Aging well
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A new way to go on
“It is impossible to go on as you were before, so you must go on as you never have.” ~Cheryl Strayed Whether we’re talking about a death, a major illness, a job loss, relocation, divorce, retirement, or any other major change, we have to find a new way “to go on,” as author Cheryl Strayed reminds us. During the last years of my widowed mother’s life, I had to manage everything from her medical appointments to her daily routines while she suffered a memory loss disease. Our lifelong roles as mother and daughter were thrown into reverse. For a long time, I struggled emotionally with the profound shift in our…
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Looking on the bright side
“Our job is to find the positive in every situation and focus on that. What you focus on becomes more pronounced. When you zero in on the positive, that’s what you see and that’s where you live….People will not treat you less seriously because you refuse to share a worldview with the Grim Reaper.” ~Victoria Moran Sometimes I catch myself complaining aloud or rehashing the same problems and worries. And I wonder: Am I starting to sound like … a crabby old person? I know better, but still need to remind myself to shut up and enjoy the view while I’m here. Today’s quote on positivity comes from a day…
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Embrace your age
“Every year brings you closer to expressing your whole and healed self. I celebrate that. Honor it. Hold it in reverence. And I’m grateful for every age I’m blessed to become.” ~Oprah Winfrey The key phrase in today’s quote is “your whole and healed self.” In one way or another, all of us suffer deep emotional wounds throughout our lives. Nobody escapes this world unscratched. But as Oprah reminds us, one of the gifts of growing older is finding our own path to healing and self-actualization. If you’re interested in exploring similar aging topics, I welcome you to join “Aging with Grace & Courage” — a monthly journaling and discussion…
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Good reasons to love winter
“What’s the secret to beating back the metaphorical darkness? Accept the inevitable, tend to your physical and mental health, and stack the deck with feel-good activities….Focusing on all that makes you feel great will make the time fly by – and let you win at winter.” ~Frank Lipman, MD There’s a light dusting of snow outside my window this morning, and more on the way next week. I hate driving in wintery weather — but I’m trying to adapt when Mother Nature gives me the cold shoulder. Science now says that spending time in cold weather is actually good for our health and slows the aging process. Enduring cold temperatures…
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“Aging with Grace & Courage” discussion and journaling group
“When it comes to aging, women are held to a different standard than men. Some guy recently said to me: ‘Don’t you think you’re too old to sing rock ‘n’ roll?’ I said: ‘You’d better check with Mick Jagger.’ ” ~Cher Earlier this year, I coached a journaling workshop that focused on aging topics such as facing retirement, finding new purpose, rebooting our social lives, maintaining optimism — and so much more. In the class, we also discussed the challenges and roadblocks we face in our senior years. (We’re never too old to rock ‘n’ roll, as Cher points out.) The workshop was such a success that it inspired a…
