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Encouragement: September is History - Let's end it with encouragement!

9/29/2017

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During the month of September we have seen lots of changes - the weather and school starting are two major ones. It is a transition month in that summer comes to an end and our nests are missing little chicks. So let's end the month with some lessons on transition and change. Some encouraging words about making transitions and accepting changes. Changes are inevitable, life changes day to day, so we may as well learn to accept it in a positive way.

"I suppose whenever you go through periods of transition, or in a way,
it's a very definite closing of a certain chapter of your life -
I suppose those times are always going to be both very upsetting
and also very exciting by the very nature
because things are changing
and you don't know what's going to happen."


- Daniel Radcliffe -
English actor, Age 28
best known for his role as Harry Potter in the film series


* * * * * * *

"If we can understand that death is not the end
but is really a transition into the next life,
the great part of life,
that frees us up into receiving God's courage and his help."


- Max Lucado -
American Clergyman and Writer, Age 62


* * * * * * *
"Although I've watched myself making the transition
from being a girl to being a woman,
I still feel 15 years old.
My reflection disagrees."


- Jaime Winstone -
English Actress, Age 32


* * * * * * *

"Lipstick is iconic.
It's the one product that marks out an era,
and a certain lip colour can define a season.
It makes me feel more 'done'.
I wear a beige lip in the day,
but red when I'm going somewhere -
it makes that transition from day to night.
I just slick it on; I don't bother with lipliner."


- Kate Moss -
English Model, Age 43


* * * * * * *
"Only I can change my life.
No one can do it for me."


- Carol Burnett -
American actress, comedienne,
singer and writer, Age 84


* * * * * * *

"Life is 10%
what happens to you and
90% how you react to it."


- Charles Swindoll -
American Evangelical, Age 82


* * * * * * *

"We must let go of the life we have planned,
so as to accept the one that is waiting for us."


- Joseph Campbell -
American mythologist, writer, and lecturer,
Age 83


* * * * * * *

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life.
Be happy now.
Don't wait for something outside of yourself
to make you happy in the future.
Think how really precious is the time you have to spend,
whether it's at work or with your family.
Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."


- Earl Nightingale -
American Motivational Speaker, Age 68


* * * * * * *

"Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen.
Make it happen. Make your own future.
Make your own hope. Make your own love.
And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator,
not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high,
but by doing what you can to make grace happen... yourself,
right now,
right down here on Earth."


- Bradley Whitford -
American Actor, Age 57


* * * * * * *

"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."


- Maya Angelou -
American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist, Age 86


* * * * * * *

"Do not dwell in the past,
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on the present moment."


- Buddha -
His teachings founded Buddhism.
He is believed to have lived and taught
mostly in the eastern part of ancient India
sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries, Age 80


* * * * * * *

Over 50's are creating second acts for themselves, too. Starting new ventures, careers, hobbies, etc., later in life. They are stepping up to the transition of change and loving it. Here are a few examples:

  • Susan Lyons, Age 63 - Started taking yoga classes and then began a career as a yoga teacher. Here is what she had to say and a link to her story:

“I stumbled upon yoga accidentally. It was a class offered at my local gym.
It was so hard at first. It was terrible — I couldn’t do anything.
But it challenged me. So I went to the next class and the next class.
I’ve been taking classes for two years now.
I love it, but I’m not very good at it — my knees and my wrists are weak."

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/15-women-over-50-susan-lyons_n_6518380.html

  • Dorrie Jacobson, Age 80, of Las Vegas, Nevada, started a fashion beauty and fashion blog for women over 50:

"Back in the day, I was a Playboy Bunny, the first Miss Polaroid
and the first Miss Dunkin' Donuts. Over the past few years,
I had been living with a lovely gentleman
who I had been caring for as he struggled
with the early onset of Alzheimer’s.
A few months ago, we finally decided that he needed
more comprehensive care and he entered an assisted living facility.
The experience made me take pause. Life is short.
I felt like it was time to get back to my life
and to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
I wanted to utilize my experience in beauty and fashion to inspire women over 50
so I’ve launched a fashion blog called Senior Style Bible.
This year, I want this business to take off."

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/15-women-over-50-susan-lyons_n_6518380.html?slideshow=true#gallery/399152/2

  • Tammy A Miller, Age 55, Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, gave up a successful career after age 50 to start a career in an area that women had never really ventured into at any age. Here is what she had to say and a link to her story:  

"In October 2014, after working full time at Penn State University for nearly 18 years,
I bid the university goodbye and started putting things in place
for my launch as a professional auctioneer in 2015.
And so, welcome to Tammy Miller Auctions!
Since women only make up about 10 percent of all auctioneers in the world,
I am sitting in the middle of good ol’ boy territory."

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/16/15-women-over-50-tammy-miller_n_6607112.html
​
  • If you go to this article in the Huffington Post you will find more women who have changed direction after age 50 and have made a difference. Enjoy! www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/15-women-over-50-susan-lyons_n_6518380.html?slideshow=true#gallery/399152/14

Remember, we are never too old to start a new chapter in our lives. We are never too old to make changes. We must learn to embrace change because as we age, things will change. We will lose people, gain weight, have an empty nest, all changes and more. If we can successfully adapt to change, we will survive.

Are you planning a change for your second act? Have you already changed? Is there something you always wanted to do and now that you are over 50 you are going to do it? Do you have any suggestions or ideas for adapting to our changing lives?

XOXO
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Life: Anything that gets your blood racing - Go for it now!

9/22/2017

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"Go for it now.
The future is promised to
no one."

- Wayne Dyer, (died August 2015, age 75) -
American Philosopher, self-help author, and a motivational speaker.
His first book, Your Erroneous Zones, is one of the best-selling books of all time.

We are not promised tomorrow. Many times I have put something off that I wanted to do thinking there would be a better time. Many times this resulted in never doing it, the better time never came. I look back and there are many things I wished I had done when I had the inclination to do them. Some things can never be revisited. Mr. Dyer is right in this advice, what ever it is we want to do, we should do at the first opportunity and not put it off. A better day (tomorrow) may never come.
To read more about Wayne Dyer go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_S._Thompson

"Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing."
- Hunter S. Thompson, American Journalist -
Born July 18, 1937 - Died Feb 20, 2005 (age 67)

Hunter S. Thompson was an American journalist, author, creator of the gonzo journalism movement, and one interesting individual. Hunter lived by his words. He did many things in his life that made his "blood race".
He is best known for his internationally known publication:
Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (1967).

As research for his publication, Hunter lived and rode along side with the Angels for a year. This resulted in Hunter hearing first hand accounts of stories and personal experiences about living their life.

Hunter's life was anything but boring. After his father died suddenly when Hunter was fourteen years old, his middle class life changed drastically. He lived in poverty with his three brothers. His involvement in a robbery resulted in his incarceration for 60 days. The superintendent of the high school refused to let him take his final exams in the jail and Hunter was unable to finish high school. His mother supported the family as a librarian, but also became a heavy drinker after her husband's death.


After his incarceration, Hunter joined the United States Air Force. His commanding officer recommended his honorable discharge after his first enlistment stating "while a talented young man, he was unable to be guided by policy." His rebel attitude apparently didn't sit very well with his superior officers.

His discharge from the military was followed by his journalism career that began in sports writing. From there he continued to live an extraordinary life and wrote about it. In Colorado, he ran for sheriff in 1970. He had a significant lead until he agreed to do a Rolling Stone Magazine interview to which he came with a six pack of beer to celebrate his win, subsequently he lost.

To read more about this interesting man, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_S._Thompson

All of this is to say that he is right. If there is something you are interested in and it gets your blood racing when you think about it...then you should try to do it. Of course, that comes with the assumption that it is legal, safe, and you are able to do it.

Lucille Ball, the red-headed comedian, said it best:

"I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done."

Here are a few scriptures from the King James Version of the Bible to get you thinking:

“And whatsoever ye do,
do [it] heartily,
as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

Colossians 3:23

“To every [thing there is] a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 5:16-17

Here's the point: If you want to travel - then travel. Go where you want to go or someplace close to it. Don't be afraid to travel alone. Just go before you can't. If you want to paint, learn to paint. Do it before you run out of time. If you want to go dancing, go dancing. Don't waste your life procrastinating.
​

I personally have wasted a lot of time waiting for the perfect moment, the right time, the ideal setting... that never seems to show itself. Over the years I have also missed some wonderful opportunities to do things that I would have loved to do waiting for someone else to go along with me. That also may never happen, so don't wait for anyone else. Do it when the opportunity presents itself and when you can. This is a personal lesson for me and for you.

Do you have a bucket list? Are you accomplishing anything on your list on a regular basis? Are you waiting for the perfect time or for someone to go with you? Do you have any experiences to share with others or stories to encourage, teach or make us laugh?

XOXO
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Encouragement: Sometime After Age 50, We Become Caterpillars Again!

9/15/2017

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A new born baby has a fresh clean slate to begin life with much like the caterpillar that cocoons itself to grow and change. The baby's parents will most often try to provide that baby with every opportunity and advantage to learn and grow as much as that baby can. It then grows and learns to become an adult, once again similar to a caterpillar in a cocoon.

As an adult it goes through the caterpillar stage once again. The young adult must find his or her way through careers and life, learning and relearning as situations change. If it's successful it will emerge as a successful adult (butterfly) and fly away in a beautiful flight of life.
Many times through life this child will become simiiar to a caterpillar in a cocoon again. Changing, growing, becoming a new and different butterfly.

We go through the same process after the age of 50. As our children leave home, we retire, and as we begin our next chapter in life, we once again cocoon ourselves to learn and grow into a new type of butterfly.

I went through this myself. One day I found myself childless and jobless and wanting something else. Through these changes I became a caterpillar. The process of changing and growing began and I hibernated in my little cocoon until I was ready to emerge. The problem was, I almost couldn't break free of my cocoon. Fear prevented me from making some of the moves that I needed to make, to do the things I wanted to do, once I retired.

This is not unusual. Many adults, especially women, have put so much into their producing years (producing families, income, education, etc.) that when retirement comes they are lost. It's hard to see the clear path to where they want to go. The cocooning takes a little longer in order to grow into their new role.

There is nothing wrong with taking your time to adjust and change to your new life as a retiree and empty nester. For once in your life, you have no deadline, your have no boss, and you have no rules. You can do what you want when you want. This can be overwhelming. Especially when most of our lives we have had spouses, children, jobs, and responsibilities dictating our schedules, our finances, our whole life.

To be suddenly without rules and having complete freedom takes time to adjust to. We must reconnect with our younger selves when we were first starting out. We have to be willing to take that first baby step just as we did as a toddler.

It took some time, a lot of prayer, and a lot of internal searching to find that soft spot in my cocoon to allow myself to break out. Finally, I did.

I found my way to what I wanted and I have been working at it since then. Some of my friends and family didn't understand the changes, but I knew I had to make them. I also knew that everyone goes through this to some degree at various times of their life.

To become that beautiful, free, and flying butterfly, we must break out of the cacoon. We must take that first flight. Trust me, it's worth the effort.
-Sheryl, August 2016 -

My whole world did change. I launched my blog, lost weight, joined a gym and I work out every other day at a minimum, produced some art, and I have done some traveling. I have also returned to my young way of thinking. I am not afraid to try new things, go places alone that I have never been before, or let fear prevent me from being who I want to be or do what I what I want to do.

"I feel like a caterpillar in a cocoon
that can't find the weak spot
so she can punch her way out and become the butterfly.
Be ready, when that butterfly emerges,
my whole world will change."
- Sheryl - August 2016 -

Go for your next flight as a fresh new butterfly. Continue to change and grow....cocoon when necessary and then bust out and fly!

When you have had a major life event how did you respond? Have you ever cocooned for a while to recharge and change? Do you have any tips or suggestions for others who may be going through a life change?
​


XOXO
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beauty: Beauty As We Age – What Does It Look Like?

9/8/2017

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"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is the common saying. As true as that statement is - how does the beholder determine what they believe to be beauty? Is it a natural standard or one created by the world (media, TV, trends, fads, etc.)?

As women, we are constantly being judged and appraised by our outward appearance - our beauty. People (men and women) determine our beauty based on outward appearance without ever speaking to us. They have no idea who we are only the way we look and yet, they make judgements based on only that.

Outward beauty can be deceptive. A woman can look beautiful on the outside and be ugly in her heart. Does that change our perception of her physical beauty? If she is beautiful on the outside, can we overlook or excuse her ugly heart?

Common traits of what the world sees as beauty in a woman are:
- a slim figure
- hourglass body shape
- clear skin, no wrinkles, stretch marks, flawless
- bright clear eyes
- full, plump lips
- soft flowing hair
- smiles
​

It helps if she dresses in such a way to expose her "assets" to the world by wearing short skirts, short shorts, bikinis, low cut tops that reveal cleavage, etc. All of these physical attributes of beauty are temporal. If we live long enough, they will fade in time.

Inward beauty, on the other hand, is a lasting beauty:

- a kind heart
- compassion
- selflessness
- honest
- generous
- caring
- even tempered
- humorous
- loving
- happy
- smiles


Here are some of my thoughts on true beauty:

As we age, out bodies change. We may, for example, gain weight, have scars, develop facial wrinkles, etc., but we should never give up on trying to look our best. God blessed us with our life, our bodies, our hearts, our minds, and our souls. It is ungrateful to God if we allow ourselves to not take care of our physical appearance at all stages of life. There is physical beauty at all ages of life...but it does look different at various times.

Inward beauty should be valued more than outward beauty. Inward beauty has the potential to remain beautiful for our whole lives and not subject to change. Inward beauty affects our outward beauty. It's the beauty that God sees - He loves us regardless of our physical beauty.

In my experience regarding romantic relationships (in and out of marriage), I have found that if someone really loves another person, the outward appearance becomes less valuable. They tend to overlook the flaws in the physical beauty of their loved one. This applies to men and women alike. However, this does not give us the license to let ourselves fall into the abyss and not try to maintain our appearance. We should try to always look our best for our mate and also for God. Also, if your outward appearance is more important to your loved one than your heart and personality, then you are probably in the wrong relationship (just a thought).

Another thought, my granddaughter told me once that I would always be her grandma and she loved me no matter what I looked like. This came after a discussion about how people sometimes get sick as they get older and may not always look like they do now or be able to do what they do now. I was explaining about loving people for their hearts not their physical bodies. She got it, she understood and she had her own words to express it. Love that in children, they see what adults can't see a lot of times – what's really important in life.

BOTTOM LINE: We should never give in to the number of birthdays we have had and use that as an excuse to can for our physical appearance We should try to always look our best no matter what that looks like. If you are living another day – you are blessed!


When was the last time you took a good long look in the mirror at yourself? What did you see? Where you happy with it? Do you do all you can to make your outward appearance to be the best it can be? What about your inward appearance? Do you cultivate a kind, compassionate, loving, caring, and beautiful heart? What do you see when you look at others? Are you more attracted to their physical appearance or their personality and heart? If a person's outward beauty has faded, does the inward beauty still shine?

SPECIAL QUESTION FOR YOUR COMMENTS:

How do you feel about what the world says is beautiful in a woman?


(NOTE: The person who is commonly credited with the original saying in its current form
is Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (née Hamilton).
She wrote many books, often under the pen name of 'The Duchess'.
In the 1878 Irish novel Molly Bawn, which was turned into a movie in 1916,
there's the line
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".)



XOXO
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Life: Back To School Time - Another Look at The Empty Nest Syndrome

9/1/2017

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This is the time of the year where parents everywhere are sending their children back to school. Some are sending their last or only child off to kindergarten and others are sending a child off to college. Either way, our homes are changing. The hole left in our hearts and homes by that child who is gone is a strong one. It is one that we know leads to permanent life away from us someday.


How do we handle this? Whether it is the kindergartener or the college student, we have to adjust our thinking and protect ourselves or we will find ourselves either doing things that we wish we hadn't, feel depressed, or withdraw completely. We must stay in the game of life and move on. We must find a way to survive this, but not only that, thrive in spite of the hole in our life. I have survived and I love my new life. I am also thankful that my children can take care of themselves.


Some things to consider:


1. You still have your child. They are still living, breathing and existing. So many parents have lost children to death or illness, you are blessed to still have your child alive.


2. We want our children to be able to thrive and live on without us. We know that we won't be here forever, at some point we will die. Do we want our children to mourn their lives away or live and be happy? Do we want to leave them dependent on someone else or able to thrive on their own? We must let them grow up and experience life without us while we are still here to guide them, when needed.


3. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is an old saying. While it is a bit sad, it is also true. Short absences tends to make the time you do spend together more appreciated by all.


4. Think of all the parents with children who are not able to live independently due to illness (mental and/or physical). Those parents would love for their children to be able to live life independent of them or anyone else, but sadly they know that will never happen. And what happens to the child if something happens to the parent? Be thankful your child can go off to kindergarten or to college and survive because they are healthy and you have raised them well.


5. One other thought, every phase of our life has its own blessings and curses. Each phase presents its own opportunities, if we allow ourselves to see those opportunities and take advantage of them. You have more freedom now to pursue those opportunities than you had when your children were under your feet 24/7.
As you send your child or children off to school, whether it is kindergarten, college or anyplace in between, be thankful for the little things. Dr. Seus made a statement once that sticks with me when I miss my children:


"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"


Take this to heart. You had that phase of your life, you did a good job. Your children can function away from your watchful eye and they are able to learn. You need to smile and remember those good days, but move on to create new ones with new ideas.
So, buy the book bags, new clothes, supplies, and kiss them goodbye - temporarily, because they will be back. (LOL)


Do you have any good advice to share with other parents whose children will be leaving for college or just to school? What have you found to be the hardest part of letting your children go? What plans do you have for this next phase of your life?


XOXO
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    My mission​

    Sharing thoughts and ideas for the woman over 50 that are helpful, fun, creative, inspiring and interesting. Over 50s who want to remain relevant, happy and loving their life.
    On fire for your own life!
    ❤ Sheryl ❤

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