Welcome to Next Act Ninjas, the podcast series for longevity-minded adults ready to redefine retirement and lifestyle creation. Whether you're dreaming of a luxurious downsized life or aspiring to be an active sunbird, this is your go-to resource. Hosted by Rachael Van Pelt, retired Healthspan Scientist turned Realtor and Coach, each episode is packed with insights and strategies to master your health and wealth longevity. Join us as we flip the script on traditional retirement and dare to embrace life with unparalleled gusto. Get ready to explore innovative health trends, savvy real estate tips, and wealth management strategies that cater to a fulfilling later life. Subscribe now, join our community discussions, and start your journey towards a dynamic and enriching future. Because here at Next Act Ninjas, we believe your next act is going to be your best act; it's your chance to live with purpose, passion, and a bit of ninja flair!
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Welcome to Next Act Ninjas, the podcast series for longevity-minded adults ready to redefine retirement and lifestyle creation. Whether you're dreaming of a luxurious downsized life or aspiring to be an active sunbird, this is your go-to resource. Hosted by Rachael Van Pelt, retired Healthspan Scientist turned Realtor and Coach, each episode is packed with insights and strategies to master your health and wealth longevity. Join us as we flip the script on traditional retirement and dare to embrace life with unparalleled gusto. Get ready to explore innovative health trends, savvy real estate tips, and wealth management strategies that cater to a fulfilling later life. Subscribe now, join our community discussions, and start your journey towards a dynamic and enriching future. Because here at Next Act Ninjas, we believe your next act is going to be your best act; it's your chance to live with purpose, passion, and a bit of ninja flair!
As 2025 wraps up, this short episode guides you through a simple, honesty-first journaling reset to help you step into 2026 with clarity instead of drift. You’ll do two quick sessions: a 2025 reflection (what you normalized, what you’re ready to release, and “The Truth About My Year”) and a 2026 intentions reset focused on daily behaviors—not vague goals. We’ll also apply a rightsizing lens to ask whether your current home still supports your healthspan, wealthspan, and sense of purpose for your Next Act.
If you’ve ever looked around your “forever home” and felt torn—grateful for the memories, but quietly aware the house may not fit your next decade—this episode is for you. Rightsizing looks like a real estate decision, but the hardest part is often psychological: identity, grief, guilt, and the fear of regret.
Most adults over 55 are sitting on more wealth in their walls than in their retirement accounts—and it feels safer to just stay put “a little longer.” In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt, PhD, breaks down why waiting to rightsize your home until your 70s or 80s is often the riskiest move on the board.
In this episode, Rachael Van Pelt breaks down the three types of drift that quietly sabotage your retirement: health drift, house drift, and wealth drift. You’ll learn why “I’ll deal with it later” is so costly in this season of life—and how small, intentional moves right now can dramatically change your 70s and 80s.
Most adults 55+ have more wealth trapped in their home than in their retirement accounts—creating financial pressure and limiting options. This episode breaks down the smartest ways to convert housing equity into flexibility, from rightsizing and downsizing to HECMs, cash-out refis, ADUs, leasebacks, renting space, and shared-equity models. You’ll get a clear view of the benefits, risks, and timing considerations for each approach. If you joined my Rightsize Without Regret workshop, this is the practical next step. And if you want personalized guidance on whether to stay put, move, or unlock equity strategically, book a strategy call using the link below.
Most people don’t lose freedom because of age — they lose it because they never designed it.
In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt reveals how your home, habits, and health can either anchor you to the past or launch you into your Next Act. Through powerful stories, science-backed insights, and a “Freedom Floor Plan” exercise, you’ll learn why adaptability — not comfort — is the real anti-aging formula.
Comfort feels safe—but biologically, it’s slowing you down. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt unpacks the neuroscience and physiology of “the comfort trap”: how predictability dulls neuroplasticity, lowers metabolism, and shrinks your life.
You’ll learn how rightsizing your home and habits reignites your body’s adaptive systems, rebuilds resilience, and opens up new freedom in your Next Act. Discover your Goldilocks Zone—that “just right” level of challenge that keeps you strong, sharp, and ageless.
Your future self isn’t 20 years away — they’re built by the choices you make this week. In this episode, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt breaks down the 4-part Longevity Audit — Body, Brain, Bank, and Base — to help you align your health, wealth, and environment for the decades ahead. Learn how strength, neuroplasticity, financial flexibility, and home design all combine to shape your Next Act.
Most people say, “I’m never moving again.” But biology has other plans. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt, PhD—Healthspan Coach & Realtor—reveals the truth behind the “forever home” myth.
Learn how age-related changes in strength, balance, and cognition affect the way your home supports (or sabotages) your freedom. Discover the three curves of Lifestyle Longevity—mobility, memory, and money—and how timing your move can literally extend your healthspan.
We’ll explore real-life stories of couples who chose to act early, neuroscience on comfort vs. novelty, and the “longevity dividend” you earn by proactively designing your Next Act.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your current home will fit future you, this episode will change how you think about “aging-in-place” and home equity.
Are you ready to create a home — and a lifestyle — that fits who you are now and who you’re becoming? In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt explains why rightsizing in retirement beats downsizing in today’s housing market and how to make your next move your best one yet.
What if the true secret to longevity isn’t a supplement, procedure, or miracle cure — but a mindset? In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt reveals why the key to health and independence after 50 lies in protecting your floor — your baseline strength, mobility, immune function, cognition, and emotional resilience.
Is your home really supporting your retirement — or secretly draining your wealth and health? In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt (Healthspan Scientist, Realtor, and Coach) challenges the myth that “mortgage-free at 65” is the ultimate goal. You’ll learn why homeownership can be both a blessing and a burden, and how to turn your biggest asset into a tool for wealth longevity and healthspan.
Feeling blindsided by a layoff in your 50s? You’re not alone—many Americans are forced to retire earlier than planned. But this moment can be a fork in the road. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt shows you how to turn job loss into opportunity. Weigh whether to return to full-time work, part-time work, or pivot toward early retirement. Map out strategies to bridge the gap years before Social Security and Medicare. Discover how to align your wealthspan with your healthspan and avoid wasting your best decade.
Artificial Intelligence isn’t just about robots and sci-fi. It’s already transforming how we age, prevent disease, and protect our independence. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt, PhD, explores the cutting edge where biology meets AI. From cancer detection to digital twins, memory support apps to AI-guided fitness, discover how these tools can help you live longer, stronger, and sharper in your 50s, 60s, and beyond.
Are you waiting until 65 or 70 to retire—only to risk missing your best decade of health? In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt explains why retirement isn’t one long “golden plateau” but three very different stages: the Go-Strong years (55–65), the Go-Slower years (65–75), and the Go-Less years (75–85). Discover how biology—not your financial planner—shapes your retirement timeline, and why aligning your money with your healthspan is the smartest Next Act decision you can make.
What happens if “just work longer” isn’t an option for retirement? In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt breaks down why the default advice to delay retirement is unrealistic for most Americans—and what you can do instead. From unlocking home equity and downsizing, to creative real estate strategies, smart investing, and protecting your healthspan, this conversation will help you fill your retirement gap without depending on a paycheck.
Sleep isn’t just rest — it’s the original compounding interest for your health and wealth. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Rachael Van Pelt, PhD, reveals why disrupted sleep accelerates aging, drains your finances, and robs you of independence. You’ll discover how sleep impacts metabolism, hormones, brain health, and decision-making — and why a simple “sleep reset” may be the highest-return investment you ever make for your healthspan and wealthspan.
Are you tired of leaving the doctor’s office more confused than when you walked in? In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt reveals how the brand-new GPT-5 can be your personal health advocate. Discover how this AI tool helps you unpack confusing diagnoses, prepare smarter questions for your doctor, and even connect your medical decisions to your financial future. Learn how to use AI to protect both your healthspan and wealthspan—so you can stay independent, informed, and in control of your Next Act.
The AI revolution isn’t coming — it’s here, and it could transform your healthspan, wealthspan, and Next Act more than anything since the post-WWII boom. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt unpacks the U.S. government’s bold AI Action Plan, the staggering longevity breakthroughs experts predict, and why living to 100+ could rewrite the rules of retirement. Learn how to adapt, thrive, and keep your purpose — and your paycheck — in the Age of Intelligence.
Should you buy or rent in retirement? The answer isn’t as simple as the generic advice you’ll find online. In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, Dr. Rachael Van Pelt breaks down the real financial, lifestyle, and emotional trade-offs for renting vs buying in your Next Act. From equity growth and liquidity to reverse mortgages, rising rents, and hidden healthspan factors—you’ll learn how to make a housing decision that supports both your wealth and your well-being for the next 20 years.
Welcome to Next Act Ninjas, the podcast series for longevity-minded adults ready to redefine retirement and lifestyle creation. Whether you're dreaming of a luxurious downsized life or aspiring to be an active sunbird, this is your go-to resource. Hosted by Rachael Van Pelt, retired Healthspan Scientist turned Realtor and Coach, each episode is packed with insights and strategies to master your health and wealth longevity. Join us as we flip the script on traditional retirement and dare to embrace life with unparalleled gusto. Get ready to explore innovative health trends, savvy real estate tips, and wealth management strategies that cater to a fulfilling later life. Subscribe now, join our community discussions, and start your journey towards a dynamic and enriching future. Because here at Next Act Ninjas, we believe your next act is going to be your best act; it's your chance to live with purpose, passion, and a bit of ninja flair!
