Midlife: Is Age Holding You Back?

“I’m too old, I couldn’t do that now.”  That’s a statement I hear all too frequently during my “Find Your Passion” programs.  Do you feel like you’re too old to start following your passion, even if you knew what it was?  What makes you believe that?  Other people’s comments, societal norms, your parents’ “self-talk” …?

Yesterday my husband and I visited the exhibition Australian Indigenous Art Triennial: Culture Warriors presented by American University Museum at Katzen Arts Center in Washington DC. The exhibition showcases Australia’s leading indigenous artists with works from the traditional to the modern, some with obvious political overtones. Works include paintings on bark and canvas, sculpture, textiles, weaving, new media, photomedia, printmaking and installation.

When the exhibition made its debut in 2007, it coincided with the 40th anniversary of a landmark 1967 referendum mandating that indigenous Australians be included in the country’s census. Imagine that just 42 years ago, two-thirds of the artists were placed under the same category as Australia’s flora and fauna.

Racial conflict aside, what struck me was that one particular artist hadn’t started painting until five years ago, at the age of 90. Here was a man who was so passionate about wanting to pass on the story of his culture that he didn’t allow his “ripe old age” of 90 to stop him. Five years later he is being recognized as one of Australia’s top artists.

So let me ask you again, are you allowing age to stop you from doing something you truly love?  Perhaps it’s time to let go of that false belief and start living your passion.

Midlife Dreams: Do You Believe They’re Possible?

“The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.” -­ Richard M. DeVos

Points to Ponder 

What do I want from life?

What is standing between me and getting it?

How would I feel if I never achieved what I wanted?

How will I feel when I get what I want?

Do I believe getting what I want is possible?

Take Action!
                          
If you don’t know what you truly want, take the time NOW to find out. Don’t leave this life with “if only I had followed my heart.”

Imagine the feeling of getting what you want – joy, excitement, enthusiasm for life, bliss, contentment. Focus on it as often as you can.

If you don’t believe it’s possible, ask yourself “why not?”  The answers will undoubtedly be self-limiting beliefs that can be overcome.

Commit to taking one step, today, towards overcoming whatever is blocking you.

WorkLife Balance: Getting the Most out of Life

During the course of every day we are faced with numerous challenges and opportunities.  Very often we react out of habit without stopping to think whether or not we are taking the best course of action.  To help you decide if you are on track, here are some questions you might want to ask yourself:

What is my responsibility here?
— your responsibility is to see the situation clearly, in a detached manner, without being unduly influenced by overblown emotion. Perhaps you need to involve others, perhaps not.

Is this situation part of a pattern?
— many of our challenges are issues that we haven’t resolved in the past.  Do you finally need to get to the bottom of it and resolve it?

What am I resisting?
— the things we resist usually are the ones that help us grow the most. Do you need to let go of something?

What lessons can I learn here?
— are you willing to seek out the lesson, hear it and act on the subtle guidance you receive?

Have I lost focus and energy?
— negative thoughts impact our energy.  Let go of the anger, frustration and anxiety and find a place of peace.

To act or not to act?
— sometimes it’s important to let the fog clear before taking action. Don’t act out of fear that if you don’t do something, the situation will get worse.

Am I seeing the big picture?
— there is always a choice and more than one way to deal with a challenge.  Setting up expectations, conditions, demands and prejudices can keep us stuck.

Am I at peace with this?
— being at peace is the key to gaining closure and knowing that the situation is complete. You have done the very best you could under the circumstances. You are on track!

Midlife and Thereafter: Instead of a Nursing Home

There will be no nursing home in my future…

When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations at Princess and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service ( which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

6. I will get to meet new people every 7or 14 days.

7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don’t even have to ask for them.

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare. If you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go? Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don’t look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.

P.S. And don’t forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side at no charge.

How about that for a great plan for the future?

Would anyone actually consider living this sort of life?  Yes indeed…

Bea Muller, an 86-year-old retiree, has been a permanent resident on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 since 5 January 2000. Her husband had passed away while the couple was on a world cruise 11 months earlier, and rather than opt for a retirement home, Mrs Muller sold her house and possessions and booked herself onto the ship.  She is not the first-time long cruiser: Cunard had one previous guest, Clair MacBeth, who lived on board for 14 years.

If you have no idea of what your “midlife or thereafter” looks like, consider taking The Passion Test to get clear on your new direction.  Contact me [evelin(at)blueprints4change.com] for further information.

Midlife: Is Golf Your Passion?

Are you looking for a way to improve your golf score?  Aside from the “mental game”, there is also the issue of physical fitness.

A meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis reported that golf scores were tied to hip strength. The best golfers seemed to have the strongest hips. This indicates how important it is to exercise muscles in the hips to better coordinate your golf swings.

They carried out a test in which golfers were divided into three different groups based on their handicaps. The better the handicap, the greater the hip strength, as measured when the hip moves the leg out and away from the body. The best players tended to be stronger in all the hip movements that were tested.

There is a high prevalence of hip injuries among serious golfers which would indicate that increasing muscle strength in that area is critical in the prevention of such injuries.  Researchers concluded that by improving flexibility and strength in the hips and torso, you can add 20 yards to your driving distance.

One way of achieving more flexibility and strength in the hip area is to practice certain yoga poses. I don’t play golf (at least not at the present) but I love yoga.  Not only is it a great stress management tool but it is one of the best ways of keeping the body flexible.

If you would like to view some hip-opening postures, click on this link – Yoga Hip Openers

Midlife: Find your Hidden Treasures!

Don’t let fear stop you from venturing into the unknown. It’s a glorious meadow filled with hidden treasures. Dance through it till you find the gold — Evelin Saxinger, ND

Field of Treasures

Points to Ponder 

What unknown am I facing right now?

What am I afraid of?

How would doing the unknown make a difference in my world?

What’s the worst that could happen?

What’s the best thing that could happen?

Take Action!
                          
Look for a way to meet the fear head on. It probably won’t be as bad as you think.

Imagine the feeling of finding the hidden treasures.

Start dancing!

When you find the treasures, reward yourself and celebrate!

Flash Forward into Your Ideal Life

Last week I watched the first episode of the new TV show FlashForward. It’s a science-fiction program that begins with everyone on the planet blacking out for just over two minutes and getting a glimpse of their lives six months into the future. For some, it’s a distressing view, for others, a joyful picture and for one character, there is nothing.  Definitely intriguing, particularly as you watch some of the futures begin to take shape in minor ways!  Questions you tend to ask yourself – how did it happen … will the futures actually materialize … do we have a choice … can we change the outcome … why did it happen? Of course you have to watch the series to find out. 

What came to my mind as I watched the show were issues that have arisen during my Passion Test workshops.  For some people, creating a list of what is truly important in their lives (i.e. their passions) is a difficult task.  If I asked you the question, what do you want your life to look like in six months, would you know? More importantly, would you be absolutely clear on the details or would your mind conjure up vague ideas such as “not having a schedule, “getting lots of money”, “working in a job I love” etc.  Bringing your ideal life into reality requires absolute clarity.  Only then will you have focus and direction.  Only then will you notice those opportunities that will bring you closer to your goals.

Coming back to FlashForward, we don’t know what our lives are going to look like in six months, but if we’re not satisfied NOW and don’t start making changes, we’ll end up with more of the same. Isn’t it time to give yourself the gift of grabbing your future “by the horns” and taking the first step towards the life you visualize in your dreams!

If that sounds exciting to you and you are motivated to find focus and clarity, contact me (evelin(at)blueprints4change.com) and let’s discuss beginning your Personal Strategic Plan.

Midlife Health: Brain Power

Feel like you’re becoming a little forgetful?  Does your thinking become fuzzy at times?  Are you having trouble concentrating? 

Declining brain function is not synonymous with aging.   There are many middle-aged people who are as sharper, if not more so, than younger people. Take a look at your brain’s diet – you may need more brain nutrition.

• Avoid trans fats – the chemicals replace natural DHA in brain cell membranes and disrupt neuron communication.
• Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) – the brain is composed of 60% EFAs. Keep it well oiled with omega-3 oils (spinach, sprouts, avocado, arugula and other leafy greens, fish, shellfish, olive oil, nuts and seeds, wheat germ, beans).
• Drink lots of water – short term memory is affected by a lack of body fluids.

Exercise is also key to keeping the brain nourished.  It increases oxygen and blood supply which the brain depends on for wellbeing.

Laughter can do wonders for your health and your mind.  It’s hard to be depressed when you’re laughing. Here’s a poem I recently came across that may make you smile….

A Little Mixed Up

Just a line to say I’m living,
That I’m not among the dead.
Though I’m getting more forgetful
And more mixed up in the head.

For sometimes I can’t remember,
When I stand at foot of stairs,
If I must go up for something,
Or if I’ve just come down from there.

And before the fridge so often
My poor mind is filled with doubt
Have I just put food away?…or
Have I come to take some out?

And there’s times when it is dark out,
With my night cap on my head
I don’t know if I’m retiring
Or just getting out of bed.

So…if it’s my turn to write you
There’s no need of getting sore,
I may think that I have written
And don’t want to be a bore!!

So, remember…I do love you
And I wish that you were here,
But now it’s nearly mail time,
So I must say good-bye my dear.

There I stood beside the mail box
With a face so very red
Instead of mailing you my letter,
I had opened it instead!!

My bifocals fit – my dentures are fine
My hearing aid works … but … I do miss my mind!!!

— Author Unknown

Midlife Health: Herbal Energy Tonics

Rhodiola Rosea

In this fast-paced world I frequently hear comments such as “I’m so tired even though I get enough sleep” or “my energy levels aren’t what they used to be” or “why can’t I keep up?”. 

Is there something we can do about low energy, feeling weak or mentally fuzzy?

There is if we explore the world of herbal adaptogens.  This is a relatively new concept in the Western world but has been the basis of the preventative approach to health and wellness in the East.  Adaptogens work in such a way as to improve the body’s adaptability.  That is, they counteract physical and emotional stress by helping the body “around” the problem via the support of glands and other functions. They give the body a “tune-up”, in a broad spectrum way, helping many conditions without overpowering the cells as many drugs do.  Read on to find out which one may be right for you.

Rhodiola Rosea is an ancient folk remedy promoted by scientists in the former Soviet Union to boost the performance of Olympic athletes and astronauts. It increases energy and stamina, enhances alertness and concentration and can help fuzzy memory.

Panax Ginseng promotes regeneration from stress and fatigue and rebuilds strength. If a person is overworked and stressed out, ginseng can help. It is more effective taken over several months than in short-term doses.

Siberian Eleuthero improves physical and mental performance as well as boosting the immune system. A long-term energy tonic for the adrenal glands and the circulation.

Schisandra protects the liver, improves cognitive function, reduces irritability and helps to promote sleep.  It works synergistically with Eleuthero against stress, weight gain and fatigue.

Ashwagandha has been cultivated in India and the Middle East for centuries.  It improves stamina and immune function, combats stress and anxiety and shows antioxidant and mood-elevating properties.

Reishi Mushrooms are considered the “elixir of life” in traditional Chinese medicine. They are traditionally used as a health and energy tonic, boosting immunity, easing allergies, regulating blood sugar and helping the liver regenerate.

All material is provided for informational or educational purposes only. Consult a physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or condition

Midlife Health: Manage your Stress by Becoming a Child

With all the stresses and busy-ness of today’s life, take some time to remember how “simple” things were when you were a child.  How much fun it was just to skim a rock across a still lake, wander through the woods with your dog, skip rope with friends in the park, feed seagulls on the beach!  No responsibilities, no worries, nothing to do except have fun.  Consider becoming a child again, at least for a short period of time.  Your responsibilities will still be there when you return but they will seem less burdensome after your break.

Resignation

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald’s and think that it’s a four-star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a pavement with rocks.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and play doctors and nurses with my friends on a hot summer’s day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple; when all I knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, and it didn’t bother me, because I didn’t know what I didn’t know and I didn’t care.

All I knew was to be happy because I was blissfully unaware of all the things that should make me worry or upset.

I want to think the world is fair … that everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don’t want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So . . . here’s my checkbook and my car-keys, my credit card bills and my mobile phone. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you’ll have to catch me first, cause…
……”Tag! You’re it.”

— Author Unknown