What’s Worth Carrying Forward, 8 Foods for Stronger Muscles, and a New Look at the 4% Rule

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History (Non-Fiction): Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick – This revealing history follows the lives of ordinary North Koreans, showing how they survived under one of the world’s most secretive and repressive regimes.

Memoir: The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich – This haunting memoir intertwines a murder case with a deeply personal reckoning with childhood trauma, memory, and the complicated nature of justice.

Self-Help: Ikigai by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles – This thoughtful guide explores the Japanese concept of finding purpose in everyday life and the habits associated with living a long, fulfilling life.

Romance: The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy – A college hockey player needs help from an arrogant new teammate to achieve her athletic goals, but their reluctant partnership soon develops into something more.

Business: Leap by Howard Yu – This strategy guide uses real-world case studies to show how businesses can stay ahead of copycat competitors by embracing new knowledge, technology, and ways of operating.

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Every stage of life involves leaving some things behind and bringing others with us. We outgrow certain habits, responsibilities, and expectations, while other parts of our lives gain prominence with time.

One of the quiet advantages of experience is learning to recognize the difference. We begin to see what is truly worth carrying forward into the years ahead.

Family traditions often evolve. Perhaps holiday meals become smaller than they once were. A family recipe is now shared among several households. Grandchildren help prepare the meal instead of simply arriving to eat. A celebration that once lasted all day pivots to a relaxed afternoon together.

The tradition hasn't disappeared. It has simply adapted to the people enjoying it today.

Sometimes preserving the spirit of a tradition matters more than preserving every detail.

Some routines earn their place because they enrich everyday life. It might be taking a morning walk, reading before bed, a scheduled call with a friend every Sunday, tending a small garden, or writing birthday cards by hand.

Despite changing circumstances or life’s ups and downs, these habits help form the rhythm of a satisfying life.

Many of the most valuable things we carry forward aren't objects at all. Teaching someone how to bake a favorite family recipe, sharpen garden tools, grow tomatoes, knit a scarf, or fix a wobbly chair creates a legacy that extends well beyond the immediate task or item itself.

Skills have a way of living on through the people who learn them—and there’s a good chance they’ll pass those skills on as well.

Not everything has to be carried forward. It can be just as important to lighten our load as it is to maintain what gives us meaning.

Perhaps you have to relinquish commitments you’ve outgrown, pass on possessions you no longer use, set aside routines that no longer suit you, or let go of the feeling that everything has to be done a certain way. Instead of viewing this as losing something, think of it as gaining time and space for something else. Making room for what matters frequently begins by recognizing what no longer does.

Certain qualities are enduring, immune to time or circumstance.

Kindness.
Reliability.
Curiosity.
Generosity.
Integrity.

These are the values that strengthen families, friendships, and communities across generations.

No matter what else happens, some things are always worth holding onto.

It's easy to think about responsibilities and traditions, but joy deserves a place as well. Maybe it's your love of reading, a favorite fishing spot, afternoons spent volunteering, singing in a choir, visiting local museums, or playing cards with friends. The activities that have brought you happiness over the years are often worth making space for in the years ahead as well.

Life is always changing, but not everything needs to change with it. Knowing what's worth carrying forward allows us to preserve the people, values, traditions, and pleasures that continue to give life meaning, all while letting go of what no longer serves us.

We're looking for seniors who are embracing life with enthusiasm, purpose, and adventure. Whether you're traveling the world, starting a business, volunteering, pursuing a passion, learning new skills, or simply making the most of every day, we'd love to hear your story.

Think that might be you?

Email [email protected] with a photo and a short bio. We may feature you in an upcoming edition of Seniors Magazine.

You probably know something today that would have saved your 30-year-old self a lot of trouble. That’s wisdom.

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“The Job Interview”
From the life overview of Michael G., 74, Hartford, Connecticut. Shared with permission.

In 1982, I interviewed for a job that I was sure I wasn’t qualified for.

The company was a small engineering firm in Hartford. I was working for a larger company at the time and wanted something different. The advertisement said the firm was looking for someone with “strong leadership skills,” which I interpreted as “someone who knew what they were doing.”

I, unfortunately, did not.

The interview was with a man named Peter. He asked me how I handled conflict among employees.

I gave him a long answer about relying on communication, compromise, and respect.

He listened politely and then asked, “Have you actually done that?”

I said, “No.”

There was a pause.

Then he laughed.

I laughed, too.

We spent the rest of the interview talking honestly about what I knew and what I didn’t. He offered me the job two days later.

I worked there for seventeen years. Peter became one of my closest friends.

We laughed about that interview many times. He told people I was the only candidate who had ever admitted he didn’t know what he was talking about.

That wasn’t exactly true, though.

I did know some things.

I just hadn’t learned yet that pretending to know everything was not the same as being good at my job.

***

Want to preserve for future generations the stories, experiences, and wisdom that have shaped your life?
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Choose a photograph, decide how many pieces you want, and assemble the puzzle directly on your screen. There’s a new puzzle every day, along with mystery and more challenging options, and you can even turn one of your own photographs into a puzzle. You can also invite friends or family to work on the same puzzle with you online.

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

Take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Even a few sentences are a memory preserved for loved ones. Some people begin by writing on their own—or even using AI tools—but many eventually decide they’d rather simply talk and have their story shaped into something lasting. That’s where we come in.

Do you want to ensure your story, values, and family history aren't lost?

A personal blog gives you a place to collect stories, opinions, photographs, travel notes, recipes, family history, or expertise you've accumulated over the years. Unlike a social media post that quickly disappears down a feed, a blog gradually becomes an organized archive of your writing.

You don't need to know anything about building websites to start one.

WordPress.com's free beginner course walks you through creating a blog, choosing its appearance, publishing posts, and organizing your writing. WordPress also lets you begin with a free site address, so there's no need to purchase a domain immediately.

For an even simpler setup, Blogger's getting-started instructions show how to create a blog using a Google account.

If you'd like readers to receive your writing by email as well as read it online, Substack's publishing guide explains how to set up a publication and begin posting.

You don't need a narrowly defined theme, but having a few recurring subjects makes deciding what to write much easier. A personal blog might rotate among family stories, travel memories, books, gardening, local history, recipes, or observations about everyday life.

Keep a running list of possible posts. "The neighborhood where I grew up" or "Five books I still recommend" is much easier to tackle than sitting down with the vague goal of writing something interesting.

Your first post can simply introduce yourself and explain what you'd like to write about. Add a photograph if you have one, proofread it, and publish.

Aim for a schedule you can realistically maintain—even one thoughtful post a month is enough. If you're using WordPress, categories and tags can organize your writing as the collection grows.

Most importantly, write about subjects you genuinely want to record. Even if your first readers are only friends and family, you'll be building a personal collection of stories and ideas that didn't exist anywhere else before you wrote them down.

When an app disappears from Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store, it doesn’t necessarily disappear from your phone. What happens next depends on why it was removed and whether the developer continues supporting it.

If you already installed the app, you can usually continue using it. However, you may no longer receive updates, bug fixes, or security patches. Over time, the app could stop working properly as your phone’s operating system changes.

Some apps are removed only temporarily or because the developer chose to stop offering them. Others are taken down because they violate store rules or pose security or privacy concerns.

If an app you still use is no longer available in the store, don’t immediately uninstall it. You may not be able to download it again.

First, check the developer’s official website for information about why the app disappeared. If there are warnings about security, privacy, or malware, stop using the app and remove it. Otherwise, consider looking for a well-supported replacement before the old app eventually becomes unusable.

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Unmissable American gem: Florence, Alabama is a charming Tennessee River city known for its rich music heritage, historic architecture, and lively downtown that offer an inviting mix of culture, history, and Southern hospitality.

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Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object. Think you know it? Reply with your answer and show off your brainpower.

Today’s clue: Device used to record family events before smartphones.

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