Podcasts by [B]OLD AGE With Debbie Weil

Richard Leider on Living Your Purpose Rather Than"Finding"It from 2023-12-13T12:48:19.691174

Today, Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily.

 Richard is considered a pioneer of the global purpose m...

Debbie&Sam on 50 Years of Marriage: Gratitude, Celebration... and Grief from 2023-12-13T12:48:19.451466

Debbie brings her favorite recurring guest, husband Sam Harrington, back onto the show. This is a special episode because they are celebrating 50 ye...

Best Of: Dr. Bree Johnston on Psilocybin Trips and the Growing Acceptance of Psychedelic Therapy from 2023-12-13T12:48:19.359135

Debbie talks with Dr. Bree Johnston, a geriatrician and palliative care physician in practice for 35 years who is also certified ...

Jonathan Merritt on Personal Transformation and the Complicated Intersection of Faith and Culture from 2023-12-13T12:48:19.346328

Today, Debbie speaks to Jonathan Merritt, one of America’s most renowned writers on faith and culture.

Debbie met Jonathan in the hot tub in ...

Debbie&Sam on the Acceleration of Aging: Smudged Glasses, Creaky Bodies and Before It’s Too Late from 2023-10-27T06:00

Welcome back to Season 6! You might’ve noticed that we changed the name of the show to more accurately reflect the focus, which is to explore the transition from midlife to old age. [B]OLDER see...

Andrew Steele on Research at the Cellular Level That Could Slow Aging from 2023-01-20T07:00

Today Debbie tackles the topic of aging (better? longer??) with Andrew Steele, an ebullient British scientist, writer and author of Ageless: The New...

Debbie&Sam Explore Iceland with Two Grandchildren from 2022-10-21T06:00

Welcome to Season 5 of [B]OLDER where Debbie Weil talks about "making the most of growing older,"  both the good and the not-so-great parts of aging.

But today it’s all GO...

Suzanne Carmichael on Reimagining Widowhood from 2022-04-22T06:00

Debbie talks to Suzanne Carmichael about navigating a new phase of her life as a widow at age 78.

Becoming a widow is one of Debbie's greatest fears. But it is a reality f...

Bradley Schurman on Our Aging Population and How It Could Eradicate Ageism from 2022-03-11T07:00

Today Debbie speaks with Bradley Schurman about the megatrend of an aging population, both in the U.S. and globally. Bradley is a demographic futurist and the author of a provocative new book: <...

Richard Leider on Living Your Purpose Rather Than"Finding"It from 2022-03-07T02:05:34.167770

Today, Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily.

 Richard is considered a pioneer of the global purpose m...

Richard Eisenberg, Renowned Editor, on Taking Practical First Steps Into Unretirement from 2022-02-25T07:00

Today, Debbie talks to Richard Eisenberg, a veteran journalist and author who has covered careers and personal finance for 40+ years. Richard recently "unretired," as he puts it...

Richard Leider on Living Your Purpose Rather Than "Finding" It from 2022-02-22T16:33:56.081507

Debbie talks with Richard Leider about aging with purpose, the fallacy of "finding" your purpose, and how to practice daily.

Debbie and Julie-Roxane Dissect How Reinventing Your Life Really Works from 2022-02-22T16:33:56.079853

You hear so much these days about reinvention and reinventing your life. But how does that really work?

Suzanne Watkins on Finding Her Wings at Age 60 from 2022-02-11T07:00

Debbie talks to Suzanne Watkins about becoming an international flight attendant at age 60: exotic destinations, not enough sleep, loaded guns, and why she loves it.

Carl Honoré on Being [B]older, Slowing Down, and Aging Better from 2022-01-28T07:00

Debbie talks to bestselling author Carl Honoré from his home in London about two related topics: slowing down and aging better.

Tom Peters on [B]OLDLY Turning 80: His Childhood, His Passion, His Outrage, His Mission from 2022-01-14T07:00

Debbie talks to legendary business author and speaker Tom Peters.  And if you're wondering why she's interviewing a business management guru, it's because Tom...

Oliver Burkeman on Embracing Finitude and Completing a Few Meaningful Things from 2021-12-17T07:00

Debbie Weil talks to author Oliver Burkeman from his home in Yorkshire about the finitude of the human lifespan, the problem with bucket lists, and why it may be okay that we use social media as a ...

Debbie & Sam on Entering the Land of the Old from 2021-12-11T07:00

Debbie invites her husband Sam back on the show on her 70th birthday.

Aging Options: Skylar Skikos on the Appeal of Intergenerational and Regenerative Communities from 2021-11-19T07:00

Debbie Weil talks to Skylar Skikos about options beyond retirement communities for those who can't stand the idea of living only with old people.

Emily Moore on Vulnerability, Life, and Becoming a Cancer Survivor from 2021-10-22T06:00

Debbie interviews her 43-year-old niece, Emily Moore, about what she's learned about life after a brutal course of chemotherapy to eradicate breast cancer.

Emily Moore on Vulnerability, Life, and Becoming a Cancer Survivor from 2021-10-22T06:00

Today, Debbie brings her 43-year-old niece, Emily Moore, onto the podcast to talk about life and death and her recent grueling course of chemotherapy to eradicate breast cancer.

Emily teac...

Why Gap Years Are Not Wasted on the Young from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.769524

Starting from the premise that gap years - a chance for reinvention and renewal - might be wasted on the young, Debbie set out to explore the difference between student and grown-up gap years by in...

Alasdair & Julie-Roxane on Why Money Is Not the Biggest Obstacle to a Gap Year from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.767961

A young couple living in a tiny house in southwest France talk with Debbie about the money question: are gap years just for the privileged? Do you need a lot of money to take a gap year?

Dr. Sam Harrington on Writing His First Book After Taking a Gap Year from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.766161

An editor herself, Debbie interviews her husband, Dr. Sam Harrington, about writing a book and about the experience of becoming a first-time author. If A BOOK is on your bucket list, don't miss thi...

Four Different Decades on Transition and Reinvention (Modern Elders, Part 2) from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.764641

In Part 2 of our broadcast from Chip Conley’s Modern Elder Academy in Mexico, four compadres from four different decades talk about repurposing their life experience.

Season 2 Trailer from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.759771

Turns out this podcast is about MORE than taking a gap year after the age of 50 or 60. It’s about taking a look at all the aspects of “what’s next” when you are in mid-life and beyond.

Nomadic Matt on travel as a way to reinvent yourself from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.757212

Debbie talks to Matt Kepnes, better known as Nomadic Matt, about his new memoir based on 10 years of traveling. Travel is on everyone's bucket list when they talk about taking time off. Matt talks ...

An Executive's Story: Taking a Sabbatical With Susan De Cuba from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.755709

Susan De Cuba, an accomplished nonprofit executive, talks about her intentional gap year at age 59, how she planned it out in fiscal quarters, and where she is now at the completion of her sabbatical.

Kathy Davies on Life Design As a Tool for Women's Midlife Reinvention from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.752471

Debbie talks to Kathy Davies, co-creator of the Designing Your Life for Women workshops, about life design as a process for midlife reinvention — especially for women.

Sean Bailey on Financial Planning For a Gap Year from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.750699

Debbie talks to finance expert Sean Bailey about all the issues surrounding planning for a gap year. Create a budget, assess your savings, and don’t forget the cost of maintaining the life you are ...

Derek Sivers on Slow Thinking, Connecting, and Intentional Living from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.748924

Host Debbie Weil enjoys a wide-ranging conversation with online legend Derek Sivers. Known by many as the creator of CD Baby, Sivers has been living a minimalist lifestyle since he sold the company...

Kim Klaft on a Global Gap Year and Living Without Regret from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.745476

Debbie talks to Kim Klaft, a 63-year-old woman who spent 2019 on a self-organized global gap year, traveling and volunteering in 25 countries. Kim quit a well-paid position as a nonprofit executive...

Anne Fadiman on Writing: Taking Risks, Improving, and Witnessing History from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.743870

Debbie Weil speaks with Anne Fadiman, a brilliant author and beloved writing teacher, about the writing process and how we should all be a witness to history, as writers, during this unprecedented ...

Seth Godin on Taking a Gap Year, Changing Your Mindset, and Why He Isn’t Pausing from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.741855

Debbie Weil interviews the one and only Seth Godin. They talk about his definition of a gap year, whether he's ever taken one himself (yes and no), what he's been up to over the past several month...

Guy Kawasaki Gets Serious About His Better Normal, the American Experiment, and What History Will Say About 2020 from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.736438

Debbie Weil brings the one and only Guy Kawasaki back on the show to kick off Season 3. It's a surprisingly revealing episode.

The View From London: Alyson Hoggart on Coping With COVID, Speeding Up Relationships, and the Importance of Communicating from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.692179

Debbie Weil brings her longtime friend Alyson Hoggart onto the show to give you a view of pandemic life from London.

Debbie’s 90-year-old Dad Talks About the Most Extraordinary Election of His Lifetime from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.688269

Debbie Weil talks to her politically-minded 90-year-old father on the day after the 2020 presidential election. He says the divided vote might be okay and he talks about the need to think and act c...

Paul Jarvis on Work/Life in the Time of COVID, Why Bigger Does Not Mean Success, and Why Simplicity Drives What He Does from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.684429

Debbie talks with successful solo entrepreneur, author, and designer Paul Jarvis about why he builds his life around simplicity and how that is relevant to living and working through the current pa...

Island Women Speak About Their Pandemic Year from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.676379

Island Women Speak, the popular multi-generational women's storytelling event that Debbie produces, could not take place this winter. In this short episode, Debbie invites three past performers ont...

Nicholas Christakis on How the Pandemic Will Affect Your Life Until 2024 from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.674641

Debbie talks to bestselling author Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, about the predictable phases of plagues and what this means for our current pandemic, about herd immunity and vaccines, about p...

Bestselling Author Thomas E. Ricks on His Writing Process from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.672757

Debbie talks to bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks about his writing process, what really goes into writing a book, and what drives him to write. He's working on his eighth book. The last five, inc...

Debbie Weil on Turning 70, Mortality, and Making the Most of Growing Older from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.670763

Debbie Weil is interviewed by her producer Julie-Roxane Krikorian about turning 70, mortality, productivity, her halting efforts to age gracefully, and Season 4 of The Gap Year Podcast.

Season 4 - Trailer from 2021-10-07T03:39:53.669984

The Gap Year Podcast is back for Season 4! We'll dig into "making the most of growing older."

Steven Petrow on the Stupid Things He Won’t Do When He Gets Old from 2021-06-18T06:00

Debbie Weil talks to award-winning journalist and author Steven Petrow about our ambivalence about getting old, the long list of stupid things old people do (that he vows NOT to do), and how to tal...

Debbie & Sam on Getting Calm and Centered in Baja (Yes, Even Sam Felt It) from 2021-05-21T06:00

Why Debbie forced her husband to go to Mexico's Baja peninsula for a retreat and renewal on the idyllic Modern Elder Academy campus.

Jeff Hamaoui on Changing Mindsets and Navigating the Messy Middle of Transitions from 2021-04-23T06:00

Debbie talks to Jeff Hamaoui about transitions during this time of global transformation, messy middles (a real term), mindset management, and the pattern-interrupting power of physical retreats.

Deer Isle’s Rene Colson Hudson on Fighting Pandemic Fatigue By Helping Others from 2021-03-26T07:00

Debbie talks to Deer Isle, Maine community leader Rene Colson Hudson about the pandemic fatigue or burnout many of us are feeling even as we are celebrating readily available vaccines.

Deer Isle’s Rene Colson Hudson on Fighting the Widespread Phenomenon of Pandemic Fatigue from 2021-03-26T07:00

Debbie talks to Deer Isle, Maine community leader Rene Colson Hudson about the pandemic fatigue or burnout many of us are feeling even as we are celebrating readily available vaccines.

Rene Colson Hudson on Fighting the Widespread Phenomenon of Pandemic Fatigue from 2021-03-26T06:00

Debbie talks to Deer Isle, Maine community leader Rene Colson Hudson about the pandemic fatigue or burnout many of us are feeling even as we are celebrating readily available vaccines.

Maine Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum on Loss, Love, Preciousness, and Celebrating the Ordinary Moment from 2021-03-12T07:00

Debbie talks with Maine’s Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum about loss, love, life, creativity, and the importance of celebrating the ordinary moment.

Debbie & Sam on Their Five-Day Fast and How It Reset Their Eating Habits from 2021-02-26T08:00

Debbie and Sam talk about their recent five-day fast, how hard it was, the few pounds they lost, and how it reset their eating habits

Debbie & Sam on Fasting For Five Days and Why They Were Crazy Enough To Do It from 2021-02-26T07:00

Debbie and Sam talk about their recent five-day fast, how hard it was, the few pounds they lost, and how it reset their eating habits

Encore's Marci Alboher & Aanchal Dhar on Intergenerational Collaboration and Why It’s Important Right Now from 2021-02-12T07:00

Debbie talks with Encore's Marci Alboher and Aanchal Dhar about intergenerational collaboration and how it can address some of the biggest issues this country is facing right now.

Diane Feldman on Bridging the Political Divide in the U.S., the Problems with Polling, and Contributing to Your Local Community from 2021-01-29T07:00

Debbie talks with longtime friend and veteran political consultant Diane Feldman about the political divide in the U.S., why polarization is not new, and why polling no longer works the way it did.

Ashton Applewhite on Ageism, Undoing Biases, and the Work of Becoming Aware from 2021-01-15T08:00

Debbie talks to activist and author Ashton Applewhite about ageism, why we need to combat it, and how the pandemic has exposed our prejudices.

Ashton Applewhite on the Ugly Heart of Ageism and How the Pandemic Has Exposed Our Prejudices from 2021-01-15T07:00

Debbie talks to activist and author Ashton Applewhite about ageism, why we need to combat it, and how the pandemic has exposed our prejudices.

DJ DiDonna on Why Sabbaticals Lead to a Stronger Identity, Increased Happiness, and an Appetite for Change from 2020-12-11T07:00

Debbie talks to entrepreneur and researcher DJ DiDonna about sabbaticals, first cousins to gap years, and why they can be transformational.

An 18-Year-Old Reflects on Starting College in Lockdown and What She Will Tell Her Children About the Pandemic from 2020-11-25T15:30

Debbie talks to her niece Phoebe about being 18 years old in 2020, starting college in lockdown, and what Phoebe will tell her kids about living through the pandemic.

Screenwriter John Mankiewicz on the New Golden Age of Podcasts and Streaming TV from 2020-11-20T07:00

Debbie talks to well-known screenwriter John Mankiewicz, her new neighbor in Maine, about his screenplay on the blacklisted Hollywood Ten that he's turning into a podcast.

Daphne Merkin on Living Through the Pandemic With Serious Clinical Depression from 2020-11-13T07:00

Debbie talks to acclaimed author Daphne Merkin about what it's like to live through the pandemic as a lifelong sufferer of serious chronic depression.

Kathleen Billings on Steering a Small Town in Maine Through COVID and a Tense Election Year from 2020-10-30T06:00

Debbie Weil talks to Kathleen Billings about the challenges of running a small town in remote coastal Maine in the year of COVID and high political tension.

Kerry Hannon on Pajama Jobs, the New Age of Remote Work, and Why Older Workers May Benefit from 2020-10-23T06:00

If you are interested in reaching a smart and thoughtful audience of midlife GenX / Boomer listeners who are active, open to change and new possibilities, and who think differently about lifestyle,...

Juliette Kayyem on the Power of Twitter, Trump's Stochastic Terrorism, and Why She's an Optimist from 2020-10-16T06:00

Debbie Weil speaks with national security and terrorism expert Juliette Kayyem who says that Trump is an aberration and that we WILL get through the COVID pandemic and this period of political turm...

Season 3 Trailer: Our Collective Gap Year from 2020-09-19T00:11:24

Welcome back to Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast. We’ve got a slightly new name, a new look, and new music! This is a space to discuss change and transition, the challenge of midlife reinvention, a...

Debbie and Sam on The Gap Year For Everyone, Silver Linings, Not Should’ing, and Season 3 from 2020-08-14T06:00:16

Debbie Weil brings her husband, Sam Harrington, back on the show to reflect on 2020 (the gap year for everyone), to wrap up Season 2, and to talk about Season 3 of The Gap Year Podcast.

Chip Conley on the Future of Travel, the Journey Within, and Hitting Play After the Pause from 2020-07-31T06:00:10

Debbie Weil brings Chip Conley back on the show to discuss the future of travel in the current pandemic and what travel means for so many of us.

Blanche Colson on Being an Ordinary Person and Getting Comfortable With Death from 2020-07-17T06:00:01

Debbie Weil talks to Blanche Colson, a 67-year-old Black woman who reached out to ask about coming on the show because, she said, her perspective is an important one it and was not being represente...

Rep. Genevieve McDonald on Stepping Into the Role of Fierce Female Leader During a Pandemic from 2020-06-19T06:00:10

Rep. Genevieve McDonald of the Maine State House has stepped up into an expanded role during the pandemic, reinventing herself as a leader and a lifeline for hundreds of her constituents. She and D...

Debbie & Sam on the New Normal, Quarantines, Immunity Passports, and Masks & Gloves from 2020-05-22T06:00:31

Debbie Weil & Sam Harrington talk about their evolving state of mind in the continuing pandemic and what the new normal of social distancing and quarantining means.

Peter Corbett on Mortality, Dying, and a New Life of Service from 2020-04-24T06:00:03

Debbie talks with Peter Corbett, an old friend from her DC tech days. Peter is an ex-CEO who made a boatload of money when he sold his DC-based tech company, iStrategy Labs, in 2016. He moved to Br...

Emiliana Simon-Thomas on the Science of Happiness in Times of Crisis from 2020-04-17T06:00:01

Debbie Weil and Emiliana Simon-Thomas of UC-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center talk about happiness and gratitude, resilience and connectedness, simplifying your day, and how to cope in this un...

J-R & Alasdair on Living the Dream (or Winging It) in Guatemala from 2020-04-10T06:00:01

Debbie brings back J-R and Alasdair, a young couple who have deliberately stepped off the beaten path and who recently moved from France to beautiful Lake Atitlan in Guatemala's highlands. With the...

Debbie & Sam on the Coronavirus, Magical Thinking, and Aging from 2020-03-19T16:05:14

Debbie Weil and her husband, retired physician Sam Harrington, talk about the Coronavirus pandemic and how the evolving situation is impacting older Americans. They talk about how they are navigati...

Dr. Sam Harrington on End-of-Life, Reinvention, and Legacy from 2020-02-21T07:00:02

In this episode Debbie and her husband, physician author Sam Harrington, talk about end-of-life and how we can use mindfulness around our own mortality to live better lives. The takeaway is that we...

Sonja O'Donnell on the Challenge of a Self-directed Life from 2020-01-24T07:00:03

Debbie chats with a younger friend about taking a gap year sabbatical with her husband and then 13-year-old son. And how that led, a few years later, to a major life shift and an encore career, one...

Guy Kawasaki's Life Lessons at 65: Skip the Email, Find Joy, and Speak the Truth from 2020-01-10T07:00:10

Debbie talks to Silicon Valley legend and all-around wise guy, Guy Kawasaki about his Rule of Ten, gratitude, what he learned from Steve Jobs, what changed when he turned 60, the importance of a gr...

Debbie's Story: Connecting the Dots Backwards from 2019-12-20T07:00:19

In this episode, host Debbie Weil performs a five-minute personal story about what happened, beginning at age 25, when her life didn't go as planned.

Aging Myths and Misconceptions and How They Translate Into a Missed Market Opportunity from 2019-11-22T07:00:02

What if more people recognized that those 50 and up are a vast, diverse and untapped source of dollar revenue as well as being overlooked contributors to society? That was the topic of a NEXT FOR M...

Exploring Middlescence with Barbara Waxman from 2019-10-25T06:00:23

Barbara Waxman has her finger squarely on the pulse of a movement to redefine midlife - so she is a perfect guest for this podcast. She has coined the term Middlescence to describe this new stage....

A Year of Wellness with Katie Tremper from 2019-10-11T06:00:03

Debbie talks with nonprofit executive Katie Tremper about embarking on a Year of Wellness to take care of herself after a lifetime of working full-time and, mostly, ignoring her health.

Marc Freedman on How to Live Forever (It's Not What You Think) from 2019-07-12T09:00:14

Today Debbie talks with Marc Freedman, a best-selling author, renowned social entrepreneur and leading expert on the longevity revolution. Their subject is Marc's new book, "How to Live Forever." B...

Dr. Joy Dryer: Asking the Existential Questions from 2019-06-28T09:00:21

Debbie interviews psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Joy Dryer about the existential questions around mid-life transitions: Who am I right now? Who do I want to be? And where? And with whom? These ...

On Our Bucket List: Debbie and Sam Live in France from 2019-06-14T09:00:12

Debbie and Sam reflect on two weeks of ex-pat life in the south of France. They studied intensively with a French teacher the first week; then explored on their own. Learning to speak French fluent...

Island Women Speak: Connection, Truth and Storytelling in Maine from 2019-05-31T05:00:05

Debbie talks about her most important Gap Year project: producing and directing Island Women Speak, a multi-generational women’s storytelling event in Stonington, Maine. She interviews performer Am...

Jeff Tidwell on Mid-Life Entrepreneurship and Work With Purpose from 2019-05-17T09:00

Jeff Tidwell is a 35-year digital veteran who recently launched a new company, NEXT FOR ME. He is part of a new trend: 50+ entrepreneurs who are starting companies driven by passion and purpose.

Chip Conley: Growing Wise at Modern Elder Academy from 2019-04-19T09:00:08

Debbie interviews Chip Conley, New York Times best-selling author, rebel hospitality entrepreneur and a rock star of the mid-life transition movement. Chip's newest book is Wisdom @ Work and he is ...

Karen Wickre: What You Need to Know About Networking to Reinvent Your Life from 2019-03-22T11:00:13

Debbie interviews Karen Wickre, an old friend and former editorial director at Google and Twitter. Karen left Twitter in 2016 - not to retire but to reinvent herself as a writer and consultant. She...

Debbie & Sam on Deciding to Take a Gap Year at Age 62 from 2019-02-22T10:00

Debbie interviews her husband and co-conspirator, Sam Harrington, about the gap year they took together.

Trailer from 2019-01-15T18:57

A podcast for grown-ups who believe you can take a timeout to reinvent your life, to find meaning and purpose, and especially when you are 50+ and figuring out what comes next.