Attn: Grace Co-founder Alex Fennell and Jenna discuss the importance of sparking a “fundamental reset in how we think about aging” from a process that is feared to one that’s celebrated. We explore how presence and gratitude help us savor life’s daily moments and spend our time where and with whom it truly matters. We all face trying life phases, as we are in right now, and Alex shares honest and inspiring stories about learning to hold our emotions, trust our internal knowing, and cultivate hope during challenging times.
Attn: Grace is Changing the Aging Conversation
Wisdom comes with age. Each passing year brings our life into greater focus. We become more present, confident in our own skin, and attuned to who and what matters. Why then is there such a dramatic difference in the way we feel and societal perceptions around aging?
“The concept of aging, especially for women, is loaded with fear and anxiety,” says Attn: Grace Co-founder Alex Fennell in today’s episode. “For as long as you can remember, you’re supposed to be using anti-aging cream; That starts to get drilled into us at a pretty young age…We have an opportunity right now to have a hard reset on how we perceive women as we get older and how we experience the process of aging. Aging should be celebrated and revered; It’s something we should feel appreciative of as opposed fearful or saddened by.”
I’m grateful for the pivotal role Alex and her co-founder and wife Mia are playing catalyzing this important conversation with Attn: Grace and hope it’s one we can all engage in, personally and together. One way to start is with a meaningful reflection exercise Alex shared: Reflect on your life 10 years ago to today. Look at how far you’ve come, the ways you’ve grown, the love you’ve experienced and more. We’ve, of course, all found ourselves in the valley, as we’re collectively in now, but there’s always the hope that our hearts and minds have expanded. Seldom do we take a moment to acknowledge the ways we’ve built the life we once dreamt of.
Consider trying this exercise and then tune into Alex’s podcast where we explore the most formative lessons she’s learned on her journey that are equally beneficial for ours, from finding your inner voice to cultivating a deep sense of gratitude for your life and learning to trust it.
Here’s a glimpse of what we discuss:
- Fundamental shifts in the aging conversation
- The advice Alex would have given herself in her 20s: Be more present and do the next right thing
- Keeping work in perspective as a part of our lives, rather than the focal point
- Pausing to savor and ground ourselves in life’s daily moments
- How Alex cultivated hope during one of her most challenging life phases by looking inward and trusting her journey
- Learning how to feel, hold, and understand our emotions