The Retired Mindset® - Seven Trails™

Bob Preston
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Mental Health

The Retired Mindset and its Seven Trails podcast explores how to live your BEST life in retirement. We explore how to follow the Seven Trails on your retirement journey toward mental and physical health, stay young at heart, maintain connections, and achieve true holistic longevity during the "third trimester" of life’s journey. Bob's vision is to help you—yes, both men and women—unlock your full potential, reconnect with what makes you uniquely YOU, embrace aging, and thrive as you transition away from your career. 

  1. 3d ago ·  Video

    Fighting Self-Doubt

    Send us Fan Mail Self-doubt doesn’t retire when you do. If anything, it can get louder the moment the deadlines, titles, and constant motion fade and you finally have the freedom to choose what comes next. I call that voice my “governor,” like the device that limits a car’s top speed, and I’ve felt it kick in before big decisions, before putting myself out there, and especially while trying to figure out what this next chapter is supposed to look like. In this Five Minute Friday, I unpack the questions so many of us hear in the retirement transition: Should I really be doing this? Am I embarrassing myself? What will people think? What if I’m too old to start something new? We talk about self-doubt and imposter syndrome, plus the outside noise that sometimes gets amplified by people who try to gaslight, intimidate, or bully. And we name the strange truth of retirement: when nobody is telling you what comes next, the freedom is real, but it can also be a little terrifying. KEY TAKEAWAYS I share my lifelong battle with self-doubt and how it can get louder when retirement removes the deadlines and roles that used to push us forward. I reframe that voice as a “governor” and challenge you to take one small step toward the thing you keep talking yourself out of. • naming self-doubt as a speed limiter that tries to regulate our choices. • noticing how retirement freedom can feel exciting and terrifying at once. • spotting the imposter syndrome script that says “Who do you think you are?” • recognizing outside pressure from people who gaslight, intimidate, or bully. • seeing self-doubt at the trailhead of travel, learning, business, dating, fitness, or creativity. • reframing fear as a sign something matters deeply. • building confidence by taking the risk first and letting belief catch up. • choosing one action today so self-doubt doesn’t get the final vote. Then we flip the script. What if the goal isn’t to eliminate self-doubt, but to stop letting it regulate your decisions? What if feeling nervous is actually proof you’re standing at the edge of something that matters deeply to you?  CALL TO ACTION I’ll leave you with a simple challenge: pick one thing you’ve been talking yourself out of and move it one step down the trail today.  So if this resonates with you, please follow. Give this episode a like, and subscribe to have access to future episodes. Hey, share it with a friend, or better yet, click the link in my bio and visit theretiredmindset.com to book a discovery call with me today. This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  2. Sep 4 ·  Video

    Recalibrate In Retirement

    Send us Fan Mail Silence can feel uncomfortable until it becomes the most honest sound in your life. Before the Labor Day weekend, I’m in the Eastern Sierra, where I've just gotten off the trail from backpacking near Mammoth Lakes in the Inyo National Forest with my dogs, and I noticed something that retirement makes possible: enough space to hear myself think. I talk through why I’ve come to value solitude as more than a break from people. For me, it’s a practical retirement wellness practice that helps me recalibrate when problems feel huge, regenerate through movement in nature without an agenda, and sometimes find a simple kind of zen when the internal chatter finally quiets down. I also laugh at a common trail moment: people charging ahead with AirPods and music cranking, while I’m trying to hear every sound the forest offers. KEY TAKEAWAYS I share why solitude and connection support each other and how the spirituality trail can start with simple presence in nature. • finding retirement space to hear myself think. • loving solitude as a tool to recalibrate, regenerate, and find my zen. • choosing an immersive nature experience over constant noise. • holding connection and solitude as complementary needs. • using Labor Day as a lens on work identity and what we honor. • exploring spirituality without doctrine through being part of something larger. • shifting the retirement “scorecard” from accomplishment to lived experience. Connection still matters deeply to me and to the Retired Mindset framework, but I’ve learned connection and solitude are not opposites. They’re both essential trails for aging well, especially after decades of measuring our days by output, titles, and accomplishments. I share how the spirituality trail can be as simple as recognizing we’re part of something larger than ourselves and letting nature remind us that our old identities aren’t the whole story. CALL TO ACTION If you’re redefining purpose in retirement, craving more calm, or looking for a healthier way to measure your days, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find the Retired Mindset. This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  3. Sep 2 ·  Video

    Vitality as a Spark in Retirement, ft. Kathryn Linehan

    Send us Fan Mail Retirement isn’t a retreat. It’s a chance to rebuild your energy, your clarity, and your sense of purpose, starting with something most of us ignore until it breaks: the nervous system.  From a wellness space in Santa Monica, Founder & CEO Bob Preston sits down with Kathryn Linehan, The Retired Mindset's Executive Director of Health and Longevity at The Retired Mindset, to unpack what it really means to find vitality as a spark in retirement toward aging well after 50. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Kat’s journey from finance to documentary film and wellness teaching. • Her patented Form program and research on empathy and cognition. • Designing safe movement for eating disorder recovery and embodiment. • Defining healthy aging through nervous system regulation.  • Why social media scrolling can dysregulate us. • A 10-minute reset using words, breath, and the pause between impulses. • Vitality as soul and body converging into energy, clarity, and purpose. • The “unfurling” as lifelong growth. • Seven Trails Challenge: balance practice on one foot. • Equanimity and quietude as practical skills for stress, traffic, and daily strain. • Letting people hit their own bottom and the role of surrender in change • Kat’s book Pearl Diving and where to learn more at StudioIgnite.com Kat’s story spans technology, finance, documentary film, and decades of embodied practice through Pilates, meditation, Tai Chi, and Qigong. We talk about how she developed and patented her Forum program, what researchers saw when they studied its impact on empathy and cognition, and why “healthy aging” has to work for a wide range of bodies and abilities.  If you care about holistic longevity, resilience, and feeling steady in a changing world, you’ll hear practical insights grounded in both lived experience and research. We also get specific: a 10-minute daily mindset practice using words and breath, and a simple seven-day challenge that almost anyone can try safely: balance training by standing on one foot near a table. Along the way, we explore equanimity, quietude, addiction, surrender, and those strange “nudges” that can guide us when we slow down enough to notice. Catherine also shares her book Pearl Diving and where you can find her work at StudioIgnite.com. CALL TO ACTION If this conversation helps you feel more vital and more hopeful about your next chapter, share it with a friend and pay it forward. And if you like what you heard, please subscribe to get access to all of our future episodes, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Contact Kat at Studio Ignite: https://studioignite.com/ Kat's Forthcoming Book, Pearl Diving: https://studioignite.com/pearl-diving This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  4. Aug 21 ·  Video

    The Remarkable Number Seven

    Send us Fan Mail The Number seven keeps showing up in my life, and it’s not just a quirky coincidence. I’m Bob Preston, founder of The Retired Mindset, and I share the true story behind why my approach to aging well and thriving in retirement naturally formed around seven core “trails” to holistic longevity. I share why the number seven keeps showing up in my life and how it becomes the backbone of The Retired Mindset. I explain how my first months of retirement feel difficult, then how a clear framework helps me rebuild purpose and improve my health span.   KEY TAKEAWAYS • The moment “seven” starts appearing in nature, culture, and my work   • Why longevity means living fully, not just living longer   • The July 7th writing session that sparks the book title   • The tough first six months after retirement and the shift in month seven   • Coincidence vs synchronicity vs intuition vs divine design   • Why seven often signals wholeness across history and belief systems   •The seven trails: soul, body, vitality, nutrition, purpose, connection, spirituality   The spark hits while I’m writing my book at 7 a.m. on July 7th, and it pulls me back to a harder truth: the first six months after I retired are rough. The routines are gone, my identity feels shaky, and I have to relearn what purpose looks like in the second half of life. Then the seventh month arrives and something clicks. That turning point becomes the start of a framework focused on healthspan, not just lifespan, so retirement becomes more than “time off” and turns into a chapter with meaning, energy, and direction. I also dig into why humans have been drawn to the number seven for thousands of years, from the seven days in a week to the seven colors of the rainbow, and why it often symbolizes completeness. Whether you see that as synchronicity, intuition, or divine design, the value is practical: it gives us a simple way to organize the parts of life that actually make retirement satisfying. You’ll walk away with the seven trails I use to coach and live by: soul, body, vitality, nutrition, purpose, connection, and spirituality.  CALL TO ACTION If you want a clear, memorable retirement mindset framework for aging well after 50, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the trail. And if this resonates with you, please like this post, follow, or subscribe; click the link in my bio, or, better yet, visit retiredmindset.com and book a discovery call with me today.   This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  5. Aug 14

    What's Wrong With Today?

    Send us Fan Mail “Maybe someday” can sound mature, responsible, even wise and it’s also where a lot of dreams quietly go to die. We’re pulling on that thread and asking the one question that cuts through delay, second-guessing, and the endless mental rehearsal: What’s wrong with today? KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED We talk about the retirement mindset behind procrastination and why “being practical” can sometimes be fear in a clean outfit. Yes, real limitations matter: money, health, mobility, family needs, and the unpredictable parts of aging. But practicality should guide the next step, not shut the whole idea down. We also explore the way our brains push back the moment something excites us: What will people think? What if I get hurt? Do I need permission? Those questions can be wisdom, or fear pretending to be logic. We challenge the “maybe someday” habit and ask how many dreams quietly die inside those two words. We sort out the difference between practical wisdom and fear so we can take one real step toward the life we keep postponing: • the hidden comfort of “someday” and why it feels safe   • practical constraints versus using practicality as a shield   • how retirement freedom can turn into procrastination   • the pressure to have the whole plan before starting   • a simple test to spot fear, trauma, or past mistakes   • a Friday assignment to pick one “maybe someday” and act today   Bob shares a personal example of starting The Retired Mindset without having it all figured out and how that first step led to results he couldn’t have predicted. You’ll leave with a simple Friday assignment to pick one “maybe someday,” test what you’re truly waiting for, and take a small action today, whether that’s making a call, starting a habit, or opening an honest conversation. If you’re 50+ and focused on aging well, holistic longevity, and building a meaningful retirement, this short episode is designed to move you from delay to momentum. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review so more people can find the question that changes everything. CALL TO ACTION: Click subscribe, give us a like, click my bio to learn more, or better yet, go to our website, theretiredmindset.com, to book a discovery call with me today and find your best life in retirement.  This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  6. Aug 7

    Where Soul Meets Body

    Send us Fan Mail “Where soul meets body” sounds like a slogan until you sit with it and realize it might be the missing piece in your retirement plan. We take five focused minutes to explore why this phrase sits at the center of the Retired Mindset and how it points to a life that feels aligned, not just busy or “healthy” on paper. KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED We explore what “where soul meets body” really means and why it becomes the heart of a fulfilling retirement mindset. We challenge the idea that health is solely physical and point to holistic longevity, in which purpose, relationships, spirit, and daily choices work together.  “Where soul meets body” as a personal discovery, not a fixed definitionPresence moments that reveal what matters, from nature to stillness Alignment between outer life and inner life in retirementWhy physical optimization alone can miss the point Holistic longevity across the seven trails, each one strengthening the others A simple weekend reflection to clarify priorities and reinvention We talk through the many ways people experience that meeting point: faith, purpose, spirituality, meditation, prayer, or simply slowing down long enough to hear yourself again. Sometimes it shows up in ordinary awe, hiking in the mountains, walking the beach, sitting by a lake, watching a sunset, and feeling fully present. None of those answers are wrong, because this is not about chasing a perfect definition. It is about discovering how to make your outer life match your inner life. Then we challenge the usual retirement wellness script. Yes, exercise, nutrition, sleep, heart rate, blood pressure, VO2 max, wearables, and supplements matter. But if your body improves while your relationships fall apart, your purpose fades, your spirit feels empty, your mind declines, or your wonder disappears, have you really become healthier? That is where holistic longevity and the seven trails come in: integrated health, where every part of who you are works together rather than competing. CALL TO ACTION: So here's your five-minute Friday challenge for the weekend. Sometime today, Saturday, or Sunday, find 10 quiet minutes. No TV, no phone, no distractions. Just ask yourself one simple question: What does where soul meets body mean in my life today? Write it down- whatever comes to mind, put it on a piece of paper, fold it up, stick it in your wallet, kind of like you would with a Chinese fortune from a fortune cookie, or put it in your purse like you might, you know, something- a note or important receipt. If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who is redefining retirement, and leave a review with your take: where does your soul meet your body? Learn more about The Retired Mindset and The Seven Trails to Holistic Longevity: The Retired Mindset Website Click on subscribe or the link in our bio, follow us, email me, or better yet, book a discovery call on our website.   This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  7. Jul 31

    What Does Retire Mean?

    Send us Fan Mail Send Us a Voicemail! The word “retire” has a secret built into it, and once you hear it, you can’t unhear it: it literally means “to withdraw.” That single definition quietly shapes how millions of people picture life after work, as if the next chapter is supposed to be smaller, slower, and safely in the background. I’m not buying it, and in this Five Minute Friday, I push back hard on the idea that retirement equals stepping away from life.  KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED: I challenge the hidden story inside the word “retire” and why it can push us toward shrinking our lives. I reframe retirement as a transition into identity, purpose, and holistic longevity, not a retreat from contribution.  • The French root of “retire” meaning to withdraw or draw back.   • How retirement language can imply slowing down and fading out.   • Redefining retirement as redrawing your life and pulling forward.   • Shifting from “what do I do” to “what do I become now”.   • Why identity, purpose, curiosity, love, and growth do not retire.   • My own reinvention after a corporate career through writing, podcasting, therapy, and coaching.   I talk through why language matters in retirement planning and how the common retirement script can steal momentum before you even start. Then I offer a different frame: retirement as redrawing your life, not pulling back. The key shift is moving from the occupation question “What do I want to do for a living?” to the identity question “What do I want to become now?” That’s where purpose in retirement comes alive, and it’s also where healthy aging and holistic longevity stop being buzzwords and start becoming daily choices that improve your health span.  I also share my own transition after leaving a corporate career and how new work emerged that never appeared on any retirement checklist: building The Retired Mindset, writing a book, hosting a podcast, training as an associate marriage and family therapist, and coaching others through one of life’s biggest changes. You’ll leave with a simple challenge for the next time someone asks if you’re retired, plus a practical way to answer that points toward growth, curiosity, and contribution.  If this reframing hits home, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s nearing retirement, and leave a review so more people can find a better retirement mindset. What are you moving toward next? CALL TO ACTION: Learn more about The Retired Mindset and The Seven Trails to Holistic Longevity: The Retired Mindset Website Click on subscribe or the link in our bio, follow us, email me, or better yet, book a discovery call on our website.   This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

  8. Jul 29

    Purpose Doesn't Have to Retire, ft. Kathy Eldon

    Send us Fan Mail Send Us a Voicemail! Retirement can be a relief, but it can also quietly steal something essential: the feeling that you have a reason to get up and go. From a sunlit morning in Malibu, we talk with author, filmmaker, and Creative Visions Foundation founder Kathy Eldon about purpose as a daily practice, not a résumé line. We dig into the difference between being driven and being purposeful, why purpose can change over time, and why the most meaningful work often starts after a major life shift. KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED: Purpose is not a single grand mission, and it does not end when work ends. Kathy Eldon and Bob Preston talk about turning grief into service, using creativity to heal, and finding everyday ways to stay connected to what makes life meaningful: • Driven vs purpose and why money alone is not enough   • How travel and other cultures widen perspective and keep curiosity alive   • Dan Eldon’s story and the importance of being present for people we love   • Transforming loss into a force for good through storytelling and service   • Role models, mentors and why purpose evolves over time   • Ways to reignite purpose in retirement through joy, generosity, connection   • Creative Visions Foundation and the idea of creative activism   Kathy shares how early experiences, travel, and cross cultural living shaped her worldview and strengthened her belief that we are connected. Then the conversation turns to the story that changed everything: the death of her son Dan Eldon, a 22-year-old Reuters photojournalist killed in Somalia after documenting famine and conflict. Kathy speaks with clarity about grief, resilience, and the power of “last words,” and how she chose to transform loss into a force for good through storytelling, service, and creative activism. We also get practical about finding purpose after retirement: shaking up routine, following what brings joy, and letting that joy benefit someone else, even in small ways. If you care about holistic longevity, meaning, and connection, this one stays with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a review so more people can find the show. CALL TO ACTION: Connect with Kathy: KathyEldon.com Learn about The Creative Vision Foundation: CreativeVisions.org Learn more about The Retired Mindset and The Seven Trails to Holistic Longevity: The Retired Mindset Website This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or licensed therapist, and this podcast is not a substitute for advice from a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.  Join us as we post new episodes weekly! We would love to hear from you! Send Us a Voicemail: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523292/fan_mail/new Connect with Bob:  https://linktr.ee/bobbyptrm Website: https://theretiredmindset.com/  Listen on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetiredMindset Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retired-mindset/id1838534053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DrNVv6ArJEHlwp56bRgJF iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-retired-mindset-292983096/

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2 Ratings

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The Retired Mindset and its Seven Trails podcast explores how to live your BEST life in retirement. We explore how to follow the Seven Trails on your retirement journey toward mental and physical health, stay young at heart, maintain connections, and achieve true holistic longevity during the "third trimester" of life’s journey. Bob's vision is to help you—yes, both men and women—unlock your full potential, reconnect with what makes you uniquely YOU, embrace aging, and thrive as you transition away from your career. 

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