"Aging is a slow and steady process of change that ultimately leads to us becoming our unique, individual selves." From Ageism Unmasked written by Tracey Gendron, PhD #agefreely #changeisgood #agingawakening #ageism #mindsetquotes

Yesterday was the last day of being in my sixties. Today I am seventy 🥂 I have been excited about becoming seventy for three or four years. People have given me the oddest looks when I’ve said this out loud. Sometimes they would say why in a tone that was incredulous, as if something was wrong with me. Yesterday, as I was sitting and writing in my journal, I was surprised to notice some fear around turning seventy. When I looked inward, a few things stood out. I had recently had pneumonia, and my body was still weak, stiff, and tired. The ageism marketing showed up right away — the downward spiral. If you’re not strong, aging will be awful. You’ve got to get it together or else. Ah. My specialty. Ageism. I said hi. I know you. You’re not welcome here. I don’t have to do a damn thing to age well except be true to what is important to me. My siblings all got Alzheimer’s when they were around seventy-five. That’s only five years away. I am ten years younger than my closest sibling, so I have watched this. On top of that, my mom and her only biological sister died from it as well. This has been deeply sad for me, for each of them, and for the loved ones who care for them. It has also helped me on my aging freely path. I never thought about having a long life. Without the illusion of a long life — like most of us have — my life became more precious, more tended for what is important to me now... #agefreely #embraceyourage

What would your life look like if you followed your curiosity today? 🌸 Curiosity is innate. It doesn’t belong to the young. What fades with age isn’t curiosity—it’s permission. We’re told it’s too late, that there’s no point, that if we won’t be good at something we shouldn’t begin. That curiosity should be useful, productive, or impressive—or not indulged at all. But curiosity isn’t about being good at something. It’s about being alive to your own questions. It’s about refusing the quiet narrowing that ageism encourages. Following curiosity later it’s plain out fun! It says: I’m still here. I still wonder. I still choose learning over stagnation. #curiosity #beingalive #mindsetquotes #agefreely #embraceyourage

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆, 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄? It’s a question I return to often. Especially as I get older, and notice how much life has changed me—what I’ve lived through, what I’ve let go of, what I carry differently. So many things mattered deeply in the past. And sometimes we forget to update our answers. This is what I love about working as a counselor. I get to sit with people as they pause long enough to ask this question—sometimes because life has pressured them into it, sometimes because they’re in crisis, and sometimes because something inside them is asking for more realness. There’s a softness in that kind of reflection. No fixing. No rushing. Just listening inward and letting the present moment speak. Often, the work isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about honoring who we are today—and allowing our lives to gently realign around what truly, truly matters. If you’re feeling drawn to this kind of reflection and wondering what it might be like to explore it with support. You can learn more about my approach here: https://www.agefreely.com/counseling #agefreely #counseling #reflection

When we were younger, grief felt like a threat. Like if we let it in, it would destroy us. The end of my second marriage almost did me in. For a moment, I didn’t know how or if I wanted to keep going. Recently, a friend and I were talking about everything we’ve lost, almost like a poker game of I’ll raise you one more. And somehow, we ended up laughing. And laughing. Not because it didn’t matter. But because we’ve learned this. Grief hurts, but it doesn’t end us. Time doesn’t erase grief. It teaches us how to carry it. It changes us, softens us, makes life beautiful in ways we didn’t expect. We begin to recognize ourselves in one another. Grief changes shape over time, but it never leaves. We learn how to walk hand in hand with it. We grieve what we love. And that love still lives here. #grief #griefjourney #agefreely #embraceimpermanence #loveandjoy

I am at the ocean at sunrise. Sometimes, when I look at it, something essential surfaces. Not only its beauty but its truth. Nothing here is fixed. The waves rise and dissolve. The horizon holds, even as everything moves. Life is like this too. Not a series of closed or opened doors, but an ongoing invitation to loosen our grip, to be held by the movement of life itself. There is always more space than we think. More room to breathe. More life unfolding, especially when we stop fighting change. #agefreely #sunrisephotography #horizon #breathe #embraceyourage

No, We Don’t Get to Sit This One Out. I keep hearing older adults say, “I’ve done my part. Now it’s up to the younger folks.” That’s ridiculous. These are not times for elders to vanish. These are times that require us. Aging freely doesn’t mean retreating from the world. It means showing up without fear of losing approval, relevance, or status. Younger generations are in the streets—organizing, protesting, demanding change—often carrying more than they should have to carry alone. What they don’t need is our opinions from the sidelines. They need our presence. We bring emotional resilience. Long-view perspective. The ability to stay grounded when things are loud, messy, scary, and uncertain. And yes—we still know the old protest songs from our time in the streets when we were young. That wisdom wasn’t meant to be hoarded or retired. It was earned for moments exactly like this. Aging freely means refusing invisibility. Refusing silence. Refusing the lie that our time of service is over. So no—we don’t get to sit this one out. We age freely by standing with them. In the streets. In the tension. In the work of shaping what comes next. #speakout #resilience #nokings #portlandoregon #ageoutloud

Different stage. Same beauty 🌸 We’re taught to think aging narrows our lives. And it does. It hones them. I’ve found the opposite, too. What changes with time isn’t possibility, that has always been true, it’s texture. Petals on the ground. Color where we didn’t expect it. Beauty that looks different than it once did. This stage tells different stories than the ones we told at 20. Not better. Not worse. Just shaped by where we are now. Aging freely, to me, is letting that be enough. Letting this moment be beautiful, including everything. #agefreely #embraceyourage #beauty #enjoythemoment #impermanence

Living in Mexico has been a quiet teacher 🌞🌺 With age, my attention has narrowed in the best possible way. I’m less interested in collecting experiences and more interested in noticing them—the light on the lake, the way mornings unfold more slowly here. Awe doesn’t arrive automatically. Sunsets happen whether I look up or not. Aging and the beauty all around me has simply made me more willing to pause, to receive what’s already being offered. Do you notice awe arriving differently as you grow older? #agefreely #awe #theartofnoticing #mexico #sunsetlovers

I just wrote the closing passage to my book. The book I’m about to start writing. No opening chapter. No table of contents. No outline. Just the ending. 😂 So here it is—the last page of a book that doesn’t exist yet: — If there is anything I know now, it is this: life was never asking us to stay the same. Aging was never the betrayal. Impermanence was never the enemy. What has harmed us is the story that says change is a problem and decline is failure. I have come to see that every stage of life carries its own intelligence, its own way of opening us. What falls away makes room for what can only arrive later—depth, tenderness, perspective, a different kind of joy. Not the joy of happiness, underneath happiness is the joy that comes from being here for what is. I share this because so many of us have been taught to turn on ourselves as time passes, to grow less curious, sidelined, or ashamed of what is natural. To age freely is not to deny loss or pretend that growing older is easy. It is to stop fighting the natural rhythm of living. It is to loosen our grip on who we were told to be and listen more closely to who we are becoming. When we do this, something softens. We become less afraid of time and more intimate with life. Nothing about this requires perfection, optimism, or bravery. It requires only willingness—the willingness to meet each moment as it passes, to honor what is ending, and to welcome what is still unfolding. In making friends with impermanence, we do not shrink. We expand. And in that expansion, we discover that we have been aging into ourselves all along. — So yes. I’ve written the ending before the beginning. Stay tuned for Chapter One. Whenever that decides to arrive. 😉 What is trying to emerge in your life that you haven’t figured out yet—and maybe don’t believe you’re qualified to bring forward? #agefreely #embraceyourage #impermanence #ageism #lifeisamiracle

So grateful to be a guest on Let’s Keep It Real with Sandy Joy Weston — real conversations about aging, inner freedom, and showing up fully without filters or bullshit. One moment that stayed with me: a 15-year-old girl asked if her 25-year-old sister getting Botox was her future. That question says everything about the pressure we’re putting on young women — and why these conversations matter. Because getting older should mean getting freer. Check out the podcast on my website! #ageism #agefreely #podcast #keepitreal #authenticity

I love questions. They help me come home to myself. And with age, the important questions change. A new year always invites possibility— but so does being alive and curious at this age. So here’s a question for those of us over 50: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠? Like this unopened bud, not everything blooms on the same schedule. Some things are simply right on time. #ageoutloud #agefreely #newyear #possibilities #embraceyourage

Cultivate Some Wisdom in 2026🌞🎉 One way I cultivate wisdom is by asking questions: Questions that invite me to look back and notice who I am now. In this video, I answered one of the questions myself: What have you learned about yourself through grief and loss? And there’s so much discovery there— in learning about myself, and in learning about others. I also shared a few more questions: What have you learned about apologizing that you didn’t know when you were younger? What have you learned about joy and happiness as you’ve gotten older? What have you learned about love— and how you express love at this time of life? And what are you learning about vulnerability as you age? You don’t have to answer them all. Just notice which one pauses you. That pause… is often where the wisdom is waiting... #wisdom #reflexion #innerfreedom #aging #embraceyourage

Who Might You Become? • What identity have you already let go of that once defined you? • What identity are you still holding onto—even though it no longer fits? • Who might you become if you stopped protecting that identity? #aging #proaging #identity #innerfreedom #embraceyourage

Ageism is bullshit. I’ve lost most of my family to Alzheimer’s, so I know aging will bring grief—lots of it, in so many forms. But it can also deepen love, compassion, and awe. I’ve learned that decline isn’t just loss; it brings the goodies—doorways to inner freedom, connection, and joy. Aging is a gift, too often left unopened... #ageism #agingwell #innerfreedom

Is it too late? What have you been saying it’s too late to do? And is that actually true, or just ageism in disguise? Maybe... #agefreely #ageism #keepgrowing

𝗝𝘂𝗺𝗽-𝘂𝗽-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀! 🎉🎄 My card game was included in Maria Shriver’s Holiday Catalog — in the section called “Gifts That Bring Us Together.” Truly the heart of why it was created. As we head into a new year—after so much polarization—imagine giving yourself and the people you care about a doorway into deeper conversations and fresh ways of thinking about aging. If you haven't yet, check out Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper— it’s a weekly space for reflection, connection, and inspiration in a noisy, divided world. Find the game on Amazon: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Older-Renewable-Conversational-re-Visioning-Adventure/dp/B0CJT9T4PT Here’s to gifts that bring us together. #BringUsTogether #mariashriver #deeptalk

Two questions from today’s Updating Your Life video — the ones that can shift everything: ❓Knowing that life is short… what do you really, really, really want now? ❓Looking back now… how do you feel/think about your childhood? 🌀Pause. Breathe. Tell the truth to yourself. #aging #proaging #wisdom

“…we need to practice staying in relationship to the Mysterious Whole of Life, so we can have the company of those moments when beauty, depth, and meaning are felt but partially perceived. Like a bird that feels the lift of the wind, though it can’t know the entire sky, we can feel the lift of life, though we can’t know the Whole of Life. And feeling the lift of life is the blessed sensation we know as joy.” — Mark Nepo, The Fifth Season of Life #agingfreely #findingjoy #natureinspires

What’s one of your insights that you had in your fifties or sixties that is really important to you? You were like this then, and now you’re like more this now? #ageism #proaging #impermanence

Who benefits when we believe that looking young for your age is the only way to be valuable as you age? #agefreely #ageism #agewithattitude #mindsetmatters #oversixty #wisdomquotes #vitalaging #agingcommunity #proaging

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹? One of mine? I genuinely believe life is a miracle and that aging and death aren’t mistakes, or glitches, but part of the beauty. (I even like the fading away) This question is one of four from Older: A Renewable Life, the conversational card game I co-created. AARP blew them up into giant write-on boards for their Vital Aging Conference — where I got to be the keynote, which still feels both thrilling and slightly absurd. People stopped, reflected, and wrote honest things on these giant boards. The man in this photo is just one of many who picked up a marker and said something real. And now AARP is taking these boards on the road — which means more conversations about aging happening out in the wild, exactly where they belong. Now you: What’s one quality that helps you age well? #agingfreely #proaging #ageoutloud #agingawakening #agingwell #agingwithjoy #wiseaging #vitalaging #aarp #aarporegon #agingcommunity #reimagineaging #lifeisamiracle #embraceimpermanence #modernelders #curiousaging #growoldergrowwiser

𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼. To me, it represents what it’s like to look within as we fly past 60—so intricate, so worth examining closely. The dark and the light. The textures and turns. And then~stepping back~ seeing how all the threads of our lives interweave into a single, beautiful tapestry of a life lived to this point. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦? #aging #ageism #agefreely #darkandlight #oversixty

All ages, all stages of life have inherent beauty, value, and uniqueness! Can you see this in yourself? Only ageism says otherwise. #aging #ageism #agefreely #innerfreedom #hibiscus #flowers

Are you afraid of death? Most of us are. But fearing death too much robs us of inner peace. Making peace with it invites us to trust the process— the same mysterious rhythm that brings birth, love, loss, and renewal. When we face mortality before we die, we meet life’s edge— and discover it’s not an ending, but a deep call to live more fully, more gently, more contentedly, until the very end. As Día de los Muertos approaches, may we remember: to honor the lives that shaped us, to cherish the one we’re still living, and to trust the exquisite cycle of life and death. #aging #ageism #díademuertos #lifeanddeath #impermanence

Declines bring the expansions until death. That’s aging freely in a nutshell. Aging is an elegant design of life. The very declines we fear are what make freedom, joy, and wisdom more possible. Society teaches us to see them as only losses — instead of doorways. Radical, I know. But what if, instead of avoiding them, we just said yes? ✨ What might open up for you if you stopped resisting the natural flow of aging? ✨ #aging #agefreely #oversixty #ageism #innerfreedom #positivethinking

How many extra years of life do people gain—on average—when they hold positive views of their own aging? Answer: 7.5 years. And here’s the kicker: this advantage held true even after factoring in age, gender, income, loneliness, and health. The study followed 660 people aged 50 and older, and the results were clear—how you see your aging shapes how you live your aging. #aging #ageism #agefreely #positivemindset #innerfreedom

On my way to my upcoming AARP talk, I was thrilled to join the march in Portland, Oregon. Nothing like walking alongside patriots of all ages — especially so many olders! #nokings #nokingsprotest #portlandoregon

Wonder and Awe Wonder is awe’s little sister, the one that whispers, “Look.” It lives in the small, everyday moments we often rush past. Wonder is always available when we choose to notice, just look up, or see something familiar with fresh eyes. It could be the spots on your dog, or the sparkle of light on water. Research shows experiences of wonder reduce depression and anxiety, ease loneliness, and even improve physical health. Awe is wonder’s big sibling—the one that stops us in our tracks. It rises when we turn a corner and see a vast mountain vista, watch a sunset, or learn how trees communicate underground. For me, watching the sunset off my mirador brings me into connection with all that is. Awe softens our grip on life and reminds us we’re held within something larger, an aliveness too vast to fully grasp, yet breathtaking to experience. What is it for you? #wonder #awe #aging #ageism #agingwithattitude #sunsetlovers #mexico

This quote sparked my early passion for exploring what it means to age without ageism. It’ll be up on the screen behind me as people gather for my AARP talk on 11/8 — that’s how much it means to me. What does it evoke for you? #aging #ageism #quotesdaily #aarp #agefreely #innerfreedom

“One of the greatest gifts I have received over the last few years is learning how to be fully present in my life. I have never thought of it in terms of Making Peace With Impermanence but this resonates with me on a deeply spiritual level. As the 'rest of my life' draws closer there is such freedom in experiencing each day as all that matters. Thank you Kat for bringing more depth to my understanding.” – Jane Broadribb Jane’s words touched me deeply, especially today as I’ve been working on this very theme for my upcoming AARP keynote. Impermanence isn’t the enemy, it’s the key to aging freely. Nothing stays the same; everything shifts and evolves. It’s not a flaw in life’s design—it is life’s design. Aging invites us to release what no longer serves us, even the parts we thought we couldn’t live without, so we can become something more real 🤍 #aging #ageism #agingwithattitude #impermanence #counseling

My new online home is here! I had that jump-up-and-down feeling — so happy, so excited. That thrill doesn’t go away with age. It’s like finally setting up your dream workshop, or remodeling the kitchen just the way you love it. Everything in its place, and the doors are open. Come on in ✨ #agefreely #ageism #podcast #speaker #aging #agingwithattitude #tedxspeaker #newwebsite

Realizing that death is coming sooner rather than later can serve as an initiation into a larger, more authentic life. By turning inward, we discover the source of love, wisdom, and joy already within us. #wisdomquotes #wisdom #joyandpeace #authenticity #impermanence #ageism #agewithattitude #aging #agefreely

It's podcast time! Ageism impacts us all, but women are often the ones who feel it most deeply. From the beauty industry’s narratives to cultural conditioning, we’re taught that our value is tied to youth. In this conversation with Kat Miller, MA in Spiritual Psychology, we explore how aging can become a powerful catalyst for freedom, truth, and self-discovery. Kat shares her 35+ years of experience counseling, teaching, and creating art that reveals the inherent beauty of impermanence. 🎙️ Listen now and shift the way you think about aging ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/katmillerpodcast #podcast #ageism #agingwithattitude #wisdom #truth #breakingfree #innerfreedom #impermanence

Ageism kills curiosity. But when we follow curiosity life rises to meet us. We lean in. It leans back, refreshing, connecting, expanding us at any age’ -Kat #proaging #agefreely #agingwithattitude #embracelife #livefreely

For years I believed the stories people tell about aging, the decline, the loss, the limits. I even tried to list them all once… and realized not a single one was true! What’s a belief you carried with you for too long, only to discover it was never real, and maybe even kept you from growing or being happy? Life after 60 can be vibrant, meaningful, and deeply fulfilling. If you’d like to reflect more, watch my TEDx Talk 🎤 #agefreely #impermanence #embraceyourage #proaging #aging #innerfreedom #beliefs #lifeafter60

As the seasons change and fall settles in, it’s a reminder that connection matters most. 🍂 Take a break from the chaos for a moment, and gather your people for Older—the card game that turns conversations into something meaningful. 💛 🗣️ “This game is about so much more than aging. As we played, it became about intimacy, compassion, and appreciation.” #agefreely #agingwithattitude #embraceyourage #aging #meaningful #innerfreedom

The Dynamic Dance of Aging: What fuels my passion is the dynamic interplay between decline and expansion that characterizes aging. My research and personal reflections have shown that the true “goodies” of aging often emerge through the very process of decline. This natural evolution, when approached with awareness, transforms fear into awe, reshaping our mindset and experiences around aging and dying. #aging #agingwithattitude #impermanence #embraceyourage #innerfreedom #agefreely

We’re all swimming in ageism 🏊‍♀️ ‘I feel 35, not 75’ → but this is what 75 feels like. Vitality isn’t reserved for youth, it belongs to every age! #agefreely #proaging #agepositive #impermanence #innerfreedom #vitality #tedx #tedxtalks #tedxspeaker

They say we’re too old to be passionate… I say the opposite. When we are passionate about something, we naturally want to share it. Being on a podcast lets me explore all the ways we can age freely, with conversations that are both deep and fun 🎙️ What are you passionate about sharing? ➡️ Find out more: https://agefreely.com/speaker/ #agefreely #embraceyourage #aging #innerfreedom #podcastlife #podcast🎧 #tedxspeaker #tedxtalks

🌸 What’s one “aging story” you were told that turned out to be total crap? 👀 I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s learn from each other! 💬 #aging #embraceyourage #agepositive #proaging #innerfreedom #beyourself #agefreely

✨ Aging perk unlocked: arm wings! Who knew wisdom came with bonus features? Show me your wings! 👉 Full talk — link in bio #agefreely #agepositive #proaging #impermanence #agingwithattitude #tedx #tedxspeaker

When we’re young, everyone is curious about our future: What do you want to be? What are your dreams? What’s important to you? But once we turn sixty, those questions seem to disappear. Isn’t it ironic? Life gets shorter, yet curiosity about our passions and aspirations fades away. ✨ What if we asked older adults the same questions again? What excites you now? How do you want to spend your time? What do you still long to experience? That simple shift could transform ageism — moving from the belief that the best years are behind us to celebrating experience, wisdom, and possibility. This is exactly what Older invites us to explore. More than just a game about aging, Older: A Renewable Life, is a conversational card game that opens the door to intimacy, compassion, and appreciation. It sparks meaningful dialogue, encourages reflection, and helps us connect more deeply — not just with others, but with ourselves. 🌱 It’s more than a game. It’s an invitation to be curious about aging, to share stories, to listen, and to rediscover what truly matters in the later chapters of life. 👉 Ready to experience it for yourself? Find Older now on Amazon, link in bio! #agepositive #proaging #impermanence #agefreely #innerfreedom #embraceyourage #agingwithattitude #cardgame

“I made the perfect choice yesterday to attend my session with Kat Miller. I was able to order my thoughts with the perfect application of her talent for zeroing-in on bullshit and calling it out. That she also does it with compassion indicates that, back when young Kat was sorting out her vocation, she experienced a rare blessing as she packed up her toolkit.” Margaret Larson- Client Reading this testimonial, I feel such joy — not only in making a difference, but in witnessing the courage it takes for someone to step into their truer self 🌺 #embraceyourage #agefreely #agingwithattitude #agepositive #innerfreedom #innerpeace

If your over 60 and inspiration, curiosity and gratitude are not a big part of your life, you have fallen under the bus of ageism and missing out on the best of aging. And whoever told you that flying is impossible was certainly wrong, in two ways! 🪂☀️ #aging #agingwithattitude #aginglikefinewine #agefreely #goldenyears #embraceyourage #limitless #innerfreedom

Aging s*cks? Nah, I’m just getting started 🤓🔥 Wanna know more? Check out my TEDx Talk – link in bio! 🎤✨ #agefreely #ageing #agepositive #unstoppable #tedxtalks #tedxspeaker

Turns out, the “rules” about how we should age, act, and look were written by people trying to sell us something. I’m done buying it. Literally and figuratively. The more noise I drop, the opinions, the fake standards, the pressure, the more space there is for what’s real. And it’s lighter here. Freer. Like the hummingbird, sipping freely from whatever life offers, no permission required. #ageingfreely #authenticaging #liveyourtruth #age #livefully #healthylifestyle

This poem speaks to me and I am a Kim Rosen fan! Does it speak to you? Letter to Myself at Twenty-One Rosemerry Whatola Trommer 
What is it that shines through all this withering?
—Kim Rosen, “Grand Finale”
 
 
You would be embarrassed of my body.
You would never believe contentment
is possible with a belly this soft
and legs this thick, but sweetheart,
I promise you I love being alive
in this time-ripened body that still
carries me into the garden to plant
snap peas, this body that cradles
my grown girls, that explores
the familiar terrain of my husband,
that walks through spruce forests and thrills
at the scent of evergreen and rain.
It is so much easier now to be gentle
with myself, even easy to be gentle with you.
Easy to forgive you for thinking you needed
to starve these bones. The irony is
you never felt beautiful, did you, and now,
when I am so far from your ideal,
I’ve never felt more lovely—
which is to say there is something
inside, a radiance, that beacons through
the crumbling walls of the body,
and the real beauty is being in service
to that shine, becoming less and less
a vessel and more and more that light.

Here is my flower photo that I took this morning. I'm looking forward to seeing yours!

An Exercise In Aging Freely with Impermanence #tedxtalks #agingfreely #impermanence #

This is what wrinkles look like on a flower, they are as beautiful on you! Open to wrinkles as something other than ugly. It’s a trip to break free from conditioning, it frees us each time we do it.

Earlier today, I posted a flower photo and my copy was about withering, the exquisite beauty of withering. Here is the human version of my flower photo. What life, what beauty, what participation. Withering full of life. Watch the interview it’s fantastic. Find yourself in this one example…

This is what withering looks like. When there is no comparison there is only beauty.

Watch my TEDx Talk, it’s live on March 22nd. So if your here in Ajijic, come support me and the line up of speakers. To learn more and to purchase tickets https://ted.com/tedx/events/58995 This is a dream come true for me!!!!!! #agingfreely #tedxtalks #impermanence #proaging

Working on refining my TEDx talk this morning. What I had was ok, pretty mental, it lacked aliveness. Right after I rewrote it, I moved my IPAD off my lap and kicked my hands and feet up in the air, out of happiness and being proud of myself. An actual example of what I just rewrote! I would love to hear how this applies to you? Yes, aging can bring the profound inner experiences we've yearned for: the tender self-love that lets you look in the mirror and smile at every wrinkle, the deep acceptance that allows you to let go of long held self judgments, and the kind of joy that holds you steady in both exquisite and heartbreaking moments. It’s a time of wisdom that lets you see patterns in life with clarity, contentment in savoring a quiet sunrise, and renewed playfulness when you laugh so hard you can’t catch your breath. This transformation enriches our emotional and mental lives, shifting how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world, like finally learning the secret to a beautiful, well-lived life. I call this Aging Freely. Wanna age freely?

#agingfreely #proaging #agepositive

We are Resilient! Resilience isn’t something we need to fear we lack—it’s something we’ve already proven we have. We’re still here. We’ve survived losses and challenges we once thought unendurable. When we truly own our resilience, we see that those challenges didn’t just break us—they shaped and deepened us. We can relax into life, less afraid of what’s ahead. And when we look around, we see millions of others who’ve lived through their own unendurable losses. This shared humanity connects us, reminding us that we’re in this together. By sharing our stories, we can show younger generations that resilience grows through life’s trials, offering us cherished gifts like kindness, vulnerability, and compassion.

Comparison or Gratitude?#agingfreely #proaging #embraceaging #impermanence

What are your thoughts about aging? It sounds simple, but it’s not. It’s tangled, messy, and loaded—because most of us don’t think about aging from our own experience. So, what comes up for you?    •   Are you scared?    •   Excited?    •   Disgusted?    •   Maybe looking forward to it? Are you afraid you’ll lose identities you love? That your looks will betray you? Or maybe you think aging will be the best time of your life. Are you worried you won’t be wanted anymore? Afraid you’ll age like your parents or grandparents? Now, here’s the real question: What if you had never heard anything negative about aging? How might you treat yourself differently? How might you live differently? For me, I wouldn’t be afraid of it. I wouldn’t feel like my physical changes were a betrayal or that my time was up. I might: 🌱 Finally plant that garden I’ve been dreaming of. 🏡 Gather some friends to downsize and live together. ✨ Follow this wild passion of mine to age freely and see where it takes me. What about you? How would you live differently? #AgingFreely #EmbraceAging #Impermanence #AgePositive #ProAging

Resilience: Owning Our Strength Resilience isn’t something we need to fear we might not have—like we did when we were younger. It’s something we’ve already proven we have. We’re still here. We’ve lived through things we thought we couldn’t survive: the death of loved ones, the loss of relationships, identities, work, financial security, or childhood traumas, to name a few. By now, we’re built out of strength we didn’t even know was possible. And when we own our resilience—truly, fully own it—we see that our challenges didn’t just wipe us out for a while; they shaped us, deepened us, and made us real. Owning our resilience lets us relax more into life. We don’t have to be as afraid of the other shoe dropping. We can turn and look in any direction, and there are millions upon millions of people who’ve also lived through unendurable loss. This shared experience connects us and reminds us: we’re in this together. And here’s where we can give back: by sharing our stories and hard-earned strength with younger generations. They may not yet know how resilient they are, but we can remind them—strength is built through life’s challenges. Even the hardest moments can give us our most cherished qualities: kindness, vulnerability, compassion, and forgiveness. Resilience at our age is about knowing: We’ve faced the hardest of times before. We’ll face them again. And each time, our humanity deepens. What is one thing about yourself that you really appreciate that came from the really hard stuff you lived through?

Trying this again. The last one I posted got cut off midway, as I said I'm just learning how to do this so thank you for bearing with me.

Question of the day! How do you resist aging? Imagine what not resisting would be like. Take a moment and let yourself feel into your body what it would feel like to not resist ageing.

The purpose of Aging Freely is to belong to life, to trust life, to be with life, to be oneself—the opposite of fighting life, trying to change life, holding back time, fighting time, believing that something is wrong with us, that we no longer “got it” or shouldn’t “have it.” To Age Freely is to call bullshit on no dreams, no curiosity, no inspiration, no sense of agency, no playfulness, no risks, no deep appreciation for aging, and the absurd obsession with wrinkles, as if no lines on our faces could ever capture the depth and beauty of a life fully lived.

I wanna look my age!

More butterfly watching means more slowing down means more joy.

We humans over 60 have an amazing and expanded capacity to reflect—to turn our attention from one place to another, backwards and forwards in time, to fantasize, and, most importantly, to choose, as our cognitive functions become more integrated. Yes, to choose where our attention is placed, even though at times it may feel choice-less, as if we’re victims of our minds. How delicious this capacity to reflect, to direct our thinking, to turn our attention inward, to examine our innermost heart, to engage in self-discussion, to be stilled by an “ah-ha,” to gain fresh perspectives on long-held beliefs, to let go, and to be open to new possibilities. Have you noticed the difference from when you were younger?

My audition video for TEDx. I heard back yesterday I was accepted!!!! Truly, truly a dream come true.

These flowers, way past when most would throw them out, remind me of the beauty of impermanence. A poem I wrote. This Impermanence This impermanence, so painful, So much loss, fear, grieving love. Yet, it holds a hidden wonder, A beauty found in the ebb and flow. Like phosphorescence or an acid trip, It reveals the aliveness of all. Comings and goings, a dance of existence, Each moment a fleeting work of art. The sky that holds the midnight fireworks, A canvas for brilliance and glow. Each snowflake's crystal form, unique and brief, Melting into the cycle of life's flow. In this brief time, our lives unfold, A fleeting glimpse of radiant light. In love with impermanence itself, We awaken to the wonder of our time. Embracing life in death's embrace, We discover a love that illuminates, An awakening to the beauty of all that is, This impermanence, a gift, a radiant light.

When we are young, in our teens and early twenties, people are always curious about our future: What do you want to be when you grow up? What’s important to you? What kind of career do you want? Do you want to get married? What are your dreams and passions? But when we turn 60, these questions seem to fade away. Rarely do people inquire about our next chapter, our passions, or how we want to live our lives at this stage. Isn’t it ironic that life gets shorter, yet the questions about our dreams and aspirations diminish? If we started asking older adults what’s important to them, how they want to spend their time, and what they want to experience in this new chapter of their lives, I believe we would witness a significant shift in ageism. The focus would transition from youth to experience, from assuming that the best years are behind us to recognizing that life is still full of possibilities, regardless of our age. This shift would not only change the way we view older adults but also how they view themselves. I am curious, would this make a difference to you and your approach to aging?

Is life a miracle or what?

This mornings sunrise. This poem captures the light that is always here. How the Light Comes I cannot tell you how the light comes. What I know is that it is more ancient than imagining. That it travels across an astounding expanse to reach us. That it loves searching out what is hidden, what is lost, what is forgotten or in peril or in pain. That it has a fondness for the body, for finding its way toward flesh, for tracing the edges of form, for shining forth through the eye, the hand, the heart. I cannot tell you how the light comes, but that it does. That it will. That it works its way into the deepest dark that enfolds you, though it may seem long ages in coming or arrive in a shape you did not foresee. And so may we this day turn ourselves toward it. May we lift our faces to let it find us. May we bend our bodies to follow the arc it makes. May we open and open more and open still to the blessed light that comes. by Jan Richardson

Sometimes, pausing is the most helpful thing we can do for our world. To stop for a moment contributing our opinions in a world needing freshness.

Really not beautiful! Time to question agism. We need to be free, to be beautiful all way through,this short life, this miracle of life.

Life is beautiful in all it’s stages

Sometimes snapping a photo of a flower comes out surprisingly! Beautiful.

The death bells are tolling in the local church as I sit down to write. This day, my new friends are “putting down” their four legged family member. I imagine them all cuddling in this very moment, looking eye to eye, heart to heart, soaking in the last moments of bodily love. Today, also, my dear dear friend and at one time lover/partner can pick up his “medication” to end his life after the legal waiting period. The cancer has claimed him as it’s own. He is spending his last days with his children and grandchildren on the California coast where we once traveled, making love and fallowing the curves of the coastline and the waves as they rolled in. He sends me photos of them all, smiles, standing together and the little ones sitting in grandpa’s lap. The ocean has been his place, swimming, diving, caring for it and now holding him and his family as they say goodbye. As Ram Dass said, “We’re all just walking each other home.” A photo he took many years ago in South Africa.

“Old age is an intensely exciting time of exploration and return, of adventure and spiritual discovery,” Joseph Chilton Pearce says. “If this is old age, give me more of it! Sure, the body starts getting tired and breaks down, but the mind gets sharper and sharper. The real challenge of old age is to risk all habitual frames of reference and to open the mind to another field of possibility that lies beyond the physical. Having gained a foothold in the inner world, we then can encounter death with calm anticipation rather than horrifying fear.” From the book, Ageing to Sageing

This is fun, I went to take a photo of this small flower arrangement, and there I was. I also love, that this arrangement captures these flowers at different stages of life. All are beautiful!

Agefulness=A feeling of being a child, a young person, an adult, middle aged and old - all at once! What abundance! What access!

Summer Rain

Could it be so easy, to walk out into our gardens and look closely, could it be so easy to see beauty, to feel awe?

Morning sunlight shining through a crystal bringing awareness of a short moment of beauty’s gift, a free moment with nothing else happening. Enjoy your short moments today.

I wonder if we’re the same age? You know how they figure out dog years to human years. I wonder if I’m the same age as this flower?

“I love living. I love that I’m alive to love my age. There are many people who went to bed just as I did yesterday evening and didn’t wake this morning. I love and feel very blessed that I did.” ~Maya Angelou

“The compensation of growing old is that the passions remain as strong as ever, but one has gained—at last!—The power which adds the supreme flavor to existence, —the power of taking hold of experience, of turning it around, slowly, in the light.” Virginia Woolf from Mrs. Dalloway

We are fragile, tender beings, worried and in fear so much of the time, hurting ourselves and others, failing more than we succeed, driven by things that don't matter, we do this together, its part of being human. We are carriers of awe, seers of beauty, compassion is inherent, joy is our nature, grieving is holy, following our precious longings brings us to inner peace and love.

One cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning, for what was great in the morning will be of little importance in the evening, and what in the morning was true will at evening have become a lie.” C. G. Jung

The other day I was sitting across from my 91 year old client. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Her arms and hands fully exposed. I found myself falling into reverence for the beauty of her arms and hands. I found myself looking forward, if lucky to live that long, to the translucent folds that began at her shoulders and rippled to her finger tips wishing them to be my own. Her hands reminded me of my mothers at my clients age, so beautiful with all the veins standing out, the fingers slightly crooked from arthritis, holding my hand, feeling love in that handholding. I don’t like my drooping cellulite upper arms but now I see what they are becoming and I have new appreciation for these fledgling wings of transparency, folds of age and great beauty.

Looking with fresh eyes, the view is different every time.

Some mornings are just beautiful!