“Age is just a number”; “you’re as young as you feel”; “50 is the new 20!” Blah, blah, blah … One day and counting until I celebrate my fifty-eighth birthday! It seems like yesterday that I was celebrating forty! Where has the past two decades gone? How many of us take the time to reflect not only on the present, but also on years past — the good, bad, and everything in between?
I’d be untruthful if I didn’t admit to taking a good hard look at myself in the mirror every morning. We all do, don’t we? There are a few more lines, and a little less hair, but every line tells a story, and every hair, well, there aren’t many! Beyond the superficial, what’s changed? What changes in our 50s? Does our metabolism drastically slow down; does our strength diminish? Are we all just shadows of our former selves destined to wax nostalgic about our past feats of strength, six-pack abs, and perfect size two bodies? Or are we, like Popeye, a can of spinach and a set of lunges away from reclaiming our former greatness?
Granted, the aging process is very subjective and affects us all very differently. I can attest to going through my 50s with the same passion for exercise and healthy, balanced nutrition, even if the intensity has, at times, waned. My workouts have become tighter and very core-centric; I have incorporated elements of Pilates and power yoga into my daily routine, streamlined; I have become connected to my body on a much deeper level, respecting, and honoring the need for ample rest and recovery time, lots of hydration, and daily prayer and meditation. With age have come wisdom, the kind born through life experience; mistakes; pain; and exultant joy! I wouldn’t want to go back there, but I am grateful for having experienced and persevered. I am a survivor, and am grateful to God for giving me the strength, courage and sagacity to see there was a greater purpose. Transcending the purely physical — the metaphysical, if you will — wellness is the lifeblood for which I am, and its advancement, that which I am most passionate about.
So, as I age, like a fine wine, there is a complexity, a nuance to my soul, if you will, and that can’t be bought; is not taught through the latest app nor new fangled craze. I my friend, am not getting older, I am DEFINITELY getting better! As the philosopher John Locke said, “Sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world.”
As I was writing this blog, I found an article by Sandee La Motte for CNN, Just Six Months of Walking May Reverse Cognitive Decline, that inspired me, and I found it very timely and analogous to the work I do for my clients and myself. Although the article focuses on an older demographic, the message is universal. We feel, think and look better when we move our bodies and engage our brains, at any age. A little bit goes a long way. The findings found in this study, transcend ages and apply to young and old alike. Movement is the key to a healthy life.
Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2019 to all! Let’s make this the year that we reach for and exceed our goals — health, happiness, and prosperity!
Remember to move it, move it, move it!
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