Chapter X with Michael Kay

Every experience, good or bad, teaches us another lesson in life. With age comes the wisdom we’ve developed from exploring—and refining—our perspective over the years, according to today’s guest. 

In this episode, I’m joined by functional medicine pioneer and sleep expert, Dr. Frank Lipman. His latest book, Better Sleep, Better You, is a roadmap for those who struggle with sleep quality. Not only does he explore the importance of sleep, but Frank also reveals how to find ways of improving your sleep to live a better life. 

We’ll hear his philosophy on living, the impact of medications, and his predictions for where medicine is heading in the future.

We covered:

• How Frank navigated shifts in his medicine career based on his values
• The reasons why he views his “old age” with a positive attitude 
• How the ordinary things we do daily have an extraordinary healing effect
• One catalyst that shifted Frank’s views on sleep as a pillar of health
• Little changes that can make a huge difference on your sleep quality
• Increasing your lifespan vs. staying healthy and vital for longer

Frank Lipman MD

Better Sleep, Better You: Your No-Stress Guide for Getting the Sleep You Need and the Life You Want by Dr. Frank Lipman

It takes a great deal of courage to start something new. We crave routines because they give us comfort, but making a commitment to try new things just might empower you to go after what’s important to you.

Today you’ll hear from Harvey Lewis as he shares his inspiring journey of struggles and success. As he makes a creative journey through Chapter X, Harvey’s story of the transition from actor to producer is one that’s been fueled by passion and a drive to make the world a better place.

In this episode, Harvey discusses the impact of making tough choices, serving others, and striving to live a meaningful life for you. 

We covered:

• What growing up on a ranch taught Harvey about self-discipline and work
• How he was discovered as an actor after moving to LA in the 70’s
• Making it through the opportunities and challenges of transitioning careers
• The important ideas he’s considered about retirement planning
• Harvey’s philosophy on the key takeaway we can learn from retirement

From childcare provider to loving companion, being a grandparent means taking on many meaningful roles. If you’re a grandparent, the roles you play can make a huge difference in your grandchildren’s lives.

Today I’m joined by veteran journalist Paula Span, who writes the New Old Age and Generation Grandparent columns for the New York Times. Her latest work, The Bubbe Diaries, explores modern-day grandparenting through the latest research on child development — and her own experience of helping raise her young granddaughter.

After years of being a parent, the transition to grandparenthood can bring challenges and joy as you adjust to new expectations. That’s why I’m thrilled Paula is here to discuss the ever-changing and special role of grandparents within a family. 

In this episode, we covered:

• The value of being a grandparent for finding new meaning and purpose
• How to realistically manage your expectations as a grandparent 
• Why Paula views grandparenting as a way to help her daughter out
• What relationship men need to take action on before grandparenting
• The ways we can become allies to our children in this new role
• Physical health benefits (and challenges) of raising grandchildren

This week on the Chapter X podcast, Richard Eisenberg brings us timely resources and the latest insights from Next Avenue. He will be sharing new stories that he’s particularly excited about, including some additional free resources you can keep in mind.

I’m excited to welcome Richard back to the podcast. He’s the Managing Editor of Next Avenue, the nation’s first and only public media website that is dedicated to helping people in their 50s and 60s navigate their lives. 

In this episode, we cover some of the challenges facing us today as restrictions ease and we begin to emerge from the pandemic.

• Where to find free online courses to help with your aging process
• Helping people adjust to the new normal of life after the pandemic
• The biggest ways that retirement planning has changed over the last year
• Two upcoming movies on caregiving — and pursuing the arts after 50

In 2016, John P. Weiss was more than 26 years into his law enforcement career. With just four years to go before maxing out his retirement pension, John realized he was growing more anxious to start his next adventure. 

At that pivotal moment, he decided to take an early retirement and pursue his creative calling instead. With a story that’s both enlightening and entertaining, John joins us today to share the incredible life lessons he’s learned along the way.

Today we’ll hear from him about the power of simplicity, revisiting your childhood passion, and helping bring light into the world. 

In this episode, we discussed:

• How the entertainment industry has shaped our view of law enforcement
• Why it might actually be easier to make a major career change later in life
• The good and bad of being comfortable—and recognizing when it’s a trap
• What things you should consider if you’re looking to relocate 
• How to enrich your life by simplifying and embracing less
• Giving yourself permission to follow your heart and evolve

Even when it’s planned for, closing one chapter of our lives and opening a new one is an uncomfortable experience. As we face new challenges through this journey of Chapter X, we step out of our comfort zone and into the unknown which is an exciting, but daunting, part of transitions.

Today’s guest embodies what it means to build resilience through times of change. After growing up into a career in music, Phil Veneziano shifted midlife to become a Chinese medicine practitioner. 

In this episode, we’ll hear Phil’s message as he demonstrates how the stories of transitions are powerful teachers. He opens up about finding a path that taught him resilience, planning, and the joy of helping others.

In this episode, we covered:

• Phil’s journey from working in the music industry to Chinese medicine
• The story behind pulling off an unforgettable marriage proposal 
• How Phil piloted through a series of major life transitions without difficulty
• What physical limitations men should become aware of as we age
• Practical steps for keeping ourselves as healthy and vibrant as possible
• The struggle for Type A personalities to create a balanced approach

Seven Point Wellness

It’s no secret that eating a healthy diet is good for us and can help prevent certain diseases. But how does the food we put in our bodies impact our overall well being? 

With that question in mind, I have invited Ron Mirante to join me on the podcast today. He’s the founder of Bone-In Foods, a weekly food delivery service that focuses on building awareness about wellness and our relationship with food. 

In 2013, Ron launched the marketplace alongside his wife, after facing his own battle with a rare autoimmune disease called Still's Disease. He shares the fascinating story behind his mission with us in today’s episode.

We covered:

• What Ron noticed about Americans’ relationship with food while traveling
• The reason why groceries should be our number one expense
• How the definition of organic food became a marketing niche 
• What gut microbiome health means (and the role it plays in our bodies)
• The pivotal moment in Ron’s life that changed his view on nutrition
• Busting the common myth around “one diet fits all”

With the majority of our working years being defined by our jobs, that doesn’t leave much time for relaxing, family or pursuing new hobbies. But the sky’s the limit when we’re no longer bound by the obligation to make money.

During a recent Zoom gathering of Chapter X, I listened to one man share his attitude about retirement and knew immediately that I wanted to hear more of his story. I’m thrilled that Joe Groden has agreed to join me today. 

Growing up, he never wanted to be anything besides a doctor. After leaving his 42-year long career, Joe discovered that there was more to his life than being an ophthalmologist. In this episode, we’ll learn from his experiences with building a new identity and finding freedom in the next chapter.

We discussed:

• How he phased into retirement by transitioning to part-time hours at work
  
  
• What Joe learned about his identity and life in the last three years
  
  
• The practical habit that helped him cope with financial worries
  
  
• How achievement-oriented men can continue setting goals after work
  
  
• A valuable lesson on friendship that Joe learned from living through a pandemic
  
  
• The reason why he guards free time jealousy in retirement

Change is unsettling, whether we’re prepared for it or not. It becomes even harder when it’s a major life change. But every disruption represents a new beginning—and the opportunity to transform exploration into growth.

Today’s guest is Bruce Feiler, a New York Times bestselling author whose latest book is about navigating massive life transitions. Life Is in the Transitions is a masterpiece that lays out the challenges of huge disruptions that occur throughout our lifetimes.

After facing a series of difficult life circumstances in his 40s, Bruce was faced with the reality of re-writing his life story. In this episode, he shares what he learned through studying other people’s experiences with change.

We covered:

• How Bruce faced a chaotic pileup of unexpected crises after finding early career success
  
  
• Defining a "lifequake" that causes a massive amount of change
  
  
• The average number of years that we can expect a massive life transition to last
  
  
• How to give up old mindsets surrounding our identify—and support new ones
  
  
• The fundamental role of our personal stories in getting through a life transition
  
  
• One conversation starter prompt we can use to help people share their life stories

Imagine being confronted with your next chapter without any preparation. Today’s guest was only in his late 50’s when he was handed a severance package by his employer. He had to face the reality of being laid off late in his career, without the benefit of planning the next transition.

Mike Drak turned his experience into a wonderfully relatable book, Retirement Heaven or Hell: 9 Principles for Designing Your Ideal Post-Career Lifestyle. He joins me today to share what he’s learned—and how you can aim your thoughts and actions towards living your best life.  

In this episode, we’ll hear from Mike on setting goals, finding your tribe, and why he carries a focus on quality of time.

We covered:

• The exact moment when retirement shock started to hit Mike
  
  
• Why he spent close to a year in “retirement hell”...and how he reached the turning point
  
  
• Walking through Mike’s 9 principles for designing your ideal post-career lifestyle
  
  
• Identifying what independence and independence personally means to you
  
  
• The idea of getting out of survival mode (and shifting into adventure mode)
  
  
• One simple way Mike makes planning the next year exciting

Retirement Heaven or Hell: 9 Principles for Designing Your Ideal Post-Career Lifestyle

Victory Lap Retirement