We are, quite literally, outliving expectations. Statistically, we’re gaining decades, yes decades of extra life that previous generations never had the chance to imagine, let alone plan for.
But what are we doing with all this extra time?
We talk a lot about living longer. You see it in online news headlines, in the marketing of miracle supplements, in the obsession with Blue Zones and biohacking. But here’s the thing: longevity without quality is a sad life.
I thinking living longer shouldn’t just be about adding years to life, but adding life to our years and I think that takes more than step counts and superfoods.
When I was a young woman we were sold a version of life that goes something like this: work hard, retire early (if you’re lucky) and spend your later years pottering around the garden or in a timeshare somewhere sunny. Sounds nice in theory, but what if that version doesn’t fit? What if the garden is a balcony? What if the sun-drenched villa is more ‘expat limbo’ than liberation?
I’m 62 now. My so-called retirement years feel less like winding down and more like waking up. I don’t want to disappear quietly into a cardigan and crossword puzzle. I want to stretch myself, challenge myself, connect and contribute.
I want to feel seen – not sidelined.
And here’s the truth no one told us …
These bonus decades we’re going to get require learning new skills. Skills of pivoting and evolving. Not just of how we live either, but how we think about ageing. Most of our systems like pensions, healthcare and the workplace are built for a world where people retired at 50 and 55 and were dead by 70, 75 tops. That world no longer exists. We’re living into our 80s and 90s and yet we’re still expected to follow scripts written for a much shorter story.
It’s a might be a bit daunting because it might mean retraining, unlearning hard wired thoughts or completely starting over. It might mean letting go of things we thought were baked into our lives, our careers, our identities, our relationships and learning how to grow again. That takes guts. That takes permission. Not from others, but from ourselves.
We need spaces where it’s normal to say: I’m not done yet.
We need language that doesn’t reduce older age to decline.
We need policies that reflect the reality of a five-generation workforce.
We need each other.
Because here’s what I think I’m learning.
I’m currently building and learning and developing new things not just because it lights me up, though it really does, but because I’m tired of watching brilliant women feel like they’ve aged out of relevance.
We have the ability for the first time in history to age into our power.
Not to claw back some mythical youth but to create futures where our extra years are rich with meaning, purpose and connection.
Where living longer is a gift and living better is the point.
Let me know in the comments what you’re doing as you age 💗