Secrets....

Along the same lines, have you seen "The Secret"? You can order the DVD online on my Squidoo lens, and I tell you...if you work at home, work outside the home, have any relationships in your life, or have always wondered why there are others who seem to "have it all" while you're just plugging away at life, I can't urge you enough to get the DVD yourself and watch it at least once a week for the next six weeks!
There's a lot of motivational books and tapes out there, but this one has got to be on the top of my list. If you really want to age gracefully and live life, get the "Secret" insight of what others who are highly successful do to be so "graced".
My team has been having a Saturday morning class just on "The Secret". We have an exemplary team leader that has put together life lessons and assignments from the DVD. It's amazing to hear the changes in others' lives that I have been working with for some time. The Secret is the reason for the change!
Happy, successful, motivated, contented, positive...does this sound like you? If so, you have probably been exposed to many of the "Secrets" of life before. If not, then...what are you waiting for? Get that DVD or go watch it right now! There's some books on my Squidoo site that you also might enjoy...check them out and order right there on my site! Get busy and do it...just might change your life like it has millions of others!

Failing Forward and Aging

I recently read John Maxwell's "Failing Forward". What a motivational book! I invite you to apply the principles he uses. The subtitle is "turning mistakes into stepping stones for success". How many of us wish we could do that? What mistakes have you made that you would give just about anything to undo?


The point he makes over and over again is that WE cause ourselves so much pain and grief by living and re-living these mistakes in our minds over and over and over...causing much of our own heartache. We have to reach outside ourselves and find lessons, then take them to heart...and then, and only then are we able to finally lay the mistake to rest and move on.


It's all in how we look at experiences that affect our futures. If we fixate on particular events (and who is ever fixated on something good?), we need to focus on the LESSON rather than the FAILURE. Everyone has negative things happen to them, but Maxwell says that if we act negatively, then continually replay these events in our minds...that is what causes failure...and more failures heaped on top of that one!


Maxwell talks about Thomas Edison (remember that he failed so many times that it's nearly un-countable!) by saying that Edison believed that failure is actually conceit. "People don't work hard because in their conceit, they imagine they succeed without ever making an effort." I have seen this so many times with girls and guys that want to work from home. They love the idea of working with a team of successful people, but they forget that one little "four letter word"...WORK.


So, what does all this have to do with aging gracefully...or not at all? Well, if we have a happy, positive outlook on life, it can't help but give us positive, energizing thoughts. Those thoughts have magic! In our appearance, in our carriage, and actually CAUSE us to feel successful and contented. If you don't believe me, then you need to read more, and hey...get the DVD "The Secret" and then we'll talk!

Reminiscing and Recollections

I was working today on my Squidoo Lens and started recalling all the neat old stuff that we women are prone to remember. Stuff like first dates, dances at school, what I wore to my "first prom", college frat parties, junior high fashion (LOL) and started thinking about how many changes we have had in not just our outlook on life, but on our way of thinking!
Do you remember how sure you were in High School that you could change the world? How absolutely certain our whole generation was that we knew it all and would make a difference?
What do you think now? Do YOU feel that we have done what we set out to do? I am interested in hearing your thoughts.
What about the impact we've had? Do we still have a chance to change things? Should we try? What have been our best accomplishments? Where did we leave our footprints in the sand? Will someone remember us? Is that important to you?
I believe we HAVE changed much of the world...some things are much better, others probably aren't. Space travel has opened up a whole new universe for us. Is the world ready? By that I mean, is the world "grown up" enough to accept the idea of planetary travel? Do you think it is possible in our lifetime? What about music? NO ONE can say we didn't leave an impact there! Religion. How has our search for answers impacted the world's religions? Spirituality. Do you think we as a group are more spiritual or less?
Work. WOW. Away back when, women stayed home, then we all decided we were good enough to work, just like the men. Has that affected our homes and families? Is that why there's such a trend to work at home? Moms are finding that leaving their babies to be raised by sitters and daycares may not be the best thing for the family. How does this affect the entire population? Will we eventually all be working at home, except for the "menial" laborers that have to run the retail stores? Or, will we just all buy online and do away with malls?
Do you see what we have left our children as a good legacy or bad...or somewhere in between?

You're only as old as you FEEL?

Well, I suppose that may be true...we've all heard it enough anyway! Did you ever see a 60-year-old that you thought was over 80? About one that you thought "might be" 40-or-so? Why do you suppose that's the way it works? Good genes or good JEANS?
Did you know that people that are active actually age less? Then, why is it that so many of us are unhealthy, inactive, couch potato types? Is exercise a "four-letter" word?
Only one in five New York adults engages in the regular and sustained physical activity that is needed to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and other health problems which lead to premature death or disability (according to a recent joint CDC and New York State Health Department survey).
So, you don't live in New York so you don't have to worry, right? Well...NOT. What's the big deal about exercising anyway? Why do so many people hate it so much? It's NOT fun? Nah...we are just too busy to be bothered! That's for "older" people that "need" it...girls, that's US! Horror! We're getting there and we're UNhealthier than our parents were at our age, even though we are gonna live LONGER!

Regular physical exercise can:

• Reduce your level of anxiety (there's that STRESS level again).
• Help you manage stress more effectively.
• Improve your positive self-esteem and confidence (motivation and confidence again).
• Help alleviate depression (poor me).
• Improve your appearance (beauty tips, too!).
• Help you relax (aahhh...a great massage).
• Combat the likelihood of many degenerative problems (UNhealthiness).
• Improve your overall quality of life (now you're talkin').
• Teach you about goal setting and dedication (and get rid of that J.O.B., too!).
• Assist in efforts to stop smoking (even though I do, I am planning to quit stinkin' up the environment soon).
• Help to relieve and prevent migraine headache attacks.
• Help you sleep more restfully (and I have a snorer to live with, too!).
• Help improve your immune system (better energy levels, etc.).

The all-important first step...get off the couch and outta the house! Walk the dog, go walk around your yard, clean up the toilets...MOVE IT or lose it, as they say. More tips and some fabulous info at AHealthCafe. They offer free seminars and newsletters...check it out.

If YOU'RE older, how about your PARENTS?

Boy, I tell you! Today I received a 5:00 am call from my elderly (96, yes he's old enough for my grandfather) father. He said that he needed help...apparently he and my mother had both fallen, but Mother was in bad shape. So, hubby and I threw on some clothes, ran to their home, and checked out what had happened.
Do you watch horror movies? That's what came to mind when I saw my sweet (88 yr. old) mom. She had fallen and cut a really bad gash in her forehead and one at the corner of her eye. Poor thing. I took her to the ER for stitches. Nasty stuff, that.
What does one do when their loving parents are the ones that need to be cared for just like a small child? Has anyone had any experiences they'd like to share, or even questions? I'd love to start a discussion on parenting the parents. Maybe a new blog is in the wings?
I have made a searching and fearless decision (finally, after 2 years of agonizing and checking out various options) to add on a new wing to my house. They have to be taken care of, and we simply don't have the room in our current home. Rather than taking on a HUGE added expense of building a new home right now, we have decided to give my parents the old wing and build a new one for us. That means that I will now have "big kids" underfoot all day 24/7/365. Pretty scary stuff. Not sure if I am ready for that type of commitment, but, hey, they ARE my parents and did pretty well by me.
I've searched out all kinds of things, and this seems to be the best for us right now. If you have any links or ideas to share, LET ME KNOW!