How to Live Well and Long: Be Present, Practical, and Have Something that Gets You Out of Bed

Summary

The website content discusses the author's journey of learning to live well and long by befriending and learning from much older women, sharing insights on aging, loneliness, dying, and self-acceptance.

Abstract

The author, now in her 80th year, shares her experience of "collecting" old ladies as friends and mentors, starting in her late 40s. These relationships have provided her with guidance on living well into old age, as she documents in her writings on Medium and her upcoming book. The articles she references cover topics such as overcoming loneliness, embracing the aging process, and contemplating death with grace and consciousness. The author emphasizes the importance of energy and confidence over physical appearance as one ages and highlights individual stories of centenarians who have maintained a youthful outlook and active lifestyle. She encourages readers to subscribe to her Medium articles and follow her on social media for more insights and invites them to try an AI service she recommends.

Opinions

Aging is viewed not as something to dread but as a continued path of living, with older individuals serving as guides.
The author values the wisdom of her much-older friends, who provide practical advice and inspiration for aging well.
There is an emphasis on maintaining social connections and staying active as key factors in longevity and happiness.
The articles suggest that coping with loneliness and preparing for death with intention are important aspects of a well-lived life.
The author challenges the cultural obsession with youth and beauty, advocating for self-acceptance and confidence at any age.
Individual stories of centenarians like Marge and Zelda are presented as role models for joyful living and resilience.
The author promotes the idea that one can learn from those who have navigated life's later stages and that such intergenerational connections are mutually beneficial.

The Project

I started “collecting” old ladies before I turned 50 — by accident and in spite of myself. At 46, I had no clue.

In this 24-minute interview with another Crow’s Feet writer, Warren Turner, I explain how my old ladies became my guides to a part of life I hadn’t yet experienced.

I’m working on putting it all into a book. And in the meantime, I’ve been putting out bits and pieces on Medium and my own website.

How to Live Well and Long: Be Present, Practical, and Have Something that Gets You Out of Bed

Even if you’re “young,” reading how my much-older friends prosper can shine a bright and hopeful light on your path, too.

The Project

My coming-out piece

Shock and Awe! I Survived Long Enough to Become Someone Else’s “Old Lady”

Strategies for enlisting courageous, productive and involved elders who exemplify how it’s done.

Adding younger old ladies as I age

My Old Ladies Are Getting Younger, but I’m Not — and that’s OK!

What I’ve learned from my “enlightened” but not-much-older new recruits — and how they can help YOU age better, too!

Old Lady Lightbulbs

Loneliness

10 Surprising Lessons in Loneliness from the Most Unlikely Teachers

Some seniors have the edge when it comes to coping during and after COVID — and whatever else life throws at us.

Dying

I Know How I’d Like to Die. Do You?

On the passing of two old ladies who lived until the end and died as they lived — and what they taught me to hope for.

Looks change and are much less important than energy and confidence.

I’m Okay About My Neck (with Apologies to Nora Ephron)

What I Tell Myself in Front of the Mirror to Combat the Culture of Beauty and Eternal Youth

The Proudly Old Are Happy Even if They Don’t Look Good for Their Age

Hey, you middle-agers who think you’re already over the hill, let us be your beacon of hope!

Individual Old Ladies

Marge in her early 100s: “I see the world through 25-year old eyes, even though my body feels 110!”

The Miracle of Living Joyfully to 104: 12 Compelling, Counter-Intuitive Tips

Marge is the Energizer Bunny of aging — a role model for us all.

Zelda played tennis until 99 and walked three miles a day until she died at 104 3/4 (“You get to add quarters after 100”).

The Woman Who Lived to (Almost) 105 and (Always) Left ’em Wanting More

Making fun of old people is frowned on, but Zelda was out to make you laugh. What would she say about ageism?

If you like reading me…

Join Medium with my referral link - Melinda Blau

For the cost of a latte a month, you can have unlimited access to Medium stories! Join to read great writers and ideas…