The 100 Years Club Installment #25: Independence Days

The theme for July and August is “Super Summer”

“Hot Girl Summer” was the 2019 trend, and, like many pop-culture-fueled memes, it’s over.

But every summer has the potential to be super — especially at this stage of my life. Although summer is never without its stresses, the sun, freedom, and social time can all benefit our souls and heads.

And that’s pretty hot.

1. When we’re kids, we are “liberated” from early wake-up times and the pressures of school.
2. As adults, we are sometimes granted “Summer Fridays” but are often still at the mercy of clients, kids’ schedules and family obligations, and other work/life pressures
3. But now, at 60+, I’m back in phase #1 — except now that liberation can be a year-round feeling. My move to AZ in 2017 enabled me to create a life for myself that feels like summer throughout the entire year. My trademark, The Silver Hair Playbook™, is taking on real meaning as I begin to create a roadmap for myself and others in this phase that I call “pre-tirement.” (As in, I’m tired of BS and am finally freeing myself from it as I plan the next 33+ years.)

I started my own summer with a three-week life/work trip back east. I saw family and friends, hosted a business event for the Society of Saleswomen, attended The Summer Fancy Food Show, saw two Broadway shows, and motored through a nasty case of bronchitis.

I wound down a big first-quarter client and lined up some great writing assignments and passion projects for the second half of 2023. I read and knitted and started training as a coach (the work/life kind, not sports!)

As the first generation of people who will live to 100+, we can view these years as the ultimate liberation time. Although we are not totally free from health issues, family and financial responsibilities, and other life pressures, we also have the chance to think about what we HAVE to do versus what we WANT to do.

Even if you haven’t yet completed six trips around the summer sun, you can ruminate on independence this weekend and think about how to liberate yourself from those things and people that shackle you. Make your own fireworks (not literally, unless you’re an aspiring pyrotechnics expert).

Long may we wave this summer (and every summer)!

For your summer reading list:

	Why summer break is so important — even as adults!
	Why we’re more social in the summer
	Don’t let other people’s social media feeds depress you and/or mess up your summer.FOMO is real. Here’s how to break away
	Add these to your summer playlist