Let's end April with positive and encouraging words. People over the age of 50 who are still going strong and have positive attitudes about growing older have a lot to say. We can learn from others who are going through life with us.

Henry David Thoreau said "None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." I have to agree. If you have lost your enthusiasm for life, then you have not aged well. 

Enjoy!

Paula Deen:     I am so blessed. I've been way over-blessed. At 64 years old, I look forward to going to bed every night so I can wake up in the morning and see what blessing is going to come my way that day. Because you never, ever know what God's got in store for you.
        (My take: This is my thoughts exactly, never give up on yourself or God's future plans for you. For in giving up you miss out on the best to come. Get up every morning and look for the blessings of that day!)

Marie Osmond:     I feel blessed - I am a woman who has been able to work in the entertainment business for five decades. I don't want to age, but I would never take back a year for the wisdom I've gained in that time.
        (My take: Wisdom is a gift and a blessing. Some wisdom is only possible to gain with age. No one wants to get old, but the wisdom we gain from those years is really valuable.)

Mary Kay Ash:   We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don't know where you're aiming, you don't have a goal. My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared.
        (My take: You are never too old to set a new goal in life. Setting goals and working towards them helps keep our brains young and our emotional health in good condition. Goals do not have to be big, just something that matters to you.)

Maya Angelou:    My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
        (My take: There's a big difference in living and surviving. I choose living. Merely surviving is a boring way to live your life. Live it with passion, compassion, humor, and a lot of style!)

Barbara de Angelis: No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning.
        (My take: There is only one you. No one can do what you do or can do it the way you do it. Someone may do something similar in a simliar way, but never exactly like you. 😊 You are valuable no matter how old or what your circumstances.)

Ava Gardner:    The truth is, honey, I've enjoyed my life. I've had a hell of a good time.
        (My take: I think this is  pretty straight forward. 😊 We should all feel like we have had a good time living and enjoyed our life.)

Jimi Hendrix:    You have to forget about what other people say, when you're supposed to die, or when you're supposed to be loving. You have to forget about all these things.
        (My take: When you slow down is YOUR call! How you are supposed to feel is your call. If you feel loving - then feel loving. Forget what everybody else says, it's YOUR life, not theirs.)

Hope you  find encouragement in these thoughts by people who are in the over 50 years. Some are way over 50 or at least they were over 50 when they made the quote. When you're right, you're right whether you're still living or not. 😊  
 
Embrace your age. Set your own goals, live the life you choose. Don't let others tell you how to live your life. Stay active, engaged, and involved. You have wisdom and experience. You are in control!

Did you find any inspiration in any of these quotes? Do you look for opportunities to learn and grow with each passing year? Tell me your thoughts, share them in the comments, they may help someone else.

XOXO

"Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard."
​- Paul McCartney -

A lot of people are working hard just to pay for a roof over their head and buy food. Many retirees are struggling with financial instability based on fluctuating returns on their 401K or IRAs and no increase in social security benefits this year. This is a rough time, to say the least.

Heidimarie Schwermer died March 23 at the age of 74 . If you don't know who she is, don't feel alone. I didn't either until I read about her death and now I wish I heard about her sooner. Heidimarie was a German psychotherapist who made a decision in her mid fifties to live without money. She spent 20 years as a teacher while raising her two children, changed careers and then retired as a psychotherapist. She died after a battle with cancer.
Heidimarie spent time in her later years traveling to spread her story of how she managed without money. She wanted to teach others not to let money rob them of what was important in life. She spread the message that obtaining more possessions actually robs us of our relationships and our freedom. We become controlled by our money, trying to maintain a certain lifestyle that is actually making us less and less happy. Since she gave up money, she claimed her relationships benefited and her connection with humanity grew.
She was asked how she survives. Where did she live? Who pays her bills? Living with other people temporarily, often house sitting in return for a place to sleep and food. Everything she owned and needed was in two small suitcases. She was never left to sleep on the streets or live as a homeless person.
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Her story can be seen here in a 52 minute documentary about her life: https://vimeo.com/21063795
She also has a Ted Talk here:  https://youtu.be/i1rTu_cOT5k

So, could you live without money? Could you give up your home, your bills, your bed? The message of Heidi was not that she was advocating that everyone does what she is doing, but that people would realize that living with less is actually living with more. Spending more time with family and friends instead of working the overtime required to pay for the too large house or the yearly new car upgrade. Choosing family meals cooked at home rather than eating out in fancy and expensive restaurants. 
Some of us, as retirees, may have no choice but to live more frugally. It may be a requirement due to the amount of money we now have to live on. We no longer work, so we can no longer put in extra hours to make more money. Our incomes are fixed or at least less than they once were. 

How do you feel about this? Do you think of your limited income and get depressed? Do you accept it and make the best of it? Have you found new ways to make your money go farther? Do you spend more quality time with your family rather than spend money on them? 

What is more important in your life? Money or people? Sometimes the answer is people and yet, we send money for birthdays instead of going to see them for their birthdays, we act as banks for our grown children in order to maintain contact with them (If they need money, they call. If they don't need money, you never hear from them), and we do other things that show our priority in life is being sure we have money.

I could not live as Heidimarie. Although it sounds intriguing, adventurous, and even a bit romantic, it's not for me. I live in America where I have to pay for my own healthcare. In Germany, Heidimarie had "free" healthcare (if there is such a thing as free) and a safety net of a government pension. However, her message of living more on less has always been my mantra. I don't need name brand clothes to feel important. In fact, I wear a limited number of outfits over and over. I cook at home whenever I am home, and when I do eat out, I do not like to spend an enormous amount of money at a high end restaurant  when I can eat well at a lower end one.
As a result, I have saved some money that has come in handy to help others out when they need it. Not for frivolous things, but for medical or physical needs, not wants. When I spend time with my children, it's not to provide gifts, but to provide my love and attention. If I take my granddaughter a gift, which I try to do each time I travel the two and half hours to see her, it's something small or something I made for her. I may pick up something at the dollar store and she is thrilled to receive it. The idea is not the size or expense, she is thrilled that I just remembered her and I have come to see her.
That's part of the reason I write product reviews and emphasize that spending a lot of money on high-end products is not necessary. I may not be Heidimarie Schwermer, but in my own small way, I want to help others learn how to spend less money on products they use.
No matter how much or how little money we have, we can survive if we develop a healthy attitude about money.

Do you control your money or does your money control you? If you have family, do they contact you when they need something or just because they miss you? Could you live without money like Heidimarie did? 

XOXO

The internet and other media are full of stories, studies, and articles about the benefits of coconut oil. The claims are numerous as to it's health benefits.

There are many uses for coconut oil, but I personally love it as a moisturizer. I use it on my arms and legs a couple of times a week (would be more, but I get in a hurry and forget to use anything sometimes) and it makes a difference in the texture of my skin. My husband works outside a lot (we have a small farm) and his hands were always rough no matter what hand cream or lotion he used. I kept telling him to try coconut oil and one day he did. He now uses it everyday and I feel the difference it has made to his farm hands. One of my friends uses it as a facial moisturizer every day and she loves it.

Last summer we celebrated my granddaughter's birthday at the beach. Everyone got there four days before my husband and I. My son-in-law was already sun-burned when we got there. He was going to stay in for a day or two because it hurt so bad. I gave him some coconut oil and the next day his skin was less red and he actually felt like getting back out on the beach again (this time with lots of sun screen). 

 "Coconut oil is used in many natural beauty products, and for good reason: It's naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal. Coconut oil for skin is an excellent moisturizer."
 - Prevention.com article dated December 19, 2014   by Siobhan O'Connor

Another thing I love about it is that my young granddaughter can use it on her dry skin by herself and I don't have to worry about chemicals or additives, if she forgets and rubs her nose or touches her mouth, nothing bad is going to happen. 

I recommend coconut oil for a moisturizer if you have reactions to certain chemicals in lotions and creams. As long as you don't have an allergy to coconuts.I did when I was young, but I guess I outgrew that allergy as I can eat and rub coconut products on my skin without any side effects now. I love coconut cream pie and coconut cake, oh and Almond Joy, too!

DISCLAIMER NOTE: It has been said that coconut oil can be used for any number of ailments, such as heart disease, alzheimers, and weight loss. I can't address those. To use coconut oil for anything other than a food or skin moisturizer is up to your own research. According to Webmd.com, these claims have no research to back them up and are probably not true. I am only writing about what I have found that works for me, my family, and a few friends using it as a external moisturizer.

Let's go KOO-KOO for COCONUT OIL!

Do you use coconut oil for anything? Have you tried it as a moisturizer? If so, how is it working for you? If you haven't tried it, are you going to try it now?

XOXO

"Do not call the inability to start laziness, call it fear. Use love for your artist to cure the fear."    
-  Julia Cameron -
​
Having a hobby or a creative outlet is crucial to growing older happy and content. I believe that people with a hobby are happier, worry less, and are more content with their future than those who don't have a hobby. While spirituality is vitally important to healthy aging, we shouldn't underestimate the value of a creative outlet. It can be cooking, sewing, gardening, art, fitness, anything that brings us joy and keeps our minds engaged in a positive way. If you don't have a hobby now, find one. 

A couple of years ago I found a book about unblocking your creativity. The name of the book was "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. Julia takes the reader through twelve weeks of recovery from a blocked or unrealized artist to a thriving creative soul. It may help you find your creative side.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book the first time I read it and worked through the twelve weeks.
While I don't agree with every spiritual belief she presents, I do find value in reading her beliefs and comparing them to my own. The tasks at the end of each chapter (or week) are thought provoking and often challenging. It's a good book to reignite your creativity or help you find your creative self.

So, I just finished my second reading of the book and working through the twelve weeks for the second time. This time was even better, because it reinforced what I had learned about myself the first time I worked the book. One thing has stood out as very important to me - one thing that makes the whole process worth it - the morning pages.
The morning pages are three pages of free writing I do every single morning of every day. I get out of bed, grab my cup of coffee or hot tea, gather my notebook and pens, and then sit in silence for about thirty minutes and write. Just writing, writing about anything that comes into my mind. I even write about nothing if that's what I feel like writing about. It's extremely therapeutic.
I have learned through this writing process, that if you literally "brain dump" everything on your mind first thing in the morning, it clears your mind to accept what the day will bring. Before I started keeping morning pages, I would wake up with something on my mind and it would stay with me all day. Depending on what it was, it would also control my thoughts for the day. Now when I get it off my mind and onto paper first thing in the morning, it's done with, I am finished thinking about it. It's like sitting in a therapist's chair and pouring your heart out except it's a lot cheaper and no one knows what you are writing except you (and God).

There are four basic parts of the twelve week program:
1.    Reading the chapters.
2.    Writing three pages first thing every morning - The Morning Pages
3.    Tasks - at the end of each week's chapter to be done throughout the week.
4.    Artist's Dates - time set aside each week just for you to explore your world, your creativity, or what ever strikes your fancy. (Can be 15 minutes to as long as you need, but should be done alone.)

Within each chapter you will sometimes find extra work you can do. I call this 'extra credit'.  It may be completing a sentence, making a list, or just thinking over a specific topic.

Once you have completed the twelves weeks, if you have put the work into it, you should feel more confident in your creativity, more peace in your daily living, and maybe some other benefit that only applies to you. The first time I worked the book, I was fired up and ready to do all sorts of things and I followed through on most them. I finished my granddaughter's Napsack for preschool, a quilt, three paintings, and several ink drawings. Then as I let my morning pages fall off, my creativity fell off, too.
This time, I want to continue to work the morning pages. I intend to make them a regular part of my morning routine. There is real value in writing your thoughts down each and every morning...even if you burn them afterwards.😊

Do you have a hobby? Are you retired and participate in your hobby regularly? Do you find it has a positive effect on your emotions and satisfaction with life? Have you read "The Artist's Way"? Did you work the program? Do you still do the morning pages? How did the program help you? If you haven't read the book, are you going to try? It doesn't help everyone or everything, but it helps a lot of people and I really like it. Give it try!

XOXO

​A dear friend gave me this poem on Sunday. She liked it and thought I would, too. She was right, I like it - a lot! If you read it quickly, you might miss the important stuff. So I am going to go over it again, really slow and add a little to it. It has a great message if you take time to really think about it.

What is your life? A burden? A joy? A hardship? A journey? 
​
⦁    Life is an Opportunity - Benefit from it! If you wake up each morning then you have another opportunity to make that day count. You can use each day anyway you want, but if you waste it, you can't get it back. There is not a bank of unused days where you can make a withdrawal when you need one. When you go to sleep that night, whatever you did with your day is done and can not be undone.  Every day is an opportunity to be all you can be in whatever circumstances you are in. Make the most of it and benefit from it.
What are some of the benefits you can enjoy by making the most of your days? You gain quite a lot actually:
            -  Satisfaction in the accomplishments of the day.
            -  A boost to your self-esteem in knowing that you were able to do more with your day than you thought.
            -  Added years to your life. If you stay active and engaged in life, you will be adding years to your life by keeping your mind and body in motion.
            -  You will be healthier. If stay engaged in your life and active, you won't have time to feel "sorry for yourself" for your age, health, or circumstances. You will find  that you may even forget how old you are and feel a lot younger. If you sit around waiting to die, you are lowering your good hormones and peptide hormones called endorphins leading to more illness and depression.
            -  Your quality of life will improve. If you stay involved with others, you will find that you will be happier, healthier, and feel younger.
- Many, many more benefits...unlimited!

Enjoy and Learn!

⦁    Life is Beauty - Admire it! Life is a beautiful thing. The world around us is a beautiful place. If you fail each day to see the beauty of life and the world we live in, you have lost an incredible opportunity that you can not get back. Look at your life - no matter what your circumstances you are beautiful. God made you in His image, you are beautiful because God is beautiful. Look at your heart, is it beautiful? If not, then work on it. The earth is full of beautiful things, birds that sing, varieties of flowers and trees and other plants, the clouds in the sky are never the same - they are constantly changing and full of beauty. Think about all the varieties of birds...life is beauty and to take it for granted is a waste. Try to find at least one beautiful thing each day to admire. (You'll find more than one if you just take time to look!)

⦁    Life is a Challenge - Meet it! If you played sports you know that it doesn't matter if you think you can really win or not, you don't ever go out to play with the attitude of losing - not ever! You always go out with the hope of winning. If you win, you succeeded. If you lose, you still succeed! How? Because you rose to the challenge and met it. You didn't sit out and say, we can't win so I'm not playing this time. You got in the game and played your heart out until it was over. Who wants to watch a football game with one team sitting on the sidelines waiting for the game to be over because they just knew they would lost? No one! That's life, too. We don't always win, we don't always lose, but if we sit on the sidelines we can't even say we met the challenge of life. There is satisfaction is meeting a challenge whether you win or lose. If your health is bad, rise up and meet the challenge to try to get healthier and be as active as you can. Don't sit on the sidelines of your own life!

⦁    Life is a Duty - Complete it! To win a game of football, you have to finish the game. You can't get ahead by a few points and then say, it's over in the middle of the third quarter. The game is not over and the winner is not a winner until both teams finish the game. We all have a "duty" to live our lives as productive, happy, and spiritual as we can. We must live all the way to the end of our life if we hope to reap the rewards of our life. 

⦁    Life is a game - Play it! It may not seem like a game at times, but if you really put it all in perspective, life is a lot like a game. We are faced with challenges, choices, and then we either win or lose based on our choices. Don't sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else play the game of life, get in the game. Be proactive. If you have a challenge, think about all the choices you have and the possible outcomes and then make your move. Don't close you eyes and make choices by spinning a bottle, tossing a coin, or worse, let someone else make your decisions. If you fail to make your own decisions, someone will be happy to do it for you - but you may not like their choices.

⦁    Life is a blessing - Be thankful for it! I have witnessed people who are so busy earning a living or dealing with things that could actually wait till another time, that they forget to live the life they have been given. Life is about living. Yes, we have to make money to provide for ourselves and our families, but we should never forget the personal connections we share. If you put work ahead of family and friends, you will find yourself a lonely person one day. Be thankful everyday that you woke up in the morning and have been given another day to show love to the people you love and receive love from the people who love you. Be thankful for every day that you are breathing and living. As long as you are breathing, you are not done!

Think on these things "...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if these be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8.

You only get one life. You only get one chance to experience and explore all the world has to offer. Life is a gift, no matter what your circumstances are. You life could be an encouragement to someone else who has the same circumstances as you. You could be an example to someone of how to live a good life.

Do you appreciate the life you have been given or do you complain every morning when the alarm goes off? Think about those who can't hear that alarm because they are in the ground. Do you play the game of life and are you thankful for the blessing of life? If you are dealing with a difficult illness or situation in your life, but you have found a way to stay positive and engaged? Please share it. You may help another in that same place in their life.

XOXO