One of the problems of aging is getting old. While some people seem to get old
early in life, others age so gracefully they seem to be eternally young.
As the seasons change, we are once again reminded that there’s no time
like summer to test the limits of our youthfulness. While there are a million
ways to improve your looks on the outside, it is also critically important to
remain youthful and become even more beautiful on the inside. To improve the way
you feel on the inside, consider the following ideas.
·
It’s okay if you’re not perfect.
Who said we have to
be perfect all the time? Most of the time, you’re probably trying to do the
right thing. So why not do your best and get on with things? Several years ago,
a very wise friend of mine helped me to
get over striving to be perfect when he explained things from an
organizational perspective. He said that “when other people start to think
you’re perfect, they also start looking for all of your flaws!” Well, that cured
me.
·
Allow yourself to really
play! Many times we spoil the games we love when we
become obsessed with our score. This can happen in golf, Scrabble, bowling,
playing a musical instrument, or just about anything. Somewhere along the line,
we stop “playing” and start “performing”. Competition is a quick way to rob
ourselves of the fun. To counter this unnecessary loss, I recommend playing by
yourself, without keeping score and without judging yourself. Your spirit will
be enlivened as you remember what it feels like just to play.
·
It’s
okay to use cues in Sudoku.
Like so many others, I am hooked on Sudoku, the
number placement puzzles. But am I really alone in allowing myself to peek at
the back of the book when I get stuck?
Personally, I consider it like buying a vowel on Wheel of Fortune in
order to solve the puzzle. Sudoku is the wonderful combination of a math game
and brain massage. I like the challenge, I like the sense of accomplishment, and
I like the repetition. Why would I want to spoil my fun with frustration?
·
Take some time off every day.
Summer’s reputation suggests that it is a time to shift gears, to take life a
little slower, to play outside and make the most of our family time. Given the
scary and hectic year we have had, I’d like to think of summer as one of
nature’s gifts; an opportunity for time off in order to recharge our batteries
and resynchronize our family relationships. So shift gears, make dates with your
spouse, dates with your kids, make a list of family field trips and put them on
the family calendar.
There is another way to stay young on the inside that comes through redefining
how we think about ourselves. Not long ago, my favorite poet Maya Angelou shared
one of the secrets of her success. While many people get stressed out over
making a mistake or two and ruin their day with regret and endless thinking and
self-torture, Dr. Angelou stated
that ‘every day, she expects to make about 100 mistakes. So when at the end of
the day, she’s only made about 86 mistakes, imagine how good she feels!’ She
would consider that to be an excellent day!
©Copyright, 2011, Jane R. Rosen-Grandon. All rights reserved.
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