Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Quick Tip - ABCs of Aging

The concept of Anti-Aging is all around us, and yet there is only one solution or way to anti-age...that is death! That is not meant to sound morbid, just realistic! Anti-Aging isn't possible, rather aging gracefully is...through the ABCs, which are:
Attitude - Age is a number, and it is real. The way you approach it, with grace, gratitude and anticipation, or with gripe, dread and complaint, will matter in how you are received, perceived, and how you conceive of your age. 
Belief - Believing in yourself, your opportunities and your results will yield you an older and wiser approach to living rather than an old and dated way of living life.
Confidence - Being confident at any age, is the best accessory and age-embracing approach to living, learning and really loving life.

If you want to watch "dating" yourself, check these things:
1.     Eyebrows (Ladies - are they too thin?, or Men, are they too wild?)
2.     Posture (hunching makes us look less spry, and therefore, old)
3.     Double spacing (when writing, double spacing after a period is considered old school - only one is required now)
4.     Email (AOL accounts are nearly a sure sign of someone who isn't advancing with "the times")
5.     Glasses (get a style that suites you, talk little about "having to wear them" or your "old eyes", and  keep them off the top of your head)
6.     Age (do not talk about how old you are/feel in a negative tone or verbiage)
7.     Dress (trendy and/or too tight does not make you look younger, rather older attempting to look young)
8.     Shoes (be comfortable and stylish)
9.     Exercise and Diet (dieting and exercising only when attempting to lose weight shows your age, instead, make it a way of life)
10.  Technology (saying "I'm not good with technology", or "I'll give this phone to a young person" sounds like you have given up - and you have not!)

Similarly, the ABCs stand for Action, Boundaries, and Consistency. Take actions that work for you. Set boundaries on being negative about aging. And, be consistent in your approach to aging with grace and style.

The key is allowing ourselves to age gracefully while owning who we are...and not wanting to be who we used to be!

Monday, December 15, 2014

Gone...Not Forgotten

"If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." 
~ Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist.
He wrote tales and poems of British soldiers in India and stories for children.
(1865 - 1936)  

Regularly people rhetorically ask things like "Where did the time go?", and say things such as "This year just flew by!", and almost as quickly we nod in agreement or chime in with our own experiences that echo or mirror the sentiments.
In those comments, and in such hasty acceptance, we run the risk of keeping the pace, and the response to the speed of life in a position of impossibility...in a position of "gone too fast".

It is important, whether in a meeting, at a school dance, on a date, or while reading a book, that we allow ourselves to be present...engaged, and enjoying what we have to experience. Not that all meetings, dances, dates or books are enjoyable, and yet with keeping ourselves in the moment or experience, we can at least appreciate what is here and now.

And yes, time passes, and things end. If you'll remember that things need not be lost, people need not be forgotten, feelings need not be gone, and events need not be over, because we have the ability to keep them relevant, present and appreciated in our fond memories that we gratefully share with others.

So, the next time someone exclaims "Where did the time go?", or says "This year just flew by!", perhaps instead of complying, you may want to respond with something like "To great memories.", or "Wasn't it a great year?" in order to keep our past gone...not forgotten!