Designing Your Day Around Your Energy, Probiotics for Seniors, and What’s New With Required Minimum Distributions in 2026

You're receiving this because you signed up on our website. Want to unsubscribe? Just reply to this email with the words “no thanks.”

First-time reader? Join {{active_subscriber_count}} other seniors for free.

Have you reviewed our book yet? Please do so here.

Free Downsizing Support
Thinking about moving, downsizing, or decluttering? Get help at no cost to you.
Get Free Downsizing Help

Retirement Circles (Peer Support Groups)
Looking for connection and purpose in retirement? Join small, facilitated peer groups that meet twice monthly online.
Apply to Join a Retirement Circle

Write Your Obituary in Advance
Make things easier on your family by having your obituary thoughtfully written now, so your life is recounted exactly as you wish.
Obituary Writing Services—Pay What You Think Is Fair

Long-Term Care Insurance
Thinking about long-term care insurance?
Get Free Expert Guidance

Genealogy & Family History
Curious about your family tree? Get help with small projects or extensive research.
Genealogy Services—Pay What You Think Is Fair

Leave Your Words for Future Generations
Want to leave your children and grandchildren a letter they’ll treasure forever—in your own words?
Have Your Legacy Letter Written—Pay What You Think Is Fair

Have You Written Something?
Learn about professional editing, publication options, etc.
Get a Free Publishing Consult

Senior Living (55+, Assisted, Memory)
Looking for assisted living options near you? We can help.
Get Local Options for Free

Energy isn’t evenly distributed throughout the day — and later in life, that becomes easier to notice and more important to respect. Designing a day around how your energy actually rises and falls can make everyday life feel calmer, more satisfying, and far less effortful.

Start by paying attention for a few days. Many people notice clearer thinking and better focus in the morning, a dip in the early afternoon, and a smaller rise again later in the day. Others feel slow to start but improve by midday. Write down when you feel most alert, most social, and most tired. This awareness is the foundation for everything else.

Place tasks that require concentration or decision-making where your energy is strongest. This might include making phone calls, handling paperwork, driving, cooking a new recipe, or managing appointments. For example, if mornings feel sharp, schedule errands and calls before lunch. Trying to accomplish demanding tasks during low-energy periods often creates unnecessary frustration.

Low-energy times aren’t a problem — they’re a signal. Use them for activities that restore rather than drain. Reading, listening to music, sorting photos, folding laundry, or sitting outside all work well when energy dips. Avoid stacking obligations here whenever possible. Protecting these windows prevents burnout later in the day.

Energy shifts more smoothly when you allow transitions. After an errand-heavy morning, pause before starting something else. Sit quietly, have a cup of tea, or step outside for a few minutes. These small resets help your body and mind adjust without feeling rushed.

Once you notice a rhythm that feels natural, keep it simple and repeat it. Familiar patterns reduce decision fatigue and make days feel steadier. A predictable structure — even a loose one — supports energy better than constant adjustment.

When your day matches your energy, life feels less like something to manage and more like something to inhabit. You’re not pushing through fatigue or wasting moments of clarity — you’re using both wisely.

“The Bent Fishing Lure”
From the life overview of Eleanor M., 88, Asheville, North Carolina. Shared with permission.

Tangled with rubber bands and old matchbooks, the lure lived in the top drawer of the hall table. Though silver once, it had become dulled and bent just enough that it never swam quite straight. I kept it anyway, long after I stopped fishing and long after the river trips turned into stories instead of plans.

My husband was the patient one. He could stand in cold water for an hour without moving, convinced the trout were watching and deciding. I, on the other hand, was not patient. I cast too quickly, reeled too fast, and splashed where I shouldn’t have. That lure came back empty more often than not, but I liked the rhythm of casting—the clean arc of the line against the trees.

One afternoon, the lure snagged on a rock and refused to free itself. I pulled harder than I should have. When it finally snapped loose, it flew back and caught the edge of a boulder, bending the hook. I apologized to it—half joking, half serious—and my husband laughed so hard that he had to sit down.

We caught nothing that day. But we didn’t care.

Years later, after my husband was gone, I found the lure while cleaning that old drawer. I straightened it as best I could, though it never returned to normal. Even so, I didn’t throw it out. Some things earn their place by staying just a little crooked.

Every so often, I turn that lure in my fingers and remember standing in moving water, feeling like time had briefly agreed to slow down for us.

***

Do you want to record your beliefs and hopes for future generations?
Have Your Legacy Letter Written—Pay What You Think Is Fair

The National Gallery of Canada – Online Collection
The National Gallery of Canada offers a searchable online collection that spans Indigenous art, European masters, and contemporary works. Each entry includes clear background information, making it easy to explore a specific movement or simply spend time with a single painting in detail.

The National WWII Museum – Digital Collections
This archive features oral histories, letters, and photographs from those who experienced the Second World War firsthand. The materials are presented with care and context, offering personal perspectives alongside broader historical framing.

The Rules of Civility
by Amor Towles
Set in late-1930s New York City, this stylish debut follows Katey Kontent, a sharp-witted secretary whose chance meeting with a charismatic banker opens doors into Manhattan’s glittering upper echelons. Through friendships, romances, and social ambitions, the novel paints a vivid portrait of class, identity, and the choices that shape a life against the jazz-filled backdrop of pre-war America.

This daily section is brought to you by MemoirGhostwriting.com, experts in capturing life stories for loved ones and/or the public. We can meet any budget.

Take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Even a few sentences are a memory preserved for loved ones.

Do you want to record your beliefs and hopes for future generations?
Have Your Legacy Letter Written—Pay What You Think Is Fair

Staying close to grandchildren doesn’t require being a tech expert. A few simple tools can help you see their faces, hear their stories, and be part of their everyday moments—even from miles away.

Start with video calls. If you have an iPhone or iPad, use FaceTime. On any device, Zoom and Google Meet are easy options. Ask a family member to put the app on your home screen so you only have to tap one button.

Texting photos is another powerful way to connect. If you use an iPhone, learn how to use iMessage. For Android phones, Google Messages works well. Grandkids often share their lives through pictures—sports games, school projects, pets—so responding with a quick “Tell me about this!” keeps conversations going.

For shared family albums, try Google Photos or Apple Shared Albums. Once you’re added, new pictures appear automatically.

If typing feels difficult, use voice messages. On iPhone, you can send audio messages directly in Messages. Hearing your voice can mean more than a long paragraph.

Create a recurring virtual date. Use Zoom or FaceTime for weekly story time, homework help, or even watching a show together using Teleparty. Consistency builds closeness.

Consider a digital photo frame like Aura or Skylight. Family members can send photos directly to the frame, and they appear automatically—no effort required on your end.

If your grandchildren play games, ask which platform they use. Some grandparents play simple online games together through apps like Words With Friends or even join a private Minecraft server with guidance.

The goal isn’t mastering technology. It’s showing up. A short video call, a shared laugh over a photo, or a weekly ritual can quietly become one of the most meaningful parts of a child’s life.

Cruise deal of the day: 3 Nights Bahamas Cruise - departing May 29, from $347

Unmissable American gem: Granbury, Texas delights seniors with its charming historic square, lakeside strolls around scenic Lake Granbury, and year-round events, making it a welcoming destination for relaxed sightseeing and small-town fun.

Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object! Be the first to reply with the correct answer, and we’ll send you a free gift in the mail.

Today’s clue: Sitcom about a witch blending in.

HIWTDBCEE

Help a life story get told, earn thousands: Refer someone to MemoirGhostwriting.com and earn 12% of what they spend. Find out more here.

Interested in advertising with Seniors Magazine? Learn more here.

Disclaimer: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, Seniors Magazine may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The content of the newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial, legal, or health advice. We may also share polling responses with advertisers to help keep this newsletter free.