During the pandemic we’ve all changed our routines without much in-person contact. A part of that change certainly has to be our physical activity thanks to social distancing requirements. But as we social distance, isolation ensues.
Being isolated causes us to pause and take notice of what goes on in the silence of being apart from others. And each day we are one day older, and maybe one day wiser.
A definite part of aging arrives in the mail and is ever-present the closer we get to retirement age - an AARP membership! Finally giving in I joined AARP, figuring "heck why not!" The magazine would lay on my kitchen island for a week, sometimes three when another arrived before I finally started perusing the pages filled with articles about aging and stories of remedies.
It's a reality check that the magazine is filled with stories from movie stars and old rockers,of similar age. We tend to keep images of those iconic figures in our brains without gray hair or aging, and yet here they are in each of the magazines with their stories that we can identify.
The October issue featured a couple of gems, Bruce Springsteen and the Queen of England.
Bruce talked about his latest album, written after 7 years of idle writing. He talked about losing all of his original band members and his aging mother. His mother still loves his music and smiles even though she doesn’t speak thanks to Alzheimers. Seeing his thoughts encouraged me to continue reading, and I'm glad I did.
The Queen, well that’s an entirely different story. Her 10 Pearls of Wisdom on the centerfold are worth repeating and resonate in this era of social distancing. (I read this issue on a plane in November and kept that post until today, deciding it was worth some effort.)
Her 10 Pearls of Wisdom can be utilized by each of us. Entering them here, I added my own thoughts but feel free to edit as you see fit.
“Recharge your willpower.” Taking time to ponder is your brain’s play time. Walking around my neighborhood for an hour gives me time to think and building endorphins that help fortify me for the day. By the end of my walk, I’m ready to have a powerful day.
“Stick to a schedule.” Planning my day in writing days before helps me to know exactly how the day will proceed. It’s always been my habit of staying at my desk in the morning and showing homes, checking on listings or running office errands outside my office in the afternoon, unless of course a client needs a morning appointment.
“Develop your sense of purpose.“ Take time to decide which charity to fund, volunteer, and which path you choose to take in your life or business helps define purpose. Having a sense of purpose can drive us to do better, be better.
“Serve others.” For many this might include a charity or your church, but for me it’s several different topics. First and foremost, I volunteer continuously for the public by teaching others how to lower their energy bills and educating realtors on how to recognize energy features to gain value for their client’s home sales. Advancing education for realtors on lowering energy bills also helps to lower carbon footprints which helps the earth’s atmosphere for everyone! Striving to continually advance real estate education every month brings me joy in helping others understand why this is so important.
“Sweeten the self-talk.” Every day we encounter a lot of negativity, whether it’s in the news we listen to or our own business. Real estate can be a lonely business and if we feel self-defeated, it’s easy to get stuck in a negative mindset. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself a boost with positive self-talk and you will reap the rewards!
“Never stop playing.” This is powerful. Take time out for yourself, no matter what form of play you prefer. Going to the gym was my play time. But now that gym time is scarce, I work extra hard to fit in my walks and floor time afterward. But I also like visiting my girlfriends. That time will come, but for now we are in group texts daily talking about our day, sharing recipes and whatever comes to mind.
“Keep the faith.“ This is different for everyone as there are so many different denominations, but even if you don’t declare one, take time for your own spirituality. Having formerly been raised going to 3 different types of churches, I choose to be mindful of my own spirituality and practice being kind to others and always treating others with respect, asking first how someone is doing or feeling, especially now!
“Be open to change.” Keeping an open mind to new products and services in business and new ways of doing things keeps things fresh. If we get too mundane in our lives without change, we do not grow.
“Cherish your crowning years.” What are your crowning years? Is that when you are retiring or becoming a young mother of father? For each of us it is different. For me, it’s in relishing time with my grandchildren when I get to see them. And since number 8 is due next July, that time will be my crowning period, not sure if it’s an entire year, but maybe a time to relish in being a grandmother.
Queen Elizabeth leads a very structured life, filled with self-discipline. She abides by these daily rituals that have kept her going for 94 years. Her inspirations are worth considering and these can each be defined to fit your own life, in whatever form works for you.
No longer a grasshopper physically, but definitely a grasshopper mentally!
