70 Life Lessons

70 Life Lessons

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Editor’s Note from The Sunday Paper Team: As Maria takes some well-deserved time off this month, we’re revisiting a favorite from her “I’ve Been Thinking” archive. This essay originally ran on November 2, 2025. Please note that any events or dates referenced reflect the time it was written.

I’m going to do something different today: I’m going to begin with a list of things I can’t believe right now, because this entire year has been one of those beyond-belief years.

Let’s start on a positive note: how about the World Series this year?! I was sitting in a nice restaurant having dinner with a friend Monday evening during the stunning 18-inning game, and multiple tables erupted with joy throughout the night. People laughed. They clapped hands. They hugged each other. It was unusual for this restaurant, but that unprecedented game brought everybody together that felt electric. I couldn’t believe what a great feeling it instilled in all of us. And then the Dodgers did it again last night in game 7, with a shocking comeback over the Toronto Blue Jays that made them the first back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees in 1998-2000. Both teams played incredibly throughout the series, but since LA is home, I have to say—go Dodgers!

Now, on a more sobering note, I still can’t believe that the East Wing of the White House is gone. A year ago, I was there for a big Special Olympics benefit and a Women’s Health and Research Summit. It was all decorated for Christmas. There was history everywhere. My kids accompanied me to the Special Olympics event, and I showed them that history. It breaks my heart.

I also can’t believe the economic and political turmoil of this year. From the impact of tariffs to a government shutdown with no apparent end in sight, the ripple effects are everywhere. I read a news story the other day outlining the increase in healthcare prices, the increase in people showing up at food banks, and the increase in those seeking assistance. I can’t believe that this is the state of our government, and yet I’m inspired by all the families stepping up to help by becoming grocery buddies and creating all sorts of other creative solutions. People are so good.

Both political parties can do better. They have to. The holidays are around the corner, and the people who’ve given their careers to public service deserve better. We all deserve a functioning government that cares.

I also can’t believe there’s an election this Tuesday. It doesn’t matter if you don’t live in New York, California, New Jersey, or Virginia. All of these elections have national implications that will impact us all. So pay attention to what’s going on in the Big Apple, in the redistricting in California, and in the gubernatorial races.

And finally, I can’t believe it’s November! Wasn’t it just August?

November is a big month in my world—the start of Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, a cause I’ve focused on for more than twenty years. I still can’t believe we haven’t found a cure, but I’m grateful that we’ve made so much progress in prevention and education. (And remember, women, you are at increased risk!) There is so much hope everywhere I look, and I’m so grateful to all the people who came out yesterday for our MOSH BrainFest in Los Angeles. What a day we had, celebrating the brain and all those working hard in their own ways to better our brain health. Bravo!

November is also my month. Scorpio season! Yes, I’m a Scorpio, and I’ve got a big birthday coming my way this week: the big 7-0. Last year my birthday fell on Election Day (ugh)—something that’s happened several times throughout my life. Growing up, I also shared my birthday week with my dad. Now I share it with my grandson Ford, who will turn one two days after I turn seventy!

I cannot believe I’m turning seventy. I don’t feel seventy (maybe fifty on a tired day). I also can’t believe what Ford’s world will look like when he gets to my age. Actually, I can’t believe what his world looks like right now. But on his birthday, thank God, he will be surrounded by love—by family and by adults who will ooh and ahh at his sweet face and open, charming personality. I feel so blessed to know my grandchildren and to have a close, healthy family to celebrate with on my big day. Yes, I’ll eat cake on my birthday. Ice cream too!

I’ll be honest: this milestone birthday has been playing a bit with my mind. To help myself prepare for it I recently looked back at a list of “60 life lessons” I shared here in The Sunday Paper a decade ago. I’ve included that list below, along with ten more things I’ve learned since then.

So much of the work I’d been involved in for decades came to fruition in my 60s. Not only did I start a Women’s Alzheimer’s Prevention Center, but I also co-founded the Comprehensive Women’s Health and Research Center at the Cleveland Clinic, which now sees thousands of women every day. I started my own publishing imprint and published the voices of individuals I admire—people whose work lifts others up. I saw the documentaries I worked on with my daughter flourish. I started a protein bar company with my son. I made new friends and solidified old ones. And I became a grandparent for the first time (let’s hope I’ll get more grandchildren in my 70s!). What a blessing.

Fear melted away for me in my sixties. I surprised myself over and over. I also learned I really liked myself—my solitude, my companionship, my life. I realized how creative I’ve always been. I realized I’d been a great mother, sister, cousin, daughter, employee, wife, and ex-wife. I became grateful to my body for all it’s done, all it’s been through, and all it’s still doing. And I became aware of my role with God.

If you are headed toward your sixties, do not fret. It can be an amazing decade. The possibilities are endless, and so many people are radically redefining aging every day. And if you’re headed into your forties or fifties, you’re lucky. Focus your efforts on your holistic health—your mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial well-being. Doing so will give you a better life when you get to my age.

Whatever your age, don’t rush through your days. Savor them. Be present in them. When I look back, I realize how much time I spent racing ahead—crossing things off lists, proving things, planning for tomorrow. Now I’m learning to simply be here, in this moment, with gratitude for all of you who have built this publication with me, who support it, share it, and live by its motto of rising above the noise and moving humanity forward. Thank you.

Today, as I stand on the brink of a new decade, here is that list from my sixties with some new learnings as well. Maybe you’ll feel inspired to create your own list of blessings and life lessons to guide you forward.

So yes, I still can’t believe I’m seventy—and I can’t believe how full of hope I feel for what’s next. My birthday wish is that this next decade mirrors a new beginning for our country, one filled with hope, unity, and heart. Because I can’t accept that we cannot do better. I just don’t believe that our country’s best days are behind us. Even now, I still believe that the best is yet to come.

70 Life Lessons

1. There is nothing about life that’s predictable. Stop trying to predict it.
2. Find every excuse you can to celebrate it.
3. Love the age you are. Stop wishing you were a different one.
4. Stop worrying about what others think. It’s a huge waste of your time.
5. Stop wondering if God is listening. Just have faith that He (or She) is.
6. Having a higher power makes everyday life more livable and more hopeful.
7. Be grateful to anyone who has ever loved you or tried to love you. I know I am.
8. Know that shit will happen in life. You’ll think you can’t withstand it, but you can, and you will.
9. Life isn’t predictable, but joy is an active choice. Look for it, make space for it, and let it find you.
10. Believe me when I tell you diets are a waste of time. I’ve tried them all.
11. Moderate everything but laughing.
12. Don’t be scared to be a parent. Trust your heart.
13. Make friends with your children’s friends. They’ll make you laugh and give you valuable intel.
14. Keep a pair of clothes from high school—not to check if you still fit, but for the memories they hold.
15. Hold your children over and over again, and then let someone hold you.
16. Get smart about money as early as possible.
17. Save money from every paycheck.
18. Buy comfortable sheets. You’ll spend a lot of time in them.
19. Know that no matter how smart you are, you cannot change someone else.
20. Stay out of other people’s business. Dealing with your own is a full-time job.
21. Be kind. Everyone is struggling.
22. Don’t engage in gossip. It always bites you in the ass.
23. Don’t believe people who say they can eat anything and still stay skinny. They’re fibbing.
24. Don’t mistake gifts for love.
25. Spend time alone when you’re young so it won’t scare you when you’re older.
26. Write thank-you notes for people’s time and wisdom. See both as a gift.
27. Look people in the eye when you talk to them.
28. Sit down to family dinner every night. If you can’t, make Sunday night family night.
29. Play games with your kids. (My favorites: Capture the Flag and Uno.)
30. Give your kids a “get out of school” pass to use for a special day with you.
31. Keep an open table and an open mind.
32. Be of service.
33. Travel with your kids. It opens their horizons and strengthens your bond.
34. Friends and family are the foundation of a meaningful life. Invest in them. Nurture them. Nourish them.
35. Don’t assume anyone is better than you—or that you’re better than anyone else.
36. Don’t ever sit out an election. You live in a country where every vote matters. Use yours.
37. Learn how to turn off the critical voice in your head as early as possible.
38. Every year, write down your regrets, then burn them and leave them in the ashes.
39. Listen to your gut. It knows more than everyone else you’re asking for advice.
40. Listen more than you speak. You’ll learn more about others—and yourself—when you do.
41. Practice meditation. It will keep you in check with yourself.
42. Never think your work life is more important than your family.
43. Don’t think bad stuff won’t happen to you. Learn how to push through—head up, shoulders back.
44. Don’t allow anyone to shame you.
45. Get good at forgiveness. You’ll need to practice it throughout life.
46. Know that forgiving doesn’t mean going back to what was. It means going forward with love. You get to decide what that looks like.
47. Get good at letting go.
48. Let go of needing to be right. Peace is often the greater victory.
49. Don’t expect people to be perfect. You’re not, and neither are they.
50. Learn how to communicate in your own home. If you can’t find your voice, get help.
51. Don’t think reaching out for help is weakness. It's strength.
52. Therapy isn’t a waste of time. It can save a friendship, a marriage, your life.
53. If you marry and it ends, don’t let anyone tell you you’ve failed. Be grateful for the love you had, the memories you made, and the lessons you learned.
54. If you have a pity party, make it short, then move on.
55. Don’t see yourself as a victim. See yourself as brave.
56. Be brave enough to write your own story, and then rewrite it.
57. Be brave enough to try love again after your heart has been broken.
58. Exercise is the single most important thing you can do for your brain health.
59. Be kind to your body. It will be with you for life.
60. Rest is not laziness. It’s renewal. Give yourself permission to pause.
61. Spend time in nature. It calms your mind.
62. Beauty heals. Surround yourself with art, music, and nature. They remind you what’s possible.
63. If you want forgiveness, ask for it.
64. Be curious. Keep learning, wondering, and dreaming. It keeps you hopeful and inspired.
65. Spend time around people who see you, celebrate you, and want the best for you.
66. Stay connected to your siblings.
67. Take care of your parents when they age. It’s a privilege.
68. Let love be your default. In traffic, in conflict, in doubt—start from love, and everything softens.
69. Keep your heart open. Even after loss or disappointment, that openness is where new miracles enter.
70. Have faith that your best days are ahead of you, that your next frontier will be your most fulfilling time, and that you deserve to be seen as good enough, just the way you are.

Also in this week’s issue:

• We’re (Finally) Learning More About the Female Brain