Turning Age into Art
Living a Creative and Awakened Second Half of LifePut a Little Buzz into Your Life.
The Art of Levitating
When it comes to pandemics, there is probably no more valuable skill to acquire than mastering the art of levitation. One might reasonably argue that developing a vaccine should earn a higher spot on my list than floating on air, but I am just hopeful enough to...
Stretching Your Way to a Better World
Touching My Toes By Summer
It’s a divisive and troubled world, my friends. We have to do something to make a stand and do our part to save the Earth. I don’t know what you have planned, but I have officially thrown my cap over the wall and hereby declare that I will touch my toes by the twentieth day of June. Deep bend. Fingers on top of toes.
Stargazing & the Art of Aging Well
The Challenge to Go to Infinity and Beyond
Scientists tell us that for every grain of sand on Earth, there are 10,000 stars in the universe (along with 275 million new stars born every day). I offer this just in case you need to remind yourself that there is more to life than the small planet we’re living on, or the three new brown spots you just discovered on your arm, or the hearing aids you can’t find without your glasses.
Say Yes to No
Nee. Nā. La'. Ne. Nej. Non. Ei. Ochi. Loh. Tidak. Não. Net. Nein. Or as they say in Nepalese…NO! No is a beautiful word, my friends. It rolls off the tongue like poetry. And it's not just for four-year-olds anymore. It belongs to wise poets, fierce warriors, and anyone who wants a better second half of life. I hope you will do yourself a favor and check out this week's post. You deserve a little NO in your life.
The Making of a Modern Elder
Q&A With Chip Conley
Oxygen Blazers is back! Our tribute to those trailblazing men and women who are finding new ways to inspire us all to live a creative and awakened second half of life. Today, we bring you Chip Conley, author of Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder, and founder of the Modern Elder Academy. Enjoy!
Making Your Life a Work of Art
A Masterclass From My Wife
When people ask me what my wife Terri is like, I like to tell the story of how I once walked into the kitchen and found her with her head halfway in the oven. She was in there a good five minutes before she came out. She looked at me and smiled. “The hairdryer broke.”
The Magic of Hello
There are over 2,700 ways to say hello on this planet, not counting handshakes, fist bumps, smiles, nods, winks, bows, hugs and rubbing noses. Hello. Ciao. Bonjour. Konnichiwa. Mambo. Go ahead, pick your favorite, or do as they do in Tibet—stick out your tongue, which for the non-Tibetans in the crowd, is a sign of respect and a simple way to send a message that you care.
Finding Your Voice in the Second Half of Life
In case you haven’t noticed (and no hard feelings if you haven’t), but things have been quiet here at Oxygen Buzz. I came down with laryngitis. And not the kind my wife is always hoping for, but the lesser-known and much more lethal variety that attacks the creative arteries and weakens the spine. It’s a creative paralysis that strikes when you think you have nothing to say, or if you do, no backbone to share it.
The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna: How to Know You're Living a Creative Life
I have a new binge-watching obsession on Netflix. It’s called Chef’s Table—a show where some of the most renowned chefs in the world share their deeply personal stories, inspirations, and unique styles. It’s not just about cooking—it’s about art, creativity, and the way we live our lives.
What to do with the Rest of Your Life
The Anti-Bucket List Experiment
Oxygen Buzz has a love-hate relationship with the bucket list. Too often bucket lists are tied to deep bank accounts—five-star huts on deserted islands or helicopter skiing in the Alps. And then there all those bucket list adventures that require you to be a Navy Seal—parachuting into volcanos and running with bulls. Perhaps most unfortunate, bucket lists have become a cliché for getting older—the idea that we must live large and dangerous before the hourglass empties.
The Modern Elder Academy
Transformation comes in many shapes and sizes. For me, it was green and came in a bowl, with just the right hint of salt. Yes. I ate guacamole for the first time in my life (and I live in L.A. with grandparents that came from Mexico).
Nostalgia, the Curse of Getting Older, and the Power of Now
Who remembers the good ol’ days? You know way back when teenagers could ride in the back of a pickup truck on the freeway, or you could light up a cigarette on an airplane, or hold a baby on your lap without those confining car seats.
Embracing Death on the Path to a More Meaningful Life
The Six Feet Under Experiment
Draw the blinds, open the windows, and let the sun in, my friends—it’s time to talk about death. And, for the record, we’re not embarking on this experiment because we’re over 50, or we believe we have more days in the rearview mirror than we do on the road ahead. That would be way too much of a cliché. We’re talking about death so we can re-engage with life, without fear—head first and with gusto.
Old Age Reconsidered
We are honored to present our first guest post—straight from our Oxygen Buzz community.
Meet Martha Hendricks, a good friend and beautiful spirit who has much to say, starting with her first post. Enjoy. We know we did.
Declutter Your Way to a More Meaningful Life
The Upside of Downsizing
We know. Just what you wanted—one more article about downsizing. We hear your pain, and we’re doing it anyway. And, yes, we know that when it comes to maneuvering the complexities of getting older, downsizing is a ripe topic. It’s the rage on all the over-50 sites. But, there's a reason for that…
