Living well and living long is not a race; it is daily aiming to be the best versions of ourselves. Sleep, nutrition, movement, stress management, and connection are the 5 big rocks to get dialed in. Having interviewed hundreds of experts, and thousands of people our age, consistently making purposeful decisions around these 5 areas is how we have seen people live well and live long. This was not really where my head was at 30 years ago. Luckily, we humans are teachable, and we can improve when we see better options.
The pursuit of living well is not about being perfect; let’s leave that for deities. We simply aim for the best we can do today, understanding that we are all different, and that what may be routine for some of us is a stretch for the rest of us. If we focus on our short falls, we can fall into the 3P trap of perfection-procrastination-paralysis. Every day there is at least one thing we can acknowledge to ourselves as having done in the interest of our wellbeing. Of course there are thousands of things we didn’t do — so what? It is like the baseball pitcher who throws a hundred incredible pitches and obsessively dwells on the one home-run hit. Our mental and emotional health, not to mention our relationships, will be much better served if we take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate what went well. Life can be hard enough on its own; there is no need to add to the burden by self-flagellating.
Reaching out to a friend, going for a walk, just feeling ourselves breathe, all count as wins. If you didn’t plan out that mission to Mars today, or whatever else was on your endless to-do list, it’s ok to leave that till tomorrow. You made it this far, which is pretty wonderful. Life is an amazing privilege; it can also be hard. Let’s focus on what we are doing right, what feels best for us, celebrate these wondrous creatures we have become, and share our joy freely with others.
Onward and upward,
David
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07/27/2023 AGEIST Magazine 352
The ideas expressed here are solely the opinions of the author and are not researched or verified by AGEIST LLC, or anyone associated with AGEIST LLC. This material should not be construed as medical advice or recommendation, it is for informational use only. We encourage all readers to discuss with your qualified practitioners the relevance of the application of any of these ideas to your life. The recommendations contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or stopping any treatment that has been prescribed for you by your physician or other qualified health provider. Please call your doctor or 911 immediately if you think you may have a medical or psychiatric emergency.
