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For generations, we were taught that life followed a predictable path: education, career, retirement, and a gradual slowing down. But today’s adults are rewriting that script.

In Aging Isn’t a Straight Line Anymore — and That’s Good News, Marcus Riley explores a more flexible approach to aging—one that recognizes life’s twists, transitions, reinventions, and unexpected opportunities. Whether it’s returning to work, becoming a caregiver, moving to a new community, or pursuing a long-delayed dream, many adults find themselves moving between stages rather than following a fixed timeline.

The article introduces the concept of the “Flicker phase,” those in-between periods when we’re leaving one chapter behind but haven’t fully entered the next. Rather than viewing these moments as setbacks, Riley suggests they may be signs of growth, adaptation, and possibility.

Marcus Riley is co-author with Stuart Kaplan of  Your Aging Advantage: The 7 New Stages of Aging.

Read the full article in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Healthy Aging® Magazine and discover why aging may be less about following a roadmap—and more about learning to navigate life’s changing rhythms.

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