Category Archives: Age

True compassion means not only feeling another’s pain, but being moved to help relieve it

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“True compassion means not only feeling another’s pain, but being moved to help relieve it.”

—Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence Author

Image of three senior citizens at a sporting event

Image from Unsplash by Piliippe Leone

When I visit my 92-year-old dad in his assisted living community, he often says, Getting old is not for sissies! Before moving into this community, he lived with my mom in a senior community with about 15,000 other residents, living as happily and fully as possible.

As someone who tries to be mindful and observant of my surroundings, it is easy to see the various levels of physical and emotional pain most people experience. To my delight, I also observe tremendous compassion within these communities. It is common to see how the majority of the people do their best to help each other.

These efforts give them purpose and at least temporarily take their focus off of their own troubles.

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently moved to help relieve the pain others may be experiencing in your world? What one action can and will you take today to demonstrate a higher level of compassion?

Consider reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande to explore aging and how we can better support one another through this process.

We remain young to the degree that our ambitions are greater than our memories

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“We remain young to the degree that our ambitions are greater than our memories.”

—Dan Sullivan, co-founder of Strategic Coach

Image from Humanlongevity.com

How long do you expect to live?

Dan Sullivan, the co-founder of Strategic Coach, expects to live 156 years. Over the years, he has had a voracious passion for longevity and optimal health. In the Exponential Wisdom Podcast, he and Peter Diamandis explore where the world is headed by discussing cutting edge technologies and global trends.

Exploring topics such as gene editing, stem cells, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology, they look into the multi-disciplinary crystal ball of the future of health care. Peter Diamandis, founder of Human Longevity, Inc., expects to live 700 years. He is best known for his X-Prize Foundation and competition, and the commercialization of space. Sullivan and Diamandis encourage the rest of us to release the idea of traditional retirement. They council us to stay actively engaged in making our future ambitions far more extraordinary than our past.

EXERCISE:

Consider reading Peter’s book Abundance, or Dan’s book The Laws of Lifetime Growth, to help guide you to an even more extraordinary future.

Check out their podcast on this and other provocative subjects at exponentialwisdom.com

Friday Review AGE

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FRIDAY REVIEW: AGE

How youthful are you? What is your attitude toward aging? Here are a few age-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full messages.

 

“We are always the same age inside.”

 

 

 

 

“What becomes fragile when we age is not our bodies as much as our egos. The best time to take some daring steps is when we get older.”

 

 

 

 

“Youth is eternal to those with a curious, loving, joyous spirit.”

 

 

 

Loving Joyous Spirit

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“Youth is eternal to those with a curious, loving, joyous spirit.”

—Brendon Burchard, American Motivational Author

Image from Flickr by Jose Maria Cuellar

Image from Flickr by Jose Maria Cuellar

Our world celebrates youth. You need only pay attention to the vast number of marketing messages with which we are bombarded. All we need do is buy this cream, take that pill, eat this food, and engage in some form of turbo-charged workout, and we, too, will dodge the ravages of aging.

We all know that these strategies, at their best, can only modestly impact our lives, and drive many of us nuts in the process. Perhaps we should take Brendon’s coaching to assure we have an eternally youthful spirit.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you be more youthful and joyous through meaningful opportunities to learn, and to build more loving relationships?

You Can Change

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“You Can Change at Any Age.”

-Author Unknown

image from hundredjokes.blogspot.com

image from hundredjokes.blogspot.com

As many of you know, I work out at Lifetime Fitness most mornings. Of particular interest to me today were the number of seniors and super-seniors working up a sweat to continue their personal excellence journeys. Marvin, in his 80s, and Ann, in her 70s, are among the most inspiring examples.

Do you know anyone who believes and lives consistent with the phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? Perhaps even you believe this to some extent.

EXERCISE:

How can you fully embrace change at any age, to live a richer, more rewarding life? What change could you make today to kick-start making change a life-long habit?

“Life doesn’t have to be…”

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“Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.”

—Author Unknown

QC #844

I recently finished reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. This book focuses on issues regarding aging, the state of affairs of healthcare, and the quality of life—or lack thereof— that often results.

We’ve all heard the statement “no one ever gets out of this life alive.” Gawande points out our ability and responsibility to make sure we make our journey workable and wonderful, despite the imperfections and challenges we face.

EXERCISE:

If you or those you care about are experiencing the imperfection of our healthcare system as it relates to our aging society, consider reading this book. Where can you support yourself and others in having as wonderful a life as possible?

Never Quit

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“Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.”

—Douglas MacArthur, American five-star General and Field Marshal

My Dad, Marvin Demp

My Dad, Marvin Demp

I recently spent some time with my extended family in the Philadelphia area, due to the passing of my brother-in-law Arthur. One benefit of this sad time was the gathering of everyone to celebrate his remarkable life and to reconnect with one another.

During this time we visited with family from the age of one  – little Noah –  to my dad Marvin, age eighty-eight. Some of the discussions we had related to the changing phases in all of our lives, including a few wrinkles, an extra pound or two, and a little more grey hair.

I was delighted to see everyone still fully engaged in life — not a wrinkled soul in the bunch!

Exercise:

How can you stay fully engaged in your life, avoid wrinkles of your soul, and remain forever young – no matter what your age?

“We are always the same age inside.”

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“We are always the same age inside.”

– Gertrude Stein, American writer

Image of mother and daughter jumping

Image from Flickr by mikebaird

As I write this, I’m  in Florida with my dad and wife. I can’t believe how much self-reflection I’m doing as I observe everyone going about life as seniors and in many cases super-seniors.

Social clubs and activities abound, and I feel as if I’m in what my wife Wendy refers to as “winter camp”! Of particular note is the level of youthful spirit I see in those around me as I go to the gym, play golf, go out for meals with friends, attend shows and even go out for frozen yogurt at my normal bedtime back home!

These people are still very much the same age inside – and though time has provided a number of bumps that may slow them down a bit, their youthful zest for life keeps them looking forward to each new day.

Exercise:

Examine how your own external image of yourself reflects of your internal age. What thoughts do you have daily that reflect a significantly younger you?

Consider taking the Real Age test to compare your chronological age to what they describe as your “real age.”

Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower

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“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.”

—Albert Camus, 20th Century French Philosopher

Image of bright autumn leaves

Image from Unsplash be Val Vesa

Our society embraces youth, beauty, and vitality. These qualities seem to coincide with the spring and summer, where new growth begins and we bloom into our fullness.

As we age, we enter the autumn of our lives. I embrace the metaphor of leaves, in all their wondrous colors, being a second spring. With aging and life experience, we can discover new forms of inner beauty and wisdom.

Exercise:

How can you embrace every moment and every season of your life?

What beauty can you find in where you are and who you have become?