This third blog, the last in a series of three, pertains to modeling and motivational questions that are addressed in “It Has Nothing To Do With Age.”
A few words about beginning to exercise by walking. Remember, per Ellis and Harper do not rely on your feelings to determine if you should go outside and begin walking. Challenge the “I don’t feel like it” and replace the thought with “I’ll wager that when I go outside and begin walking, I’ll feel better.” Further, begin walking and remember that it is okay to stop and smell the flowers, watch the birds, and enjoy the fresh air. The main thing is to employ the catchy Nike commercial “Just Do It. “
Regular exercise is important and the key word is consistency. Swimming, aerobics, tai chi, yoga, and gardening are good for you. Also, consider weight resistance training to help build bone muscle density which is important in preventing falls and fractures.
Let’s change society’s view of us. Go to the Kevin Spacey movie “Pay It Forward.” Then challenge your irrational thinking and change your behavior in the direction of leading a healthier and fulfilling lifestyle. Recruit two family members or friends and teach them by becoming a model. Then encourage them to do the same with their family and friends .Hopefully, by starting with a base or at the ground floor we can spread and challenge society’s unflattering perception of us and the process of aging.
The idea of taking control of our mental and physical well-being is illustrated in my book “It Has Nothing To Do With Age.” I illustrate how I was able to transform my life from a burned-out Psychologist to a healthy ultra athlete as a result of becoming involved in the little known sport called ride and tie .Through this sport, I met other older individuals that pushed their physical, mental and emotional limits to new frontiers in grueling events.
I addressed the question “Why?” Why do older men and women continue to compete at extraordinary levels? Why do they put up with self inflicted pain, discomfort, and even injury? Why did these people push themselves to points of exhaustion? Why did they choose these extreme physical sports? Why do they consider themselves youthful? Why is being future oriented necessary? Why is goal setting important? Why do these individuals find it difficult to quit these activities? How much of a factor is one’s local environment to success? What is the correlation between family, parents, friends and achievement? Motivational factors such as competitiveness, achievement, affiliation, the fear of failure and aggression were considered. Was it simply ego? Do you have to be retired in order to find success?
In reading my book you will find the answers to these questions as well as learning about interesting people through their inspirational stories. A conclusion you may come to is that aging doesn’t have to be an excuse for all the possibilities that are open to you to improve your health and lifestyle.
1 comments:
Frank, you are a living testimony that it has nothing to do with age. As we age, we do become more susceptible to falls and injury and we have to constrain our activities based on our health, but our attitudes and our desires to succeed are not limited by age. The important thing is that we do what we can. That we stop and smell the flowers. That we explore the world around us. That we live live to the fullest, not on the couch but out in the world!
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