It is amazing to see the increasing number of people who are not so young engaged in exercising:  in which walking is the most common.  There is a particular group of persons I see walking religiously every morning when I am on my daily journey to work and I secretly envy  them for making that their main priority in the morning. I often see that same group walking in the evening.  The only thing I gather would stop them is the inclement weather.  I have a friend who for the past thirty odd years has used walking as her physical workout everyday. (not sure I could keep that up), and on the other hand, there are some younger folks who do no form of exercise.

The bottom line is that the body was made for movement.  Have you ever gotten out of bed and feel your body aching all over and once you start moving around and getting into your daily routine the aches and pains miraculously disappear.

 Not doing physical activities and making poor dietary choices at whatever age you are in life may cause frailness of the body, depression and chronic diseases.

I  may sound as though I am perfectly fit, but I am not. I do try to maintain a healthy lifestyle by walking and doing some form of cardio in between my hectic daily  schedule.

As we  age,  we tend to lose muscle and bone mass, so it would be wise to get into a fitness program which would entail  weight training, bodybuilding  and cardio but don’t over do it. Take it easy and start with a plan of daily walking, getting at least eight hours sleep and eating healthy. That would be an excellent start.

When you exercise, you not only keep the body supple, it also appears to keep the skin younger looking: It is said that exercise may even reverse the aging effect, because as we advance in age the skin tends to lose that youthful suppleness.

Being older or retired doesn’t mean you are to slump around all day in pajamas watching TV (the box) and becoming a couch potato. 

Think positive: This will help to keep you healthy in both mind,  body and soul, also remember not because the wrinkles might be showing, you need to maintain that young at heart outlook on life.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Sometimes we go through life making major plans for our future and then life hits us with a curve ball that sends us spiraling into the world of the unknown, a place where life just happens, a place where all our dreams seem to appear to go and die. Sometimes the curve ball that we get hit with takes us so far off track that we cannot find our way back to our original plans we had for ourselves. Life does not always go as planned and for some of us the curve ball is just the beginning of what life has in store for us. Some often ask “why me?” or “what have I done to deserve this?”

Truth is you have not done a single thing, you are merely on a path that was design for you and only you to trod. So even though some of your class mates and you finished university together and they have landed themselves a high paying job that is taking them places, while, you on the other hand have not even been called for one interview. There is no need to beat yourself up about it, it is just life handing you a few lemons to make lemon aid.

Sometimes when we think we have life all mapped out, it takes a different turn into uncharted territory to test our ability to either be creative, teach us things about ourselves that we never knew and would have never discovered if we were not thrown off course.

So, if you are reading this and you are at a point in your life where you either feel overwhelmed or under whelmed with you life, or you might be questioning some choices that you have made along the way, just remember that you are not alone and that even the most successful person in life has fallen a few times in the thing called life. Do not wait for things to change in your life, make that change happen.

Life does not come with do-overs nor does it come with an eraser, so whatever happens you have to live with the consequences, knowing that life is not over until the day you die and even then there will always be a part of you that still lives on, be it in your children or the impact you made on someone’s life, or even in the simple form of the tree you planted in your yard that has started to bear fruit that will be enjoyed by others or on the other hand feed someone who is hungry.

Once there is life there is hope, hope of doing what needs to be done to make you into who life wanted you to be. So if you have been watching John Doe or Mary Jane excel at everything, and it makes you feel hopeless, why not find your passion and work on excelling in your own way. Maybe you need to further your education to land that job of your dream which would propel you to achieving your goals.

Stop comparing yourself to other people as this will only make you feel inadequate or depressed, life is not about who is living it up, life is about you living the life that you have been dealt and making the most of it.

So even when life appears to be overwhelming, and you feel tied down to your everyday routine, or life has you talking to yourself and makes you feel like ripping out every strand of your hair, take a break, find a way to that place, be it a physical place or in your mind, find that place that brings you inner peace, and relax, take off that weight you have put on your shoulders, put it aside for a few minutes and focus on you, what makes you happy, what makes You, You.

Take time out to find out what is stopping you from enjoying the life you have. You might not find the solution in one attempt but in time at your own pace you will figure it out. You will be amazed at the power you have within, now I am not saying, you can go out there parting seas or turning water into wine, but sometimes because you have not had a reason to test your endurance or ability to be victorious, your strength sometimes becomes dormant or clogged by your own inability to see yourself as powerful, as it is much easier to have a pity party than it is to try and fail.

Our emotions are what drive us to do things, our conviction is what keeps us on our path, our adrenaline is what powers us up to do what is needed to make life happen the way we planned it, but our mind, well, it has a mind of its own. Our mind can either be our number one fan, by reinforcing the positive thoughts of how truly great we are. The mind can either keep us motivated or tear us apart by planting just one negative seed that we water with fear, a seed that not only grows and bear fruit to feed our now negative mind, but a seed that also cripples us mentally and emotionally and also physically, making us paralyze and comatose to anything positive that life has to offer, as we now view positivity as a threat to our comfort of nothingness.

There is a phrase that says “Life is like a box of chocolates” it is so true, because you honestly never know what you are going to get of life by simply just existing and not living. So open that box of chocolates of life and experience that surprise that each chocolate holds.

 

                                                                               

                              Mmm…

A lot is said about this tasty beverage. Although we try to maintain a healthy diet, some food items which are consumed have its disadvantages, even the beloved coffee which is loved by many who depend on that early morning cuppa hot beverage  to fuel their body to keep it energized though the day.

Coffee is said to be addictive, because of its caffeine content,  which is in some cases considered a bad thing, because caffeine may cause a raise in the heart rate or blood pressure, so it may be dangerous for persons with underlying conditions such as a heart problem or high hypertension.

The upside of this is: caffeine helps to boost energy levels, reduces stress, people feel less tired, burns fat by increasing the body’s metabolism, it improves memory, and general mental function. It may also cause  the body to build up resistance to type 2 diabetes and certain forms of cancers.  It is naturally rich in antioxidants.

The disadvantages of drinking coffee might not stop the average coffee lover, however, for those who continue to consume many cups per day it is suggested that they learn to control their consumption to at least two cups per day. If it is controlled then a person will not have to face any problems that are associated with the high intake of the beverage.

Having a mug of steaming hot coffee is embedded in my daily life. Making it is like a routine which I look forward to everyday, especially in the mornings. Some might say it is an addiction, but I say it is an acquired taste which my taste buds crave for. I don’t just drink coffee to give me a  ‘kick’ start in the mornings or for the way it keeps me energized through the day:  It’s that distinct aroma which stimulates my senses. The aroma has a calming effect on me that gives me a feeling of comfort, even before I take that first sip.  The taste is delicious, rich and alluring

Regardless of the many downsides  about coffee It will continue to be my number one beverage and although it has no physical presence it has a mental one that brings me serenity.  Therefore, coffee is my medicine.