The final snowflakes from the latest storm finished their descent as I signed off Zoom, feeling inspired by the turnout for Exploring the Wisdom Years. I didn’t expect such a strong response, and the moment I started the meeting, the room filled, leaving others stranded. I felt terrible and was relieved to know I had a recording I could share in this week’s blog.

Until I discovered I didn’t. My webmaster Terry and I thought the other had hit record, and we missed the whole show. Ugh.

This isn’t my first rodeo, and I’ve made my share of mistakes over the years, so I knew enough to put a time limit on how long I’d let myself be upset. (I could have ruminated about it all night!). It was such a huge disappointment, and I’m sorry I didn’t have a recording to share with you today. But I have a fix.

Fortunately, I took notes. We had a rich conversation about the things that are rarely discussed when it comes to aging. Topics like loneliness and how to make meaningful, local friends. Facing the inevitable grief and loss that come with age. The perils of not talking about death, and what we can do to feel more alive every single day.

We also talked about releasing the responsibilities that prevent us from doing what we really want with our time and energy. We all wanted to “be” more and “do” less. And we collectively agreed that there’s a compelling desire to let things go at midlife and beyond – clutter, people who no longer feel like a fit, past experiences that are said and done, and outgrown goals and dreams that weren’t meant to see the light of day.

The call went longer than initially planned as the conversation continued – providing for our care without burdening others later in life, becoming the kind of elder that people want to spend time with, and getting good at receiving support before we need it so we don’t hurt relationships with our resistance. There were resources shared, notes put into the chat, and attendees brave enough to share their fears so we could all benefit from a bit of coaching. It’s such a shame it didn’t get recorded because these are vital conversations that will radically improve how we age.

That’s why I’m doing it again. I’ve scheduled another Zoom meeting for Wednesday, February 12th, at 3 pm ET (12 noon PT/8 pm GMT). This one will be in a larger room with the record button firmly pressed. During our gathering, I’ll quickly review some of the valuable material from the last meeting (with fresh perspectives), continue the conversation, and do some coaching related to the topics we discuss. If you registered for the last one, you’ll automatically be sent the Zoom invitation for this next one (on Monday) and again as a reminder on Wednesday. If you didn’t, you can join us by registering here.

You’ll get the invitation right away and a reminder on Wednesday, too.

I’m so sorry, and I appreciate your understanding. I look forward to doing a new and improved version with you again this week!

Love,

Cheryl