Life Lessons

Lorie Laughs a Lot

Laughing as I reinvent myself still again

Image created by Lorie Kleiner Eckert

I have had the good fortune of appearing on three dozen podcasts as I work to promote my newest book, Chai on Life. I’m 100% honest and sincere on these shows and I never exaggerate to make my message sound better, yet when I get done with a podcast, I am aware that a slightly different version of me is the one who was just interviewed. Among other things, that Lorie laughs a lot.

A fact of my real life is that I am the sort of person who flounders emotionally from time to time. And a flounder phase seems to be where I am now.

But there’s good news! At my age, I have loads of experience navigating my malaise. I’m good at identifying my problem and knowing what to do to fix it.

So here is the problem — a common one in my peer group — semi-retirement is upon me.

For five-and-a-half years now I have been heavily involved in my book: writing it, creating a book proposal to send to publishers, finding a publisher, working with him to get it in print, and then promoting it. After publication, the book is “fresh” for about a year and then it needs to move over on the shelf for the new guys.

My book’s one year anniversary is coming in September making that part of my life a done deal.

Now what? I still plan to write my blogs and book reviews because I enjoy doing that. But what else will I do to fill this large chunk of time that went to book promotion?

Luckily, podcast-laughing-Lorie knows exactly what to do. Listen in to her peptalk:

This is a life reinvention! You have reinvented yourself dozens of times in life, old girl and you can do it again. You have also yakked about it repeatedly with podcasters. Let me remind you of what you have said.

Since reinvention often seems scary, you have intentionally made the recipe for how to do it easy breezy. There are only two steps. Number one, have a healthy routine and stick with it. Number two, take one step a day in the direction of the new you (even if it is a teeny tiny one).

I know you so well, ladybug. You have a great personal routine full of eating right and exercising and hanging out with loved ones, etc., and I know you are sick of eating right and exercising. You sure would like to be done with all that. To which I say:

Oh no you don’t, girlfriend. Nice try, bucko. No way, Jose. Uh-uh can’t do it.

These healthy habits might be getting old, but you are too. They have never been more important than they are now. Stick with that healthy routine!

As to stepping into new activities, give it a try! A new class at the gym? Someplace to take line dancing lessons? Torah study at the Temple? Rummikub at the Jewish Community Center? There is so much to explore. And let me tell you it’s really fine if you try all these things and have a “yeah, but …” explaining why each and every one is wrong for you. Just trust the system. Somewhere down the road there is gonna be one that works.

And as you take those steps remember another point Laughing-Lorie always makes — there is always something to be grateful for. You might not want to take line dancing classes, but you are healthy enough to take them, you can drive your very-reliable car to wherever they are offered, and you can afford whatever they cost. Lots to be grateful for.

Always, always a lot to be grateful for.

One final portion of your healthy daily routine that you need to keep in mind: hanging out with loved ones. That one’s a given for you — kids and grandkids are number one. But really, Lorie, you’re not so great with leaving the house to hang out with people in general.

An interesting quote from the new Elizabeth Strout book was meant for you. There is a discussion as to the correctness of the quote: “no man is an island” since one of the characters thinks instead that “all men are islands.”

Personally, I think that’s a choice. And I think for you — indeed for most people — it’s good to have fellow-islanders in life.

Baby doll, at the end of the last podcast on which you were a guest, the interviewer asked for one word to describe you. You shocked yourself by saying, “happy.” Since you’re “100% honest and sincere on these shows and never exaggerate to make [your] message sound better,” let’s just agree that you are happy.

Please take that happy — and laughing — Lorie out into the world. Flounder phase be gone! An exciting next stage is just up ahead.

If you like my writing, I hope you will check out my new book, Chai on Life. It contains 36 slice-of-life stories ranging in topics from belly fat to Billy Joel. It is available wherever books are sold and on Amazon. There is even a companion journal for you to write the stories of your life.

Chai on Life is available in 3 formats: Hard Back, Kindle, and AudioBook.

And one last thing! Amazon has named me an Influencer (!!!!) and invited me to open a Storefront. You will find lots of my favorite things there including fun gifts for people who love to read. Check it out!

Originally published at https://www.loriekleinereckert.com on June 22, 2026.