What are you doing to keep going?

There is a circle of life. As it's been mentioned there is a certainty that all that is born will eventually die. However, there is much joy to have while we are alive and thus there are many reasons for us to strive to make the most out of life.

So what are you doing to keep going and to prolong the life you are living?

Here are a few of the things we can do to 'age-proof' ourselves.

First we need to keep ourselves physical well by:

- Eating right and wisely.
- Having a regular exercise schedule.
- Avoiding drugs, tobacco and alcohol.
- Yearly doctor visits and exams.

We also need to be intellectually well by:

- Daily activities that stimulate the brain. These might be reading, doing puzzles, or learning new things.

We need to keep our emotions level and in balance.

- We need to eliminate things that cause us negative stress. Stress is a common cause of health problems and if we can eliminate or learn to deal with stress in the right ways we will be better off because of it.
- Give yourself some 'me' time. A little 'me' time can go a long way.

Outside of stress, we need to have a support group and a positive internal focus.

- Have friends and family that you can rely on for help. Make sure it's someone that will support you, if you are trying to stop smoking you will need to not hang out with those that do. If you want to eat better, it's easiest if you can get those you eat with to do the same.
- Have a good self esteem. Outside of someone else helping you, you need to have faith in yourself. If you believe you can do it, you probably can.

Your environment or surroundings is also important.

- Keep a clean house.
- Be ready for the occasion. In the winter wear a coat. In the summer use lotion.

We need to not forget our spiritual wellness.

- Believe! It's not as important what you necessarily believe, but whatever you do believe make sure you actually do believe it.

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So what are you doing? or what do you need to do?

I know I need to eat better. I need to exercise more. I do however walk at lunch a couple days a week. I try to walk between 12 - 20 miles a week. This gives me exercise, but also puts me outside and being outside is very relaxing and energising.

I am going to school which is preparing for the future. I am starting my family. Sometimes it seems I don't' have any time with them, but I do try to make time so that I can spend time with them.

I also like to have a book that I am reading. It needs to be for entertainment that I read it. This gives me something else to do, allows me to relax and forget about all the work and school I have.

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So what are you doing to improve you life? Please leave a comment and let us all know.

During the Journey

Thank you for the many comments to the last blog. It's true we all need to be a support system for each other. When someone has a tragedy there is never a more important time for them to have people around. Each and everyone's tragedy is different. As a couple of my sister's commented I had the experience of losing my mother when I was 19. It was a tough time and I still have times I wish I could just call her and ask a question or just tell her about my day. Even with my going through that, I still don't know what to do when someone goes through something similar because I know it's different for them. I love the quote that someone left for us, "I can't say that I know what you're feeling, so I'll just say that I care." There is never a more important time to have a social circle, to be socially well than when you have a tragedy or a great blessing.

We are on a journey of life, a journey of aging and knowing that we are getting older. As the commenter Starr said "I love the cycle of life...it is the only thing we can count on...if you have been born, you will die." So isn't it about what we do on this journey, it's important for us to find a path that we love and to keep walking.

There is painting at the BYU Art Museum by Thomas Worthington Whittredge. It's call Woodland Glade and is of a forest scene. It has a thicket in the front that almost seems impossible to get through, fallen trucks, shrubs, branches all over the place that just seem to get in your way but off in the distance the is the patch of light, the opening, the freedom. I image life like this picture, it's not like stroll in a park, just easy going, a flat pathway, but more like this thicket and when we arrive at the light we can turn around and see what we have accomplished. We can see that we have overcome so much on the journey and finally rest knowing that we didn't just give up.

The journey will become it's easiest when we can achieve true wellness. When we are keeping ourself physically fit and clean in the environment around us. When we have others around us to give us a hand. We need to have a reason to keep going, a spiritual purpose so when know this is just a journey and not the end and that there is know real end. We need to understand that we can keep going. We also need to trust ourself that things will get better. Otherwise we would get to a fallen tree truck, look at it and decide there is no reason to climb over, or we would give up after the first try. Or worst we would convince ourself that we can't do it even it we 'wanted' to. We can do it, all of us.

I am grateful for the pieces of life that I have had to climb over. Because I lost a mother I know the importance of those relationships. There were times where I had to wonder if I would financially make it and now am more grateful for the paycheck I get every two weeks. I have seen the birth of my son and know there is more to him that just science. I have knocked doors in a new city all day long without a person wanting to talk to me, to end with a man offering my a glass of water allowing my to know that we are all part of the same human family and there is a connection between us all.

When have you looked back on your path and seen a fallen tree truck and wondered at the amazement of having passed over it?
When have you turned a corner and seen the trees open to a smooth patch of light and realized there is peace along the journey?

When the end is too soon.

Two weeks ago one of the saddest things happened. A good friend of mine lost his youngest son. It was a tragic accident that took a the life of a little 16 month year old boy.

It leaves my numb inside just thinking about it. I come home everyday and get to hold my son. It makes my grateful for my spiritual wellness that tells me that there is a new beginning after this end. I feel bad for those who do not have a spiritual belief to hold on to.

What would you say to someone who this happened to?

What are your beliefs?

At the Beginning

Life is precious. As of Aug. 31st of this year I am a Father. Babies are completely dependent on others for all their needs. I know we often say all a baby does is eat, sleep and poo. However after having a new little one I realize a baby needs much more.

Out of the 6 wellness categories a new baby doesn't need all of them, but will have a better life if we help it with Physical, Social and Environmental Wellness. My little boy Benjamin who unlike me needs to continually gain weight, I just do it anyways. In the first two weeks he had gained a pound. Which is great and we hope he continues to do so. We also need to make sure he gets enough sleep to keep him healthy.

You would think that a little newborn doesn't have much need for a social life. However there are times that the only thing that will make him happy is to be held. He's been feed, not sleepy, just wants to be held. So you can see the need to have people love you and around you starts at the beginning.

Little Benjamin also needs to have environmental wellness. I need to keep his clothes and beds clean. He needs clean bottles to eat out of. The same basic needs that I need in my surrounding he needs as well.

As Donna Lewis said in her song 'At the Beginning':

"And Life is a road and I want to keep going. Love is a river I want to keep flowing. Life is a road now and forever. A Wonderful journey"

Life is a wonderful journey, I am glad we had time to be on it and to live our lives before our end does come. It can come way to quickly for some.

"We were strangers on a crazy adventure. Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true. Now here we stand, unafraid of the future. At the beginning..."

Many of us are strangers and life is a crazy adventure, but our dreams can come true especially if we strive to have a balanced wellness. When it balances out we will not be as afraid of the future.