A Conversation with Margit Novack, Author of "Squint: Revisioning the Second Half of Life"

Margit Novack is an entrepreneur, thought leader in aging and pioneer in Senior Move Management. Margit founded Moving Solutions in 1996, when she was in her 40s. Over the next 25 years, her passion and commitment to serving older adults and their families inspired her team to provide world-class service that earned her awards and national media attention in this then-new cottage industry. She had no direct experience in the field at the time she started her company, but saw a need and sought to serve a vulnerable population. Margit is widely recognized as founder of the Senior Move Management industry. She is the Founding President of the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM), chaired the NASMM Ethics Commission and developed industry training. NASMM recognized Margit’s commitment and service by creating the Margit Novack Award for Excellence in Senior Move Management. In 2020, Margit left the formal work world and began a new role as author, speaker and champion of a re-visioned picture of aging. Squint: Re-visioning the Second Half of Life is her first book, which she wrote during the Covid pandemic. Her book is an uplifting guide for the second half of life. Margit’s memoir opens our eyes to the abundant possibilities of later life. She pairs profound and memorable personal stories with larger themes -- downsizing, caregiving, forgiveness, estrangement and more -- and shows that with the right perspective and “re-visioning,” the future is rich with possibility. Realistic, compassionate, substantive and uplifting, Margit’s Squint is a guidebook that leaves us better equipped for the years ahead. She believes that "life will never get better than it is right now," and believes the statistic that a positive outlook can increase one's lifespan by seven years. She notes that, sometimes, we don't know what we are passionate about, and encourages listeners to be on a journey of uncovering your passions, which may change over time. At age 72, she recognizes her desire to be part of a team, so she started a "mitzvah team" of friends to make a difference in her community. She and her team have collected socks for shelters at long term health care facilities, for example. She believes in living with intention, as opposed to a "I'll see what happens" approach, and preaches about the value of intentionality in her book and during public speaking engagements. Kudos for Squint: “Telling it straight about aging and more, it’s a must read, and a must have, for an enlightening and joyful journey.” -- Helen Dennis, Columnist, Author and Specialist on Aging and the New Retirement “A delightful and poignant journey through the common experiences of the second half of life.” -- Teepa Snow, Occupational Therapist and CEO of Positive Approach to Care Margit grew up in Philadelphia, went to the Philadelphia High School for Girls and has graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a great gardener, terrible cook and enthusiastic walker. Margit lives with her husband and three dogs (a retired Greyhound racer and two puppy mill rescues), and divides her time between Philadelphia and Maryland’s eastern shore, where she loves kayaking upwind. To learn more about Margit and her memoir, Squint, please visit www.margitnovack.com, and follow her at: facebook.com/margit.novack nstagram.com/margit.novack/ twitter.com/MargitNovack linkedin.com/in/margitnovack Learn more about host, Maria, at www.MariaLeonardOlsen.com, and follow her at @FiftyAfter50.