DeepSummary
In this episode, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee interviews 103-year-old Dr. Gladys McGarey, the oldest guest on his podcast. Gladys shares profound insights on living with purpose, navigating adversity, and finding healing within oneself. She discusses the importance of parents truly listening to and supporting their children, and how to bring a positive attitude to negative experiences.
Gladys explains her philosophy of 'aging into health' rather than 'anti-aging,' and stresses the significance of doctors listening to and loving their patients. However, she believes that ultimately, it is individuals who are responsible for their own healing. She shares her 'Five Ls' - life, love, laughter, labor, and listening - which have guided her approach to life.
Throughout the conversation, Gladys's playfulness, humor, and resilient attitude shine through. Her wisdom and life experiences offer valuable lessons on embracing curiosity, adaptability, and finding purpose at any age. The episode aims to inspire listeners to reflect on their own purpose and make the most of their lives.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Embrace a philosophy of 'aging into health' by focusing on the new possibilities and experiences that each stage of life can offer.
- Nurture children's curiosity and support their unique purposes from a young age by truly listening to them and encouraging their questions.
- Adopt a positive attitude towards negative experiences by finding humor and embracing them as part of the journey of life, rather than dwelling on regrets.
- Take personal responsibility for your own healing and growth by actively choosing the direction you want your life to take.
- Approach all aspects of life - relationships, work, and personal growth - with a loving and compassionate attitude.
- Maintain a sense of humor and playfulness, even in the face of adversity, as it can provide resilience and a more positive perspective.
- Continuously seek opportunities for learning and growth, as it is never too late to embrace new experiences and make a positive impact on the world.
- Recognize the importance of doctors truly listening to and understanding their patients' experiences to provide effective care and facilitate healing.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “If we don't listen to what the patient is telling us, how in the world are we going to know what they really are doing and what's really happening within them?“ by Gladys McGarey
- “For my children. The son of mine, John, when he was seven, he came into the living room one day and he said, I wish Jesus was here. And I said, oh, well, I do too. Why you? And he said, because I have questions. And I said, well, try me. He says, you don't have those answers. And I said, well, maybe I have something, try me.“ by Gladys McGarey
- “Nobody can choose for you unless you allow them to choose for you what it is that you want to be and what you want to do. I mean, you know, we as human beings have the opportunity and actually the responsibility to choose what our direction is and what we're going to pay attention to.“ by Gladys McGarey
- “Love is the great healer and that everything that I have loved and touched, that loving thought and feeling and essence goes with it. So it's a matter of understanding that when something has been created and is a living thing, it needs to be loved.“ by Gladys McGarey
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Episode Information
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Dr Rangan Chatterjee
6/11/24
At the age of 103, not only is today’s guest the oldest I’ve ever welcomed onto my podcast, but she’s also the oldest returning guest, too!
Dr Gladys McGarey is the co-founder of the American Holistic Medical Association and the author of the fantastic book The Well-Lived Life: A 103-Year-Old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Every Age. She began her medical practice at a time when women couldn’t even own their own bank accounts, and over the past sixty years, she’s pioneered a new way of thinking about disease and health that’s transformed the way we imagine health care and self-care around the world.
In this wonderful and uplifting conversation, and with her trademark humour and compassion, Gladys offers profound insights on living with purpose, navigating adversity and finding healing within ourselves.
We explore how to avoid living with regrets, the importance of parents truly listening to and supporting their children and finding your unique purpose that ‘feeds your soul’. We also look at how we can bring a more positive attitude to negative experiences and how Gladys lives by what she calls her "5 Ls" - life, love, laughter, labour and listening.
Still thriving at 103, she embodies staying curious, adaptable and active. During our conversation, she shares her views on ageing, believing in ‘ageing into health’ rather than ‘anti-ageing.’ She also stresses the importance of doctors listening to - and loving - their patients but that it’s ultimately us who are responsible for our own healing.
Gladys’s century of life experiences has something to offer everyone. Her wisdom will inspire you to reflect on your own purpose, face life's challenges with resilience and make the most of the years ahead.
It was an honour to speak to Gladys again and have such a deep and honest conversation with her. I hope you enjoy listening to her as much as I did. Her playfulness, humour, and can-do attitude remind us that it's never too late to learn, grow and make a positive impact on the world around us.
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