The Real Longevity Question: How Do You Want to Feel While You’re Here?

2 April 2025

“The smartest doctor in the room is your own body.”

— Dr. Mark Hyman

Over the weekend, I attended the Livelong Experience™2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida—a two-day gathering featuring over 15 professionals in the longevity space. Among them were renowned speakers like Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Michael Greger, and Dr. Vonda Wright, each offering insights into what it means to live longer and live better.

A Room Full of Vibrant, Curious Minds

The attendees? A vibrant mix—from 30-somethings to those in their 80s and 90s. Roughly 80% were women, and most, like me, were over 50. But what stood out wasn’t age—it was mindset. This was a room full of curious, informed, health-conscious people committed to optimizing how they live now and for the years to come.


With all the conflicting information out there, I arrived wondering:

Would I finally get answers to the big questions?

What’s the best diet?

Is alcohol good or bad?

What’s the ideal way to move my body?

Can we really reverse aging?

No One-Size-Fits-All Answer

Just like the attendees, the experts had diverse viewpoints. But one thing was clear—we’re stepping into an exciting era of health innovation, from AI to personalized protocols and biohacking tools. And yet…


One question kept rising to the surface:


How long do you want to live?💁‍♀️💁‍♀️💁‍♀️👵


When It Was My Turn to Answer…


Throughout the weekend, conversations buzzed with supplements, wearables, metabolic testing, and scientific breakthroughs. Most people had a number ready when asked how long they wanted to live:


“100.”

“105—if I’m healthy.”

“120! I want to meet my great-great-grandkids.”


Every answer included the same condition:

Only if I’m healthy.


When it was my turn to respond, I paused. I didn’t have a number.

Instead, I had a feeling—an inner wisdom guiding me.


“I’m grateful every day I wake up. I try to live each day in a way that supports my energy, my body, and my peace of mind—so that if I don’t wake up tomorrow, I have no regrets.”


The group fell silent—not out of shock, but recognition. It was a gentle reminder:


We get so focused on how long we might live…

We forget to ask how well we are actually living.

The Vibrant Sage Perspective

As a Vibrant Sage, I believe longevity is a beautiful intention—but it’s not about chasing years. It’s about choosing how you show up for the one you have right now.


Maybe instead of asking:

How long do you want to live?

We ask:


Am I living in a way that feels aligned with who I am?

Do I feel energized, clear, and connected?

Are my lifestyle habits serving both who I am now and who I’m becoming?

That’s where the power is. That’s where wisdom lives.

What Living Well Looks Like (to Me)

Living well isn’t about perfection.

In fact, if you’re chasing perfection, you’re likely stressing yourself out—which ironically works against your health goals.


Living well is about:

🌞 Waking up with gratitude

🧘 Structuring your day with habits that support your body and joy

🌬️ Tuning into your breath — Is it shallow, held, or calm and full?

🏃 Moving your body — Whether it’s walking, dancing, strength training, or sex. How do you feel afterward? Energized? Alive?

🥗 Choosing foods that leave you feeling nourished instead of drained or bloated

🌳 Spending time outdoors — barefoot on the grass, by the ocean, grounded and recharged

💗 Honoring your emotions — Not suppressing, but welcoming them as part of your full experience

✋ Setting boundaries — Saying “no” when it doesn’t feel right and “yes” when it lights you up

🎁 Being present for your one precious life


It’s not flashy. It’s not complicated.

But it’s real. And it’s powerful.

A Gentle Invitation💌💌

If you’ve been caught up chasing the next health hack or worrying about aging, I invite you to pause.

Not because longevity doesn’t matter—

But because you do.


Your energy.

Your presence.

Your today.


Maybe the real question isn’t “How long do you want to live?”

Maybe it’s this:


How do you want to feel while you’re here?

And what can you do today to honor that feeling?

Join Me for a Vibrant Sage Retreat😊😊

If you’re curious about exploring this more deeply—to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover what truly supports your energy and peace of mind—I’d love to invite you to my upcoming Vibrant Sage Retreat.

This isn’t about fixing anything.

It’s about remembering the wisdom already within you.


Let’s stop counting years—and start living them.

What’s Next in This Series?😉🤷‍♀️

This is just the beginning.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more insights from Livelong Experience™—including fresh perspectives on nutrition, movement, and the science of staying vibrant at any age.


If you’d like the next post delivered straight to your inbox, join my newsletter here.

Let’s keep the conversation going—because vibrant living starts with conscious choices today.


💡 P.S. One of the speakers made a point that really stuck with me. During his presentation “Your Building Blocks of Longevity,” Chris Mirabile, NOVOS Founder & CEO, shared this insight:

“The time to begin healthy habits is in your 30s.”

Of course, it’s never too late to begin. But the earlier we start, the better equipped we are to navigate the decades ahead with vitality.

Until then, your lifestyle choices remain your greatest power.


Follow us on: @Nancy-thevibrantsage on IG and Nancy-Waring on FB

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