Tag self-care

Yes No

Anne 3 Comments

” When you say yes to others make sure you’re not saying no to yourself.” –– Paulo Coelho, Brazilian lyricist and novelist.

Sometimes we are asked to do something, help, run for office, to show up in some way which may be the right thing to do. Yet we also need to ask ourselves is it the right thing for me to be doing right now? It might be the right thing to do, but it actually may be better for someone else to do it, not us. That is an interesting way to check in with ourselves. In our earlier years we may not know what is the right thing for us to do for ourselves. We are still learning and figuring out that kind of stuff. We can’t learn without the experience of how some things feel or the effect they may have on us without us saying yes.

Maybe we want to be generous and kind towards others, yet again, we need to make sure our “tank” is full first. Or at least half full before we start offering our “yes” to others. This really is a reminder to check in with ourselves as we move along in our life. Our energy changes. Our inclinations toward how we can best contribute or participate changes or shifts. And the gifts we can offer as we move along in the living years changes too. We (hopefully) are a tad wiser with age, wisdom coming with knowledge and experience, and that wisdom is part of knowing when we can say yes to others without saying no to ourselves.

Hold the Moment

Anne 4 Comments

These days we often are reminded to stay present, breathe, slow down, be in the now, be mindful; all are different ways to get our attention to be in our bodies. Of course we have to make plans into the future or we’d never get anything done, yet there is a way to be aware in the present as we plan ahead. And for dwelling in the past, we can find ourselves ruminating on something that happened months or years ago. The best place to spend as much time as possible is RIGHT NOW. That can mean savoring each detail of our cup of tea or coffee as we make it, from the cup we choose to our favorite spot to enjoy it. Or how we pay attention to our pet when they come to us for attention, maybe noticing the feel of their fur, eye contact and that tail action. As a human, often our thoughts are elsewhere rather than enjoying the simpleness of where we are and what we are doing right now.

Sometimes a special moment finds us, we feel it and want to capture it in our mind’s eye, to commit it to memory. Beyond reaching for a camera, we can remind ourselves to “Hold the moment”. Have you ever been in a situation you know you want to remember, and somehow give yourself a hint to be able to retrieve it when need be? Maybe your parents are dancing in the kitchen, or you have a laughing attack with a dear friend, or it is snowing the first day of summer. “Hold the moment” often pertains to the feeling inside of us the moment evokes. It seems another way to appreciate something special as it is happening right in front of us.

Pro-Aging

Anne 3 Comments

Are you a pro-ager?

“…Pro-agers don’t deny their mortal state; they simply make the most of life and enhance their health in all the ways they still can. They have shown time and again that it’s possible to embrace aging for all it offers, even as we miss what it inevitably takes away. ”

In “Experience Life” magazine Jon Spayde wrote about Pro-Aging, and in his research and interviews covered some interesting themes among those people who have shifted their attitude about aging, and thus their health. In our western anti-aging culture discarding the assumptions that youth is required for vitality and age equals obsolescence, might lead one to become a pro-ager.

Naturally the aging transition can be a challenging one. Many of us want to feel good about aging, collecting relevant tips of how best to do that while letting go of negative beliefs that may get in our way. The main crux of pro-aging seems to be one’s attitude or mindset. Living in a culture that respects aging obviously helps, yet a positive outlook wherever you live can influence motor skills like balance and faster walking speed. And age can bring wisdom. We have a choice of how to use and share our earned experience. We could be negative, glass half-empty, or go with the flow, saying yes more often. Have fun! That is the pro-aging choice. The article of course includes the usual aging tips like keep moving, eat well-and a little less, improve sleep quality and stay hydrated.

As Spayde summarizes, “A pro-aging attitude, pro-aging beliefs, and proactive self-care make it easier to say yes to all that our lives still have to offer.”

(Sunflowers photo credit: Peter Jandula-Hudson)