#69 Finding Meaning with Age | Jerry Shapiro, Ph.D.

For many of us, a peculiar aspect of being human is the erroneous belief that we are exempt from certain rules of life. One of those rules is aging.  So here’s my confession about how I thought I was exempt: it took me forever to accept the fact that I needed reading glasses.  Somehow, I believed my eyes were meant to remain the eyes of a teenager and every time I’d ask to borrow some readers, my wife would lovingly remind me to embrace reality and carry glasses. My guest, Dr. Jerrold Shapiro (https://jerroldleeshapiro.com/), is a psychologist, author, and professor of psychology at Santa Clara University. He has written extensively about existential psychology, fatherhood, group therapy, and couples therapy. He has been interviewed on multiple media outlets including the Oprah Winfrey Show.  And without a question, Jerry is one of the most beloved professors I have ever known and with good reason: he is supremely knowledgeable and relates his knowledge with massive doses of levity, relatability, and kindness as you will hear in this interview. His latest book, Finding Meaning, Facing Fears, explores how to feel empowered around aging and has been described as “a must-read for everyone beyond the age of 45.” So, listen in as Jerry and I talk about finding meaning as we age.