CHILDHOOD, SENIORHOOD, CARING ABOUT BOTH, and the "SCORE" OF LIFE

As July begins, the Eyres open a monthly theme of moving from "First-Half Thinking" to "Second Half Thinking" and introduce the three themes that largely define the first half of our lives: The pursuit of more Control, more Independence, and more Ownership. Most self-help books and how-to books focus on getting more of these three things, and Richard and Linda introduce their belief that, as life progresses, all three of them become "deceivers."

Richard, just back from a trip to Iceland with his five sons, and Linda, working on an autobiographical book about the Eyre family, get back together on this episode and review where they have been and what they have been thinking. Learn about their separate gatherings with sons and daughters and about how the simplification and consolidation of the second half of life differs from the expansion and accumulation of the first half. More on Instagram @richardeyrehtl.

Today the Eyres pick up the theme of "score" from last week's podcast and compare the first and second half of life in 6 categories: Physical, Mental, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, and Familial. If you were to keep score of how well you are doing in these 6 "facets" of life, would you feel that the first half of life is where they peak and are are at their best, or would it be the second half? For a deeper dive, sign up for free to the course at https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/.

In this episode, the Eyres apply the sports or music term "score" to life and to its phases. They make the point that most of us have stewardship both over family members in their childhood and family members in their seniorhood, and that the two are both overwhelmingly important and should both be given highest priority. This is part of https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/ which you can join for free.

The Eyres talk today about perhaps the most important question we can ask ourselves... and continue to ask ourselves. Richard springs the question to an unsuspecting Linda: If you could give only three answers to the question "Who are you?", what would those answers be? Can we shift in life's second half from a focus on doing to a focus on being, and what roles are most important to play well? For more, visit https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/.

Linda is in Arizona for a granddaughter's graduation and Richard is watching by video from California where he is playing the semi-finals for his age group in the National Hard Court Tennis championships. But they jump on the podcast together to talk about "vitality" and to share an article referred by an adjunct professor in their How to Live the Second Half course, for which listeners can sign up for free at https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/

In this episode, Linda and Richard reminisce about the early stages of their writing and publishing career and the good fortune that landed them with Random House, Simon and Schuster, and McGraw Hill. Then they discuss their goal of making all of their books free online and connecting them as "textbooks" for their new online course at https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/.

Freshly back from Switzerland, the Eyres talk today about an expanded definition of FAMILY, including three generations working together. And they get into their new online course on HOW TO LIVE The Second Half of Life and the benefits it has for parents as well as grandparents. They talk about how the class can be consumed, and invite listeners to join for free at https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/.

The Eyres originate this episode from Switzerland where they are working on their online course https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/ and visiting their author-and-speaker Tal who lives high in the Alps with his wife and daughter. Tal is a guest on the show and the discussion is about what the "second half" is, and how it begins with new priority on relationships and the seeking of inner joy.

This episode includes the results of a survey the Eyres conducted of 500 members of their HOW TO LIVE online course (sign up for free at https://valuesparenting.com/how-to-live/). The top responses on "best part" were grandkids, freedom and flexibility, wisdom and confidence, and more time for relationships. Top "worst parts" were declining mental and physical ability, loneliness, and broken relationships with children.