Owning is owing, having is hoarding”. This quote by Úrsula Guin has been on my mind lately. Over the last six months, I’ve been thinking hard on how to downsize what is 30+ years of collecting, storing and holding onto things. It is a bit overwhelming to come up with a system of how best to do this while managing a business and the rest of my life. Guess what? I have less than 6 months to make this happen…
Since the pandemic, my stress levels have made me rethink how I want to live the rest of my life and how best can I manage aging in the healthiest way possible. This of course requires making significant behavior changes as well as being more informed about your body and emotional state of mind. I recently caught the BA4 COVID strain and even though I am fully vaccinated and boosted, it was indeed a bad flu experience that I would not wish on anyone. Over the last 6 months, I read several books, magazines and articles on self-care intending to build a wellness plan for me in this post pandemic era. Here is what I have learned …
As I become a year older this March, now my 69th birthday, I am a bit perplexed at how fast time moves and changes who we are. None of us are quite the same person we were a year, 5 years, 10 years ago. We keep changing and adapting our minds and bodies without realizing it. Frankly, I don’t feel 69 and I kind of don’t enjoy being called a senior unless there is a good discount for it. I remember not making a big to do about birthdays. In fact, many birthdays I would just go about my workday, not paying much attention to this yearly ritual. But……
I have over 100 apps on my iPhone of which I probably use less than 25 of them in any one year. Why so many? Well, most are free. Somehow my brain tells me I just may need that app one day and, in some cases, that is actually true. Every year there are thousands of mobile apps being developed by companies, inventors and even teenagers that address just about anything you can think of. From video games to health care, travel, retail, leisure, banking we have become addicted to using our mobile devices in better managing our lives.
Every year, most of us ponder about what will be different beginning January 1st. Is this the year where you will finally experience a breakthrough in what is holding you back? Have you given much thought to what the next 10 years of your life may look like? If not, I want to challenge you (at any age) to reflect on what will make this year that different and on a pathway to self-discovery. As we age, the pathway in front of us will become shorter than the pathway behind us. There is so much we all want to do, yet time is not as abundant as one hopes.
If you are planning to travel domestically or internationally, there are a number of essential items that will make your trips stress-free, worry- free and enjoyable. Whether you are on a two or eight-hour plane ride, endlessly waiting at the airport, relaxing at the hotel and finally hanging out at the beach, pool or the bar we all need special travel gear to get through the days and the week. Here is my list of travel essentials in time for planning your next trip…….
Podcasts are the new thing to binge on. They are the perfect companion for your next long ride, plane trip, daily walks or running trails. I discovered podcasts as an alternative to channel surfing and to embellish my daily walks, thanks to COVID. Just one minor problem to contend with…there are thousands of podcasts to choose from and never enough time to listen to those on your playlist. As summer approaches there are more opportunities to be outdoors as restrictions are lifted. It safe to assume that many of us plan to getaway so why not try adding podcasts to your daily or weekly routine and travels?
Podcasts have become a recent wave for listening to conversations on just about anything. No surprise to learn that these two iconic personalities, former President Obama and Bruce Springsteen (the Boss), would engage in this new venture with a little help from Spotify and their genuine friendship. These are two people that I truly admire, and so not listening was never an option. Putting aside whatever your politics are, I found their dialogue, insights, and the ride down memory lane super entertaining. If you are a Boomer, it will definitely resonate with you, if not, it becomes a lens to view contemporary history, worthy of your time. Here is what I most enjoyed about the podcast….
Before I knew the world was going to shut down, I had already planned to launch my blog on my birthday in March and with some consternation there really was no turning back. A year later, I celebrate my blog’s first anniversary with a great deal of optimism. Not fully understanding what I was committing to, one unexpected benefit has been the sharpening of my discipline skills to stay on course. The pandemic clearly played a role in derailing many of the topics that I was hoping to cover through my travels. Nonetheless, I feel a sense of accomplishment as I share with you the ups and downs of committing to a blog, lessons learned, and next steps into the future.
In search for a cocktail recipe (preferably with Tequila) to celebrate a Covid inspired birthday/anniversary I came across this book of which upon opening it I assumed it would mostly be a collection of cocktail recipes. Little did I know that Ms. Ivy Mix was about to take me on a journey through all of Mexico, the Caribbean and South America on the history and culture of the makings of Tequila, Mezcal, rum, cachacas, pisco and many other Latin-based spirits derived from agave, sugarcane and grapes. If you love exploring the world of cocktail mixology, this book will open your eyes to new spirits less known in the US yet worthy of your taste buds.
