and tiramisu, which means cheer me up in Italian.

  • Les Halles, the famed covered market in Avignon filled with magnificent displays of fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese, olives, bread, lavendar honey, wine and more. Sam discovered les bulots: whelks or large snails best eaten alongside raw oysters and with a glass of white wine.

  • Quirky Cinéma Utopia in Avignon where we saw two French films on two rainy afternoons. Debbie insisted she got the gist of both films. At the end of the second one, Sam said, "Well, I know I understood the last sentence."

  • Our AirBnB in the center of old Avignon

  • Parking des Italiens just outside the ancient walls of Avignon (1,150 free parking spaces... AND the free navette shuttle bus we talk about.)

  • Our favorite excursion outside the city: Les Gorges de la Nesque (near Sault)

  • Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence (small Cézanne collection with a focus on his obsession, the nearby Mont Sainte-Victoire)

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our partners!

]]> On Our Bucket List: Debbie and Sam Live in France Debbie Weil 00:32:45 Debbie and Sam reflect on two weeks of ex-pat life in the south of France. They studied intensively with a French teacher the first week; then explored on their own. Learning to speak French fluently is on both of their bucket lists. Debbie and Sam reflect on two weeks of ex-pat life in the south of France. They studied intensively with a French teacher the first week; then explored on their own. Learning to speak French fluently is on both of their bucket lists. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, learning french, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, provence, switching gears, downsizing, living in france, gig economy, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 10 1 72bea91c-0dbe-4bc6-8d1b-6ba150a638ce Island Women Speak: Connection, Truth and Storytelling in Maine In this episode Debbie talks about the most surprising result of her gap year: she created, produces and directs Island Women Speak, a popular multi-generational women's storytelling event in Stonington, Maine, the small coastal town she now calls home. She calls it a gap year accomplishment because it's a new and unexpected thing she never imagined herself doing.

She has coached and edited nonfiction writers for years but this was her first foray into coaching storytellers and producing a live stage event. To her surprise and delight, the recurring event has been a resounding success. The audience in this remote coastal community yearns for truth and authenticity, especially from performers everyone knows.

Island Women Speak, inspired by The Moth, premiered at the Stonington Opera House in January 2018. Since then, twenty-two women, ages 20 to 95, have each performed five-minute stories that they've written and rehearsed. The stories were on themes ranging from falling in love and leaving home to coming out as gay and dealing with depression and anxiety. The most recent Island Women Speak, in January 2019, focused on the topic of standing up and speaking out.

The theme was not meant to be overtly political but it was fitting following a year of #METOO revelations and coming on the heels of the record number of women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

In the opening of the podcast, you will hear Lorraine Knowlton, 85, a lifelong resident of Deer Isle, performing her story about overcoming extreme shyness as a child. Debbie also interviews storyteller Amanda Larrabee about the impact of the event and why it has been so powerful for both performers and the audience.

Mentioned in episode

Media coverage

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our sponsors!

]]> Fri, 31 May 2019 05:00:05 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/island-women-speak-storytelling-stonington-maine/ In this episode Debbie talks about the most surprising result of her gap year: she created, produces and directs Island Women Speak, a popular multi-generational women's storytelling event in Stonington, Maine, the small coastal town she now calls home. She calls it a gap year accomplishment because it's a new and unexpected thing she never imagined herself doing.

She has coached and edited nonfiction writers for years but this was her first foray into coaching storytellers and producing a live stage event. To her surprise and delight, the recurring event has been a resounding success. The audience in this remote coastal community yearns for truth and authenticity, especially from performers everyone knows.

Island Women Speak, inspired by The Moth, premiered at the Stonington Opera House in January 2018. Since then, twenty-two women, ages 20 to 95, have each performed five-minute stories that they've written and rehearsed. The stories were on themes ranging from falling in love and leaving home to coming out as gay and dealing with depression and anxiety. The most recent Island Women Speak, in January 2019, focused on the topic of standing up and speaking out.

The theme was not meant to be overtly political but it was fitting following a year of #METOO revelations and coming on the heels of the record number of women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

In the opening of the podcast, you will hear Lorraine Knowlton, 85, a lifelong resident of Deer Isle, performing her story about overcoming extreme shyness as a child. Debbie also interviews storyteller Amanda Larrabee about the impact of the event and why it has been so powerful for both performers and the audience.

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]]> Island Women Speak: Connection, Truth and Storytelling in Maine Debbie Weil 00:19:20 Debbie talks about her most important Gap Year project: producing and directing Island Women Speak, a multi-generational women’s storytelling event in Stonington, Maine. She interviews performer Amanda Larrabee who in turn interviews audience members, who call it the "cultural event" of the season. Debbie talks about her most important Gap Year project: producing and directing Island Women Speak, a multi-generational women’s storytelling event in Stonington, Maine. She interviews performer Amanda Larrabee who in turn interviews audience members, who call it the "cultural event" of the season. intuition, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, themoth, gap year project, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, storytelling, semi-retirement, reinvention, stonington opera house, stonington maine, gap year, women's storytelling, oha false full 9 1 3ad1536b-5484-435d-965e-06562cd388ff Jeff Tidwell on Mid-Life Entrepreneurship and Work With Purpose In today's episode, Debbie interviews Jeff Tidwell, a 35-year digital veteran who has worked with big brands like eTrade and WebMD, as well as with numerous startups, on product, community, marketing and user experience strategies. He’s lived and worked in New York, San Francisco and LA. About two years ago, as he approached 60, he began to feel conscious of his age in a youth-oriented industry.

That’s when he got the idea for Next For Me, an online community for those 50+ with a particular interest in meaningful work. Next For Me also sponsors real life events across the country.

There are numerous other online resources that address everything else for this demographic: dating, sex, travel, planning for retirement, etc. Next For Me specifically focuses on post-50 work and purpose.

Mentioned in episode

Jeff's columns for Forbes.com

Jeff on the launch of Next For Me

Startout Growth Lab for LGBTQ entrepreneurs

The Advantages Older Adults Bring to First-Time Entrepreneurship by Derek Lidow

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Full disclosure: Next For Me is a sponsor of this podcast.

]]> Fri, 17 May 2019 09:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-8-jeff-tidwell-mid-life-entrepreneur-work-purpose/ In today's episode, Debbie interviews Jeff Tidwell, a 35-year digital veteran who has worked with big brands like eTrade and WebMD, as well as with numerous startups, on product, community, marketing and user experience strategies. He’s lived and worked in New York, San Francisco and LA. About two years ago, as he approached 60, he began to feel conscious of his age in a youth-oriented industry.

That’s when he got the idea for Next For Me, an online community for those 50+ with a particular interest in meaningful work. Next For Me also sponsors real life events across the country.

There are numerous other online resources that address everything else for this demographic: dating, sex, travel, planning for retirement, etc. Next For Me specifically focuses on post-50 work and purpose.

Mentioned in episode

Jeff's columns for Forbes.com

Jeff on the launch of Next For Me

Startout Growth Lab for LGBTQ entrepreneurs

The Advantages Older Adults Bring to First-Time Entrepreneurship by Derek Lidow

Support this podcast:

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Full disclosure: Next For Me is a sponsor of this podcast.

]]> Jeff Tidwell on Mid-Life Entrepreneurship and Work With Purpose Debbie Weil 00:36:40 Jeff Tidwell is a 35-year digital veteran who recently launched a new company, NEXT FOR ME. He is part of a new trend: 50+ entrepreneurs who are starting companies driven by passion and purpose. Jeff Tidwell is a 35-year digital veteran who recently launched a new company, NEXT FOR ME. He is part of a new trend: 50+ entrepreneurs who are starting companies driven by passion and purpose. reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, mid-life, timeout, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, entrepreneurship, gig economy, gap year for grown-ups, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, first-time entrepreneur false full 8 1 22f5a1eb-7799-4788-b8e6-e504b9c02605 Four Different Decades on Transition and Reinvention (Modern Elders, Part 2) Today’s episode is Part 2 of our broadcast from Chip Conley’s Modern Elder Academy, the world's first wisdom school, located at the southernmost tip of Baja California, Mexico. Debbie spent a week at this magical place recently, along with a group of 17 other compadres. Her cohort ranged in age from 42 to 78. All were there to learn how to become a modern elder - someone who reframes a lifetime of experience in order to repurpose it for something new. A new direction, a new purpose, a reinvention.

In this episode, Debbie interviews four of her compadres, representing four mid-life decades from 40s to 70s.

  • Jose Beltran, 42, is an entrepreneur who has just embarked on a gap year after selling his restaurant in Mexico City.

  • Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo, 52, is a performance artist based in the Bronx who wants a change including a move to another (warmer) part of the country.

  • Paul Gilbert, 64, is a veteran executive producer, creative director and writer in San Francisco with a list of big name clients. He says it's time for a change.

  • Frances Valesco, 78, is a well-known artist, printmaker and teacher, also based in San Francisco. Recently widowed and with a short runway (her words) ahead of her, she is ready for new adventures.

Mentioned:

More about this episode's guests

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  • Paul Gilbert, at left; Frances Valesco, at right.

  • Jose Beltran

  • Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo (peeking around tree)

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]]> Fri, 3 May 2019 09:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-7-modern-elders-part-2-four-different-decades-on-transition-and-reinvention/ Today’s episode is Part 2 of our broadcast from Chip Conley’s Modern Elder Academy, the world's first wisdom school, located at the southernmost tip of Baja California, Mexico. Debbie spent a week at this magical place recently, along with a group of 17 other compadres. Her cohort ranged in age from 42 to 78. All were there to learn how to become a modern elder - someone who reframes a lifetime of experience in order to repurpose it for something new. A new direction, a new purpose, a reinvention.

In this episode, Debbie interviews four of her compadres, representing four mid-life decades from 40s to 70s.

  • Jose Beltran, 42, is an entrepreneur who has just embarked on a gap year after selling his restaurant in Mexico City.

  • Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo, 52, is a performance artist based in the Bronx who wants a change including a move to another (warmer) part of the country.

  • Paul Gilbert, 64, is a veteran executive producer, creative director and writer in San Francisco with a list of big name clients. He says it's time for a change.

  • Frances Valesco, 78, is a well-known artist, printmaker and teacher, also based in San Francisco. Recently widowed and with a short runway (her words) ahead of her, she is ready for new adventures.

Mentioned:

More about this episode's guests

Photos:

  • Paul Gilbert, at left; Frances Valesco, at right.

  • Jose Beltran

  • Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo (peeking around tree)

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]]> Four Different Decades on Transition and Reinvention (Modern Elders, Part 2) Debbie Weil 00:44:40 In Part 2 of our broadcast from Chip Conley’s Modern Elder Academy in Mexico, four compadres from four different decades talk about repurposing their life experience. In Part 2 of our broadcast from Chip Conley’s Modern Elder Academy in Mexico, four compadres from four different decades talk about repurposing their life experience. chip conley, reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, timeout, changing lives, time out, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, modern elder, gap year for grown-ups, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 7 1 3405ac9d-08be-4ae3-ab83-40ca6542af12 Chip Conley: Growing Wise at Modern Elder Academy Debbie interviews Chip Conley, New York Times best-selling author, rebel hospitality entrepreneur and now a rock star of the mid-life transition movement. After selling Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second largest boutique hotel brand in the U.S., Chip was invited at age 52 to work for AirBnB as an advisor to the young founders. He soon found himself to be both mentor and intern; the result was his newest book, "Wisdom @ Work, The Making of a Modern Elder." In January 2018, Chip founded Modern Elder Academy, the world's first mid-life wisdom school, in Baja California, Mexico. Together they talk about MEA's mission, which is to help mid-lifers mine their mastery, repurpose it and reset their mindset for the second half or third third of their life. They also talk about the experience of attending MEA where Debbie spent a week as a student and where she interviews Chip with waves pounding in the background.

Mentioned in Episode

Note: the NYT article didn't get the story quite right. MEA is for more than tech workers and it's not just a luxury retreat; it's for those 35 to 75 seeking a next step.

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Full disclosure: Modern Elder Academy is a sponsor of this podcast.

]]> Fri, 19 Apr 2019 09:00:08 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/chip-conley-growing-wise-at-modern-elder-academy/ Debbie interviews Chip Conley, New York Times best-selling author, rebel hospitality entrepreneur and now a rock star of the mid-life transition movement. After selling Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second largest boutique hotel brand in the U.S., Chip was invited at age 52 to work for AirBnB as an advisor to the young founders. He soon found himself to be both mentor and intern; the result was his newest book, "Wisdom @ Work, The Making of a Modern Elder." In January 2018, Chip founded Modern Elder Academy, the world's first mid-life wisdom school, in Baja California, Mexico. Together they talk about MEA's mission, which is to help mid-lifers mine their mastery, repurpose it and reset their mindset for the second half or third third of their life. They also talk about the experience of attending MEA where Debbie spent a week as a student and where she interviews Chip with waves pounding in the background.

Mentioned in Episode

Note: the NYT article didn't get the story quite right. MEA is for more than tech workers and it's not just a luxury retreat; it's for those 35 to 75 seeking a next step.

Support this podcast:

Credits:

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Thanks to our sponsors!

Full disclosure: Modern Elder Academy is a sponsor of this podcast.

]]> Chip Conley: Growing Wise at Modern Elder Academy Debbie Weil 00:24:49 Debbie interviews Chip Conley, New York Times best-selling author, rebel hospitality entrepreneur and a rock star of the mid-life transition movement. Chip's newest book is Wisdom @ Work and he is the founder of Modern Elder Academy, the world's first mid-life wisdom school, in Baja California, Mexico. Debbie interviews Chip Conley, New York Times best-selling author, rebel hospitality entrepreneur and a rock star of the mid-life transition movement. Chip's newest book is Wisdom @ Work and he is the founder of Modern Elder Academy, the world's first mid-life wisdom school, in Baja California, Mexico. reinvent yourself, gap year after sixty, shifting gears, timeout, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, reinvention, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, modern elder, gap year for grown-ups, gap year after fifty, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 6 1 59f7ca18-382e-40da-84eb-65b02d8a019a Dr. Sam Harrington on Writing His First Book After Taking a Gap Year Debbie chats with her husband, Sam Harrington, about the experience of writing a book and about being a first-time author. Yes, writing a book was on Sam's bucket list but he never seriously considered it until their gap year when he had the time and mental space to focus on it.

A practicing physician in D.C. for 31 years, he realized he had deep knowledge and a strong point of view about how the elderly should make decisions at the end of life. The result is AT PEACE: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life (Hachette 2018). Debbie is a nonfiction writing coach and editor and she asks Sam the tough questions about writing his book.

This episode will be of interest to anyone who has A BOOK on their bucket list - lots of practical tips and truth-telling.

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Other end-of-life books

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]]> Fri, 5 Apr 2019 09:00:30 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-5-sam-harrington-writing-a-book-after-taking-a-gap-year/ Debbie chats with her husband, Sam Harrington, about the experience of writing a book and about being a first-time author. Yes, writing a book was on Sam's bucket list but he never seriously considered it until their gap year when he had the time and mental space to focus on it.

A practicing physician in D.C. for 31 years, he realized he had deep knowledge and a strong point of view about how the elderly should make decisions at the end of life. The result is AT PEACE: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life (Hachette 2018). Debbie is a nonfiction writing coach and editor and she asks Sam the tough questions about writing his book.

This episode will be of interest to anyone who has A BOOK on their bucket list - lots of practical tips and truth-telling.

Mentioned in the episode:

Other end-of-life books

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]]> Dr. Sam Harrington on Writing His First Book After Taking a Gap Year Debbie Weil 00:33:41 An editor herself, Debbie interviews her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, about writing a book and about the experience of becoming a first-time author. If A BOOK is on your bucket list, don't miss this episode. An editor herself, Debbie interviews her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, about writing a book and about the experience of becoming a first-time author. If A BOOK is on your bucket list, don't miss this episode. editing, gap year after sixty, book writing process, book writing, changing lives, time out, gapyear, publishing, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, book coach, publishing a book, switching gears, downsizing, writing a book, first time author, gig economy, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 5 1 02cc0984-1bba-41da-9baa-f78b12c16297 Karen Wickre: What You Need to Know About Networking to Reinvent Your Life In today's episode, Debbie interviews Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editorial director at both Google and Twitter. Karen left Twitter in 2016 at age almost 65 - not to retire but to reinvent herself as a writer and consultant. She is the author of the new book Taking the Work Out of Networking. Karen shares tips and strategies on how to manage the transition from corporate life to what comes next (stay open!) and how that applies to using a gap year to find your next thing. She and Debbie also explore ageism in our modern culture and talk about the importance of having a network at any stage in life.

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]]> Fri, 22 Mar 2019 11:00:13 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-4-karen-wickre-what-you-need-to-know-about-networking-to-reinvent-your-life/ In today's episode, Debbie interviews Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editorial director at both Google and Twitter. Karen left Twitter in 2016 at age almost 65 - not to retire but to reinvent herself as a writer and consultant. She is the author of the new book Taking the Work Out of Networking. Karen shares tips and strategies on how to manage the transition from corporate life to what comes next (stay open!) and how that applies to using a gap year to find your next thing. She and Debbie also explore ageism in our modern culture and talk about the importance of having a network at any stage in life.

Mentioned in the episode

Support this podcast:

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Thanks to our sponsors!

]]> Karen Wickre: What You Need to Know About Networking to Reinvent Your Life Debbie Weil 00:28:23 Debbie interviews Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editorial director at Google and Twitter. Karen left Twitter in 2016 - not to retire but to reinvent herself as a writer and consultant. She is the author of the new book TAKING THE WORK OUT OF NETWORKING. Debbie interviews Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editorial director at Google and Twitter. Karen left Twitter in 2016 - not to retire but to reinvent herself as a writer and consultant. She is the author of the new book TAKING THE WORK OUT OF NETWORKING. gap year after sixty, ageism, networking, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, community, switching gears, downsizing, writing a book, connexion, gig economy, support group, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, network, early retirement false full 4 1 de441558-b8b2-4420-8a4f-a81a8f508ea4 Alasdair & Julie-Roxane on Why Money Is Not the Biggest Obstacle to a Gap Year Debbie interviews Julie-Roxane Krikorian and Alasdair Plambeck, a young couple living in a tiny house in southwest France whose gap year turned into real life. They unpack the money question: do you really need a lot of money to take a gap year? Debbie addresses the privilege question: is a gap year just a First World concept for those who have the luxury of dropping out of their current life? Full disclosure: J-R is producer and editor of Debbie's podcast.

Mentioned in this episode:

Alasdair and JR's podcast

Alasdair's blog

Host: Debbie Weil

Producer: JR Krikorian

Sponsor: Next For Me

Music: Manuel Senfft

Subscribe on iTunes

]]> Fri, 8 Mar 2019 13:00:09 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-3-why-money-is-not-the-biggest-obstacle-to-a-gap-year/ Debbie interviews Julie-Roxane Krikorian and Alasdair Plambeck, a young couple living in a tiny house in southwest France whose gap year turned into real life. They unpack the money question: do you really need a lot of money to take a gap year? Debbie addresses the privilege question: is a gap year just a First World concept for those who have the luxury of dropping out of their current life? Full disclosure: J-R is producer and editor of Debbie's podcast.

Mentioned in this episode:

Alasdair and JR's podcast

Alasdair's blog

Host: Debbie Weil

Producer: JR Krikorian

Sponsor: Next For Me

Music: Manuel Senfft

Subscribe on iTunes

]]> Alasdair & Julie-Roxane on Why Money Is Not the Biggest Obstacle to a Gap Year Debbie Weil 00:29:12 A young couple living in a tiny house in southwest France talk with Debbie about the money question: are gap years just for the privileged? Do you need a lot of money to take a gap year? A young couple living in a tiny house in southwest France talk with Debbie about the money question: are gap years just for the privileged? Do you need a lot of money to take a gap year? gap year after sixty, changing lives, time out, gapyear, money, tiny house, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, saving money, early retirement false full 3 1 f844ca2f-3a3b-426e-a1d3-32b6f3afc47f Debbie & Sam on Deciding to Take a Gap Year at Age 62 Debbie talks to Sam about the origins of their gap year. Sam was a successful physician in private practice in Washington DC. He explains the logistics, the timing and the deeper questions about making the life-changing decision to leave his medical practice after 31 years. Together, Debbie and Sam talk about why their gap year was not the same thing as a sabbatical or retirement.

Mentioned in this episode:

[Gap Year After Sixty] 1 blog

Debbie’s husband and gap year co-conspirator: Sam Harrington

Sam's book AT PEACE: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life

Host: Debbie Weil

Producer: Julie-Roxane Krikorian

Music: Manuel Senfft

Subscribe on iTunes

]]> Fri, 22 Feb 2019 10:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-2-deciding-to-take-a-gap-year-at-62/ Debbie talks to Sam about the origins of their gap year. Sam was a successful physician in private practice in Washington DC. He explains the logistics, the timing and the deeper questions about making the life-changing decision to leave his medical practice after 31 years. Together, Debbie and Sam talk about why their gap year was not the same thing as a sabbatical or retirement.

Mentioned in this episode:

[Gap Year After Sixty] 1 blog

Debbie’s husband and gap year co-conspirator: Sam Harrington

Sam's book AT PEACE: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life

Host: Debbie Weil

Producer: Julie-Roxane Krikorian

Music: Manuel Senfft

Subscribe on iTunes

]]> Debbie & Sam on Deciding to Take a Gap Year at Age 62 Debbie Weil 00:22:54 Debbie interviews her husband and co-conspirator, Sam Harrington, about the gap year they took together. Debbie interviews her husband and co-conspirator, Sam Harrington, about the gap year they took together. gap year after sixty, changing lives, time out, gapyear, semi-retirement, thinking about a gap year, switching gears, downsizing, gig economy, portfolio life, gap year, year off work, early retirement false full 2 1 a6b68cda-dda5-41b4-80f1-485f8ed11d18 Why Gap Years Are Not Wasted on the Young In Episode 1 Debbie explores the difference between student and grown-up gap years. She reminisces with her 88-year-old father about her first "gap year" when, as a 14-year-old, she was sent to school in France for one year. No, she was not allowed to go to Paris for a holiday break in the company of several 16-year-old boys. Then she interviews her three adult children who each took a gap year before starting university. It turns out that gap years are NOT wasted on the young.

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Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

 

]]> Fri, 8 Feb 2019 10:00:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/blog/podcasts/episode-1-gap-years-are-not-wasted-on-the-young/ In Episode 1 Debbie explores the difference between student and grown-up gap years. She reminisces with her 88-year-old father about her first "gap year" when, as a 14-year-old, she was sent to school in France for one year. No, she was not allowed to go to Paris for a holiday break in the company of several 16-year-old boys. Then she interviews her three adult children who each took a gap year before starting university. It turns out that gap years are NOT wasted on the young.

Mentioned in episode

Support this podcast:

Credits:

Connect with us:

Thanks to our Media Partners!

  • Encore.org, an ideas and innovation hub tapping the talent of those 50+ as a force for good.
  • Modern Elder Academy Navigating mid-life transitions: Grow Whole, Not Old.
  • Next For Me Rewriting +50 life through new work, a new purpose, or a new social contribution.

 

]]> Why Gap Years Are Not Wasted on the Young Debbie Weil 00:27:10 Starting from the premise that gap years - a chance for reinvention and renewal - might be wasted on the young, Debbie set out to explore the difference between student and grown-up gap years by interviewing her three adult children. Starting from the premise that gap years - a chance for reinvention and renewal - might be wasted on the young, Debbie set out to explore the difference between student and grown-up gap years by interviewing her three adult children. gap years, time out, gap year, reinvent your life, reset your life, travel, reset, grown-up gap year, time off, student gap year false full 1 1 2f8ee148-67ac-4698-b692-b0ab39c90e18 Trailer A podcast hosted by Debbie Weil for grown-ups who believe you can step out of your default life for a gap or timeout, to find meaning and purpose, and especially when you are 50+ and figuring out what comes next.

Host: Debbie Weil

Special Guest: Sam Harrington

Gap Year blog: Gap Year After Sixty

Producer: Julie-Roxane

Sponsored by Next For Me

Subscribe on iTunes

]]> Tue, 15 Jan 2019 18:57:00 +0000 wordbiz@gmail.com (Debbie Weil) https://debbieweil.com/podcast A podcast hosted by Debbie Weil for grown-ups who believe you can step out of your default life for a gap or timeout, to find meaning and purpose, and especially when you are 50+ and figuring out what comes next.

Host: Debbie Weil

Special Guest: Sam Harrington

Gap Year blog: Gap Year After Sixty

Producer: Julie-Roxane

Sponsored by Next For Me

Subscribe on iTunes

]]> Trailer Debbie Weil 00:01:26 A podcast for grown-ups who believe you can take a timeout to reinvent your life, to find meaning and purpose, and especially when you are 50+ and figuring out what comes next. A podcast for grown-ups who believe you can take a timeout to reinvent your life, to find meaning and purpose, and especially when you are 50+ and figuring out what comes next. baby boomers, timeout, reinvention, boomers, aging, gap year false full 6 1