For a Fulfilling Life Keep Your Mind Sharp and Your Body Strong
“Regular exercise activity can positively impact our physical health as well as our mental and emotional well-being. It can help give us more energy and greater self-confidence, enabling us to embrace our later years with gusto.”
Entry into Retirement
When I retired from full-time employment at 67 years old, I said to myself there are two things I need to keep in mind. One is to stay mentally active and the other is to stay physically fit.
After all, “if you don’t use it, you will lose it” applies to both our minds and bodies.
If you don’t use your mind, it begins to fail. Without regular physical activity, a person’s strength, stamina, and endurance are likely to diminish.
My Journey of Mind Engagement
Let’s start with the mind. Some seniors believe that solving word puzzles is the ticket. I view it as a brain teaser. It makes you recall what you know, but are you really putting your mind to work? In my view, the answer is no.
Some seniors believe reading is a way to stay mentally engaged. I would say reading fiction is fun and entertaining but it does not exercise mental acuity. However, if the reading is to study history, to learn a craft, to acquire a skill, or to perform new tasks, then I would say yes you are being mentally active.
Okay, I’m retired, now what? I don’t have any hobbies. What shall I do? Luck shined upon me. I was asked if I would like to work on Saturdays for a nonprofit flying organization performing administrative tasks.
Working Part-time for a Flying Organization
I quickly grabbed the opportunity. I was not a stranger to the environment because my husband was a private pilot member there. In addition, my two sons learned to fly and became private pilots there as well.
I had to learn the rules of operation for the organization, how to use the software to enter the pilots’ flights and become knowledgeable about the new membership process to explain it to prospective pilots. Several years later I became the newsletter editor.
I enjoyed interacting with the pilots and getting to know them. Pilots are generally detailed, a requirement of the profession. Some pilots are humorous while others are stoic.
The pilots vary in age from 21 to 95 years old. Occasionally, there are very young students learning to fly and are allowed to solo at the age of 16. A few of the younger pilots will work to achieve all of their ratings and become airline pilots. Then there are a few retired airline pilots who as members want to continue flying for enjoyment and perhaps also give flying lessons.
What’s Next, Writing?
After working for six years part-time, I decided it was time to go in a new direction. I asked myself, what direction? I really liked being the newsletter editor so I thought I should consider writing of some sort. I had no idea there were various types of writers. There are freelance writers, copywriters, technical writers, story writers, grant writers, marketing writers, blog writers, etc.
I seriously considered being a paid writer but that means meeting a schedule and the topic would probably be preselected. Hmm, is that what I want? I’m retired, I should now enjoy my free time. I do want my brain to be fully functional like a smooth-running engine.
Let’s see. I want to write for fun only part-time. I stumbled on the idea of blog writing. I like it! I guess I like it because it is short, and it can be on any subject my little old heart feels like writing about.
I discovered Medium. Here I am, writing and posting blogs on Medium for eight months now.
How to be Physically Fit?
Am I motivated enough to exercise with weights and watch YouTube exercises? No way.
I’m one who needs to be motivated in a group exercise class. Where shall I go? Well, this is a self-discovery process. I started out by going to the local senior center, next, I went to the local activity center, and then to an independent local fitness establishment.
Would you be surprised if I said I settled on my local senior center? It offers exercises for people over 50 years old so that you are not performing ultra-fast exercises geared for younger people, say 20 or 30 years old.
The icing on the cake is that the senior center has a coffee bar where people can meet to socialize. I must say since I’m not on a schedule, I enjoy chit-chatting with friends after exercising rather than going directly to and from an exercise class.
I can’t stress enough how great it feels to get out of the house, go somewhere to engage in physical activity, and socially interact. Not only do I maintain a positive mood but I am being good to my body.
Benefits of Exercising
Consider how your muscles will shrink and start to atrophy if you don’t exercise or work them. As we get older, our bodies will probably begin to complain, having this ache or that pain. However, I do believe we need to constantly exercise even if it is a small amount of movement.
Imagine your body to be like the irregular formation of unprocessed iron ore. The Blacksmith of Life uses trauma to forge you stronger by throwing challenge after challenge at you.
To produce your alloy, you have secret ingredients of carbon and earth. You get stronger every time the Blacksmith throws another obstacle at you and drags you back to earth.
Consider yourself a warrior on earth who possesses the strength to meet any challenge that life’s skirmishes, battles, and wars send your way. You strengthen your body to meet the adversary by practicing flexes, twists, and bends.
You are stronger knowing you can withstand and endure each time the Blacksmith pounds another challenge and dips you back into cold reality.
Words of Wisdom
Here’s a factual nugget presented by Brian Ford about your mind.
“If you don’t actively pursue creative thinking on a consistent basis, you will become less creative. And second, which may seem backward, is your energy. It takes energy to make energy, and being more active throughout the day actually helps you to be more energized. It’s not that you’re dipping into the well and pulling out finite resources, your creativity and energy are strengthened by being used.”
As Alexa Tucker says about your body,
Alexa further states that “no matter how important your goals are to you, it can still be difficult to motivate yourself to go to the gym or to give it your best effort.
But maintaining consistency is important, even when you really, really, really don’t feel like it, whether you’re trying to lose weight, train for a marathon, manage your stress, or any of the other good reasons to make fitness a part of your life.”
