How I Made Peace with the Modern Elder Academy (MEA)

At first, I’ll admit, I was a little miffed at the Modern Elder Academy. You see, I had this grand vision of being the go-to for mid-lifers wanting to reboot, rethink, or recharge. But MEA beat me to it and, honestly, did it way better. So I decided to get on board, at least for a bit—maybe to "borrow" a few ideas. Just kidding, Chip Conley!

Anyway, here’s the real story. I actually did start my own online school! I bought a Moodle website, spent hours creating beautiful courses all focused on job hunting. The classes were a labor of love—detailed, organized, with custom artwork and information that was chef's kiss perfection. But… the school flopped. Not just a soft fail. I mean, not even my friends would look at it, and they could have taken the classes for free! I quickly realized that maybe a solo project wasn’t the right fit.

Instead, I came to terms with the fact that a steady job (plus a little fangirling over an amazing organization) might be more my style. So, next month, I’m hopping on the Southwest Chief Train from Chicago to Santa Fe, New Mexico—a 20-hour adventure!—to check out the MEA in person. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back with a few new insights (and even more appreciation for what it really takes to inspire others in midlife).

If you're intrigued by the MEA and want to see what it's all about, check them out at Modern Elder Academy, or drop them a line directly. I'll see you there!