05/27/2025
ššļøš
I was on a walk one gray Sunday morning when I stumbled upon the audiobook version of The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly. I had typed āsomething light but profoundā into the search bar, and up came this gem. The title was cheeky enough to spark a smile, but it was Margareta Magnussonās voiceākind, warm, a little mischievousāthat pulled me in. It felt less like listening to an audiobook and more like having tea with a favorite grandmother who knew all the best stories, and wasnāt afraid to tell them with brutal honesty and a twinkle in her eye. The book doesnāt preach. It pokes, nudges, and sometimes surprises you into clarity. I didnāt expect to be so movedāor so gently challenged. These are 8 lessons I walked away with, each one lingering in its own quiet but powerful way:
1. Donāt Wait to Be Invited to Life: Margareta makes it painfully clearāaging doesnāt have to mean shrinking away. At one point, she talks about friends who stopped accepting dinner invitations because they didnāt feel āfunā anymore. That image stuck with me. Why do we wait for someone else to tell us we belong? Her voiceādry but affectionateādared me to stop apologizing for growing older or quieter, and to start showing up anyway. That lesson is gold for anyone whoās ever doubted they were still āinteresting enough.ā Life doesnāt RSVP for us. We show up, or we miss it.
2. Be Brave Enough to Start Over (At Any Age): The way she tells stories about moving houses, getting rid of things, or finding new routines made me pause. I realized how often I cling to whatās familiar simply because itās old. Sheās refreshingly honest about how starting again can feel awkwardābut also freeing. If someone in their 80s can start over with curiosity instead of dread, what excuse do I have? It made me look at change not as a threat, but as an invitation to do life better.
3. Small Joys Are Not Small: She describes the joy of clean sheets, fresh flowers, or the perfect cup of coffee with such affection, you realize these ālittleā things are actually the building blocks of a contented life. Thereās a line where she sighs over the beauty of candlelight, and I remember laughing out loudābecause only someone who really knows what matters can be that sincere about ambiance. This lesson shifted something in me. I now light candles just because. I savor my tea instead of gulping it. Anyone can benefit from this reframing of what it means to have āenough.ā
4. Declutter with Love, Not Regret: She revisits the idea of Swedish death cleaningāclearing out your belongings to spare others the burden after you're goneābut this time, itās less about death and more about dignity. The way she talks about choosing what to leave behind made me think of legacy in a deeper way. It's not about being remembered as tidy; itās about being remembered with kindness. I cleaned out a box of old letters and cried. Not out of grief, but out of gratitude. This is a powerful message for anyone wanting to liveāand leaveāthoughtfully.
5. Humor Is a Survival Tool: Thereās something magical about how Margareta can talk about grief, loneliness, or the oddities of an aging body, and still make you smile. Her humor isnāt forcedāitās wise. She finds delight in absurdities, and that attitude is a choice. It reminded me that laughter doesnāt mean youāre not taking life seriouslyāit means youāre strong enough to carry it lightly. Thatās a lesson worth learning at any age.
6. Friendship Deserves Maintenance: One chapter hit a nerve: she confesses that friendships can fade not because of conflict, but because of neglect. That gentle truth sat with me for days. I thought of people I love but rarely call. She encourages us to reach out without dramaājust a postcard, a walk, a silly text. The lesson is clear: nurturing friendship is a quiet act of defiance against loneliness. And itās so worth it.
7. Your Age Is Not Your Identity: Margareta tells stories of things she did at 70 or 80āthings some people think belong to āyoungerā folks. Traveling, learning, painting. She scoffs at the idea of acting your age. Her tone when she says, āItās only a number, and a number is boring,ā made me laugh, but also rethink my own self-limiting beliefs. This lesson is particularly freeing: youāre not too old for joy, for movement, for dreams. Letās stop measuring life in birthdays and start measuring it in boldness.
8. Be Curious About the Future: What struck me most was how curious she still isāabout trends, people, art, technology. She doesnāt sit in the āgood old days.ā She leans forward. That mindset is contagious. Iāve started asking more questions, watching new films, even trying out TikTok (donāt ask). Her point is simple: as long as weāre breathing, thereās still more to learn. And isnāt that kind of wonderful?
Book/Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3SS4R7e
You can access the audiobook when you register on the Audible platform using the l!nk above.
