When life gets busy, we're often the first thing removed from our own calendar. Discover why reclaiming time for yourself isn't selfish—it's one of the most important habits for healthy aging.

Building healthy habits isn't about having more discipline. It's about learning when to stay persistent—and when to change your approach. Here's why adaptability is one of the most important healthy aging skills.

Most of us measure health by today's numbers. But healthy aging isn't defined by today's lab results—it's built by keeping your eyes on where you're headed, not just what's on the dashboard.

What if menopause isn’t simply an ending—but a recalibration? This phase can bring real challenges, but it may also create space for something quieter and more powerful to emerge.

There’s something I’ve been thinking …

It started with a post I shared on Instagram — a simple idea about how the same words can land completely differently depending on the energy behind them.  

And it's a clip taken right from a Mary Tyler Moore show - a show that many of us grew up with (making it extra fun to watch … )

Most people think longevity is about living longer.

But the real question is:

What do those extra years actually feel like?

Because longevity, at its core, is two things:

Lifespan — how many years we live
Healthspan — how many of those years we feel well, capable, and fully able to live our lives

And if you ask me, healthspan is where it really matters. (And in many cases when you focus on improving health span, lifespan tends to follow).

In my mindset sessions with clients, I often ask a simple question:

What does health actually mean to you?

Most people pause.
Some say energy. Some say feeling good. Some say freedom.

The dictionary defines health as the absence of disease.

But I like to think about it differently:

Health is the ability to live your life — and your dreams — fully.

We are living in a moment of unprecedented access to health information.

 Every day there are podcasts, books, research summaries, Instagram posts, reels, newsletters, documentaries, and conversations about what we should be eating, how we should be moving, how to sleep better, manage stress, and age well.

 And of course there are people like me — sharing ideas, research, and experiences in the hope that something might help someone feel better — physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

 But the reality is that this landscape now includes a huge range of voices.

Doctors.
Nutritionists.
Exercise physiologists.
Fitness trainers.
Health coaches.
Biohackers.
Wellness influencers.
And everyday people who have discovered something that worked for them and feel passionate about sharing it.

Many of these voices are thoughtful and well-intentioned. Some are deeply trained in the science. Others are speaking primarily from personal experience.

Which leads to a very real question:

With all of this information coming at us — how do we know what to trust, what actually matters, and what is worth acting on?

December doesn’t need to be about fixing or overhauling your health. This reflection explores how small signals from the body offer useful information — and why paying attention now can support strength, energy, and independence for decades to come.

Before the holiday wave really picks up, I wanted to send you a quick note — not with more to do, but with a reminder that can make the rest of this month feel noticeably lighter.

December has a way of accelerating. 

One minute we’re pulling out the wrapping paper… the next minute it’s suddenly January. 

And in that rush, it’s so easy to lose sight of the one thing that makes everything else feel better:

your foundation.

For years, “healthy” meant fat-free everything. Then it was low-carb. Then keto. Then fasting.

We were told to log endless miles of cardio for heart health.
Now we know that strength training is one of the most powerful tools we have for longevity.

And for me personally, fasting has been one of those areas I’ve had to rethink. 

Many health professionals I respect promote longer fasts, and yes, there are powerful benefits. But for midlife bodies, the risk of muscle loss is real  - and that’s not a trade-off I’m willing to make. 

So I reframed my approach: I now lean into something simple and sustainable - a 12-hour overnight fast, from dinner to breakfast. 

No extremes. Just something that works for the long haul.

These kinds of shifts … this practice of reframing … show up everywhere.

In our health. In our relationships. In how we see the world.

I just returned from two magical weeks in Maine, my favorite place, where we celebrated the most special wedding of all - - 

my daughter’s, held at her childhood summer camp. 

The days were filled with family, friends, and unforgettable moments.

What surprised me most was how much joy I found in the pre-wedding “DIY” projects … the very things that had worried me the most beforehand. 

I’d pictured stress, endless to-dos, and projects going sideways. 

Instead, painting signs, labeling rocks, folding napkins with fern fronds (from two ferns that traveled from my porch to Maine and back again!), and making more floral arrangements than I can count turned out to be sooo fun and even grounding. 

One of the highlights? My 65-year-old bachelor cousin carefully tucking fern fronds into place settings - it was proof that everyone can get into the spirit when you’re working side by side.

As wonderful as it was to soak up every moment, it’s also nice to be back home, shifting into what fall will look like. 

For me, that means resetting after two weeks of late nights, too much ice cream, and maybe more wine than I’d normally have (though I’m convinced all the laughter canceled that out!).

The other day I was listening to a podcast about origin stories - those defining experiences and influences that shape who we are.

I had never really thought about mine before, but something clicked. 

I started wondering:

What parts of my path, my talents, and my passions were seeded by the people and experiences that came before me?

Before I dive in, you might be thinking:

What does this have to do with health?

The short answer: everything.

Because our stories shape our thoughts, our actions, and our emotions. 

And all of those are directly connected to our health. How we feel, how we move forward, how we connect with others and ourselves - these are the threads that tie together emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

I've been diving into some truly fascinating science lately, and I can't stop thinking about what it means for our health. 

And I'm not really a "sciencey" person.  

But I'm hoping that you'll find this as compelling as I do.  

The science I will share offers proof positive that all those foundational principles, our daily habits, that I'm always writing about here … are absolutely essential to healthy aging. 

And yes, it takes effort — to change, to start, to find the time. 

But if you’ve been waiting for that spark — a dose of insight that helps you see things differently, that makes you more aware of what’s possible with small, intentional lifestyle shifts…

…then maybe, just maybe, this is exactly the nudge you’ve been needing to move forward.

What I'm writing about here is the foundation of the Younger You program by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald - and it’s giving me a whole new way to talk about why your daily choices matter so much.

You know eating well, moving regularly, getting quality sleep, managing stress, and minimizing toxins are important. We all know that.

But here’s the question that gets me fired up:

👉 Do you realize just how those habits shape your health, your longevity, and even your gene expression?

This is where things get really interesting.

When we hear the phrase energy balance, the technical definition usually comes to mind: the balance between energy intake (what we eat) and energy expenditure (what we burn).

It’s a scale — and tipping too far in either direction can impact everything from metabolism to mood.

After years of navigating work, motherhood, and life in general, I’ve learned that energy balance, simply being and feeling balanced, is about so much more than the technical scientific equation cited above.

It’s about how we show up in life. How we protect and replenish our energy — physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually — so we can thrive instead of just push through.

Here are a few ways I think about balance in real life:

What’s the most important thing you can do for your health?

I had a coaching session earlier this week, and my client asked me this exact question.

My answer?

Be mindful.
Be aware in the moment.
Be conscious of the decisions you're making.

Because here’s the truth:

Our health is shaped by the thousands of tiny choices we make each week.

Each decision—what you eat, how you move, when you rest, what you prioritize—has the power to move you toward greater health or nudge you back toward illness.

One helpful visual I often share is the Illness–Wellness Continuum, developed by Dr. John Travis back in the 1970s. It’s a simple model, but incredibly powerful.

We live in a world that’s designed to keep us comfortable - and constantly entertained.

- Hungry? There’s a delivery app for that.
- Cold? A heated blanket is one click away.
- Bored? Just pick up your phone, and within seconds you’re scrolling, watching, shopping, or playing.

We’ve removed friction from nearly every part of our lives. 

And in many ways, that’s a marvel of modern living. But in doing so, we’ve also erased some of the most beautiful, messy, and deeply human experiences that come from discomfort.

Especially boredom.

As parents, we often feel pressure to keep our kids occupied and “happy” at all times. 

Screens become the default. Activities are scheduled down to the minute. But what if we’ve taken it too far?

We’ve all been there… saying some or all of the following things:

“I should be doing more of that.”
“I should be eating more vegetables … or more protein… or less ultra-processed food.”
“I should be exercising more.”
“I should be getting more sleep.”
“I should be drinking less alcohol… or more water.”

And so on.

Here’s where I weigh in—as a Healthy Aging Coach.  I believe mindset may be the most critical aspect of being and staying healthy.

When we’re aware of what we should be doing—and we understand why it matters, how it’s connected to our energy, longevity, and ability to thrive—then something shifts.  And when your mindset shifts from “I should” to “I choose," everything changes. 

We make thousands of decisions every single day—what to eat, when to move, how to respond to stress, when to call it a day.

Each one might feel small in the moment. But together, they shape the trajectory of our health—and our life.

Here’s the powerful truth: you are in charge.

You get to decide whether those choices support the life you want—or keep you stuck.

Today, I help my clients and followers figure out what they need to do to embrace the concept of owning their health.

We all hear the terms “mindset” and “mindfulness” frequently. 

Sometimes, it's easy to dismiss them, not fully tuning into what they mean. 

You might even wonder—does mindfulness mean meditation? What do I need to do to be mindful?

If you think of the opposite of mindfulness, it’s mindlessness—going through life on autopilot, assuming you already know something and not paying attention. 

Mindfulness, at its core, is simply being present and aware. 

And awareness is the most important factor in making meaningful changes. When you’re mindful, you have more energy, more capacity, and more control over your actions.