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Bette Davis famously said, “Old age is not for sissies.” She was speaking about the indignities of aging.

Yes, I’m certainly feel the effects of aging on my physical self, and I must admit it isn’t easy getting older, watching your body going through its changes.

I love George Burns’ statement: “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.”

I’m always surprised when I see myself in a reflection, because what I see and how I feel doesn’t match. I don’t feel old at all.

The fascinating thing about my life now is that I have challenged myself to make the next 20 years the happiest yet. This is going to be my most testing quest ever.

And my pursuit is captured beautifully in Pablo Picasso’s quote: “It takes a long while to grow young.” In other words (my definition) as we move through the years, and we grow older we often lose the traits of the child we once were, and now we have to rediscover them when it counts most!

Even now, I can remember as a young boy waking up with optimism, with a sense of adventure, positive expectation, eagerness and joy. And this is my test right now to recapture those traits in full force. Nothing else will do it. Life is supposed to be fun, and I know that desire isn’t going to come cheap. And by that I don’t mean it will be hard work, blood sweat and tears, but rather the opposite!

What I’ve learnt, what I’m practicing, and what I’m teaching is:

  • Be a child and follow your impulses and listen to your heart. Let yourself be your own guide – take your own advice. When you listen to your heart, you have all of the wisdom of the Universe.
  • Stating your purpose is vital – knowing the what and the why gives you enormous clarity, which also helps to know what activities are most appropriate each step of the way.
  • Be aware of what you are doing on your journey. Are you clenching up, or are you calm? Are you constantly striving or are you easy-going? Are you sweating the small stuff or are you able to ‘let go’?
  • Be appreciative of everything! When you take things for granted and you give them less and less of your attention, they will disintegrate. Both relationships and things. So, make it a daily practice of yours to appreciation everything you ‘already’ have.
  • Be yourself and speak your truth because what I’ve found is when I do that, I give others the permission to be who they are and speak their truth. When we both do that we become more because we allow more of who we really are to flow through us

Taking the path that serves you most is not always the easiest, and the challenges you will encounter is what keeps you in a constant state of expansion.

So. I’m excited about today, tomorrow, and the future!

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” – Sophia Loren

Wise Guys

“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.” – Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.” – Samuel Ullman

“Youth may be wasted on the young, as George Bernard Shaw said, but I’m damned well not going to waste my old age, too.” – Nora Ephron