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Forever young
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Colorful Grade School Items
I’m a ‘boomer.’ Are you? I help my boomer colleagues with many challenges – those who’ve flunked retirement and get back into the workforce, others choosing to reinvent themselves and individuals who have chosen many different paths within their career. Do you know what we all seem to have in common? We want to be happy, healthy and fulfilled in our ‘next third’ of life. And we have the means to do just that. It was illuminated for me in a book recommended by a colleague on her LinkedIn profile.
The book is entitled, Younger Next Year. It is written by two men – one is an MD and the other is his patient offering an obvious option: Do you want the next third of your life to be healthy or not? They explain, in no uncertain terms, how to accomplish the better choice. You must age, they say, but you don’t need to rot.
How is this accomplished? One needs to do hard exercise six days a week forever – serious aerobics for four days and intense strength training for two of those days. There is no diet except for the recommendation to stop eating junk food. Another couple of rules are to spend less than you make, to care and connect with others and to commit to all of the above. I am urged to earnestly make it my job to comply.
To say the least, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t like to sweat. I like to nibble on my sons potato chips. I like to spend money. I don’t need more on my list of things to do. However, everything fell into place when I did listen and now it all makes perfect sense. If I feel better, I do better on the job and have more zip to be with my family, friends and our community.
I’m a nurse so I know a lot about biology and the body. Yet all of the chapters written by the physician are brilliantly explained and anyone would benefit from a review. The chapters written by the patient are funny, no-nonsense, heart-felt and will change my life. Actually, it has already changed my life in a very short period of time.
What is the hardest for me is that I want to look younger next week, not next year. But I’ve been pacing myself in my aerobic work-out and weight lifting with my new heart monitor and I’m seeing a difference in how I feel. I’m enjoying it. I’m also beginning to understand why following the rules laid out in the book are as essential as doing any other part of my job. It is my role to stay active and hearty by delaying mental and physical aging. As ‘boomers’ we do want to stay, as Rod Stewart sang, ‘Forever Young.’
“But whatever road you choose,
I’m right behind you, win or lose.
Forever young. Forever young.”
I hope you choose the best option for you. And I hope to connect with you on our paths during our next thirty years.
View Stewart's 'Forever Young'
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