CHOOSING TO EVOLVE vs GETTING OLD

Every single one of us (if we are fortunate to be blessed with longevity) has the CHOICE to determine how our lives will evolve from our working years to our retirement years. Health certainly plays a major factor which contributes to our physical and mental capabilities and sometimes imposes unfortunate compromises on these choices. To a large extent, our willingness to assume responsibility and live a lifestyle designed to maintain a healthy body and mind provide greater opportunities as we head into retirement.

I recently saw an article entitled, “Tech Aid For Retirees.” I started to laugh when I saw the picture that accompanied this article.

It made me begin to realize the mindset our society has constructed when envisioning the aging process. When a pill box is considered a “tech aid” for retirement, we have created a VISION of sickness and dysfunction for those living in this age category. WHY? Are those in there 60’s or 70’s or even their 80’s supposed to assume life has lost its joy because we no longer function as we did in our 20’s and 30’s? Does age in and of itself remove the qualities and values in life we have lived and believed in? Where does this notion come from that “SENIORS” can only experience a “limited” lifestyle because their chronological years prevents them from achieving a truly satisfying one?

My blog site is called, “All About Healthy Choices.” The articles I write share concepts, ideas and solutions to achieving the quality of life DESIRED. You can’t buy it; you can’t simply read about it.

Quality is achieved by LIVING IT!

.

It’s about making choices; some of which are pleasurable and some of which aren’t. It’s about understanding the decisions we make TODAY, DRAMATICALLY affect the lifestyle choices of TOMORROW.

I have always believed in the philosophy, “if you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably RIGHT!” If you think and believe the pillbox is the future exciting “technology” you look forward to, it probably will be. If instead, you envision a life of experiences filled with activity and shared with people that bring love and meaning to your life, this becomes an alternative possibility as well.

Now I’m not saying that a happier life comes from clicking your “red shoes of glitter” (The Wizard of Oz) three times and making a wish. It requires work, effort, the willingness to LEARN and the willingness to incorporate the various components necessary to achieving and maintaining a healthy body and mind. It takes discipline and willpower, but most importantly it takes a MIND that can remain FOCUSED on the BIG PICTURE to provide the incentive to get beyond the recurring obstacles in our way.

 

Do we want to envision the last 10, 20, 30, or even 40 years of life lying in a recliner having our meals and pharmaceutical “desserts” brought to us as we watch TV to take “hours off the clock” not knowing what day it is or what’s happening outside our windows? Are we planning to use these years researching ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES because our families are no longer be able to take care of our physical and medical needs. Folks, this is REALITY, IF we don’t decide to take the NECESSARY STEPS to increase our chances of creating an alternative and more fulfilling outcome!

WILL YOU CHOOSE

TO EVOLVE

OR

SIMPLY GROW OLD?

Tags: aging, alternatives, attitude, emotions, happiness, health, lifestyle, quality of life