241 episodes

Conversations about midlife, life and career transitions, and all the fabulous ways we can get better as we get older. Hosted by Lou Blaser.

About The Host: Lou Blaser is a former corporate ladder climber turned writer and podcaster. She writes the weekly publication "We're All Getting Older" and is the author of Break Free: The Courage to Reinvent Yourself and Your Career.

Second Breaks Lou Blaser

    • Health & Fitness
    • 5.0 • 37 Ratings

Conversations about midlife, life and career transitions, and all the fabulous ways we can get better as we get older. Hosted by Lou Blaser.

About The Host: Lou Blaser is a former corporate ladder climber turned writer and podcaster. She writes the weekly publication "We're All Getting Older" and is the author of Break Free: The Courage to Reinvent Yourself and Your Career.

    224. Settling Into Olderhood and Finding Our New Way Forward with Paul Long

    224. Settling Into Olderhood and Finding Our New Way Forward with Paul Long

    "A lot of people get old because they think they're supposed to."
    Former award-winning television journalist and Emmy-Award-winning producer/writer/director Paul Long shares his midlife career transitions and his "new way forward" — one that is ideal for him, that takes advantage of the new realities of longevity and the new phase of life he calls "olderhood."
    In this episode, Paul and I have a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to get older today, what "olderhood" means (and why he considers this a better moniker for this phase in life), retirement, and the stories we tell ourselves as we get older.   
    GUEST LINKS:Paul Long's Newsletter: Launch YourselfPaul Long on YouTubeFollow Paul Long on LinkedIn
    ------------
    Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedInSubscribe to We're All Getting Older, a weekly newsletter about growth in the second half of our lives.
    Work with Lou Blaser
    Support the Show. Thank you.

    • 52 min
    223. How Do You Prepare to Retire From a Career You Love with Merle Saferstein

    223. How Do You Prepare to Retire From a Career You Love with Merle Saferstein

    How do you prepare to leave a job or career that you love? Merle Saferstein is an educator, speaker, author, and a pioneer in legacy journaling. After twenty-six years as a Holocaust educator, where she worked with hundreds of Holocaust survivors, helping them to leave their legacy, she retired and created Living and Leaving Your Legacy®.
    In this episode, we talk about her previous role at the Holocaust Center, how she prepared to retire from a job that meant so much to her, and the questions she asked herself then.  
    GUEST LINKS
    Merle Saferstein's websiteLiving and Leaving My Legacy (Volumes 1 and 2) by Merle SafersteinFOOTNOTES
    Ep. 214: Living Our Legacy with Merle Saferstein------------
    Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedInSubscribe to We're All Getting Older, a weekly newsletter about growth in the second half of our lives.
    Work with Lou Blaser
    Support the Show. Thank you!

    • 34 min
    222. How To Master Ourselves Through Difficult Situations with Vivek Chakrabortty

    222. How To Master Ourselves Through Difficult Situations with Vivek Chakrabortty

    Vivek Chakrabortty, CEO and Founder of The Kavi Group, a crisis management and business continuity consulting firm, "worked on himself" for years, combining influences from Catholicism, Stoicism, Vedanta, Buddhism, and mindfulness, to come up with his own 3-step philosophy for managing and mastering himself.
    In this episode, he walks us through each step, and we explore various practical applications in our day-to-day lives. This is a mini-masterclass on managing ourselves. Sit back and grab a notepad.
    GUEST LINKS:
    Vivek on LinkedInThe Kavi Group
    FOOTNOTES
    A Case Study in Personal Growth and Transformation with Vivek ChakraborttyThe Untethered Soul by Michael Singer------------
    Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedInSubscribe to We're All Getting Older, a weekly newsletter about growth in the second half of our lives.
    Work with Lou Blaser
    Support the Show. Thank you!

    • 1 hr 1 min
    221. The One About Change, Getting Older, The Things We Can (and Cannot) Control

    221. The One About Change, Getting Older, The Things We Can (and Cannot) Control

    A quick episode to share some big news in my world and riff on the topic of change — whether or not we actually hate change. 
    (Spoiler alert: I don't think we do, actually.)

    FOOTNOTES
    We're All Getting Older (and why I'm changing names)Hop on the WAGO wagon------------
    Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedInSubscribe to We're All Getting Older, a weekly newsletter about growth in the second half of our lives.
    Work with Lou Blaser
    Support the Show. Thank you!

    • 8 min
    220. Sustaining Our Drive and Ambition as We Get Older with Kathy Oneto

    220. Sustaining Our Drive and Ambition as We Get Older with Kathy Oneto

    Do we stop being ambitious as we get older? What happens to the drive we've always had once we retire?
    In this episode of Second Breaks, I explore ambition with Kathy Oneto, the founder of Sustainable Ambition and host of The Sustainable Ambition podcast. 
    Kathy shares the results of her research and insights from numerous interviews on this topic. We explore the concept of maintaining ambition over time without self-sacrifice, the negative connotations of ambition, societal pressures, and the trap of ambition comparison. We talked about the application of ambition beyond a career and the shift from external to internal motivation.
    Kathy also shares her personal connection to the topic and insights from her upcoming book, offering advice for those transitioning careers or nearing retirement. The episode highlights the need for intentionality in ambition and finding joy in life's small moments.
    ABOUT MY GUESTKathy Oneto is a strategy executive and life-work coach who is passionate about helping people succeed on their terms at work and in life. Kathy champions being consciously ambitious and crafting fulfilling work from decade to decade without sacrificing your life or yourself.
    IN THIS EPISODE:
    Evolution of ambitionPerception of ambition and societal attitudes towards itUnhealthy striving and its impactBroader scope of ambition beyond career goalsAmbition in midlife and beyondStrategies for sustaining our drive and ambitionFOOTNOTES
    Kathy Oneto's websiteThe Sustainable Ambition PodcastFollow Kathy Oneto on LinkedInBecoming by Michelle ObamaHow Yo-Yo Ma Sustains His Creative Energy (WorkLife with Adam Grant)------------
    Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn
    Subscribe to Midlife Cues, a weekly newsletter about intentional living and personal growth in midlife.
    Work with Lou Blaser
    Support the Show. Thank you.

    • 46 min
    219. Deathbed Wisdom for a Happier Life with Dr. Kathy Zhang

    219. Deathbed Wisdom for a Happier Life with Dr. Kathy Zhang

    In this podcast episode, I am joined by Dr. Kathy Zhang, a physician specializing in hospice and palliative care.
    I follow Kathy on LinkedIn, where she regularly posts wisdom that she's gained from speaking with thousands of people in the last moments of their lives. One specific post caught my attention, and I thought the points she shared were brilliant reminders for us about what truly matters.
    The episode delves into the impact of fear on life choices, the illusion of abundant time, and the need to prioritize personal life alongside work. We also touch on the transient nature of material possessions, the unpredictability of life, and the importance of holistic wellness.
    You're going to want to listen to this a few times. 😉
    ABOUT MY GUESTDr. Luyi Kathy Zhang is a certified life coach and hypnotist, hospice/palliative care doctor, and host of The Purpose Filter podcast, the show that shares deathbed wisdom and actionable shortcuts to live a full life. Her mission is to share the lessons of the dying to help us focus on what’s truly important so we can create better, happier, and more meaningful lives while we still have time to enjoy them.
    IN THIS EPISODE
    Common regrets of the dyingRole of fear in regretsConcept of time in setting priorities and goalsVenting vs RuminatingPrioritizing holistic well-being for a fulfilling lifeFOOTNOTES
    Dr. Kathy Zhang's websiteFollow Kathy on LinkedInThe Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie WareHow Our Definitions of Success Change as We Get Older------------
    Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn
    Subscribe to Midlife Cues, a weekly newsletter about intentional living and personal growth in midlife.
    Work with Lou Blaser
    Support the Show. Thank you!

    • 47 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
37 Ratings

37 Ratings

M. R. Saferstein ,

Warm, friendly, and interesting

As a guest on Second Breaks, I was impressed with the excellent questions Lou asked. It was clear that she was deeply interested in learning and seeking information which would be helpful and meaningful for her listeners. After listening to many episodes, I highly recommend this podcast.

Diann Wingert ,

Meaningful & Masterful

As a podcast host myself, I appreciate a show that is well produced & the host really cares about both their audience & guests.
I started listening because, like Lou, I’m obsessed with women living their best lives in the second half of adulthood but I stayed because Lou & her guests make me wish we could meet up for coffee sometime.

bernbay ,

I’m hooked!

I’m writing this from the perspective of being a podcast host myself, as well as a listener to the Second Breaks podcast, and also as a recent guest on the pod. Lou is a masterful host! She is lovable, intelligent, a brilliant conversationalist and a master producer. Our conversation about the meaning of midlife on episode 196 was invigorating. The way that Lou produced the episode rivals media properties like NPR. I’m hooked Lou!

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