Notes from an Almost 87-Year-Old Psychologist

Ten things I try to live by

Dear friends,

As I move through my eighty-seventh year, I find myself simplifying rather than adding.

After more than sixty years of sitting with people in moments of fear, illness, grief, confusion, and transition, I’ve noticed something important:

The things that truly support a human life are not complicated.

They are steady.
They are ordinary.
And they require attention.

What follows is not a program and not a promise.
It is simply a list of commitments I try to return to again and again.

Most of this is what sensible grandmothers have always taught.
Still, it bears repeating.

1. I move my body.
Aerobic exercise lifts the mood, strengthens the heart, and reminds the nervous system that life is in motion.

2. I maintain strength.
Not for appearance, but for balance, mobility, and self-reliance.

3. I protect my sleep.
A rested mind is clearer, steadier, and more resilient.

4. I eat food that resembles food.
Simple, nourishing, and close to its natural form.

5. I care for what enters my body.
Clean air and clean water support clarity, energy, and long-term health.

6. I stay connected with people.
Human beings regulate, heal, and grow through relationship.

7. I take responsibility for my thoughts and feelings.
This is not judgment. It is personal agency.

8. I practice choosing my emotional tone.
I respond with intention and guide my inner state toward steadiness.

9. I contribute where I am able.
Meaning grows when we are useful to one another.

10. I live with direction.
A sense of purpose gives shape to the days and coherence to life.

I don’t claim mastery of any of this.
I practice. I forget. I begin again.

Check in with me in three years, when I’m ninety, and I’ll let you know how it’s going.

For now, I’ll leave you with a simple thought:

A little over time is a lot.

If you feel inclined, I’d like to hear from you.

Which one of these feels easiest for you right now?
And which one feels hardest?

Golden Light,

Dr. Richard Louis Miller

1-minute mind control (my latest book)

Traditional mindfulness and meditation techniques often require a huge investment of your most precious resource (time) without guarantees of results.

My own version of mindfulness—what I sometimes refer to as “mind control”—can be mastered in much less time if you commit to regular 60-90 second practice throughout the day.

Breathing. Witnessing. Changing the channel on negative thoughts.

I’ve honed these techniques over a lifetime of personal and professional practice, and now I’m sharing them with the world.

Get my new book Master Your Mind, and as a thank you for your support, I’ll give you a free 30-day subscription to our premium newsletter and exclusive content. Just reply to this email after you buy it to confirm your purchase.

My Other Books:

• Psychedelic Medicine at the End of Life: Dying Without Fear (release date: November 5)

• Freeing Sexuality: Psychologists, Consent Teachers, Polyamory Experts, and Sex Workers Speak Out

• Psychedelic Wisdom: The Astonishing Rewards of Mind-Altering Substances

• Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca

• Integral Psychedelic Therapy (co-edited with Jason A. Butler & Genesee Herzberg)