Joan Lunden's Happiness Plan

The acclaimed broadcast journalist talks candidly about aging

- JOAN LUNDEN, Greenwich, Connecticut

MY VIEWS ON AGING CHANGED forever on a trip to Morocco nearly 20 years ago with my three eldest daughters. Somewhere between riding camels in the Sahara and exploring the medina in Fez, we encountered a tribe of nomadic Bedouin sheepherders. We were invited to join them for mint tea and, as we entered one of their tents, were greeted warmly by an elderly tribeswoman. We talked through our translator, and I asked how old she was. The woman looked at me in confusion, then explained that Bedouins live by the changing of the seasons—no one knows their exact age. How old was she? It didn’t matter. That experience made me realize how much we limit and define ourselves by the date on our birth certificate. How old would you be if you didn’t know your age? How old are you in your mind? Although I’m 69, I pick 45 for my age, and I’m sticking to it! In my new book, Why Did I Come Into This Room?: A Candid Conversation About Aging, I discuss the ways we can stay healthy, happy and engaged in life as we age.

For almost two decades, I was the co-host of Good Morning America. When that chapter closed, I had to focus on what to accomplish next. I was invited to go on a national speaking tour, and although public speaking always terrified me (unlike in a TV studio, I could actually see all the people in the auditoriums!), I jumped at the chance. Fear of the unknown makes us resist change, but little by little I conquered that fear. I now average more than 20 speeches a year, and I love each one.