Two years ago I wrote a blog about my Grandmother, as she was turning one hundred. This week she turned one hundred and two! She is still very much here with us. In honoring her, I invite you to read her story and be inspired. You will find that previous blog by clicking here.
Meanwhile let’s talk about three keys to living well to a ripe old age.
Key 1
Honor #1- yourself- at any age.
The saying, “What’s best for you is best for everyone.” should be a way of life. Does this sound selfish? Not really when you break it down. When we have a habit of putting others first we lose our energy to care for ourselves, which causes us to not care as well for others. You might say it can become a vicious cycle of exhaustion and lack of fulfillment. It really is ultimately the kinder thing to do, and you are a whole lot more fun to live with. : ) When we live our life to the fullest we inspire others to do the same for themselves. Joy is catchy.
My grandmother took care of many people throughout her life, and yet I saw her fulfilling her dreams. Against my grandfather’s better judgment, she began working a job she loved to earn her own money. And, after several tries, she earned her driver’s license in her fifties! My grandfather was not at all supportive of that. He enjoyed her being at home taking care of him. Uh hum. Yet in the end he did buy her a car.
Key 2
Remember that you are a whole person, consisting of mind, body, emotions and spirit.
You are not just a head spinning in thought but a human inhabiting these four components, which need to be in balance. Check in with yourself daily and begin to notice what you need in each of these four areas of being human. If you notice you are feeling off, you will likely find the cause by checking in. Ignoring our needs is a big piece in caring for ourselves. If you would like to learn a simple process to check in with yourself (that I know you will LOVE), just send me an email and I will send it to you.
My grandmother probably did not check in knowingly, but I can see how she did honor her needs, especially as she got older. She kept a schedule to balancing out her days including walking on the treadmill – body, keeping in contact with family and friends to keep her spirits up – mind, was always up front with how she felt – emotions and still says the rosary every day, as she prays for others – spirit. Prayer is the way she feels she can still contribute at 102.
Key 3
Keep connected.
I don’t mean internet connected, but socially. We need to be surrounded by our friends and family. If you don’t have some, find some. Spending time with people who appreciate you for who you truly are is one of life’s gifts, and a necessity for us humans. Connection raises our spirits, improves our health and keeps life interesting. Life is meant to be shared with others.
Even today, it is hard to catch my grandmother in her room to answer the phone. She is usually “out with the girls”.
I am sure that there are many more keys we could think of that would help extend our lives and wellbeing, but the big message here is to take care of our needs each day. Our mind/body system is aware when we check in and it quiets our nervous system so we can be relaxed enough to take in fully all of the great things that come our way in life.
Happy Birthday Memère!
