AgingGratefully

Wow. One of the best quotes I have read in a long time

Feelings and emotions linger. I definitely do this in my own life. So you have something go wrong. Or, someone says something that upsets you.

Being grateful and truly feeling it, takes repetition. Waking up each day and reminding yourself of one thing you are grateful for.

I imagine that not letting your thoughts run undisciplined would need the same sort of repetition. When you start to feel your having a bad day, taking a step back and checking in on who’s running your shit. Because if your not checking in…..it can be a shit show.

When it really should have been 10-20 minutes out of your life..only..no more.

I will pay closer attention. Feelings and emotions linger, I want them to be positive.

Sounds easy. And with practice it can be.

I think some people are born with it, others develop it.

But really why would you be any other type of person?

Some people are worse off than others . I get that. Some are having a hard time we may know nothing about. They are not expected to be in a great mood all the time.

That’s not what BE is all about.

Its bringing ” value” to those around you. Value can be many things..information imparted, joy, learnings or tears.

What it’s not, is negativity. You can be sad, you can be down, we want to hear from you. Share with us. That’s not being negative. Share from your heart and sole.

Negative is derogatory remarks, making fun off or bringing others into a negative mindset. Its hate filled talk.

BE is support and encouragement, engagement, raising others up.

Day 1. I Am Grey

Whoop Dee Do. Not a big deal at all. I feel exactly the same. Same confidence. Same being. Same problems. Same passions. However……

I cannot believe I have been seriously avoiding this for some 20 odd years. I should have done this years ago.

I still have a bit of maintenance to go. But NO MORE COLORING.

It feels like when I quit smoking, but no withdrawals. One more freedom. One less thing to be tied down to. One less thing to worry about, to think about, to have to do.

I like to be able to not think occasionally. I find it quite challenging. Letting go..being in the moment, relaxing.

I am much better at it than I ever was. Grey hair assists in the journey of less doing, more being.

That is where I want to be.🧓

https://aginggratefully.home.blog/2019/05/25/olfactory-memory/

Me and My Nose

I have a great nose. It can smell anything. It smells things others cannot.This is not always a good thing. We were driving in the country last weekend and a skunk must have just gotten “black tire disease”. It smelled so bad I was cursing my nose. My friend could not smell it at all.One time I was in a perfume factory in Nice with my mother. They were showing us the beautiful basement area where they kept the dried flowers. I love lavender. But that day…the smell to only me was so overwhelming I had to run outside before I got sick.I believe as we get older the olfactory sense is heightened because it is more readily associated with memories.Yesterday I purposely took a sniff of liquid Ivory for the washing machine, when I was 8n the drug store. Flooding back came the memories of all my babies. I only washed their clothes in that detergent. My mother washed my youngest brothers clothes in that soap too. The smell reminds me of him as a baby. We are 5 years apart.

Tea tree oil. The spring there was lice at the kids school.They all had it. Horrible times. I do not like the smell anymore and I used to love it.

Sandlewood. I was 15 and it was the scent of my summer. Any time I smell it I am right back there. It’s a good feeling.

Fresh cut grass. I love the smell so much. Still do. Reminds me of summers when we were kids. Freedom. Hide and seek and jumpsies. Then I read my children a book one summer that the smell the grass makes when it gets cut is the grass screaming because it’s getting cut.??? We all remember that story. I still love the smell. Sorry grass.

Fire pit. Omg so many amazing memories I cannot list them all but camping and canoeing with my then boyfriend, now husband, are at the top of the list. Summers as a10 year old at the lodge or a friends campground. Must be one of my favorite smells.

Dementia: if I ever get it, please let me smell things so I can be transported to another place and time. Use cinnamon, curry, beer, wine, roasted chestnuts please.💜

Gardenia. I had a very mild perfume a long time ago. Give me a gardenia tree anytime.I think I will save some more sensory stories for another time.Suffice to say, I love my nose and the the way it can transport me.🧠

We all know how important it is to good mental health to have fun.

Then why did we say “act your age” or “not age appropriate “. So Ageist.

I will do and wear whatever I want. Farting near friends. Laughing till I pee. Skipping. Jeese, whatever it takes to add some fun to my day.

I love a dirty joke and always will. I live my Jean jacket..it actually brings back awesome memories..just try to take it away from me when I am 85!

1. Going to comedy shows. Yes!

2.Cracking jokes at work. Yes!

3.Trying to freak my mother out with bad language. Yes!

4. Freaking my kids out with my clothing or actions. Yes!

This year I heard. “Mom would you stop getting tattooed” and ” are you really wearing purple pants to my game” I live for comments from my kids like that. Isnt that why we have kids? So we can have some fun with them.

I will never stop having fun and ageism certainly won’t stop me it just provokes me.

And so….continue. Do not be hindered. Continue to grow and shine. Speak positively. Be kind….be grateful. I truly believe it rubs off.

I Love To Laugh

Today was “girlfriend day”. Girlfriend day should be a PRN given by prescription to those women who need a good laugh.

A good laugh is so truly good for the sole. Today I laughed so much “the tears nearly rolled down my legs”.

Forget all your troubles and laugh together…go with the flow and crack each other up.

I love to laugh…loud and long and clear. And…if you get a cackle out of me the medication has truly worked its magic. My “girlfriends” make me cackle.

We are immature, dirty talking, disrespectful sisters in the fight against boredom and negativity.

So bring on the laughs till I pee my pants. It is soooooo worth it.

Thank you to all my soul sisters at work and at home who keep me medicated with laughter.😋

Being grateful is a state of being. It can be fleeting for some. It takes work…and practice.

I recently heard a speaker say that 50% of people are born with the “grateful gene”.

Gratefulness can be grown or it can dissipate. I prefer to grow mine.

Part of doing so is digging deep and always using positive words…about life, others etc. Using negative language only perpetuates negativity.

As an older woman I think it is important to lead by example. If others are following you on your journey, show how easy it is to be grateful by way of positive language.

It’s easy to get caught up in negative thoughts especially during times of adversity. These are the times to remain grateful. Extremely challenging but so, so worth it.💚🧠