This was the opening line of my chat with Jacqueline (Jack) Perez. In a wide-ranging conversation, we touched on topics as diverse as what it’s like to stay in budget friendly hostels when you’re 60 to re-evaluating life's objectives and starting a new direction in midlife.
(I love this AI enhanced image. It speaks to the free spirit that I feel is the essence of Jack Perez)
We all have superpowers
Jack is a powerhouse, but in her own words, “I’m not special. I’m completely normal. Anything I do, you can do too. That’s what normalizing aging is all about. It’s making it ok for you to do whatever you want without any societal pressures that say you can’t do it just because of your age.”
You were in your late 50s when you changed direction and left the structured corporate world to start KuelLife.com. What happened to make this the time to re-evaluate your life direction and take such a big leap?
( go to https://sites.libsyn.com/477528/we-all-have-superpowers to listen to the full podcast)
“When asked why I started Kuel Life I usually tell my hellish menopause transition tale. Menopause ran me over like a freight train. It came with a 30 plus-pound weight gain, hot flashes, dysregulation of emotions, vertigo, brain fog, and tons more. I was a gem of a human, NOT.”
Menopause hit me like a freight train
“It didn’t matter what I did to change things; whether it was eating differently, drinking or not drinking, weight gain just came coming. I needed help and there wasn’t a lot of information out there at the time. I had to find a doctor that would work with me.”
“By definition, menopause (and perimenopause) is all about changes in our hormone levels – and it’s not just estrogen. For me, we needed to find the correct balance for my hormones. We also needed to adjust a multitude of things in my lifestyle. I’m a single Mom who was used to “just going for it”. Now I’ve had to adjust what I do.”
"Kuel Life came out of this intense period of confusion and lack of direction. As someone who had spent the majority of her life with a known and direct sense of purpose, this smushy, not-sure-what-I-want-next-in-life state is super uncomfortable. I mean super uncomfortable."
"The other thing I’ve discovered is that without motivation, I struggle to find the energy and enthusiasm to do… well, just about anything. I need to have a clear picture of what I’m doing."
I want to bring the power of information to others
"I started Kuel Life to help women find the information that was lacking when I needed it. Kuel Life is a platform for information, but it takes it one step further. All the contributors are also there to be reached out to for more personal support. They each represent a different element of this very difficult and dynamic time in our lives."
"When I soft-launched Kuel Life I was a one-trick pony. As the only person on staff, so to speak, I created all the content. Clearly, this was merely a short-term solution. Not an expert on many of the topics women in midlife and beyond care about, it was obvious I needed to find subject matter experts. I did what any self-respecting, solopreneur with internet access would do. I began a deep and detailed research effort. Others might call it stalking – but it worked. I took it upon myself to find the right woman, wherever she is in the world, to join the roster of Kuel Life Thought Leaders. Today, five years later, our roster boasts over 60 women – from around the globe – who contribute regularly to the Kuel Life platform. They provide their wisdom, tips, tricks, life hacks, and more to our Community. From menopause to empty nest to gray divorce to fashion and skincare – we have all the hot topics for women in midlife & beyond." (From https://canvasrebel.com/meet-jacqueline-jack-perez/)
We are at the beginning of a paradigm shift
"I believe we are at the beginning of a paradigm shift. As people such as Oprah Winfrey and Brook Shields join the conversation, they have the size of connection and celebrity to make waves. There’s also you and me and the others talking about this and amplifying our concerns. Doctors are stepping into the conversation and providing context on the lack of medical training on menopause and the effects on women’s health."
"In our effort to normalize aging we are addressing many of the topics that come up for us in midlife and beyond. Information is power and without information we can’t age as we want."
"I also want to provide support for the sandwich generation. We need advice (and maybe just a place to vent) on how to handle everything from an unruly teenager stealing the family car for a joy ride to the horrible call from the long-term care facility that your parent has fallen. Kuel Life is designed to provide information and advice on an amazing array of topics. It’s not my opinions, Kuel Life has put together an array of experts that cover the topics that are needed to be addressed. Everything you need to be able to age successfully."
What does super aging look like to you?
"I believe that if aging is normalized, that if we get to see people of all ages living their lives to the fullest, we’ll see there is no shame, nothing is hidden, then we’ll see people doing whatever they want. We need to see people living in all stages of life."
"My personal goal is to have my health-span match my lifespan. I do not want to do what my mother did – she spent 10 years dying. I’m not afraid of dying, but I want to live my time on this earth to the end."
"My job is to run Kuel Life, but I can run it from every and anywhere. If I have good WIFI I’m good. I’m a voracious traveller. That was part of my need in my aging. I used REMOTE YEAR www.remoteyear.com to allow for me to find locations. This summer I worked from Istanbul. August was a great month, hot but no humidity, kitty cats everywhere. The food was amazing. Everything is fresh, picked that day."
But I gotta say: "Jetlag kicks my butt in ways that it didn’t before aging."
Aging comes with benefits
"There are benefits to aging. So many benefits. There are more benefits than downsize. We start to care less and less what others think and that’s so freeing."
You show no signs of slowing down
"I’m still working on the goals that I’m working on now. Kuel Life has 65 contributors, I’d like to see it grow to 100. My other goal is to travel to more countries. I’m at 71 countries right now. I’ve got my next 2 countries on my list – Philippines and Indonesia."
What life lesson would you have liked to learn earlier.
“I don’t think I’d want to change anything. I’m me because of the experiences that I’ve gone through. I wouldn’t be me if I knew anything earlier.”
Can we plan for aging?
"I believe it is something we can plan for. The book Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia is a primer for living as healthy as you can for as long as you can. When I found his book, it spoke to me. I love his concept of Medicine 3.0 where we prioritize prevention over treatment, with a focus on preserving healthspan. Different from current reactive medicine, this approach involves proactive measures such as lifestyle modifications, early detection of potential health issues, and personalized interventions that address underlying risk factors."
"The idea of Medicine 3.0 is to improve overall health outcomes and reduce the burden of chronic diseases associated with aging. The suggestion is to get a baseline of your health and then adjust to benefit yourself. We need to make adjustment. Always going forward. For me, it meant I needed to find a different way to maintain muscle mass and mental health. Every one of us is unique."
I’m not special, nothing special about it. I’m totally normal.
"If you are out there and struggling with aging go to Kuel Life and check out the women, go to the about page. It’s not just a magazine, there are resources behind the words."
Contact Info:
Website: https://kuellife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuellife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuellife
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kuellife
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