Why is ‘reading the room’ a good thing? Is it another way we take too much responsibility for other people? What about being an initiator? There are ways we are carrying the burden for other people that are not ours to carry.

Life-long learning is a quality of wise people. We are never complete. We always have something new to discover about ourselves and about the world we live in. No one teaches us how to age.

Letting go of long-held beliefs can be frightening. You may experience the loss of community. You may question the choices you have made your entire life. You will feel alone at times. These books will be companions on the journey.

These are my top recommendations on conscious ageing.

These books have helped me the most as a chronic people-pleaser and conflict-avoider.

Are you really sorry? We have a default mode of apologizing for everything. It can start to affect us in ways we might not be aware. People-pleasers can struggle to be unapologetic. What would change if you started to let other people decide if they were upset, hurt or offended?

Do you know the people around your holiday table? Are they there because of duty and obligation? Maybe it’s not too late to rethink your gatherings and become intentional about making meaningful memories.

The truth will set you free but only if you have the courage to let it shape your life.

What have you done with your life? It’s a question that can feel overwhelming and trigger regret. It doesn’t need to feel so daunting. Life Review is a process that gives you the tools to review your life in a context of reframing and healing. It’s perspective-giving.

Ruth Denyer wrote this post on how creating a manifesto helped her with boundaries. It includes a list of considerations and inspiration to help you overcome people-pleasing

It’s time to shine. Life is too short to hold back. It took you all these years to become gain all of this wisdom and expertise and the world needs it now more than ever. Don’t let self-doubt hold you back.

It’s a good sign when you recognize you have outgrown beliefs and ways of being in the world. When was the last time you changed your mind?

What do people mean when they say, ‘don’t take it personally?” How else can you take it?

I believe our faith is always shifting, expanding, evolving as we mature. Here is glimpse of how difficult that process can be.

People-pleasing was like bindweed running rampant in my life, wrapping itself around so much of what I did that I couldn't flourish. Reading The Myth of Normal, I can see how it didn't just stifle me spiritually and emotionally but had physical consequences.

Most of us have mixed feelings about ageing. We love the freedom we feel due to the work we’ve done. We also are concerned about the future. Part of the work done in eldering is to recognize these feelings.

You don’t get wiser just because you are older. It takes some work to harvest your life experiences. If you. haven’t taken the time to do a life review you will be surprised at what you learn about yourself!