Returning to the Mic

I recorded Episode 10 on New Year’s Eve, December 31st, and published it on New Year's Day. Although I didn’t say it then, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year!

This episode serves as an update, and I’m excited to share that Season 2 is underway with a fresh sound and rhythm, but the same heart at its center.  A lot has changed since the last episode aired a year ago, and I’m returning to this space with a stronger voice and stories that need to be heard. 

Coming up next is Invisible with Age: Fighting Ageism. Until then, I hope you have a fantastic 2026!

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Remember to subscribe and rate the podcast on your favorite platform. You can watch all episodes on my YouTube channels, access show notes, and enjoy captioned content in English and Spanish. Here's the link: https://linktr.ee/growingoldertogether.

You can also email me at podcast@lourdesdirden.com. Thank you for listening.

Transcript

Speaker: 0:21

Welcome back everyone and welcome back Lourdes. I can't believe it's been a whole year since the last episode in December of last year. Today is an exciting day for me. I really miss being here with you. And I even changed the music for the podcast, so you'll notice a fresh sound, a little more upbeat. This episode titled, Returning to the Mic, is just a quick update. And whether you've been listening from the beginning or just here for the first time, I'm really glad you're here. This season is built around a simple idea. We're still here and our stories are still being written as we age. I started this podcast because society often treats aging like the end of the story, like we no longer count. But our stories still matter and they deserve to be heard.

I'm coming back to the mic for Season 2 with the next episode, Invisible with Age: 1:26

Fighting Ageism. We'll talk about how ageism shows up in everyday life, how it feels when the world seems to stop seeing us, and some ways we can push back so we don't start believing that we no longer matter. A lot has changed in my life. since I stepped away from the podcast to care for my mom during her final months. She passed away earlier this year and that experience changed how I think about fear, aging and the stories we carry inside us.

During that time, I also finished my memoir, "Gripped: 2:12

The Weight I Refused to Carry." Since then, I've been slowly rebuilding and part of that has been asking how we keep our stories from getting buried beneath everything else. Episodes will be short, under 15 minutes, so you can listen in one sitting, driving, or during a quiet moment to yourself. New episodes will come out every 2-3 weeks. Okay, that's it for today. Thank you for listening and being part of this community. Remember to take care of your energy, be kind to yourself, and trust that facing our fears—at our own pace—can help us uncover our true strength. Let's continue growing older and wiser together.