
05 Aug The Pleasure of Aging: my gift to you
You may have read about my recent travels to Mexico. It elicited some conversation, with women reaching out to tell me about their desire to travel, and their fears about doing so. Most of the women who reach out to me have some fear about their life: getting older, worrying about their looks. Many seem to express dissatisfaction about aging and maybe even stuck in the way they view day-to-day life. They know they want something different but aren’t quite sure how to go about creating that change.
I get it. I spent far too long feeling miserable—prolonging the agony because I didn’t think I had the right to choose a better, happier, alternative. Worried that folks would think poorly of me or that I didn’t really deserve to consider my own needs and well-being. It’s easy to get stuck in our fear and to stay stuck, mired in old thoughts and patterns.
Toni Morrison once said, “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”
Maybe you don’t know what sh*t is weighing you down. Or maybe you aren’t ready to believe you have a right to embrace pleasure. So I want to offer you something—a week of writing prompts about the Pleasure of Aging. My life right now is focused on exploring what Aging Unapologetically looks like for us as women–in my personal life and as part of my work with women.
I firmly believe to be alive at this age, whatever that is for you, is a privilege and in many ways pleasurable. For starters, I’m grateful to be alive. And I intend to make the most of what I’ve learned and what I feel is going to make me happier, lighter, more joyful and full of pleasure.
The thing is we don’t always remember to be grateful for being alive. And we live in a time when aging women are not valued. Making it all too easy to focus on all the negatives and the losses we feel about our lives as we get older. I can’t fix that but I can offer you a way to examine what you believe and what you’d like to change. By signing up for the Pleasure of Aging, you’ll receive an email each morning for 6 days with an introduction to the day’s topic and a writing prompt. The goal is not to enhance your writing skills, but to use that method, of pen to paper, as a way of creating change.
We’ll start Monday, August 19 and end on Saturday, August 24. On Saturday you will be invited to join me for a live session, on Zoom, where I’ll talk about the prompts and invite you to discuss what came up for you. I’m not charging for this because I want, in all honesty, to encourage you to participate—the reward for me is helping you feel better about who you are right now. And the feedback I get gives me insight into women and aging.
I’d love to have you join me. As I said, it’s free. Consider it my 65th birthday gift. The prompts will show up in your email early each morning and the amount of time you invest is up to you. It’s not about the quality of writing, it’s not about how well you think you express yourself in words. Writing is the tool I find useful in examining our beliefs, fears, goals, desires–all the things in our heads that need to see the light of day.
I want to help you explore your aging process, to maybe come to find the pleasure in aging as it applies to your life. This is your chance to look at some of the issues we face around aging and how to create something that feels better for you. You can participate by simply reading and thinking about the questions, by writing and going deep, and by deciding to join me in a video conference to process what you’ve learning at the end of the week. All, up to you.
I’d love to have you join me. Leave a comment here or send me an email at walker@walkerthornton.com to get on the list!
Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash
Janet Mar
Posted at 14:51h, 05 AugustSign me up for the writing prompts.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 15:03h, 06 AugustWill do. Thank you.
Anjum Qureshi
Posted at 22:56h, 06 AugustLooking forward to 19 August!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:43h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Maxine Watkins
Posted at 09:22h, 06 AugustI would love to participate – generous offer.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 15:04h, 06 AugustMaxine I look forward to it, thank you.
Mahmuda khalid
Posted at 13:19h, 08 AugustI find it interesting so would like to be a part of it.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:44h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Seneuefa Ianuari
Posted at 06:01h, 07 AugustI would love to join in thank you
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:43h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Janet Givens
Posted at 09:19h, 07 AugustThis writing week begins on my mother’s 90th birthday and ends the day before my 71st. Perfect timing. Sign me in.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:43h, 12 AugustLooking forward to it.
Mirtha Madline Noralez
Posted at 10:22h, 07 AugustInterested to learn and explore.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:44h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Almora jacobsz
Posted at 00:26h, 08 AugustPlease add me to the list to receive your daily posts
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:44h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 11:06h, 14 AugustAlmora, can you confirm your email address please.
Elizabeth Harms
Posted at 17:31h, 08 AugustPlease add me the your email list for Pleasures of Aging. I would love to participate. Thank you!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:44h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Donna Jessup
Posted at 18:44h, 09 AugustSign me up please. Sounds like a great adventure.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:39h, 12 AugustThanks. I’ve added you to the list.
Sue Norton
Posted at 09:39h, 10 AugustI would like to explore
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:38h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Gayle Nagelkop
Posted at 09:59h, 10 AugustWould love your insights
Walker Thornton
Posted at 08:38h, 12 AugustI’ve added you to the list.
Lauren
Posted at 09:54h, 12 AugustI love this idea. I agree we should be thankful to be alive!
Rena
Posted at 11:25h, 12 AugustSign me up! Sounds terrific and I know I’ll learn a lot from you!
Joan Stommen
Posted at 11:54h, 12 AugustThank you for this gift, my friend. Absolutely I’ll join you! The 19th marks six years since my husband’s death and I’m still searching for someone to share this fourth quarter with me. I’m also exploring another change…to move again to be near my daughter. I believe in active aging and am pretty positive, but your prompts will surely help nudge me to more peace, pleasure and acceptance! Hugs! ?
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:19h, 12 AugustThanks. I hope you’ll come to some of those in the prompts.
Jennifer Mowrer
Posted at 12:18h, 12 AugustThis is a great idea. As I age, I never thought about writing in my journal about what’s good about it. I will do my best to join you later in the month. Thanks for the inspiration and I love the T.M quote! This also gives me an idea for my blog. Thank you!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:21h, 12 AugustLook forward to it. Isn’t the Morrison quote fabulous–it was floating around FB a few weeks ago and it really spoke to me.
elizabeth cassidy
Posted at 11:20h, 14 AugustI would like to receive the prompts. Thanks. Happy Birthday! elizabeth
Walker Thornton
Posted at 11:30h, 14 AugustGot it. Thank you.
Patricia Boudjellal
Posted at 11:35h, 14 AugustI would love to join you, sign me up! Looking forward to this.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 11:40h, 14 AugustGreat, thank you.
Kathleen
Posted at 11:53h, 14 AugustHope to be able to do this .sign me up please. And Thankyou.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:14h, 14 AugustGot it. Thanks.
Larissa Magee
Posted at 12:36h, 14 AugustFabulous way to celebrate my 63rd! Count me in please.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:44h, 14 AugustAbsolutely!
RJ
Posted at 12:46h, 14 AugustI would love to join you and receive the prompts.
It is a bit of a mystery this grand age of 65 🙂
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:56h, 14 AugustWe’ll take a look at that! Thanks for signing up.
Christine Field
Posted at 13:33h, 14 AugustYES!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 13:43h, 14 AugustAwesome!
Sally Todd Edgar
Posted at 16:30h, 14 AugustHappy Birthday Walker! Could I still be part of this if I’m not available on Saturday? I’ll send my email just in case. Thank you!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 16:55h, 14 AugustAbsolutely. I can’t record the Saturday session so you’ll miss it but if you have a question or comment at end of week you can email me.
Christine Bailey
Posted at 04:37h, 15 AugustYes please Walker, I enjoy your posts on FaceBook and love the way you celebrate your age ♥️
Walker Thornton
Posted at 09:20h, 15 AugustThank you. I have you signed up.
Aimeslee Winans
Posted at 19:17h, 15 AugustThanks, Walker, please add me to this list! xox
Walker Thornton
Posted at 07:51h, 16 AugustGladly, thanks.
Jean
Posted at 19:34h, 16 AugustPlease add me. Thank you
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:06h, 17 Augustyou’re welcome.
Yvonne
Posted at 11:28h, 17 AugustHappy Birthday Walker…..best wishes for a great year and many more to come. ??
Please sign me up for the emails starting Aug 19. Looking forward to it.
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:06h, 17 AugustThanks. And I look forward to having you join me this coming week!
Sarah Flick
Posted at 15:50h, 17 AugustPlease add me to the list if it’s not too late!!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:38h, 18 Augustnope, not too late! Thanks.
Jeanne Peters
Posted at 13:47h, 27 MayIf your offer is still good, I would love to sign up! I turned 65 today and was seeking some quotes to celebrate this age and up turned your post. How fortunate am I to find you! Looking forward to learning more on your idea for healthy aging!
Walker Thornton
Posted at 12:54h, 03 AugustThank you. The program was one I offered much earlier, but I am glad it struck a cord for you.