The 100 Years Club Installment #44: Wise OGs Give Back & Speak Up

This past week has been transformational in many ways.

1. I moderated two panels at an amazing business conference and helped give a voice to two female founders and some start-ups/scale-ups. The sessions on AI were especially interesting and I discovered so many tools that I can employ as my “robot assistants.” Remember, humans still rule! I also met some amazing people at the Yext-sponsored after-party on a rooftop.
2. Reconnecting with a summer intern from a decade ago, I realized how much we had both grown and experienced over the past 10 years. She is now living her dream of being a fashion industry writer/marketer, and I’m leaving my dream of being a fractional CMO and content strategist/creator. (She used to live in AZ, and our “location swap” is actually ironic!)
3. The RacquetX experience has provided me an amazing opportunity to do what I do best — contribute creative ideas, mentor, and build community. (If you need holiday gift ideas, check out our curated gift guide. Be sure to follow us on Instagram too!)
4. The research report about the attractions and entertainment industry that I worked on with a terrific team at LT. was just published.
5. My “return of the native” trip to New York City has been restorative and energizing. It will also provide fodder for my newish travel website. There’s nothing like a NY bagel and the Holiday Village at Bryant Park. Connecting with my friends is priceless!
6. I overcame my fear of remote broadcasting and recorded my first out-of-town podcast episode with Podpopuli and a fun new guest (who always wanted to be a comic rather than a dentist. Stay tuned for the release date!) Check out The Geezer Proofer.
7. My Friday posts about The Golden Bachelor are attracting a great new audience, but I’ll be happy to switch to another topic after the final rose.

And (of course, the most important of all) I became a grandmother for the third time and am thrilled to welcome another (hopefully fearless) girl into the world.

So, who cares about what I did this week?

The point of all of this is that we can all still learn, grow, connect, and give back after 6+ decades on this planet, and I encourage all of my peers to remain connected and relevant as we age.

You CHOOSE how to spend your time on earth — whether it’s your last few days or many decades.

One reason ageism exists is that many of us have “missed a memo” (or two or three) and have chosen to give up, remain silent when we face discrimination, rail against technology and innovation, and simply sit in our grumpy geezer-holes, muttering about how much better things used to be.

I’m not saying that my lifestyle is right for everyone, and I’m certainly not judging those people who really want to simply unplug and retire.

But, especially in this season of gratitude, listing (and focusing on) those things we’re grateful for and the little moments that bring us joy are more important than ever.

We’ve seen a lot…we know a lot…and sharing it with others can be the greatest joy of all!