Last year I published my first list of the best blogs and websites on positive aging and retirement I could find. A lot has happened since then. Not only did I publish my own book entitled Positive Aging—A SMART Living Guide To Thriving & Wellbeing At Any Age, I’ve also continued to find more great writers and people who are writing books, articles and blog posts about these topics. This year I am even more excited and enthusiastic because the research and news continues to show that nearly every single person who ages (no matter what their current age) can look forward to a longer, more meaningful and yes, happier life as they grow older—retired or not. Want to know more? Then check out my updated list below of the best resources I’ve found from 2017.
What are my criteria? Like last year’s list, I’ve attempted to focus on sites that:
- Share thoughts that engage, inspire, or encourage us as we age and/or retire.
- Puts the perspective on the benefits, good news, and opportunities surrounding aging and retirement, rather than the detriments.
- Aren’t overly technical or financial—and instead puts the focus on the mental, physical, emotional and sometimes spiritual evolution of aging.
- Avoids commercialism along with annoying ads or lots of self-promotion.
- Regularly and consistently adds content (If a blog hasn’t posted anything in a month or more—it won’t be on this list.)
While I realize there are other blogs and websites out in the blogosphere that focus on aging and retirement, these are ones that I regularly read, find helpful, and believe fit the SMART mission. FYI…they are listed in no particular order.
Positive Aging No Matter What Your Age
Agei.st—A site that celebrates living fast and dying old. Encouraging stories of people who are thinkers, creatives and researchers, dedicated to promoting a better understanding of an emergent age.
Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond is a blog written by Sue Loncaric who believes life is to be lived and shares her thoughts and experiences about this fabulous time of life with us all.
A Boomer Girl’s Guide—a personal blog written by Juhli who writes about health, happiness and a life that fits as she ages.
Boomer Café Now in its 17th year, Boomer Café is the original digital magazine (ezine) for baby boomers with active lifestyles and youthful spirits.
Changing In Aging ChangingAging™ is a pro-age movement from Dr. Bill Thomas that challenges conventional views on aging. They believe aging is a strength, rich in developmental potential and growth.
Living Better Fifty An online ezine that focuses on the positive attributes of aging (there are lots!) and looks for opportunities to encourage women to make healthier choices through articles, stories, and testimonies.
Next Avenue Where grown-ups keep growing. Their daily content delivers vital ideas, context and perspectives on issues that matter most as we age.
The Third Age—Healthy Living For Women + Their Families Health and wellness site targeted to women 45 and older.
Growing Bolder—A site that is attempting to “rebrand” growing older by changing the way the world looks at aging by smashing stereotypes and delivering hope, inspiration, and possibility to everyone who continues to age.
Senior Planet Celebrates aging by sharing information and resources that support aging with attitude and helps people stay engaged and active by bringing focus to a range of topics.
The Third Act Project Old guys on the art of aging—who talk about how it feels and what it means to be getting older.
Sixty and Me Produced to empower and motivate women to find their own voice and value in a transitional time of life that offers so much new opportunity.
Still The Lucky Few A blog written by Diane Dahli about what made “the greatest” generation unique, why their place in history is so important, and what they still have to offer.
Encore.org—Their motto is, “Second Acts for greater good” with a focus on building a movement to tap the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond to improve communities and the world.
WOW—Women’s Older Wisdom—A conversation started by Pat Taub for older women who are fed up with the ageism and sexism in our culture and are looking for cohorts to affirm their value as an older woman.
SMART Living 365–Last year I didn’t list SMART Living 365 but someone suggested I should. I sincerely hope you also believe that SMART Living 365 deserves a place among these great websites.
Blogs & Websites For A Positive Retirement
A Satisfying Retirement Offers Bob Lowry’s passionate perspective about living a Retired life with purpose and joy.
Sightings Over Sixty Where Boomer Tom Sightings looks at health, finance, retirement, grown-up children and … how time flies.
Olderhood— provides Education, Advocacy, and Research to help people from all walks of life transition from their careers to a new life beyond work.
Living Richly In Retirement A blog where a woman named Barb shares ideas about living and loving life and retirement on a fixed income.
Retire In Style Blog—is written by Barbara Torres who covers all sorts of topics about retirement and positive aging—in style of course!
Retirement—Only The Beginning Offers ideas about how to create a fun and financially stable retirement by author Dave Bernard.
Retirement Reflections A blog about retirement, new chapters, new discoveries and new adventures.
Retirement Revised Shares trends in retirement and aging with a holistic view of retirement security, including healthcare and Medicare, Social Security, retirement investing, midlife careers and housing.
Retirementally Challenged Offers ways to gracefully transition from a full-time career to a full-time retiree—along with travel and lots of gratitude.
Second Wind Leisure Perspectives Terri Webster Schrandt’s blog about living a leisure lifestyle from a woman who is a retired recreation and parks practitioner.
The Retirement Manifesto A canvas for sharing ideas to help others create a great retirement.
U.S. News On Retirement Retirement planning ideas and advice from a number of personal finance and lifestyle bloggers.
Joe’s Retirement Blog—A photoblog about beautiful and interesting sights in our world with almost always a positive perspective.
A Retirement Blog by Caree Risover—Caree is from the U.K. and writes about retirement—from planning to implementation to enjoyment.
Victory Lap Retirement—written by Michael Drak who retired in 2014 and is busy helping others transition into their own person versions of “A Victory Lap Retirement.”
Retirement Transition—One woman’s journey (Pat) as she transitions into the next stay of her life without a plan in place.
Life Part 2—Jonathan Look’s blog about possibilities and experiencing the full spectrum of life as he travels, takes photographs, writes, and shares his adventures.
Please accept this list as my year-end gift to all my SMART Living 365 readers for 2017. It is my hope you will find encouragement, inspiration, and awareness about the positive aspects of growing older on every single site I include. I will be keeping this list on its own “SMART Page” in the right-hand column of my homepage, so if you don’t have time today, please refer to it in the future. Also, if you know of other blogs or a website that should be included, please list them in the comments below. (Remember, any recommended sites must fit the guidelines I have posted above.)
Regardless of our age, I think it is beneficial to continually read and absorb information that reminds us that thinking in a positive and optimistic way about aging and retirement is good for us and those around us. Join me, and help to make the years ahead positive and SMART!
Please Note: I also provide links to other SMART sites I read and enjoy regularly HERE. Be sure and check these out as well.
Okay, your turn. Do you follow and/or read other sites that I may have overlooked that should be added? If yes, please post them in the comments below.
What a great list of blogs and websites! Lots of them are new to me and I look forward to checking them out. Thanks, as well, for including Dr Sock Writes Here on your list of other SMART sites.
Jude
I just found your site through one of the sites you included in your list. It’s true that what you give you get back in return! I’ve been blogging for almost 3 years and yet I have not seen many of these. I will spend this weekend with a lot of new reading!
Hi Mr. Fire Station! Nice to meet you. And it looks like you have a great blog as well. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my resources. I’ll definitely pay you a visit as well. Happy New Year! ~Kathy
Thank you for the mention and also for the links to some amazing blogs that I wasn’t previously aware of. Not sure how I’m going to find the time to keep up with them all, but hey I feel another retirement challenge coming on.
Hi Caree! You’re welcome. I spent a lot of time researching the blogs I wanted to recommend this year and thought yours provided something beneficial and unique. Keep up the good work! ~Kathy
Thank you
Happy to find some of the blogs that I follow in your SMART list, Kathy! These sites seem to offer great advice and insights. Enough material to keep reading forever. 🙂
Hi Liesbet! I know we all have LOTS to read these days and dozens of blogs to follow–but with time such a precious commodity it is very important to pick the very best so I’m hoping this list will serve as a starting point for those of us interested in the topics. As for blogs with a different focus–you KNOW yours is on that list, right? 🙂 https://smartliving365.com/smart-living-365-links/ Happy New Year and happy reading! ~Kathy
Thanks for the tips. I got a few new ones to visit, and they must be good because the ones on this list that I already know about are good . . . esp. SMART Living 365!
Hey Tom! Hahaha! Yes, I’m hoping SMART Living 365 qualifies–as does yours of course. Happy New Year! ~Kathy
This is a fabulous list, some sites I already follow! And thanks for the shout-out, Kathy! I’m saving this for future reference! Hope your New Year celebration is festive or quiet and that 2018 is a fab year for you!
Hi Terri! Thanks! It is surely my hope that this will make it easier for people to find positive information about aging and retirement on the internet. As we both know, it’s out there but it can be a little difficult to weed through all the masses of sites to find the gems. I’m happy to include yours! Happy New Year to you and Hans and may 2018 be good for us all! ~Kathy
Hi Kathy, a great list of retirement blogs, some of which I already read, like Retirement Manifesto, and some new ones I am off to follow up on.
I would be delighted if you would consider adding mine ti the list. I’m UK based and blog on making the most of retirement, between travel, creative hobbies, making the most of my money and just life in general. I’ve only been blogging just over a year.
http://www.crackingretirement.com
Hi Erith! One of the best things IMHO about doing a list like this is how I am introduced to other blogs that I haven’t read before–like yours! Yours sounds interesting and helpful so I will definitely check it out! Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year to you from across the pond! ~Kathy
Thank you, and Happy New Year to you too.
At midnight tomorrow, our time, I will be standing on the roof of a building in Princes Street Edinburgh, overlooking Edinburgh Castle, hopefully getting some lovely photographs for a January 1st blog…
Hi again Erith! How cool! Thom and I went to Endinburgh awhile ago and it was a great city! I can picture it now. I look forward to seeing/reading your post! ~Kathy
Great list, Kathy! So many that I did not know about. I’ll be following a lot of them on Bloglovin’!
Hi Cathy! Thanks for checking out my list. It’s always a tough choice but I do believe all my SMART Readers will like them. Happy New Year! ~Kathy
Hi, I would love you to consider our blog for a future list. Link below. TIA.
Hi Jan! Thanks for stopping by and sharing the link to your blog. I will definitely check it out for future lists! ~Kathy
What a great list Kathy – quite a lot of variety there too! Have a great 2018 because I certainly intend to!
Hi Leanne! Glad you like this list. You are certainly on my “SMART List of Favorites” because I read your blog all the time too. https://smartliving365.com/smart-living-365-links/ One of these days I’ll do a list of blogs that focus on happiness and wellbeing like yours does. There are so many thousands of blogs out here in the blogosphere, I believe it is SMART and helpful to let others know about other good websites and blogs that deserve attention. Thanks for stopping by and happy New Year to you too! ~Kathy
Thank you Kathy for the lovely surprise. I feel honoured that Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond has been included in your list. Will be sharing on social media. Happy New Year.
Hi Sue! You’re welcome! I do love your site and you always provide interesting and thought-provoking ideas for us all. Glad to have a “voice” from Austrailia too. Happy New Year to you and may your new year be everything and more you hope for. ~Kathy
Hi, Kathy – This is a wonderful gift, and is very much appreciated. I look forward to discovering many of the sites that are new to me (as well as continuing to visit the ones that I currently follow). Thank you also for the mention. I am honoured to be included!
Hi Donna! Including your site was a natural because not only do you offer a great perspective on retirement and positive aging, you also provide a lot of guest posts to other bloggers who are writing about similar ideas. Just looking through your list of guest posters is enough to keep a person busy far into the New Year! So glad to have you and look forward to who you introduce us to in the future. And YES! Looking forward to getting together IRL again in 2018. Until then–Happy New Year! ~Kathy
Great list. Now I know where and how I will spend my day.
Hi Brigitte! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! There is SO MUCH good info on the web that inspires and uplifts. Happy New Year! ~Kathy
What a great list! I am familiar with many of the sites and I look forward to discovering new ones! I appreciate being included in your positive retirement section. Best wishes to you and Thom for a positive, adventurous, healthy, and joyful 2018!
Hi Janis! Thanks! I enjoy your unique perspective on retirement and your ongoing support! Your guest post here on SMART Living was one of the most read ones that I’ve had. I guess you could say that your blog is about SMART Retirement for sure. Happy New Year to you and Paul and I look forward to getting together with you again this year. ~Kathy
Great list! Thank you for putting it together. Happy New Year!
Hi Suzanne! You’re welcome! One of these days I will being doing a list of travel sites that I follow and yours will definitely be included. May your 2018 be everything you hope for and more! ~Kathy
Great list Kathy! I do read some of these other blogs as well as yours and now I have a few more to try. Thanks and Happy New Year!
Hi Haralee! I hope you know that I do have your site listed on my other SMART Favorites https://smartliving365.com/smart-living-365-links/ because I love your site as well. But like I said to Diane I had some hard decisions to make. Maybe I’ll do a post of SMART Favorites because I do hope people find your site as well. I also know that your a great reader and if you know of any sites that really should be included, be sure and let me know. Happy New Year! ~Kathy
What a comprehensive list! Thanks so much for including me. Have a wonderful 2018, Kathy!
Hi Diane! You’re welcome. It is a bit difficult to pick which sites to include but you always consistently post what I consider to be SMART. In case I haven’t said it lately, I appreciate your ideas and your support too. I hope it introduces others to your site that might not find you otherwise. Happy New Year! ~Kathy