The Midlife Chrysalis
The Midlife Chrysalis
Podcast Description
The Midlife Chrysalis is a one-hour podcast hosted by Chip Conley, bestselling author of Learning to Love Midlife and founder of MEA (Modern Elder Academy). Chip and his high-profile guests – including Maria Shriver, Hoda Kotb, Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Franti, and more – dive into raw, vulnerable conversations about the profound transitions they’ve experienced in midlife.
Listeners get a rare look at how even the most successful individuals have to navigate life’s pivotal changes – and gain practical wisdom they can apply in their own lives for a more fulfilling and purposeful next chapter.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The show focuses on themes of personal transformation, emotional healing, and the pursuit of purpose in midlife, with episodes discussing topics such as redefining success and letting go of past identities, exemplified by guests like Maria Shriver exploring identity beyond legacy and Michael Franti sharing his journey of emotional recovery through music.
The Midlife Chrysalis is a one-hour podcast hosted by Chip Conley, bestselling author of Learning to Love Midlife and founder of MEA (Modern Elder Academy). Chip and his high-profile guests – including Maria Shriver, Hoda Kotb, Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Franti, and more – dive into raw, vulnerable conversations about the profound transitions they’ve experienced in midlife.
Listeners get a rare look at how even the most successful individuals have to navigate life’s pivotal changes – and gain practical wisdom they can apply in their own lives for a more fulfilling and purposeful next chapter.
Aging in America has never been the same for everyone. Chip Conley sits down with Ray Jetson, pastor, former Louisiana legislator, and author of Aging While Black, to explore why aging isn’t a race-neutral experience and what it really means to age well in a system that was never built for everyone.Ray shares a simple, powerful way to rethink aging through community, innovation, and shared wisdom across generations.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why aging while Black carries unique structural and economic realities
- How the village concept and Sankofa help bridge past, present, and future
- Why technology and mutual mentorship matter for aging well
- What collective longevity looks like across generations
This conversation invites us to rethink aging, equity, and how we care for one another at every stage of life.
Watch now and join the conversation.
Timestamps:
03:02 Three pillars of aging while black
05:43 The village concept and African origins
08:18 Ubuntu and community identity
11:11 The Black church as a village
13:07 Embracing innovation and technology
18:39 Sankofa and learning from the past
24:38 Intergenerational circles and family wisdom
27:35 Collective longevity across generations
33:08 Keeping hopeful and building systems
39:50 Sources of inspiration and leadership
43:20 What makes aging while black different
51:03 Wisdom bumper sticker
53:27 Closing thoughts and workshop invitation
Learn more about MEA at https://www.meawisdom.com/
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