Recently I came across this article about longevity and how it is challenging some of us to reimagine our later years. By “us”, I’m referring to my fellow Gen Xers and younger baby boomers in particular. Not surprisingly, it’s this cohort that is carrying the most stress and burden from increased longevity. And I don’t see that this is going to change anytime soon.

We are the sandwich generation, and this is one fully loaded sandwich. Layers typically include preparing to send kids to college or on their own, traveling across the state for their sports and events, moving mom to memory care, checking on dad’s meds, leading professionally in an ever-changing environment, and oh yeah, deciding what to make for dinner.

The words “Calgon, take me away!” come to mind, but the reality is that no bath bomb on the market will dissolve our demands. Here’s what I do know:

You must care for yourself

Financial experts tell you to “pay yourself first,” flight attendants tell you to p

“I’ve told my children that when I die, to release balloons in the sky to celebrate that I graduated. For me, death is a graduation.” —Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

What if we celebrated leaving life as well as we do entering it? After all, it also only happens once.

Somber, staid traditions are kicking the bucket; death is experiencing a glow up. Green burial, aquamation, getting launched into space—these are just a few alternatives to traditional burial that have become available. My personal favorite? Becoming a diamond.

Similarly, I’ve been hearing and reading more stories about memorable, meaningful, and even fun events celebrating the end of life. Some of these events are held before someone passes away, such as a living wake, creating a beautiful opportunity to share stories and expressions of love and appreciation. These events can also combine party with practical, as was the case when Nicola Tomlin’s client had the idea to throw a will party.

Would you throw a will party? What about a living wake? Would you prefer a garden party, or beer and food trucks? Turn me into a diamond and pass the champagne.

If you’ve been listening to the Money Without Math podcast (previously FRESH OFF THE VINE), you may have picked up on a common theme: money intersects with nearly every aspect of our lives. From our work to our health and relationships, we must regularly address money issues that are available in a wide variety of flavors and sizes. Money doesn’t just exist in our wallets or on account statements, and math alone will only get us so far. We can’t budget our way out of a disagreement with a coworker or spouse, for example. We need to be equipped to deal with money in these various capacities, and that requires more than purely financial acumen.

In particular, the ability to have productive and healthy conversations around money—with your partner, or your parents or children—has been a reoccurring theme on the podcast. Dr. Joy Lere, a licensed clinical psychologist, described how we act out using money when communication is lacking. Denise Logan, author and former attorney, described a similar outcome for business owners during the emotional process of selling a business. Dan Solin, also a former attorney as well as New York Times bestselling author, shared several practical tips for approaching difficult conversations on the show.

I invited psychologist and family wealth consultant Dr. Moira Somers to discuss her work and in particular, a blog she wrote about the top 10 financial skills needed for modern families. What I noticed is that her list contained not just the standard advice around saving regularly and spending wisely, b

To make better financial decisions—or life decisions in general— we could all stand to benefit by incorporating the study of Buddhism. Or Behavioral Science, and how it’s used in finance (BeFi). You might be surprised by how much they have in common!

After my podcast conversation with Neil Bage, I realized that behavioral science backs what Buddhism recognized many years ago: change is constant—in our world, and within ourselves. Not only that, but:

🙏🏻 Life is messy and painful

🙏🏻 The world is in flux, the future is now the past

🙏🏻 We are ever-changing, though we fail to recognize it

You don’t have to become a Buddhist scholar or behavioral scientist anytime soon. But consider these questions:

Are you holding on too tightly—to past decisions, expected outcomes, fear? Interestingly, I have observed that people who have a healthy relationship with money also have a healthy degree of detachment from it. They don’t grip it too tightly. The ability to “loosen your grip” is essential when markets are volatile, or when you are giving generously. But a degree of detachment isn’t limited to money; it helps us deal with change in general.

How much do you think you will change in the next 10 or 20 years? Recognizing that we are ever-changing has signif

Years ago I attended a conference session on longevity and sat in wonder as I realized how the lives of senior citizens would be improving thanks to technology and apps like Uber and TaskRabbit. Can’t get to the grocery store on your own? There’s an app for that.

It took me awhile longer to realize that some seniors could be both users *and* providers of these services.

The almighty side hustle (or side business) is often touted as a way to amp up savings, aggressively pay off debt, and ultimately tell “the man” that you are your own boss now. But a side hustle could also serve as an entry to your next chapter, as you phase out or wind down from your professional career. I think of this version as a “slide” hustle.

“Retirer” is from the French word, to withdraw, which is not what we are doing with our entire life when we end our working life. I’d love to retire the word retirement, as it just doesn’t describe what many of us are striving for in this phase of our life. We are not just leaving something behind, we are entering new territory. And it can be hard to imagine what that looks like.

Just this week, a friend told me about a colleague who recently retired. After just a few short weeks, they’ve come to realize that golf alone isn’t going to cut it.

What many people overlook is that work is more than just work. For many of us work provides not only an income source, it also provides a social network, a schedule, and a sense of purpose. Without a plan to rep