When Sulking Out Loud – STOP

At a recent event, a nationally-known former TV host was serving as MC. Her opening was pleasant enough – glad to be here, yadda yadda … and then, the payoff. She launched into a long diatribe about age discrimination. As she had experienced it. And as we were to experience vicariously in excruciating detail. She told us how famous and powerful she had been. Everyone was jealous. Everyone was out to get her. And they used age and gender against her.

Well, I was not the only one who didn’t want to hear this story. Here she stood, part of a glorious celebration, sharing her personal woes in great detail. There we were, trapped in our seats waiting for the next speaker. Here we are, celebrating age and experience. Here she is, making us part of her sad drama. There we are, hoping to return to celebrating age and achievement.

What’s the point? Jane Pauley isn’t young – and she’s working. Barbara Walters isn’t young – and lately (since the book) there’s no escaping her. Katherine Hepburn and Jessica Tandy never stopped working. Are they just exceptions? Or does it speak to attitude?

Some mornings, I get up and think, “I’m old.” Sometimes, I even say it out loud – usually when someone is trying to get me to do something I don’t want to do. And then I just get on with it. There are books to write and clients to see and courses to teach and I’m excited about all of them. Do I complain? Do my friends complain? You betcha! And we do it in private. Then we get over it and go back to doing whatever we do to be the vibrant people we want to be.

I wish she had done the same.