Explore the art of living well in your second half
Issue 4
Mar-Apr 2025
Freedom
What does freedom feel like? A cool breeze, an open road, resting without worry, speaking without fear; the joy of coming together in celebration, the courage of collective action. Many of us have taken freedom for granted—and are waking up to the very real need to protect and uphold it. In this issue, we explore freedom as both personal experience and group project. We look at it through the lens of history and of art, looking at the essential roles of hope, resistance, and joy. Through essays, stories, and conversation, we invite you to reflect on what freedom means and how, together, we can sustain it.
From personal moments of ease to collective movements for justice, freedom shapes our lives. In this issue, we reflect on how we experience, nurture and protect it—together.
Ready to break out of some old thinking? These compelling books will challenge assumptions, spark new thinking, and offer a roadmap to living with more agency, creativity, and possibility.
She built a cupcake empire, starred in reality TV, lost it all, and chose to start again. Lori Joyce’s story is about reinvention—and the choices that shape us.

Table of contents

Well-being

I swore I would step away from the news cycle. Protect my peace. Reclaim my focus. But old habits die hard. And I am still watching.
What we focus on and nourish with ourselves grows. Small, intentional choices can help us cultivate courage, wisdom, and connection in our daily lives.
Getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down. We can feel more energized, strong, and vibrant — the secret lies in how we nourish and support our bodies through hormonal changes.
We all feel emotions, but what happens next? AEDP and the Change Triangle help us move beyond stuck patterns into greater clarity, emotional freedom, and authentic living.

Meaning

From the pandemic to politics, Gen X is waking up to a hard truth: Freedom isn’t guaranteed. Elbows up—it’s time to pay attention.
When we assume freedom is secure, we risk losing it. The Star Wars saga reminds us: oppression adapts, and complacency makes its return inevitable.
What does freedom cost? Marcus Kolga takes us on a journey through Estonia’s hard-fought battle for independence, revealing how memory, resilience, and defiance shaped its survival.

MOney

In a world of increasing privatization, what’s still free? And how do we keep it that way?
Our view of money, the world and its resources shapes more than just our finances. Shawn tells his own story through the lens of scarcity and then of abundance, highlighting how our perspective shapes… everything.

Relationships

Freedom isn’t always about saying yes to adventure; sometimes, it’s about saying no without guilt. For introverts, liberation is often found in the space we protect.
Forgiveness is known to ease stress and improve well-being, but what about forgiving ourselves? Self-forgiveness isn’t just kindness—it’s key to living with true freedom.
Part 1: On forgiveness

Work

A quiet rebellion is underway. People are ditching screens, reclaiming space, and rediscovering life beyond the scroll. Is unplugging the ultimate flex?
She built a cupcake empire, starred in reality TV, lost it all, and chose to start again. Lori Joyce’s story is about reinvention—and the choices that shape us.

Lifestyle

In this travel journal excerpt, Jen journeys to the Gambia, and discovers a country that is truly a work of art. She explores what it means to find freedom within and freedom from time constraints and daily schedules.
Most travelers go to St. Lucia for the beaches. I went for the birds. What I found there in the rainforest was more than I’d hoped for.
In 2020, I tried—and failed—to find comfort in sourdough. These days, I’m embracing easy meals, local ingredients, and a well-made drink. Turns out simplicity is a far better companion in uncertainty.
Meet Remy the Frenchie, a cheese-loving, wave-chasing, couch-cuddling optimist who just wants more snacks, fewer rules, and zero basement stairs.
What makes a hobby truly rewarding? It’s not skill, commitment, or even passion—it’s the freedom to explore, play, and engage on your own terms.
We think travel changes us. But what if it simply clears the noise, offering space to see what’s been there all along?
Style is about feeling at home in your own skin. Ditch the old rules and embrace the freedom of wearing what you love, with confidence.
Wealth, luxury, existential meltdowns and murder—The White Lotus gives us all the drama we crave. But why does it resonate so deeply in midlife? Let’s unpack the obsession.

Books

Loitering is more than idleness—it’s a quiet act of resistance. Ross Gay explores the joy, the risk, and the politics of simply taking one’s time.
Ready to break out of some old thinking? These compelling books will challenge assumptions, spark new thinking, and offer a roadmap to living with more agency, creativity, and possibility.

Interviews

Thoughts on liberation and living with less
A conversation with modern-day Renaissance woman Christine Platt
Award-winning author Christine Platt pivoted from a busy life of unexpected fame and found true liberation from overwhelm by embracing life’s necessary losses.