Chapter X with Michael Kay

Turning 65 doesn’t just bring you cake and an extra birthday candle to blow out. It also comes with decisions about Medicare. Knowing the basics of Medicare is key for understanding expenses you may face down the road. 

I’m so happy to have a returning guest back on the show today. As a volunteer for the last 10 years, Johnny Roland has been helping people navigate the bewildering world of Medicare planning. 

In this episode, he uses his vast experience to clear up the confusion around how Medicare works. We’ll hear his advice on when to get the ball rolling, what rules you need to know, and how to keep your health insurance coverage after turning 65. 

We covered:

• When you should start thinking about Medicare before retirement
  
  
• The truth about how late enrollment penalties are calculated
  
  
• Johnny’s advice for carefully planning health insurance with your spouse
  
  
• How to make signing up for Medicare go as smoothly as possible
  
  
• What timeframe you must enroll in Medicare before leaving work behind
  
  
• Why Johnny recommends you discuss Medicare with your doctors

There’s no perfect time to hit pause on your career, reset, and find new motivations. Sometimes it’s not a choice. When Johnny Roland had a time out forced upon him by the corporate world, he used his sabbatical to figure out an entirely new path.

Today he will share his journey with us—and it’s one that cannot help but touch your heart. He’s led a rich, varied life. After moving through several successful careers, Johnny is now in that time of life where he gets to choose what’s next. 

In this episode, he reveals why the doors in life will always open if you pay attention.

We discussed:

• The difficult lesson Johnny learned about the corporate world after losing his job
  
  
• Why his turning point in the process of growing up started at age 42
  
  
• How the Oakland Hills firestorm taught Johnny about what's important in life
  
  
• The ways we distract ourselves when we feel uncomfortable—and one key practice that can help counteract discomfort
  
  
• How Johnny started “practicing retirement” during his financial planning career
  
  
• The true difference between being successful and being happy

Do you want to start giving back but don’t know where to start? According to today’s guest, getting involved begins with finding your volunteering joy.

Doug Ross exemplifies the concept of living with purpose. He’s served in government on the federal, state and local level. Not only is Doug a teacher and a writer, but he leads an inspired life. 

I'm thrilled to have him share his story. In this episode, you’ll learn why making a positive difference in the world means starting small. 

We covered:

• How John F. Kennedy helped inspire Doug to make a difference in the world
  
  
• The first step to getting your foot in the door at a nonprofit organization
  
  
• Why the biggest virtue of retirement isn’t the absence of stress
  
  
• The time that you spend working on your eulogy vs. your resume
  
  
• Doug’s advice on how we can look at failure differently
  
  
• How to start defining what you would like to do (and what’s realistic)

Healing American Democracy: Going Local by Michael Hais, Morley Winograd & Doug Ross

There’s a common notion that we engage in activism to keep ourselves busy after our work life ends. But is it really just about occupying our time? 

According to Dr. Thelma Reese, older adults are saving the world because we realize we still have a lot of work to do—and now we have the time to help. She’s the author of three books, including “The New Senior Man,” and her latest work, “How Seniors Are Saving the World: Retirement Activism to the Rescue.”

In this episode, we’ll learn from Thelma how to use our hard-won wisdom to make deeper connections, let go of what we can’t control, and contribute more to the world.

We covered:

• Why older adults have a critical eye for what needs to be fixed in the world
  
  
• How to accept we all have very little control over our lives
  
  
• What helps us give less attention to the natural aches and pains of aging
  
  
• The biggest difference between aging vs. ageism
  
  
• Why Thelma dislikes the word retirement (and what term we’re replacing it with)
  
  
• How we can bridge the gap to communication between generations

How Seniors Are Saving the World: Retirement Activism to the Rescue by Dr. Thelma Reese with BJ Kittredge

The New Senior Man: Exploring New Horizons, New Opportunities by Dr. Thelma Reese with Barbara Fleisher

In America, we’re taught that a good life is a happy life. Many of us have spent the core of our adult lives chasing success and happiness, but does accomplishing more really make us happier?

Perhaps there is another path to wellbeing that’s deeper and far more fulfilling. In this episode, author Emily Esfahani Smith reveals why happiness isn’t a destination — and why we should seek meaning instead. 

We’ll hear powerful lessons from Emily on what steps we can take to strive toward building a life of joy, meaning, or purpose. 

In this episode, we discussed:

• Why the pursuit of happiness represented in our culture is flawed
  
  
• Four research-backed pillars for building a meaningful life
  
  
• How Emily discovered the undeniable connection between purpose and contribution
  
  
• The power of the attitude you bring to daily life (and why it matters more than you may think)
  
  
• Emily’s inspiring advice on simple ways to make your life more meaningful
  
  
• The question of universal principles for happiness and defining your life’s purpose

• Why it’s normal to go through phases of life where you don’t feel purpose or meaning

The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters by Emily Esfahani Smith

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Are you still hungry to learn? Lifelong learners never settle for the status quo or staying inside their comfort zone. They’re constantly evolving to figure out what fulfillment means to them. 

Today you’ll hear from a special guest who’s learning how to squeeze as much as possible out of life's opportunities.

Scott Danish is on a mission to explore what’s truly important to him. He’s discovered some amazing things about himself — and his connection to others — along the way.

In this episode, we dig into Scott’s courageous story as he walks on many different paths in search of meaning. He shares why living in student mode has brought him on an incredible journey, including a story that resonates with me so deeply that it put a chill down my spine.

We covered:

• Why a growth mindset about aging meant turning 55 wasn’t difficult for Scott
  
  
• How staying in your comfort zone can become a prison of complacency
  
  
• The simple idea of giving yourself permission and space to figure out what brings you joy
  
  
• What gratitude taught Scott about taking action and building a better life
  
  
• How the discovery of not having all of the answers transformed his outlook
  
  
• The real reason why we shouldn’t fear the concept of failure

While change is the last thing we want in life, major transitions always have a way of catching up to us. But why do we try so hard to fight change? 

It’s not that change is bad. Quite simply, dealing with life transitions like Chapter X is disruptive and challenging because it forces us to let go of the familiar. Your next chapter must have different definitions around it.

Perhaps a coach can help you get there. Today I’m speaking with Laurie Thomas, executive coach. She’s here to shed light on her experience with helping others dig deep within themselves for answers.

In this episode, we covered:

• Who needs a coach — and what can coaches do for them?
  
  
• Which attributes are aligned most closely with successful outcomes in transitions
  
  
• One key exercise Laurie uses to help make unadventurous people more daring
  
  
• Why looking back over your life matters for healthy retirement planning
  
  
• The biggest reason why coaching isn't the same practice as therapy
  
  
• 3 pieces of advice on what to consider as you approach a life transition
  

When it comes to your health, the reality is your blood pressure check isn’t enough. But the good news is there are plenty of small actions we can take every day so that we feel better — and never settle for less when it comes to our own wellbeing. 

The more you embrace maintaining good health, the better opportunity you create for living a more energetic, joyful, and meaningful life. 

My guest today is Dr. Allison Fox. She's a practitioner of integrative and functional medicine in Maplewood, New Jersey. I'm so happy that she's joining me today to discuss a more expansive way of thinking about health.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What integrative and foundational medicine really is — and why we should care
  
  
• The #1 goal of preventive healthcare vs. simply treating symptoms of illness
  
  
• Common healthcare dilemmas that men face in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s
  
  
• What value you can learn from functional medicine (even if you’re skeptical)
  
  
• How we can address the concern of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s 

• Which form of exercise is incredibly valuable for your bone health
  
  
  
• Dr. Fox’s advice on three simple ways to take care of yourself every day

The Institute for Functional Medicine

Allison Fox, MD

How do we replace the idea of achievement with fulfillment? Moving from success to significance is really about having a longer term impact, according to executive coach Joe Casey. 

Joe is the founder of Retirement Wisdom, where he applies his experience and care to help guide others towards this transition. As a former HR professional turned coach, he’s a model of resilience and focus. 

In this episode, Joe walks us through his process of coaching others as they create their personal retirement story. I think you’ll enjoy hearing from him as he shares the personal Chapter X stories and experiences he’s encountered over the years.

We covered:

• The extraordinary reason why learning is a big part of retirement life
  
  
• Remarkable stories we tell ourselves about our identity (and how we test their truth)
  
  
• The #1 word that comes up when people begin discussing the idea of retirement
  
  
• How to readjust your thinking to believe you’re so much more than your job
  
  
• Why Joe encourages people to speak with folks who’ve been retired for 5-10 years
  
  
• How to help shorten the gap of going from mastery back into incompetence

Retirement Wisdom

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

Refire! Don't Retire: Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life by Ken Blanchard and Morton Shaevitz

When we plan for the future, we often make plans with our spouse regarding what will happen to our children or parents. What’s easy to neglect is a realistic plan for life together after retirement — and that’s the key to a rewarding path.

Today I’m joined by my friend Modesto Casas, also known as Mo. He’s traveled a most unusual path, and I can't tell you how thrilled I am that he’s here to share his story. 

From immigrating from Cuba to the US at age 13 to traveling the world in business, Mo’s journey has been filled with unbelievable adventures. As a result, he’s developed a unique philosophy towards life — and it’s one that I believe we can all learn from.

In this episode, we covered:

• How Mo’s experience as a child refugee changed his view on life
  
  
• What it takes to navigate cultural differences in the global business world
  
  
• The remarkable way that approaching ideas like a child became a negotiating tool in work —  and a personal awakening in Chapter X
  
  
• Why keeping a realistic plan matters as we age (and face changes in health and time constraints)
  
  
• The importance of planning retirement with your spouse involved in every step
  
  
• Why doing the best you can to help the next person is a memorable legacy