Healthy to 100
January 25, 2026| Edition 22
Social connection is a lot like the weather - we all talk about it, but no one does anything about it. This newsletter is here to change that: to raise awareness about the importance of connection and create a space for real conversation.
Ask Ken
I’m in my early 60s and recently took on a leadership role I worked hard to get, but now I’m second-guessing myself. My team is younger and moves fast. I worry about sounding out of touch, so I sometimes stay quiet instead of sharing ideas or pushing back. How do I lead with confidence?
Congratulations on your new job, Donna. It is great – and difficult – to take on new challenges any time in your career, but particularly admirable to take them on at a stage in your career when society, and companies, might be signaling that it is time to step back, not step forward.
I am full of admiration for you, so I hope you won’t take it the wrong way when I say “just stop it.” We are conditioned to associate younger workers with being faster or more agile or more productive or more creative, but there is very little actual evidence to support that view. I was kicking back earlier today with my dog-eared copy of the report on “Productivity in Older versus Younger Workers: A Systematic Literature Review” and reminding myself of the finding that the vast weight of evidence shows that older and younger workers are equally productive. If for some reason you have misplaced your personal copy, you can find the report here. Let’s dispense with the trope that younger workers are inherently more agile or more productive because the evidence just doesn’t support that notion.
I’d bet that you got the leadership role because you deserved it and have a lot to offer your organization and the team that works for you. I get it: we all have imposter syndrome at one point or another, or at every point, but you got this job because you worked hard, and people trust you with this new responsibility. Check out this article on imposter syndrome from LinkedIn. Remember, if you are staying quiet for fear of being poorly judged, then you are doing a disservice to your team, to your company, and most of all, to yourself.
Thus ends my lecture. Here are a few things you should think about:
If your company had wanted fast, they would have hired the Roadrunner. Speed is overrated as a business virtue. Judgement and knowledge are far more valuable. A team needs a leader who has a long-term view, can put ideas into a larger perspective, and knowing which “new” idea is merely an old, bad idea in a new packaging.
Let your team be fast, you be steady and thoughtful. Your job is not to move at others’speed, but to set standards, protect focus, decide what not to do, and model calm when things get noisy. And don’t feel rushed into things: tell your team that you want to think things over if you need the time. Confidence in leadership often looks like less urgency, not more.
And be yourself. If your team thinks you are out of touch for liking Seinfeld, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Groundhog Day, that’s their problem, not yours. But my guess is that they want a team leader who has experience and judgment, not someone who is up on the latest from Bad Bunny or Khaby Lame. And who knows, you might learn something from each other along the way.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Ken
Do you have a social connection question for Ken?
This Week in Social Connection
At Least a Groundhog Burrow Maintains a Steady Temperature of Around 50 Degrees.
If the weather forecasts prove correct, our offices will be buried under about 10 inches of snow and ice by the time you read this. We’re pretty sure that Punxsutawney Phil will take one look at this winter carnage and run back screaming into his burrow until June.
Our nation’s favorite groundhog might be a little lonely below ground. And he’s not alone in that feeling. Winter can quietly chip away at our desire - and ability - to connect. Research shows that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects an estimated 5% of adults in the U.S., with many more experiencing milder “winter blues.” Reduced daylight can disrupt circadian rhythms and serotonin levels, which are closely tied to mood, energy, and motivation. In short: when the days get darker, socializing can feel harder.
Winter weather also creates real physical barriers. Snow, ice, and unsafe travel conditions can limit in-person gatherings, especially for older adults or anyone with mobility concerns. Even when people want to connect, logistics and safety can get in the way.
But making efforts to increase social connections is one of the most effective measures against winter depression and loneliness - especially during the winter months. The key is to adjust how we connect.
So, behold, our winter guide to social connection:
Lower the bar for connection. Even a brief FaceTime group call can meaningfully boost mood and reduce feelings of isolation.
Build predictable touchpoints. Standing weekly plans (a Sunday check-in call, a virtual coffee, a group text thread) reduces the mental energy needed to initiate connection when motivation is low.
Use light to support mood. Exposure to bright light earlier in the day, including light therapy or outdoor daylight, when possible, has been shown to improve energy and social engagement.
Bring connections closer to home. Neighbor check-ins, shared hallways, or small indoor gatherings can provide meaningful interaction without risky travel. Normalize staying in - together. Virtual game nights, shared TV marathons, or parallel activities over video still activate the social benefits our brains need.
This is all sensible advice, though we feel a little bad that none of it is particularly helpful for a groundhog.
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Social Connection in the News
Even Pickleball is Difficult Because Groundhogs Don't Have Opposable Thumbs.
Groundhogs exhibit strong intergenerational bonds, which is fortunate because intergenerational activities support well-being, reduce loneliness, and create a sense of purpose at every age. Psychologists use the term generativity to describe the desire to contribute to others and support younger generations. Generativity is strongly linked to greater life satisfaction, better mental health, and stronger social ties, particularly in adulthood and later life. Intergenerational activities create natural opportunities for people to share skills, stories, and support - reinforcing a sense of meaning and belonging. That’s important year-round but can be particularly important during the lonely winter months.
We don’t tend to think of Pickleball as an intergenerational sport, as it has historically been associated with older adults. But the good folks at East Carolina University are changing our views of this. They have re-conceived indoor pickleball as an opportunity to connect the generations. Students, faculty, and older adults regularly meet on the court as part of a program designed to bring multiple generations together, not just to play, but to connect. These gatherings are now informing future research focused on the social benefits of pickleball. What began as physical activity quickly turned into an intergenerational community.
And since ECU has indoors courts, it’s also a respite from the winter blues.
Shameless Self Promotion #1.
In truth, we’re not sure that we would have even called Pickleball a sport, that is until we got a taste of high-stakes pickleball in 90-degree weather last summer at Latitudes Margaritaville. It took us about a month to recover from the exertion, but anything for a good story as we say in the podcast game. The pickleball game was part of a larger reporting effort for our ninth season of Century Lives on how the US is struggling to house an aging nation. Episode one takes us from this Jimmy Buffett themed active aging community in Florida to an intergenerational nursing home in Gorham, Maine. And it all debuts on February 4th on your favorite podcast platform.
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