New York Times bestselling author Arthur Brooks presents…

From Strength to Strength:

Finding Happiness as You Age

Aug 11 - Aug 16, 2025 in Santa Fe, USA

Led by: Arthur Brooks, Chip Conley, Daniel 'DL' Landes

Find success, happiness, and purpose in midlife and beyond with From Strength to Strength author Arthur Brooks

As we get older, our physical and mental abilities shift in ways that can make us feel diminished and irrelevant. This is true for everyone, no matter what we have achieved or accomplished with our lives. In fact, the more successful we are, the more we notice our decline – and the more painful it is when it occurs.

The good news is, there are steps you can take starting now to make your later years a time of deep happiness, purpose, and success.

And Arthur Brooks, the #1 New Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life can show you the path and help you find your way forward.

At age 50, at the height of his career, Arthur embarked on a seven-year journey to discover how to transform his future from one of disappointment over waning abilities into an opportunity for progress.

Now he’d like to share with you the path to fulfillment he uncovered – and why true life success is well within our reach at any age.

Join Arthur and MEA founder Chip Conley for a transformative five-day workshop that will introduce you to powerful principles and practices anyone can learn – such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, and connection and service to others – to find deep happiness and fulfillment in the second half of life.

What you’ll gain

Through a blend of experiential activities and teachings that draw on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, Arthur and Chip will help you…

Embrace the inevitable changes that come with aging and cultivate a positive, future-focused mindset that opens you to new possibilities
Recognize the shift from fluid to crystallized intelligence and celebrate your transition from innovator to valued instructor
Understand that “happiness” isn’t just a feeling – it’s a set of elements that you have more control over than you might think
Shift your focus from extrinsic rewards (status, wealth, recognition) to intrinsic rewards (purpose, connection, and spiritual growth)
Release the things that aren’t serving you—the possessions, attachments, and beliefs that distract from the serious business of being you
Cultivate fulfilling relationships that get better as you get older and give you the love and connection you need to be happy in your later years

You will leave energized and empowered with a renewed sense of excitement and enthusiasm for what the future holds.

Meet your faculty

Arthur C. Brooks

Bestselling Author of From Strength to Strength, and Build the Life You Want (co-authored with Oprah Winfrey)

Arthur Brooks has spent his life investigating one of the greatest mysteries of all: how to live a meaningful and happy life. As the Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Public and Nonprofit Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School, he combines science, philosophy, and spiritual traditions to help people reimagine success and navigate life’s most profound transitions.

Arthur’s 13 books include the #1 New York Times bestsellers From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life,, and Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, which he co-authored with Oprah Winfrey.

In addition to his academic achievements, Arthur writes a popular column for The Atlantic and has appeared on NPR, CBS Sunday Morning, and The Today Show. He has a gift for turning complex research into insights, offering people new ways of thinking that connect deeply with audiences of all ages.

In his MEA workshop, Arthur invites you to explore the deeper questions of what brings genuine happiness and purpose to your life. You’ll leave with renewed clarity and practical strategies for building a life that truly reflects who you are and what you stand for.

Chip Conley

MEA Founder and Author of Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age

Chip is a three-time TED speaker and the New York Times bestselling author of Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder and Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age.

As founder of the second largest boutique hotel chain in America and "modern elder" to the young Airbnb founders, Chip is a globally-recognized thought leader on the future of work and the competitive advantages of a multi-generational workplace.

Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring at Airbnb – where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary success – Chip founded MEA in 2017 to help other people in midlife find their own meaningful way to keep learning and sharing the wisdom gained from their lived experiences to create fulfilling and exciting second adulthoods. Since then he has dedicated much of his life to reframing the concept of aging and helping people navigate midlife with renewed purpose and possibility..

This workshop is for you if...

You’re approaching (or well into) midlife and seeking happiness and purpose in your next chapter

You’re ready to move beyond traditional definitions of success and prioritize fulfillment and deeper connections

You’re searching for simple tools and practices for creating a values-driven, meaningful life as you age

You’re curious to learn more about the cutting-edge science of happiness and the philosophical wisdom of wellbeing

You’re ready to embrace the changes that come with aging and cultivate a positive, possibilities-focused mindset

You’re excited to release what’s no longer serving you and cultivate fulfilling relationships that get better as you get older

Do this powerful work on our beautiful regenerative ranch in Santa Fe

Santa Fe, USA

Rising Circle Ranch

An upscale regenerative ranch featuring traditional Pueblo architecture and spanning nearly 2,600 acres of wildlife, hiking trails in the arroyo, with ancient petroglyphs, and awe-inspiring beauty. Close to historic Santa Fe, an artisan’s mecca.

Big-sky desert country
Breathtaking nature
Interaction with horses and donkeys
Evenings around the campfire
Star-gazing

Meet your MEA facilitators

In addition to the powerful sessions conducted by Arthur and Chip, you will be guided through the MEA curriculum by our seasoned experience facilitators:

Daniel 'DL' Landes

Experience Facilitator

Before joining MEA, Daniel “DL” Landes spent decades as a restauranteur, author, and publisher. As the owner of multiple restaurants in Denver, CO – and then a hostel in Mexico – he dedicated himself to creating environments where people could work out their humanity while eating and drinking (which is why he fits in so well at MEA).

Now relocated to Santa Fe, DL says that “living in the Galisteo Basin impresses a unique and humbling perspective. Under the expansive, enchanted New Mexican sky I can feel so small and so big. I made a career of kicking up dust; living in the storm until the storm lived in me. When the dust settled two guideposts appeared: Spend more nights under the stars; provide a service.”

You will appreciate his dedication to creating memorable experiences during your time in Santa Fe.

Change in your life is inevitable, but suffering is not.

Your second half of life can be the happiest, most fulfilling years of your life. Join Arthur and Chip for this powerful five-day workshop to discover how to recognize and appreciate the gifts that come in our later years with grace, joy, and ever-deepening purpose. Your future self will thank you for it.

Are you ready to unlock your ability to find deep happiness and fulfillment in the second half of life?

People come for the workshops,
but they stay for the community

This is truly MEA’s “secret sauce” and something you can only experience in person: the powerful connections you will make, not only with your fellow participants and the incredible MEA faculty, but also the deeper sense of connection you will feel to your own inner self and the natural world around you.

Research into aging shows that your relationships play a HUGE role in your health and wellbeing later in life. At MEA, you will make deep and lasting connections and become part of a larger community that will make your life richer and more meaningful.

Many of our alumni cohorts have stayed in close touch for years after their workshop and we have a growing number of local alumni chapters all over the world. It’s a joy for us to see them continuing to offer each other community, friendship, and support as they create thriving midlives for themselves. So if you have been feeling at all disconnected or isolated on your journey, we would love to have you join us!

Have we mentioned the food?

The MEA experience is designed in part by Chip Conley, a world-renowned boutique hotelier, which means the food is amazing.

All of the ingredients are locally sourced, organic, and made from scratch in our kitchens by hand-picked chefs. The delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners will leave you feeling nourished inside and out – not to mention the blended drinks made with fresh fruit and other top-shelf ingredients.

Each retreat center has multiple kitchens that always have snacks and beverages available. At MEA, we believe that thriving is delicious!

Your Workshop Includes

5 days and nights of lodging at our boutique luxury retreat center in Baja or Santa Fe with all of your meals, snacks, drinks and other amenities included
Daily sessions and experiential activities to help you connect with your inner self, envision your desired experience, and release what no longer serves you
Meditation covering a range of practices to soothe your nervous system and help you cultivate greater mindfulness and presence in the moment.

Movement to get the energy flowing and build your strength and agility as you chart your course forward to the life you want to live.
Incredible bonding experiences with the most amazing humans you’ll ever meet.
Three delicious, chef-prepared meals plus snacks throughout the day prepared from scratch with the freshest local ingredients.
Festive gatherings to cultivate connection and celebrate the joy and beauty of life.

Tuition starts at $5,000

Ready to start your journey?