The Live Long Podcast

Oct 3, 2018

Mental strength to master aging

About this episode

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. She has a unique perspective on the struggles and life-stopping events that can derail even those of us who are committed to living the best life possible. Her mother passed away from a brain aneurysm when Amy was 23. Three years on her 26-year-old husband died of a heart attack and a few years later, her father-in-law lost his battle with cancer. It was a personal journey that saw Amy write a letter to herself, entitled 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. It went viral and led to Amy writing a book, with the same title. Five years later she is still writing and talking about what makes people mentally strong. In this interview with Peter Bowes, recorded at the annual USC Body Computing Conference in Los Angeles, Amy explains why her observations about mental strength are relevant to the aging process; why we should not look back or worry about what others think as we grow older – and why we should set limits on our daily consumption of news to avoid being consumed by media overload.

This is the first in a series of interviews recorded at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event here and the USC Center for Body Computing here.

In the episode we cover:

  • How Amy started to think about mental strength at one of the lowest points in her life.
  • What people struggling with adversity do to continue living a normal life, even though their hearts are broken.
  • Why Amy wrote a list of the things that drain her of mental strength.
  • What happened when she put the list online.
  • How not to sit around and host a pity party.
  • Why we should not worry about pleasing everyone.Why mentally strong people don’t expect immediate results.How people with mental strength can age better.
  • “I’m a fan of working smarter not just harder.”
  • Why social media can make us feel inadequate and how to rise above it.
  • How media overload can affect our ability to stay mentally healthy.

DISCOUNTS & AFFILIATION DISCLOSURES

This podcast is supported by affiliate arrangements with a select number of companies. We have arranged discounts on certain products and receive a small commission on sales. The income helps to cover production costs and ensures that our interviews, sharing information about human longevity, remain free for all to listen. See our SHOP for more details.

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The Live Long podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

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