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4 Ways To Improve Your Baby Boomer Life

4 Ways To Improve Your Baby Boomer Life

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IMG_0236With each new day I feel more and more lucky to be alive! I’m glad that I’m a Baby Boomer and still learning about life.  Yes, there are a few clouds around but look how green life is.  As I reduce my hours in Corporate America and have more time for myself, I’m learning to let go of and refocus some of my obsessions I’ve created while climbing the ladder.

Now it’s like opening a gate in my mind and throwing out the assumptions, bad habits, petty attitudes, judgements, goals that weren’t really mine, youthful obsessions and things that don’t mean as much to me anymore.  I’ve outgrown some of the superficial things and I’m learning to spend my time on things that have more meaning to me.  There’s less thinking about how much stuff I can accumulate.  I’ve realized having the biggest house on the block doesn’t really matter to me.  And, I’m remembering there are people in the world who are less fortunate than me and I might be able to make a positive impact on a few of them.  A poster reminds me, “There are people in the world who are happy with less than you have.”

Our society tends to think aging is a bad thing, filled with physical and emotional pain and unhappiness.  Is that the way you feel?  You don’t have to.  Helping yourself and others brings happiness to your heart and soul.

“It’s a very encouraging fact that we can expect to be happier in our early 80s than we were in our 20s,” Andrew J. Oswald, a professor of psychology at Warwick Business School, told the New York Times. “And it’s not being driven predominantly by things that happen in life. It’s something very deep and quite human that seems to be driving this.”

Throughout our mid life, the 30’s, 40’s and sometime into our 50’s we spend much of our daily lives doing tasks that we “have to do”.    This can be exhausting.  But, now it’s time for the real, authentic YOU to come out and show itself.  What does that look like?  Do you remember when you were the real you filled with excitement and be dreams.  Now is the time to find your real soul and spirit.  It may take time but it’s worth it, and now, you have more time for yourself.

One little trick to make sure you’re being you is, when you are doing something, working at a task, or doing anything, ask yourself:

1) Why am I doing this (task, project, whatever)?

2) Do I really want to do it?  Does it benefit me?

3) Am I enjoying it, does it make me happy, do I feel good doing it, does it give me energy?

4) Or, does it sap all the life out of me.  If this is your answer, it’s time to re-think how you’re spending your time.  Do things that feel good and excite you and make you and the world better.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you gained a little something while here.

Look forward to you sharing this, and coming back again.

Thanks, John

Egypt and the Flu

Egypt and the Flu

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Should I or Shouldn't I

(A note before we start.  I am very happy for the people of Egypt and their new found freedom.  Today, I am using their revolution as a metaphor for an unhappy or unfulfilled personal life.  I am in no way minimizing the importance of the revolution and comparing my plight to an entire country.)

The people of Egypt have been under the control of a dictator for decades.  During that time their lives have been controlled, their freedom denied, their daily options restricted and their hearts became heavy.

Much like the people of Egypt those of us who work in a corporate cubical, we too can feel controlled, living by the leaders rules, with no regard for our own personal needs and wants.  Under these circumstances our hearts become heavy and we become frustrated with pent up emotions and soon, our bodies start to show signs of stress and sickness.  In Egypt, a revolution released their frustration.  In our lives in a cubicle this frustration leads to sickness such as the flu.

During these times we can review our situation, decide what isn’t working for us, and plan a big, sometimes major, adjustment to our lives.   This is the time for inner reflection, then develop a long range life plan, gather our strength and take action.  Eventually, something “breaks”, in Egypt a revolution occurs, in our lives we get sick.

The flu hit me hard.  The cubicle stress finally became more than my body could fight off.  While throwing up and nursing my physical pains I used the time to evaluate my diet, my exercise  program (or lack of one) and my mental state of mind and compared my current life to the one I’d dreamed of.  Was I doing what I’d planned, what I love and was I doing what I needed to in order to have the life and retirement a want and deserve?  Apparently, I wasn’t because I was very sick.  Something had to change and quickly.

I spent the week taking care of my basic needs with rest, lots of hot tea and soaking in a hot tub with lavender salts.  It took a long time but it helped.  As I got stronger I began simple yoga moves and poses and meditation. During meditation I relaxed, healed my body and worked on my mind.

Through meditation I evaluated my current work situation and lifestyle.  I learned that I was allowing circumstances at work to make me overly stressed.  In turn, the stress caused me to come home at night and neglect my exercise and doing things, like photography and writing, that I’m passionate about.  In short, I was neglecting my inner spirit. I wondered if I should take the leap, like the duck in the photo and move on to better things and places.

In order to get better and be happier I used meditation and self affirmations to put my job into perspective.  I learned there are parts of my job that I like and I’m really good at my job overall.  I would no longer let this job define me.  I wrote affirmations focusing on the good things in my work and life and read them many times a day.  Soon  I was able to go to work, feeling good, and knowing this job is a necessary stepping stone to my long term life goals.  From that point on, work was a lot easier and I felt better. Then I was able to look deep inside and find the things I’m passionate about.  I found that I am most happy when helping others get the lives they want by writing articles like this and talking to people one on one or in small groups.  Also, I enjoy worldwide adventure and luxury travel and photography and being creative.

Knowing what motivates me and what I’m passionate about is a great relief, a great breakthrough for me and meant I now have something to build on and work for.  While recovering I set up and exercise plan, wrote a flight plan of how I’m going to get to a nice, comfortable retirement, in a great place where I can feed my creative spirit daily and be true to yourself.  From now on I’m living my plan daily and know that I will have the live I want.

The Revolution in Egypt and down time due to sickness such as the flu serve similar purposes, they are a chance to make major changes in our lives that puts us in the driver’s seat of our future.  In my situation, the flu started my own revolution and freed me from past constraints.  I hope you listen to your body because it’s talking to you everyday.  Find out what makes you feel good and passionate. Take care of your Mind, Body and Spirit.  Make a flight plan for your future and monitor your progress. Be happy and love your life.  Be a positive example for others.  Live long and love others.