The Retirement Wisdom Podcast

Win the Retirement Game - Now Available

As we grow older, life transitions emerge. One is retirement. Another, if you have children, is your children becoming adults and your relationships evolving. Writer Celia Dodd has published insightful books on many of these life transitions, including retirement and becoming empty nesters. Her new book is All Grown Up: Nurturing Relationships with Adult Children. 

Celia Dodd joins us from London.

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Bio

Celia Dodd is a journalist and author who wrote regularly for The Times, the Independent and other national newspapers and magazines, focussing on relationships, family life, health and education. She also wrote celebrity profiles, including Gordon Ramsay, Lou Reed and Juliet Stevenson.

After thirty years as a journalist she turned to writing books about parenting and major transitions in life, such as the empty nest and retirement. They are subjects close to her heart as well as her own stage in life. She recently produced a Retirement Planning Toolkit and webinar for Hampshire Police Force, and works with other organisations on retirement planning.

Her four books are: All Grown Up: Nurturing relationships with adult children; Not Fade Away: How to thrive in retirement; The Empty Nest: Your changing family, your new direction; and Conversations with Mothers and Daughters.

Celia has two sons and a daughter in their thirties, and four grandchildren. Her kids all boomeranged in and out of home in their twenties, but her nest in London is finally empty - apart from her husband, a molecular biologist.

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For more on Celia Dodd

All Grown Up: Nurturing Relationships with Adult Children

Website

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

The Mindful Grandparent – Dr. Shirley Showalter

How to Reconnect with an Estranged Adult Child – Tina Gilbertson

The Skill Set for Life’s Transitions – Bruce Feiler

With the Freedom to Retire, Where Will You Plant Your New Tree? – Don Ezra

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Wise Quotes

On Independence

"So I think it's much more helpful rather than just thinking about your children have got to be independent to see it as a sort of ongoing thing and something that happens quite gradually. And also for parents to think about their own independence. I think that's the flip side. Children can't really be independent unless we let them go, unless we develop our own fuller lives beyond the family. So I think that's quite an important thing to think about. I heard a Buddhist monk once say  the greatest gift you can give your child is to be happy yourself. And I think that's quite a good thing to bear in mind, but at the same time, of course, there's the old saying you're only ever as happy as your least happy child. So you've got that kind of conundrum always to try and sort out."

On Adapting

"...you are changing all the time and you, your identity, is changing all the time. And you have to keep adapting. And that's the key to success....Be prepared to keep adapting and just to realize that things never stay the same."

On Being Focused on the Present

"You have to be prepared to question your own views. It really comes down to empathy and to being able to put yourself in your adult child's shoes. We are all guilty of saying, oh, when I was your age..., That is really not helpful, I don't think. And probably quite annoying. I think it's much more helpful to think about what it's like to be 35 now, not what it was like to be 35 when you were 35. I think also that the people that negotiate these difficult transitions the...

Ageism is pervasive. Just take a look at the ageist messages on many birthday cards. And you won't see many anti-ageist ones. In preparing for her second act, our guest has created an age-positive alternative at Age-Friendly Vibes. Listen to her story.

Jan Golden joins us from Denver.

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Have comments or feedback on this episode – or on the podcast overall?

Or have a question you’d like me to address in an upcoming episode?

Click here to leave a Voice Message.

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Bio

Jan Golden is winding down her career as a web developer and iPhone trainer, and ramping up her dream job; creating a stationery business. During COVID, inspired by a greeting card contest for Changing the Narrative, she used my graphic design skills, tech skills, and creativity to create a line of age-friendly greeting cards. The result? She learned I absolutely love designing and making cards! The best part is seeing the reaction to the age-positive sentiments she put out there in the world. Knowing that she may have a small part in celebrating, instead of dreading, a birthday is heart-warming.

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For More on Jan Golden

Age-Friendly Vibes

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

Ageism Unmasked – Dr. Tracey Gendron

Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy

Make a Career Change with Purpose Top of Mind – Chris Farrell

How Seniors Are Saving the World With Activism – Thelma Reese

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Wise Quotes

On Ageism

"Ageist messages are harmful because when they get stuck in our head, we start to make excuses for not doing things in life because we think we're too old. So we start to [create]  a self-fulfilled prophecy. We stop trying new things. We try stop being as physically active, we become more isolated. And there's recent studies that show that your mindset about aging can impact your lifespan by up to seven and a half years. So it's some of those types of new research that's that has always made sense to me. That makes me really want to stand up and say, let's just stop and think about some of these ageist messages that we're seeing every day."

On Taking a Stand Against Ageism

"On your birthday, age is kind of the elephant in the room, right? But it doesn't need to be a message of, of decline, depression and dementia. it can be one of celebration. There's definitely things that our body physically goes through and changes as we age. We have to adapt. But they're not all negative and they don't need to be perceived as negative. It's the anti-aging industry and our culture that makes that youth obsession so prevalent. But I feel like as the older adult population is healthier, living longer, and we're standing up for it. We're not taking it anymore. So that's why I think my messages resonate pretty deeply with a lot of people."

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About Retirement Wisdom

Take charge of your future.

Schedule a call to find how how the Designing Your Life process (developed by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans at Stanford) can help you unlock a new direction – on your own terms.

How well prepared are you for the non-financial side of retirement? Take our free quiz and see what you should be preparing for in your retirement planning.

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About Your Host 

Joe Casey is an executive coach who also helps people design their next life after their primary career. He created his own next chapter after a twenty-six-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Market...

The emotional transition when your retire can surprise you and throw you for a loop if you not prepared. Kate Schroeder joins us and shares her insights on the emotional side of retiring - so you'll be ready. And by the  way, those emotional issues you've put off while immersed in your working life? They'll be waiting for you when you retire.

Kate Schroeder joins us from St. Louis.

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Have comments or feedback on this episode – or on the podcast overall?

Or do you have a question you’d like me to address in an upcoming episode?

Click here to leave a Voice Message.

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Bio

Kate Schroeder is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and owner of Transformation Counseling, LLC. With over 25 years in the mental health field, her clinical background includes experience as a school counselor, mental health therapist in an urban university’s counseling center, individual, couples, group, and family therapist, and clinical researcher. Within these settings, Kate has provided dedicated counseling for clients experiencing difficulties in areas including depression and anxiety, human development and life transitions, interpersonal relationships, grief, trauma, self-efficacy, career exploration, and various other interpersonal conflicts. In addition to her private practice, she also teaches graduate courses to counselors in training.

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For More on Kate Schroeder

Website

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

Navigating the Transition – Dr. Maggie Mulqueen

Everyday Vitality – Dr. Samantha Boardman

Retire Happy – Dr. Catherine Sanderson

From Role to Soul – Dr. Connie Zweig

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Wise Quotes

On Losses When Your Retire

"One of the key pieces of work for them is it's something they can go lose themselves in or get a distraction or say, Hey, I have to go into work for a little while today. So suddenly when there's no place that they have to be, there's nothing that they're responsible for accomplishing, that can really drop people into a really challenging place. So spending more time with a spouse or kids, or even themselves, is another big challenge that I see a lot. And the other big one, although there's lots of other little kind of nuanced experiences, is finding ways to create meaning, to have meaning, to reach meaning in their lives. That's a big one too. Again, so many people get so much out of work where they get so much of their meaning. And so suddenly when that's no longer there, it kind of, it drops them big time for a loop."

On Self Compassion and Vulnerability

"Self-compassion and grace, they are going to be the supports that allows somebody to really soften into this more vulnerable part of themselves to know what it is that truly feeds them in retirement. Remember for many, many people it will span a quarter to a third of life. There's a lot of time to sort it out. The earlier we begin the better. It's like buying the Fast Pass before you get to Disney World, instead of getting to Disney World and having to stand in line. Let's not do that."

On Finding a New Purpose

"Purpose happens by being able to connect to our heart. We have to do the work to be able to develop that part of ourselves. The emotional, psychological part is as important as preparing financially and anything else for retirement."

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About Retirement Wisdom

Take charge of your future.

Schedule a call to find how how the Designing Your Life process (developed by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans at Stanford) can help...

Do you want to retire happy? One trap in retirement planning is to think of retirement as one thing, a singular phase of life. It's not. Things evolve and change. Dr. Riley Moynes has developed a useful framework of the Four Phases of Retirement that can help you plan for a satisfying retirement. And you'll want to hear what phase most retirees get stuck in - and how to progress to the fourth phase where the happiest retirees live.

Riley Moynes joins us from Ontario.

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Have comments or feedback on this episode - or the podcast overall?

Have a question you’d like me to address in an upcoming episode?

Click here to leave a Voice Message. I’d love to hear from you.

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Bio

Dr Riley Moines is the author of  The Four Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You're Retiring. During his varied career Dr. Riley Moynes has worked as an administrator, advisor, author, consultant, educator, entrepreneur, mentor, publisher, and researcher. He waltzed through Phase One of his retirement, struggled through Phase Two,  tried a dozen ventures in Phase Three and now in Phase Four helps entrepreneurs polish, package, and publish their unique stories in their niche markets.

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For More on Dr. Riley Moynes

The Four Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You're Retiring

Website: thefourphases.com

TEDx: The Four Phases of Retirement

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

When Will You Flip the Switch? – Dr. Barbara O’Neill

What Are The Keys To A Successful Retirement? Fritz Gilbert

Why Retirement is About Much More Than Money – Ted Kaufman & Bruce Hiland

Do Your Retirement Strategies Account for 6 Stages? – Ted Carr

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Wise Quotes

On Phase 4 Retirement

"...only about 50 to 60% of retirees break through to Phase Four. Not everyone gets there. But those who are able to break through to Phase Four are some of the happiest, most productive, satisfied, and gratified people t I have ever met. Phase Four is when we rewire and find something new that really, really hits us and that we just squeeze all the juice out."

On Planning Ahead for Retirement

"...be thinking ahead of what are some of their strengths, what are some of the things that they love to do and to be considering ways, well before they retire, that they might be able to apply those things when they do retire. And so to be able to have kind of a network that they might have built up or to look at some at some possibilities in advance, I think is extremely helpful."

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About Retirement Wisdom

Take charge of your future.

Schedule a call to find how how the Designing Your Life process (developed by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans at Stanford) can help you unlock a new direction – on your own terms.

How well prepared are you for the non-financial side of retirement? Take our free quiz and see what you should be preparing for in your retirement planning.

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About Your Host 

Joe Casey is an executive coach who also helps people design their next life after their primary career. He created his own next chapter after a twenty-six-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking.

If you’re thinking about retirement, you’ll also need to be planning for longevity. That’s why Joe returned to school, earning a Masters in Gerontology from the University of Southern California.Today,

Being a grandparent is truly a gift. But what happens over time? As your grandchildren grow up and become teenagers, grandparenting may not be as easy as it once was. All of sudden it seems like you're living in different worlds. The relationship evolves - and so can your grandparenting. And if it does, there's a tremendous opportunity for both generations to learn from each other. Jerry Witkovsky and Deanna Shoss, the co-authors of the new book Where Two Worlds Meet, join the podcast to share practical tips on how to grandparent well as your grandchildren become teenagers,

Jerry joins us from Los Angeles and Deanna from Chicago.

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Bios 

Jerry Witkovsky (MSW, University of Illinois) is a beloved mentor to thousands of individuals and generations of families, thanks to 47 years of professional leadership, eighteen of them as General Director of the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago. In 1995 he was named one of the city's "Most Effective Non-Profit CEOs" by Crain's Chicago Business Magazine. Since his 1997 retirement, Jerry has focused his considerable energies on grandparenting facilitation—helping multigenerational families work (and play) together to create a rich family life.

Deanna Shoss (MA, DePaul University) is CEO of Intercultural Talk, Inc. She helps non-digital natives (aka didn't grow up with technology) promote their businesses or life projects with digital, intercultural, and real-life marketing. She starts with strategy and know-how to help them adapt to new communication technologies. Shoss takes an intergenerational approach that combines online communication platforms like websites/blogs, social media, email, and video with partnership and community building, diversity, equity, and includes best practices and events/promotions IRL (in real-life).

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For More About the Authors

Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting with Your Teenage Grandchildren

Jerry Witkovsky: grandparentsunleashed.com

Deanna Shoss: interculturaltalk.com

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

The Mindful Grandparent – Dr. Shirley Showalter

Launching Financial Grownups – Bobbi Rebell, CFP

Who Will Take Care of You When You Are Older? – Joy Loverde

Are You Ready for The New Long Life? – Andrew Scott

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Mentioned in this Episode

Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy

The Secret to Entering Your Grandchild's World

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Wise Quotes 

On Appreciating the Challenges Teens Face Today

"...if they're asking the question, they are dealing with this in their life and the grandparent can be a sounding board. Even if it's, Well, tell me what you're thinking? How would you do it? They're not necessarily there to answer it, but maybe to hear and to help that grandchild think things through. And I'm guessing it is a little bit harder to be a teen nowadays with the pandemic and with school violence. And so many things that are facing teenagers today, grandparents need to let go of what it was like in their day. Still share all the stories, but really be open and receptive. Because if the grandchild says they're feeling it and experiencing it, then it's real for the grandchild."

On Authenticity vs. Trying to Be the Cool Grandparent

"...share your wisdom, share your experience. So basically you are already cool. You don't have to change who you are to be cool. You're already cool. Just be there and be authentic. Teens know authenticity. And they certainly know if you're not being authentic. And so just being you is it. We like to say you already have everything you need in you to be the best grandparent ever.

If you're planning for retirement, longevity is on your mind. From a financial perspective, you're looking to ensure that your money will last. No one precisely knows their life expectancy, but research is indicating that some choices we make can influence our longevity - and the quality of life in those years. Heathy eating and exercising are two obvious examples. And a new study highlights another dimension associated with longer longevity - your psychological well-being. The study found people with high levels of psychological well-being lived between 5 and 8 years longer. Our guest shares with us the findings of that study and practical steps you can take to increase your psychological well-being.

Dr, Jennifer Boylan joins us from Colorado.

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Bio

Jennifer Morozink Boylan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research focuses on health disparities, psychological factors that influence physical health, and biological mechanisms that link the social environment to disease processes. As a health psychologist, her research addresses the ways in which psychological factors engender resilience and protect against health risks associated with disadvantaged social status. This work utilizes multiple methodologies, including national longitudinal survey data, biological assessments of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, and laboratory assessments of emotion regulation and physiological reactivity and recovery to stress. Jennifer earned her Ph.D. and M.S. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Biological Psychology, and a B.A. in Psychology at Illinois Wesleyan University.

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For More on Dr. Jennifer Boylan

Four Keys to Well-Being That May Help You Live Longer

Psychological well-being, education, and mortality.

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy

Retire Happy – Dr. Catherine Sanderson

Successful Aging – Daniel Levitin

The Mind-Body Connection and The Rabbit Effect – Kelli Harding

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Wise Quotes

On Well-Being & Longevity 

"In our study, we compared these effects of psychological well-being with two other factors. One was education. The survival benefits of psychological well-being were comparable differences in life expectancy, between someone who had a college degree compared to someone who had less than a high school education. Now the survival benefits of high psychological well-being were not quite as big as the differences in life expectancy between someone who has never smoked versus a current smoker. That difference is about 10 years, but our study was one of the first to report these associations between psychological well-being and life expectancy, which I think is really helpful for conveying just how important psychological well-being can be for how long we live."

On How to Increase Your Psychological Well-Being

"There are a lot of ways, backed by scientific research, to increase your psychological well-being. These can include things like connecting with other people and then nurturing high quality social relationships, writing about your goals in life, being authentic with your core values, volunteering and engaging with your community. You want to seek out positive experiences, even small ones in daily life and try to savor those. And over time, all of those experiences can increase your psychological well-being. I think it's also important to note that some activities that increase our psychological well-being might not always feel good or enjoyable in the short term. It takes a lot of work and effort to strive to achieve your...

This podcast focuses on the non-financial side of retirement planning. But make no mistake, building a solid financial foundation for retirement is critical. That's why I interview guests on the financial side periodically, including Wade Pfau, Larry Kotlifoff, Bobbi Rebell, Russ Thornton, Harriett Edleson, and Casey Weade. Here are snippets of some of the best conversations so far on different dimensions of the financial side of the equation.

Links to the the full episodes are below:

Wade Pfau

Larry Kotlikoff

Hariett Edleson

Bobbi Rebell

Russ Thornton

Casey Weade

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About Retirement Wisdom

Take charge of your future.

Take the first step toward your new life today.

Schedule a call to find how how the Designing Your Life process (developed by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans at Stanford) can help you unlock a new direction – on your own terms.  Learn more about our One – on – One coaching and small group programs.

How well prepared are you for the non-financial side of retirement? Take our free quiz and see what you should be preparing for in your retirement planning.

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About Your Host 

Joe Casey is an executive coach who also helps people design their next life after their primary career. He created his own next chapter after a twenty-six-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking.

If you’re thinking about retirement, you’ll also need to be planning for longevity That’s why Joe returned to school, earning a Masters in Gerontology from the University of Southern California (at age 60).

Today, in addition to his work with clients, Joe hosts The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, which thanks to his guests and loyal listeners, ranks in the top 1.5 % globally in popularity by Listen Notes. Business Insider has recognized him as one of 23 innovative coaches who are making a difference.

He’s the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy coming this summer.

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Intro and Outro voiceovers by Ross Huguet.

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The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Retirement Wisdom Podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the host or Retirement Wisdom, LLC. The Retirement Wisdom Podcast covers the non-financial aspects of retirement. From time to time we may invite guests who discuss other aspects of retirement planning, solely for educational purposes. Listeners are advised to consult qualified financial and/or medical professionals on those matters.

 

Many people are more multi-dimensional that you may expect. It's interesting to talk with people who had a successful career in one arena and then pivoted to do something different. We've spoken with an NBA referee, an astronaut, a retired distinguished professor, executives in healthcare and finance, a lawyer, and a police chief. Their stories may inspire you to consider your own second act - perhaps full-time or part-time, but on your own terms. Our guest today had a highly successful 2o-year run at a dream job - lead singer in a rock band. And she's now in the midst of turning to her next chapter - a career on the field of Gerontology. She's built a strong foundation, having returned to school, graduating with not one, but two Masters degrees this year, including one from USC in Gerontology in May.

Brett Anderson joins us from California.

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Bio

For 20 years, Brett Anderson was the lead singer of the female rock group The Donnas, and performed on Saturday Night Live, David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. And then she made a pivot which began with going back to school, first at LA City College where she was valedictorian, and transferred to Stanford University where in 2019, she received a degree in psychology. This year she earned a Master of Science in Gerontology at the University of Southern California and a Master of Social Work at UCLA .

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy

Ageism Unmasked – Dr. Tracey Gendron

Career Change with Purpose Top of Mind – Chris Farrell

Think Big – Dr. Grace Lordan

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For More on Brett Anderson

The Former Lead Singer of The Donnas Has a New Beat: Gerontology

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

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Wise Quotes

On Her Interest in Gerontology

"I started to notice older people when I was out in public and just noticed people talking over them or looking through them and imagining how that would feel. And as a woman I do get some of that myself when I'm in a room of men. I get talked over and looked through, but I think it's amplified when you're older, especially if you have any kind of physical disability, if you're in a wheelchair and you're physically at a lower level than other people. I think it's really easy to be just, well, a good word for it is overruled. Basically I just was able to put myself in that position and imagine how terrible that would feel and it made me want to change our environment, change our policies, change our society, and change everything about the way that we treat older people in our society."

On Humility

"For the first four years of school, it was just all about humility. I think you know when you have a literal spotlight on you, it inflates your ego. But I think the thing that people don't realize is there's sort of like the equal and opposite extreme. So whenever your ego is inflated, you also sort of have this growing, compensating insecurity. And I don't know if it's like that for everyone, but it was definitely like that for me. So it was really just a process of getting rightsized, of being confident about the things that I had the right to be confident about, and then sitting down and shutting up about the things that maybe I didn't know what I was talking about. And it was really hard to tell the difference between those things in the beginning. And slowly, and with many mistakes, and public mistakes, I learned the difference between the things that I can take credit for and the things that I really shouldn't take credit for."

On True Success

"I always bring a different perspective and a lot of people don't get that perspective in ...

Many things are not as easy as they look. There's no such thing as Grandparent School. But our guest today shares her wisdom on grandparenting to help rookie grandparents (like me) learn the ropes and help experienced ones bring more mindfulness to their grandparenting. Shirley Showalter is the co-author of The Mindful Grandparent: The Art of Loving Our Children's Children. 

Shirley Showalter joins us from Pennsylvania.

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Bio

Shirley Showalter is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and grandmother. With a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, Showalter served as a professor and then president of Goshen College in Indiana and as a foundation executive at the Fetzer Institute in Michigan. She and her husband live in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

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For More on Shirley Showalter

The Mindful Grandparent: The Art of Loving Our Children's Children

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

The Power of Fun – Catherine Price

Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy

Retire Happy – Dr. Catherine Sanderson

Learning is a Lifetime Sport – Tom Vanderbilt

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Mentioned in this episode:

GRAND Magazine

The Eyres.com

Donna Davis Gaga Sisterhood

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Wise Quotes

On Learning with Grandchildren

"We want there to be energy and joy. And there certainly is, but it should be a gentle form, so that it's not overpowering to the child. We can come across as too intrusive in their lives. Our questions can make them wary. They won't even be able to understand why they aren't sure, but it they might clam up instead of open up, if we don't come into it sometimes from the side, or make our conversation starters in the form of questions. [My co-author] Marilyn has a real knack for that and she helps her grandchildren develop their own ability to ask questions, partly because she's such a great asker of questions herself. And instead of telling you what's new, she can say, Have you noticed that the blooming tree outside has been shedding its flowers this morning? And then they'll go into a whole conversation about what kind of tree it is and why flowers are falling down now, but they were budding two weeks ago. You can get into it in great detail, but you have to come at it gently - and with no sense of overpowering a child's own imagination."

On Teamwork in Grandparenting

"You want to give yourself as much opportunity just to be present and to talk with the [adult] children and the in-laws. It's actually good to have a conversation about what you expect of each other, what you hope for each other, what you dream for each other in the same way that you might write the letter to your grandchild. I think it is important to try to get to the same place of what we expect from each other and how can we help each other. This is not only a wonderful opportunity. This is a great responsibility. There's never too much love in any child's life and there's never too much help -  [unless] you offer the wrong help at the wrong time.That can be a problem. But most parents are so grateful for the little relief that they can get here and there. So having a conversation with the parents about roles and about hopes and dreams, I think is important early on. And expect that things will change and then keep learning and growing."

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About Retirement Wisdom

Take charge of your future.

Schedule a call to find how how the Designing Your Life process (developed by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans at Stanford) can help you unlock a new direction – on your own terms.

What's cluttering your life? If you're thinking about moving, downsizing, aging in place, or simply better organizing your life, decluttering can seem like an overwhelming task. Matt Paxton has developed a step-by-step process to get it done - and deal with the emotional aspects that may be holding you back.

Matt Paxton joins us from Atlanta.

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Bio

Matt Paxton, host of the Emmy-nominated series Legacy List with Matt Paxton (3 seasons on PBS stations nationwide), is a leading downsizing and decluttering expert. He started cleaning houses after his father, stepfather, and both grandfathers died in the same year, leaving him with several estates to settle at once.

Ever since, Matt and his network of experts have been working with families struggling with settling estates and cleanouts for almost twenty years. He has been an extreme cleaning expert featured on 13 seasons of the hit A&E TV show Hoarders.

Matt is the author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, created in collaboration with AARP and featuring his signature steps to downsizing and decluttering your home. He appears regularly as a public speaker, television guest on shows and radio personality helping families find the upside of downsizing. Matt is the national decluttering and downsizing expert for AARP and Goodwill Industries International. He lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and seven kids (yes, seven kids, that is not a typo).

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For More on Matt Paxton

Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life

Legacy List with Matt Paxton

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

Where Will You Live Next? – Ryan Frederick

Your Family History & Legacy – Laurie Hermance-Moore

Stupid Things I’ll Never Do When I Get Old – Steven Petrow

Are You in the Driver’s Seat? – Cindy Cox-Roman

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Wise Quotes

On Why Decluttering Can Be Difficult

"There's a lot of reasons that we struggle with letting go of the stuff, but I've found out that we really attach to the people behind the stuff, not the actual stuff. It's the memories. It's the people. It's the stories. It's the way those people made us feel. All of that's wrapped up in the stuff and so when we let go of stuff we're letting go of those people that we love so much. So it's hard."

On Why Less is More 

"When it's your stuff, that's when the emotions kick in. I got about halfway through the process and I had to go through my entire house in the middle of the pandemic. I had a month to pack up my entire, at that point, 46-year life. And at the end of the day I fell in love. That's why I was moving. I was moving to be with my now fiancee and her kids. So we have 7 kids between us and my wife is a minimalist, which means we don't have a whole lot of stuff. So I had to get rid of 75% of my stuff to fit. My finish line was I wanted a happy family. It was the reason I had to rewrite the book because I got down to the last week and I was like I don't think I can do this. It was the first time I'd experienced my clients fear and I was like: Oh, this is what they go through. Okay, I get it now. This is why I'm doing this, so it's a very personal book. I put a lot of personal stories into it. But I'll tell you the core of minimalism is that you'll have more joy more happiness with less stuff."

On How to Start

"It really is the the 10 minute sweep, I promise you. Pick a one foot by one foot area -  that's it. If you start small, you'll be able to keep going, but too many people think: Okay, we did 10 minutes. Great! Tomorrow we're going to do 9 hours! That's where you're going to burn people out. Just take it slow.