Matthew Long, retired Navy officer and writer at Beyond the Bookshelf, joins me in this conversation about planning for a major life change.

Too often, we drift into the next thing simply because it’s familiar. In this conversation, Matthew explains how he avoided this drift and planned his post-retirement life after a long career in the Navy.

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Matthew Long spent 24 years on active duty in the Navy before retiring in 2024. His civilian life is all about being a reader, a writer, and spending a lot of time with his dog, Lola. He resides in Tennessee with Jannette, his wife of 22 years, and their 17-year-old daughter, while their eldest son is off to college.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- The challenges of transitioning from a structured career to an open-ended future

- How Matthew approached his retirement beyond just the financial side

- The blueprint process he used to get clear on his next steps

- Changes in family dynamics and household roles post-retirement

- How Matthew is putting his blueprint into action—and what his next chapter looks like

Check out the full show notes for this episode here: https://loublaser.substack.com/p/235-matthew-long

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Subscribe to We're All Getting Older, a newsletter about living a vibrant & fulfilling life so we can die happy later: https://loublaser.substack.com

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Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loublaser/

I am joined by Yvonne Marchese, whose boundless energy and fearless approach to trying new things always inspire me. In this lively conversation, Yvonne shares her secrets to staying energized, curious, and playful in midlife (and beyond).

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Yvonne Marchese is a former actress turned photographer, podcaster, author, age-agitator, and person who encourages us all to live and age playfully. On Instagram, you will often find her posting clips of her rollerskating or doing fun, playful things and just celebrating her midlife.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- How Yvonne’s “beginner’s mindset” keeps her excited about life

- Her leap into photography, roller skating, and even writing a book

- Overcoming fear, self-doubt, and the little voice that says, “You can’t”

- Why surrounding yourself with inspiring people is a game-changer

- And her plans to lean into playfulness in 2025

Check out the full show notes for this episode here: https://loublaser.substack.com/p/234-yvonne-marchese

• • • • •

Subscribe to We're All Getting Older, a newsletter about how to live now so we can die happy later: https://loublaser.substack.com

Connect with Lou Blaser on Substack: https://substack.com/@loublaser

Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loublaser/

I’m back! The podcast has been on hiatus since August, which has given me the time to plan the way forward.

In this episode, I talk about rocks versus pebbles (you know that story, right?) and how that analogy has helped me define the future of this podcast. I also discuss how the podcast complements We’re All Getting Older (the main publication) and what you can expect from January onward.

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Subscribe to We're All Getting Older, a newsletter about how to live now so we can die happy later: https://loublaser.substack.com

Connect with Lou Blaser on Substack: https://substack.com/@loublaser

Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loublaser/