Lead the life you most desire, be the person you admire! If you fall short of this vision, as many of us do, that’s normal since we are all progressing in our journey.  Know that there are plenty of opportunities for continued growth ahead.  Aging well is a process.  Commit to wellness and nurturing every part of you.

Aging well involves good choices that support emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual wellness.  Every moment of every day presents an opportunity for improvement.  Mindfully choose what serves you best and live your life without regrets.

What do you desire most in life?  What would you like to accomplish?  What are the most important things you can do for yourself and others today?  Middle and late adulthood can be an exciting time of rebirth and re-inventing ourselves, if we allow it to be.  Nurture your inner being and embrace a mindset of possibilities.  Strive for a future filled with meaning and peace.  Change begins within.  Envision yourself a success and you are on the path to aging well!

The road of life takes us down many different paths that lead us away from our desired  one.  We may compromise for the sake of finances or achieving balance with all of our responsibilities.  As years go by, these ventures may lose their appeal as a desire for greater meaning and purpose takes hold.  Advancing age brings us to this realization.  Our happiness is critical to our wellbeing.  Happiness is our birthright and we all have the right to claiming it.

Design your life in accordance to what is most important to you.  Mindfully choose settings and activities that honour and respect your authentic nature, energize you and supports vitality.  Align yourself with pursuits that not only maintain wellness, but enhance your overall wellbeing.  Happiness is the true elixir of life.  Target happiness with every endeavour and aging well will come very naturally.

With each passing year, we gain greater clarity about our what we like, what we don’t like, what serves us well and what doesn’t.  We have all experienced work that was not fulfilling or depleted us.  We have all experienced situations that were less than ideal for our wellness.  As difficult as each of these experiences were, they contributed to our unique character and illuminated our path in life.

One of the greatest gifts that comes with age is the wisdom from life lessons.  The lessons are always there.  We just need to be open to receiving them and learning.  What lessons have you learned from your challenges and how do you live your life differently because of them?  Every new day and every moment brings opportunities for positive change.

Aging well involves aligning your external world with your internal one.  Align your endeavours with what brings out the best in you.  Wayne Dyer, a renowned  author and inspirational speaker states that we each have a song in life, referring to unique talents.  Find your song and sing it loud and proud!

Take good care of yourself.  These five simple words form the basis of aging well.  When you prioritize your emotional and physical needs, life is not only easier but also more enjoyable.  With good self-care, you are more able to weather the storms of life and still have energy left to dance through a puddle or two!

What does good self-care comprise of?  Aside from a healthy balanced diet, adequate sleep and regular physical exercise, good self-care involves effective stress management and a positive mindset.  How do you fare in each of these areas?

It is normal to fluctuate with life’s ups and downs but the important thing is to ensure adequate recovery time and continued commitment to enhancing coping skills with advancing age.  We all know the cumulative effects of on-going stress, with increased risk for depression, disease and disabilities.

The superstress we experience today can be persistent and wearing if we allow it.  Take a proactive approach to wellness and join me in my next workshop, ‘Stressed Spelled Backwards is Desserts!’ which takes place on Monday, April 15 from 1 – 3:30 pm at Wilson Centre in Port Coquitlam.  This workshop is specially priced at one loonie or two, being a part of the centre’s Adult 50+ Programs.  Register in person at the Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex, 2150 Wilson Avenue; by phone at 604-927-7529 or on-line at experienceit.ca.

Life is a bowl of cherries, pits included!  These pits represent emotional pain from our past.  Do you have lingering hurts that reveal themselves on occasion?  If so, make peace with your past and release what keeps you from living life fully.  Resolve to heal old wounds so that you can focus on what is really important: your health and enjoying the beauty of life’s moments.

Emotional pain from our past is like an open wound.  They continue to hurt until conscious mending takes place.  Some wounds are large and deep, seemingly resistant to healing but that is only a perception.  All wounds can be healed with proper attention and care.

Take responsibility for healing your past hurts.  This can be done through regular journaling, meditation, time spent with a compassionate confidante, a trusted professional or a suitable support group.  Choose one or any combination that works for you.  Healing comes when you honour yourself, your hurts and release what imprisons you.  Gradually, old hurts shrink until there is nothing left but a small scar.  The wound is closed and we return to a healed state as we all began.  Make peace with your past and free yourself from yesterday’s hurts.  Peace gives way to increased positive experiences, a key component of aging well.

The last workshop: “AHA! Attitudes for Healthy Aging” was a phenomenal success!  Nine participants, ranging between 40 and 70 years of age, emulated aging well in an evening of dynamic discussions and engaging small group activities.  Participants practiced visualization, relaxation and creative teamwork in collaborating a community quilt made out of paper that illustrated 4 vital components of aging well.  One senior participant stated the workshop encapsulated numerous key points in a way that she had never seen before.  She was very pleased with the entire session and wrote a raving view that can be seen on the testimonial page of this website.  She summed it up beautifully, stating that the workshop “crystallized her thoughts” on healthy aging!

If you missed last Monday’s workshop, you will have another chance to experience it with added bonuses.  An extra 30 minutes  has been added along with bonus topics including strategies for facing fears, coping with unknowns and designing meaningful legacies.  This workshop will be held on Wednesday morning, April 3, 2013 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Glen Pine Pavilion.  The cost is $35+tax.  Register on-line at coquitlam.ca/registration , phone 604-927-4FUN (4386), or visit Glen Pine Pavilion in person at 1200 Glen Pine Court.  Note: You do not have to be a member or 50 years old to attend. Register early to avoid disappointment!

Healthy, supportive relationships are worth their weight in gold.  Nothing beats a good friend, confidante or support person to help you rebound from life’s challenges in a timely manner.  Supportive relationships are something like a safety net; catching you when you fall, preventing excess harm and allowing you to continue through life in good spirits.

The older we get in life, the greater the likelihood of significant challenges.  Loss of peers and loved ones along with declining physical abilities take their toll, regardless how prepared one is in life.  Having support people to journey alongside helps to normalize our experiences and put them into perspective.

If you feel you don’t have an adequate support system, start building one today.  Join clubs or groups, volunteer for causes you are passionate about, or simply drop into your local community centre and participate in one of many activities they offer.  Just as you are having fun, your network of relationships will grow like magic!

Aim for a variety of friendships, from various cultures and age groups.  We can learn a lot from others in older and younger generations, not to mention be inspired.  Younger friends can be enlivening while older friends can be fabulous role models that offer insight to the realities of aging in today’s world.  Have fun building relationships and remember, face-to-face relationships are the most fulfilling and beat on-line relationships any day!

“Aging is not for sissies.”  Actress Bette Davis coined this phrase many years ago and I believe she is right.  Ask any elder in their 80’s, 90’s or beyond and I am sure they will agree as well.  Aging brings you face to face with major challenges in life.  Are you ready?

If not, there is no better time than right now to start preparing for the road ahead.  Take some time to assess your current place in life to find out where you might begin to make some changes.  Ask yourself the following questions:

• “Are my relationships satisfying and supportive?”
• “Have I made peace with my past?”
• “Do I take good care of myself?”
• “Do my work and leisure activities bring me joy and happiness?”
• “Am I where I want to be?”

Having a solid base is necessary for enduring life’s ups and downs.  Healthy aging does not just happen.  It requires focus, dedication and commitment to create the future you desire.

Take one giant step towards healthy aging today and register for next Monday’s workshop: AHA!  Attitudes for Healthy Aging.  Embrace a proactive approach that supports good choices for years to come.  In the forthcoming posts, I will be discussing the significance of each of the five questions listed above as they relate to healthy aging.  Until then, take good care and I hope to see you on Monday evening.

Aging well is a challenge in today’s youth-oriented culture.  Anti-aging campaigns make the process more difficult by masking the realities and denying the truths.  Not long ago, elders were revered members of society that the younger generation looked up to.  Today, old age is viewed as something less than desirable.  The truth is, aging is a honour that some do not have the privilege of experiencing.

Healthy aging is a humbling art.  Aging brings us face to face with many of life’s most difficult experiences.  Change and loss are common at many levels and developing the necessary coping skills are important to aging well.   Healthy aging is possible for everyone and it all begins with you and your commitment to wellness.

There is no time better than now to prepare for the years ahead.  Sign up for Mind Master’s newest workshop: “AHA! Attitudes for Healthy Aging”.  Join rich discussions that will inspire confidence and inner peace for the road ahead.  Gain insight on the essential attitudes for success and discover the keys to lasting vitality.  Create your own personalized plan for success and watch the wonders unfold before you!

This workshop is specially priced at $30+HST.  It will be held in room C1002, 7 – 9 pm on Monday evening, March 18, 2013 at the Coquitlam campus of Douglas College, 1250 Pinetree Way.

Fear is a perception.  Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.  We all have the power to rid ourselves of fear.  Gently nudge yourself through fear using the same compassion and patience you would use with a child.  Find that tender voice within you that en-COURAGE-s you to take small steps forward.

Dedicate yourself to your mission.  Commit to personal growth and consider the benefits of stretching yourself beyond your comfort level.  Ask yourself, “What do I have to gain?”  You might make a new friend, discover a new passion or activity you never tried before.  When you allow yourself to move forward in life, you open yourself to experiencing more in life.  There are boundless opportunities awaiting you.  Vow not to let fear hold you back from being all that you were meant to be.