What’s exciting?

Try answering these questions:

* Do you wake up almost every day feeling excited about starting the day?
* What would make your life more exciting?

Most Baby Boomers are trapped into a set of routines which offer no more than the same old stuff. We get up and go to work to do the same things every day. On weekends we cut the grass, rake the leaves, go to the dump, then start all over again on Monday. Boring! And since this is so common, we think we’re doing the right things. We think this is normal. I’m no exception. I have boring routines. But I’ll tell you what - I think it’s a problem. Seriously!

What’s so bad about boring routines? Put simply, it’s bad for your health. It makes you age faster. We all know that at the Baby Boomer age, more bad things can happen to our health. So we try to eat better and get more exercise. But when someone says “You need to stay active.”, we generally associate the type of physical exercise - the kind you get at the gym. (Another boring routine.) The part that’s so often missed (and the most important part) is the mental activity. You need to challenge yourself, take your mind off of other things, and keep learning. You need to look forward to something new. You need to get out of you “comfort zone”. It will make you feel sharper, boost your energy, and relieve stress. It makes you feel more alive.

Here’s the tough part. Just doing exciting things during your two week vacation won’t cut it. OK, it’s a good start, but it’s not enough. I’m trying to handle this by doing something different this vacation, changing my weekend routines, and get new assignments at work. Our vacation this year will take us to the Italian coutryside. Before we go, we’ll study Italian. This coming weekend my son’s and I will go white water rafting in Maine. I don’t really do this stuff all the time, but with any luck, it’s part of a transition.

None of us know how many active years we have left. But we do know that the number isn’t increasing! My advice is to get started. Do something different. Determine what excites you, and go for it. You’ll live better and longer.

Examples:

* Take a trip that involves more physical activity with great scenery and less “standard tourist attractions”
* Call an old friend, suggest a visit
* Learn a foreign language
* Start a web site
* Buy a canoe or sailboat - and use it, take sailing lessons
* Take walks in natural area (mountains, forest, beaches)
* Find a new job in a different field
* Take piano lessons

Let’s all put this on our refrigerators: Comfort zones don’t work!

Comments

Hank@onlythebeginning.org

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