Life Before Death

"I get that sometimes we don't like to think or talk

about dying.

What gets me is when we don't seem to be committed

to living."

Another month has gone by and it's already August! Sometimes it really does feel like life is flying by. Noticing that ties in nicely with this week's Bloom ...

I often reflect on how "funny" we are as people. From an early age we see, all around us, that death is an unavoidable part of life. Anything living will die at some point, whether it's plants, animals, or humans. Some folks will go out of their way to avoid even talking about death. It feels like a great mystery and we have mixed feelings about how much we want to "solve" it. One question is, "How do we prepare for it?". I would say, "Live to the max!".

As I get older, more and more I find myself looking for ways to be happier, healthier, and engaged. As I observe others, friends and strangers all around me, I've noticed that there's a lot of complaining about aging. I've also noticed that many put self-imposed limitations on themselves with each birthday. It's as if some are just waiting to die while life keeps rushing past and all around them.

One time, maybe 10 years ago, my oldest son told me I shouldn't be getting up on a step stool anymore "because of my age". Since I'm not particularly tall, I've always had something nearby to elevate me to that top shelf that I usually can't reach. When he suggested I start restricting my activities I pretty much went off on him and he backed off. I understand that he thought he was being caring. The way I saw it, he was buying into the myth that we must start declining by a "certain age". I don't want that for myself or for him or anyone else!

Here are some of my suggestions for living fully right up to the end:

Keep moving. A body in motion stays in motion. If you're having difficulty with mobility and/or strength, do something about it. If you're a senior on Medicare, you might be able to join a gym for free with the SilverSneakers Program.
Pay more attention than ever to your nutrition. How are you fueling your body? Maybe you need to reevaluate what's on your plate. Maybe your challenges with moving are tied in with inflammation caused by ingesting things that are sold as "food", but are really toxins. As functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman says, "...our modern diet and lifestyles have created an environment of chronic inflammation or inflammaging. Continual, low-grade inflammation becomes the root of many, if not all, chronic conditions.".
Create new lists of desires. Would you like to travel? Live for a month in another country? Rescue a pet from a shelter? Learn a new language? Take a college course? Did you know that there are colleges in some states with free tuition for seniors? A few examples are University of Massachusetts, University of Oregon, University of Virginia, and University of Maryland. Check out where you live. When you have new dreams or goals, you look forward to getting up in the morning.
Limit how much of the news you take in. This is good for any age, but especially as we get older. Hopefully, with age comes wisdom and we can see how overwhelming and sometimes unreliable the media is. Look around you and see where you might be able to make a difference locally. You might be able to create a ripple effect.
Stay up to date with technology or you'll be left behind. Learn how to use your smart phone. Take advantage of all the new bells and whistles in your car. Use the helpful parts of this new age. Remember, you know how to survive without your phone 24/7. You have an advantage over the younger generations with that, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Some of what we didn't have years ago makes life easier today.

These are things that I put into practice and I have a very full, active life. You can too and that is what I wish for you.

I help people look, act, and feel younger and better. If that sounds like something you'd want to explore, contact me or refer a friend who might want that. None of this gets done alone or in a vacuum.

Sparkles and Love,