The 100 Years Club Installment #53: Stress Not & Live Longer

One of my 2024 areas of focus (because I don’t believe in traditional resolutions…just baby steps) is to manage my cortisol level.

I just watched The Blue Zones on Netflix and believe now more than ever that “chilling out” is one of the keys to longevity (along with beans, squash, corn, laughter, and friends and family).

In my corporate and child-raising years, I used to quickly “spin out” when faced with a bullying boss, too many obligations, travel delays, and other minor life aggravations.

My life hasn’t been without other stress sources over the past decade either — the death of a parent, broken bones, a cross-country move, a divorce, the pandemic, my podcast launch, etc.

But this is not intended to be a pity party.

The reality is that life is full of crap that can easily push one’s buttons and raise one’s stress level — but only if you let it.

After 60+ years on the planet, I’m finally learning to breathe, smile as much as I can, and not let disappointments and bad behavior get under my skin.

Surrounding yourself with the right people is a huge and helpful part of the stress-less strategy, along with setting realistic standards for getting stuff done and not overburdening yourself with obligations that aren’t essential.

Make a list of the things you HAVE accomplished so far this year and give yourself a high five.

Speaking of which, I’ve traveled to four cities in the past 10 days and am still catching up on sleep. So, I am foregoing my usual list of “helpful links” at the end of this post and hope my readers will forgive me for that.

As for me…I’m not the least stressed out about it!