Most of us don’t want to believe the truth, but it’s coming at you full speed ahead.
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Whether you’re 17, 45, or 89 your time clock is moving forward. Since my days of reckless abandon ended in my twenties, I decided to enjoy what ever time I had left. I’ve been working at that for over 20 years now and it’s going pretty well. I asked myself, how can I live the greatest version of my life? It’s pretty simple. I do the things I love, spend time with people I love, and share that love with as many people as possible. I’m working on a full proof plan to create a life of joy and happiness. And I’m hoping to leave a trail. Life is going to have it’s ups and downs, there is no way to avoid those downs. But, if you strategically stock pile your ups, the downs won’t feel so bad and you’ll bounce back pretty quickly.
I’m a late bloomer when it comes to starting a family. My first daughter was born this past February and I’m 45 years young. That means I’ll be 65 when she’s in college and approximately 75 at her wedding. Will I be dancing at that wedding? You bet your ass I will be. If I’m not dead, I’ll be moving and shaking like no one else! Why? Because I’m planning for my 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and yes, even my 100’s.
My plan is to do all the things you’ve heard before, but they’re worth repeating. I’ll eat right, exercise, meditate, do yoga, keep my stress down, and enjoy this life as much as humanly possibly.
Sounds simple right? Then why are so many people looking and feeling horrible into their later years? My bet is that they really didn’t think they were going to make it. It’s only in the last century that our nation has been living longer than 50 years. According to the National Vital Statics Reports, our life expectancy was 47 in 1900. Now it’s almost 80. We’ve been so focused on building and creating things outside ourselves that we’ve lost touch with what makes us tick.
Here are my top 6 things to ensure yourself a great life to the end.
1. Stop Smoking. That’s if you smoke. I don’t, but if you do, stop. Now!
2. Eat more plant based foods and veggies with deep colors like red, green, yellow, purple, orange and more.
3. Move your body everyday! That doesn’t mean 5 times a week, it means every day. You can do it a little bit on some days, but you must move your body.
4. Spend time with friends and loved ones. Staying connected and being social is a great way to enjoy the time you have. When people care about you, love you and want to be around you, you feel a responsibility to them. You will want to take care of yourself for a longer time.
5. Keep your stress levels down by meditating or going for a walk in nature. It calms you down, quiets your brooding and changes your subgenual prefrontal cortex. I promise, here is the proof.
6. Do something everyday that makes you happy. Some of us tend to fill our days with all kinds of busy-ness. I love filling my days up with excitement, adventure, new experiences, and challenges that help me grow. But make sure your days are not over full and enjoy the moments within your day. Train yourself to gravitate toward things that make you happy. You can do this by starting with the little things.
There is no one single solution to live a long, strong and happy life. It’s all about walking that fine line between the extremes. It’s about knowing when to push and when to pull. Like Kenny Rogers said, “knowing when to hold ‘em and knowing when to fold ‘em.” Of course, you can do everything in your power to live a long healthy life and get hit by a bus. But that’s not fun to think about. Keep up the good work and don’t fold ‘em before you’re ready. Enjoy the moments!
Source: 30dB.com – Getting Older
Photo Credit: flickr.com/BillCouch
Hows it going? Five posts in this morning and my body parts are still waking up, reminding me of every tackle, base slide, slip, fall, twist, turn that I’ve ever participated in. I’m on two medications, I now wear glasses…and in two weeks I go for both a prostate exam and a colonoscopy. …Thanks for asking. It’s all good advice, Ted, and we should all be doing so. I do. I still eat right most of the time. I work out. i do what I love. I have a great wife and a great life, but age still catches up… Read more »
Ted, thanks … this was inspiring and I agree with all of it. It’s interesting that the photo of the hands that you used. Maybe because I see my hands more then any other part of my body, that I notice my age in my hands then anything else. It’s amazing how thin your skin gets. I’d like to add something and that it for hose who don’t believe they can do these things. I have a heart condition that I “thought” would limit me. Almost a month in Europe and an average 5 miles of walking a day showed… Read more »