Stop shrinking your life: why joy is for all ages
Kids just get it. They wake up singing in the shower, not because it’s productive or impressive, but because it feels good. They don’t overthink it—they just do it. But somewhere along the way, we stop. When did joy and spontaneity become things we outgrow?
It’s not just about singing. It’s about how we’re told to live. Society has this way of nudging us to play smaller as we get older. We make our circles tighter. We prioritize convenience over connection—choosing same-day delivery instead of a trip to the store or a quick mobile order over chatting with the barista. We act like being “grown-up” means focusing on work, responsibilities, and routines while leaving behind the wonder and curiosity that made life exciting in the first place.
But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?
The stories we keep telling ourselves
In building Kinnect, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about memories: the ones we capture, the ones we revisit, and the ones we share. And here’s something I’ve noticed—when people talk about their happiest moments, they almost always pull from their younger years.
It makes sense. Youth feels lighter. It’s a time when your body moves freer, when the world doesn’t feel so heavy, and when possibilities seem endless. You’re surrounded by friends, trying new things, going out more, and maybe even being a little delusional about what’s possible.
But here’s the thing—those memories don’t stop just because you’re older. Life doesn’t stop offering us moments to remember. We just stop noticing them.
How did we get here?
Somewhere along the way, society stopped encouraging us to dream. Instead, we started prioritizing the things that don’t make us happy—work over play, efficiency over connection, isolation over community.
We have more access to information than ever, but somehow, it’s making us more confused, more disconnected, more unsure of where we belong. Technology makes everything faster, but it also makes everything lonelier.
We’re so busy trying to live up to expectations—careers, families, fitness routines—that we forget to ask ourselves: What do I actually want? What kind of life makes me excited to wake up every morning?
Fighting the feeling of “Getting Older”
Here’s what I know: Every day, we have a choice. We can lean into the expectations society places on us—accept that joy and adventure belong to younger versions of ourselves—or we can fight back.
We don’t have to stop exploring. We don’t have to stop being curious or trying new things or connecting with strangers. Every day we wake up is still our first day on this planet. That’s not something to take lightly.
Think about it. Depending on your beliefs, this might be the only life you get. And even if it’s not, why wouldn’t you treat this life like it’s your last?
What will your next chapter be?
I want to challenge you—and myself—to stop letting life get smaller as we get older. Start asking the big questions:
- What could the next ten years look like for you?
- How do you make sure they’re better than the last?
- How do you stay open to joy, connection, and curiosity, even when it feels easier to close off?
Life doesn’t come with a script. It’s messy and weird and unscripted—but it’s yours. And there’s no reason you can’t wake up tomorrow, sing in the shower, and remind yourself that you’re still here, and there’s still so much more to see.
Because at the end of the day, the memories that matter most aren’t just about where we’ve been. They’re about how we choose to live right now.s
