Why U Need 2 Picture Yourself as a Spry & Sassy Granny
My parents are pretty old. My Dad is 89 and my Mom is 83. My Dad is dying (which I can’t even bring myself to type about because I will burst into tears) and my mother has a whole suite of her own health issues. I was home to help take care of them last weekend and you can’t help but think about your own mortality when you’re around elderly people – at least I can’t. As I watch my parents struggle though I find myself thinking about what I can do now to improve the quality of my life when I get older. I know there are some things about aging that are inevitable but I also know that my parents didn’t take the best care of themselves and if they had, they might be more mobile and agile now.
I know as a teen that pretty much the last thing you think about is getting old but it actually really is important to start getting into healthy habits now that you will retain throughout your life. You know the drill – eat right and exercise. It’s not rocket science but trust me, it actually really makes a difference in your life especially as you get older. But really, you can see the benefits of eating right and exercising even now (do you get winded going up the stairs? Might be time to do a little more cardio) so imagine how that will help you when you’re older. Oh and let’s not forget about your parents or other adults in your life who you care about. Encourage them to take care of themselves now so they can age with grace and good health for as long as possible. Trust me, watching them get old and struggling just to live their daily lives is so incredibly painful. Give them a little nudge in the right direction now so you and they can enjoy the future, whatever it may bring.
Sorry to be a little lecture-y but it is sooooo important to take care of your body so it will take care of you and allow you to truly enjoy and live your life whether you’re 18 or 81. Think about it once in awhile (trust me, the older you get the more you will think about it) and remind your loved ones too. Keep a vision who you want to be when you’re older and make a plan to get there. Who do you want to be when you’re elderly?
Shift Your Life & Perspective with One Simple Exercise
Have you ever noticed that you can just sort of float through life without really noticing what’s going on around you? Think about your day for a moment. You get up, stumble into the bathroom, get dressed, head out, drink some coffee, start your day, get through your day, eat some lunch, drink some coffee, come home, eat some dinner, drink some more coffee (ok, maybe I just drink this much coffee), do whatever it is you do in the evening and go back to bed to start all over again. We all get into this rhythm of life but we’re so asleep while we’re living we miss most of what’s going on around us.
Here’s a little exercise you can try to see every day things in a new light. Let’s take a tree as an example, A long time ago, someone decided that this large thing in front of us with a trunk and leaves should be called a tree. Ever since then, we have all walked around like little robots acknowledging in our periphery: Tree. Tree. Tree. Another Tree. Tree. Big Tree. Small tree. Dead Tree. Pretty Tree. Green Tree. Blah blah blah.
Now imagine that you have never seen a tree before. Imagine that you are just seeing this amazing thing for the first time and you have no idea what it is and you have no idea what it’s named. In fact, maybe it doesn’t even need a name. Maybe it just is. Really take some time to look at it. Look at how the sun filters through the leaves. Listen to how the wind blows through the branches. Look at the birds and bugs that use it’s trunk and branches for food, for support, for protection. Step back and really notice this thing that you previously have just skimmed over as tree.
Sort of makes you look at life a little differently doesn’t it? Once in awhile, try this little exercise with different items that you see and encounter in your every day life. Decide to notice it for the first time. Forget what you think you know about it including it’s name. Open your eyes to what is really before you. It’s a small but powerful way to shift your perspective which inevitably, shifts who you are just a little bit and that’s a good thing.
You try it now. Look at something around you. See if differently. Notice it. Describe it. Really really notice it. How did it shift your perspective? What did it make you think? Share with me and others to help teens live happy!
L.O.V.E. Who Do I Love? Me! Me!
Sounds pretty self-centered right? I love me?
In my last post I talked about the 5th secret which is that life is all about love but what I didn’t tell you is that love actually needs to start with loving yourself. Let’s be clear about something though. I’m not suggesting that you become some kind of ego maniac who thinks they are better than everyone else. If you’ve been reading along with me you know that if you feel that way it’s actually your ego at work which is not the real you. No, what I’m talking about is deeper and more real than that.
Love is one of the most incredible things we have in our existence. It is pure, warm, comforting, complete and filled with joy. You know this about love when you experience it from others or when you see it’s existence in the world or when you look at a puppy. You can’t help but feel all fuzzy and warm inside when you experience love. So why wouldn’t you want to love yourself?
Sometimes it’s ok to talk to yourself. Want to know why? Do this exercise.
Got a problem? An issue? A conundrum? Are you afraid to do something? Unsure of how to proceed? Why not ask yourself for the answer. I know that sounds strange but sometimes we already have the answers inside of us but we can’t see them for whatever reason.
Exercise:
Imagine yourself sitting on the bench above and imagine that you’re sitting next to yourself. After you’re done admiring how good looking you are, go ahead and ask away. What do you want to know?
You can ask things like:
How did you solve this issue?
When did things get easier?
What did you do to figure out problem X?
How did you stop stressing about Y?
What did you do to get over Z?
You may not get the specific answer you’re looking for but I guarantee you’ll answer back. After all, everyone loves to be asked for their opinion. Even when you ask yourself.
Start a conversation. You never know what you might learn.
The Secret Handbook 4 Teens 