Facts

Facts

Tap Into Your Ancestral Resilience

Tap Into Your Ancestral Resilience

Tap into your ancestral resilience

Maintaining a positive mindset during present, uncharted, challenging times of the COVID-19 environment is not easy but definitely doable. Wars, epidemics and natural disasters are ALL part of OUR human history and experience. Keep in mind, we are the most resilient species in the universe. Our ancestors before US, survived and thrived through thick and thin — so will WE.

Meantime, practicing a positive, can-do attitude is essential to see US through these unexpected, scary days. You Can Do It! Keep calm and adapt to the temporary ‘new normal’ of social isolation.

Zoom, Skype, FaceTime with your family and friends, ‘visit’ your drawers and closets, get rid of excessive treasured clutter to be donated to charitable organizations. Thoughts of future acts of kindness, positive memories of past adventures and visions of our life journey still to be is bound to empower, uplift and promote resilience and inner strength as we weather this temporary trauma.

As a Holocaust survivor and Israeli Air Force veteran, I KNOW  ‘This to Shall Pass’.  I will survive and thrive in my ongoing, amazing Life Journey. So will YOU ✌ If I can Do It, so Can You🤘

Life is an amazing, adventurous, uncharted journey: what to do when the unexpected happens

Life is an amazing, adventurous, uncharted journey: what to do when the unexpected happens

When the unexpected happens

Did you know that when the unexpected suddenly happens, our first tendency is to “freak.” It’s just human nature. Fight or flight is part of our ancestral DNA (coping, survival skills) in response to an imminent or imagined danger.

Wars, epidemics and natural disasters are part of our ancestral experience. We’ve survived those from the past. We shall survive and weather the temporary crisis at hand. Remember, we are not dinosaurs. We have evolved for many generations and are the most resilient species ever. This too will also pass. 🖐

As a Holocaust survivor and an Israeli Air Force veteran, I have a ‘can-do’ attitude ✌. I not only plan to survive, I am doing everything I can to stay informed, keep my distance, wash my hands etc. so that I can continue living healthily to 123. If I can do it, so can you. 🎸

Age Is Just a Number

Age Is Just a Number

Age is just a number. We can determine at any age to reverse our functional deterioration and live our best years now—with or without our genes’ cooperation. So while we need to admit we’re getting older, it’s our attitude about age that matters. Here’s my advice:

Stop fighting it.
Embrace it.
Own it.
Love it.

You might wonder how it’s possible to love the aging process, but really it all begins with attitude. I’m not asking you to love the limitations that aging might bring. My younger readers don’t yet know this, but it’s not fun having to stop for a breather while other, younger peers run on ahead of you. It’s not fun having to make more frequent trips to the bathroom. But my older readers can take heart because there’s good news: being chronologically gifted doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be young! Isn’t that a relief? Aren’t you glad to hear that it’s okay to be old—to act your age? And for younger readers, there’s good news, too. Being chronologically gifted means it’s okay to get older. You don’t have to cling to your youth as though there’s nothing left to look forward to once the gray hairs outnumber the colored ones. In fact, on that day, you’ll actually have more to enjoy about life than you can possibly imagine from where you are right now.

Now don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that older people can just aggressively tell the world, “I’m old…deal with it!” The world is going to move forward with or without us as we age. If we want to continue having a meaningful opportunity to participate in life, then we’re going to need a healthy mind and a healthy body. We won’t always be young, but we’ll always be growing. So let’s focus less on the number our age represents, and more on the fact that we’re continuously evolving— all the way to our last breath. This need for meaningful development is something that 20-year-olds and 80-year-olds have in common. In their own, age-appropriate ways, both groups are on their way to becoming a better version tomorrow of who they are today.

That’s right. No matter what our age is, we only thrive inasmuch as we continue growing into better, more well-rounded people. I use that word “better” in its basic qualitative sense. Each time we acquire a piece of knowledge or improve upon a skill that helps us deepen relationships, appreciate our experiences, and leave a more robust legacy, we’ve made ourselves better people than we were before. It doesn’t matter how small the change is as long as it’s a true change. Period.

And that’s the goal we have to keep before us if we hope to live a longer, more meaningful and rewarding life. That’s they way the chronologically gifted live. We have to get up each morning, asking ourselves what we think, say and do that will help us go to bed that night feeling good about ourselves.

Five Tips for Preserving Memory

Five Tips for Preserving Memory

Memory is just one of the brain’s many functions. Many people are concerned about losing their memory and developing dementia. While changes in memory occur throughout our lifetime, they become more noticeable as we age. But there are ways to manage the process and preserve memory functions. Here are five tips to help accomplish that goal:

  1. Strive to create new memory connections. This means seeking out more social interactions and opportunities to engage with people.
  2. Maintain a positive attitude. Recognize the brain has plasticity, so you can learn or re-learn skills throughout life. This requires commitment and practice.
  3. Mentally stimulate yourself. Whether through brain games, reading, or intellectual pursuits, these activities promote memory and cognitive functioning.
  4. Stay healthy. Exercise regularly and practice good nutrition to keep your brain healthy.
  5. Enjoy hobbies and other activities. Think about what you’ve lost interest in and find ways to replace or develop new pursuits.

Change the perception
So how can we extend our lives? Tune out the negative. Focus on the positive. Instead of using the word “old,” substitute “wise,” “mature,” “seasoned” and “experienced.” Think about it: in most cultures, elders are typically revered for their accumulation of knowledge and experience. Even those who haven’t accomplished much of special merit exhibit a time-tested combination of cultivated skills and experiential wisdom that rightly inspires humility in younger people (who do well to capitalize on their insights). So, almost by default, age demands more than a modicum of respect.

With the right information and mindset, people can learn how to approach one’s later years with optimism and determination, recognizing that no one ever has to lose their cultural edge. After all, people are living longer, healthier lives every day, all over the world. A huge part of why aging seems to come upon people suddenly and overwhelmingly is because people don’t take the steps early on that will give them the best possible chance of living long, healthy and meaningful lives.

Consider the aging process with a healthy mixture of acceptance and enthusiasm. This mind shift leads people to live happier (and often longer) lives. Known as the chronologically gifted, these people regard their age as a gift, the seal of a lifelong journey for which they are profoundly grateful. It’s a journey that began at birth and one they hope to continue through a personal legacy that immortalizes them in the memories of others. Facing their own mortality, the chronologically gifted are determined to live with significance, passion, and purpose in the here and now.

References:
https://news.yale.edu/2002/07/29/thinking-positively-about-aging-extends-life-more-exercise-and-not-smoking
https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-832261.pdf

10 Principles and Beliefs Adopted by the Chronologically Gifted

10 Principles and Beliefs Adopted by the Chronologically Gifted

What you are to be, you are now becoming. Here are 10 principles that when practiced, will lead to longer, happier, healthier, more fulfilled lives.

  1. Get rid of the phrase, “I’m too old for that.” Eliminate it from daily vocabulary and from all thinking. Instead of approaching old age as an imposition of new limitations, focus on opportunities to overcome challenges and acquire new skills.
  2. Find a reason for getting up in the morning. It’s important for everyone to figure out what makes him or her tick when others want to just give up. Write it down. Create a life mantra. Any time the difficulties of life threaten to overwhelm, let your inner sense of purpose be the reminder that life matters now.
  3. Connect with something bigger. In addition to daily pursuits and occasional travel, volunteer for a worthy cause. Plug in to a spiritual community. Meditate. Pray. Read thought-provoking books that address life’s “big questions.” Get in touch with a Higher Power.
  4. Look on the bright side. Embrace a positive style. Hardship is temporary. Victory is just around the corner. Find little reasons every day to be grateful for life—even in the face of negativity. Resolve to live mindfully and savor the best gifts that life has to offer. Focus on solutions, not problems.
  5. Get moving. No excuses. Pick a physical activity that brings true enjoyment and real passion, and do it—regularly. Take a lot of walks. Use the stairs. Bike to the store instead of driving. Plant and tend a garden in the backyard. Find ways to incorporate low-intensity exercise of all kinds (strength, balance and aerobic) into daily life to ward off the potentially debilitating effects of aging.
  6. Stay fueled. Eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer simple carbohydrates. Avoid processed foods. Drink lots of water and an occasional glass of red wine. Consume smaller portions. Don’t eat “on the go.” Put unhealthy foods out of sight and out of reach to purge temptations.
  7. Create personal Blue Zones. A home can be organized to facilitate good sleep, healthy eating habits and spiritual well-being. Get rid of excess technological “noise,” and create a space for meditation. Shed the clutter and add some greenery. Invest in comfortable pillows and light-blocking drapes for the bedroom. Display pictures of family and friends and souvenirs of treasured life experiences.
  8. Don’t do it alone. Connect with like-minded, loyal, authentic people who will help their loved ones reach their goals. Spend time with them regularly. Share their burdens and vice versa. Rejoice in victories together. Learn to forgive and reach out to estranged family members before it’s too late to be reconciled. Life is too short for grudges.
  9. Believe in yourself. Give credit where credit is due. Focus on becoming the best you can be. Remember, obstacles are only temporary setbacks that can be overcome.
  10. Seize the day. Live today as though it really matters. Don’t do anything to cause regret, and don’t let fear prevent the full experience of your life in the here and right now.
How to Live a Longer and More Fulfilling Life

How to Live a Longer and More Fulfilling Life

Scientific studies have proven people can live about seven years longer if they refuse to “buy in” to the common misconception that tells them that getting older has to mean life is over. According to research conducted by Becca Levy at Yale University’s School for Public Health, a pervasive (even subconscious) negative stereotype regarding aging has a demonstrable effect on long-term health outcomes. In the study, participants, all 50 and older, were separated into two groups. One group was exposed to subliminal, positive messages about aging, while the other group was not. The results were incredible: participants in the second group—people who were otherwise equal on health, educational and socioeconomic factors—showed greater declines in a variety of areas than their peers who were in the first group. These declines were evident in physiological symptoms, like shakier hands and poorer memory retention, higher rates of cardiac disease and more difficulty recovering from disability. There were also behavioral symptoms such as a greater propensity for unhealthy eating, a more sedentary lifestyle and an unwillingness to follow dosage instructions for age-related prescription medications. The net result? A median difference in survival rate of 7.5 years. That’s staggering!

Aging disruption
So how can we extend our lives? Tune out the negative. Focus on the positive. Instead of using the word “old,” substitute “wise,” “mature,” “seasoned” and “experienced.” Think about it: in most cultures, elders are typically revered for their accumulation of knowledge and experience. Even those who haven’t accomplished much of special merit exhibit a time-tested combination of cultivated skills and experiential wisdom that rightly inspires humility in younger people (who do well to capitalize on their insights). So, almost by default, age demands more than a modicum of respect.

With the right information and mindset, people can learn how to approach one’s later years with optimism and determination, recognizing that no one ever has to lose their cultural edge. After all, people are living longer, healthier lives every day, all over the world. A huge part of why aging seems to come upon people suddenly and overwhelmingly is because people don’t take the steps early on that will give them the best possible chance of living long, healthy and meaningful lives.

Consider the aging process with a healthy mixture of acceptance and enthusiasm. This mind shift leads people to live meaningful (and often longer) lives. Known as the chronologically gifted, these people regard their age as a gift, the seal of a lifelong journey for which they are profoundly grateful. It’s a journey that began at birth and one they hope to continue through a personal legacy that immortalizes them in the memories of others. Facing their own mortality, the chronologically gifted are determined to live with significance, passion, and purpose in the here and now.

References:
https://news.yale.edu/2002/07/29/thinking-positively-about-aging-extends-life-more-exercise-and-not-smoking
https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-832261.pdf

Have You Created Your Legacy?

Have You Created Your Legacy?

What exactly is a legacy? It’s your story that communicates how you want to be remembered. It covers your life’s events, your contributions to family and society, your ideas, advice and wisdom accumulated over a lifetime that you want to be a “forever” memory for people… not only friends and family members but for others who can benefit from your story as well. For many, leaving a legacy is a part of the human condition, a desire for immortality. When crafting your legacy, here are three questions to answer: How do I want to be remembered? What is the greatest gift or message I have to share with others? How can others benefit from what I share? Remember, legacy is about what matters most. It’s about life lessons and how to overcome loss, disappointment, tragedy and trauma. It’s about inspiring others by providing hope, encouragement, and gratitude for a life well-lived. Create and share your legacy. You can do it!

Work-Life Balance

Work-Life Balance

Many of us live harried, “always-on” lives as we juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. It’s reminiscent of the expression, “I’m running as fast as I can.” When we’re so busy trying to fit everything in, often we forget to stop and smell the roses. In the process, we tend to overlook and postpone what’s really important. Remember, living a full life means we need to plan family time—time to engage, create traditions and memories as well as share fun adventures. If we wait until “someday,” that day may never come. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of today. Participate in all life has to offer daily. Stay in the moment. Make the choices that will enable you to live the life you want with no regrets. You can do it!

Disrupt Aging

Disrupt Aging

It’s time to break the mold and disrupt the traditional concept of the aging process and model. Spend time in front of the mirror. Fall in love with yourself all over again, but not in a narcissistic way. Join the ranks of the those who want to live long and well, otherwise known as the “chronologically gifted.” These are individuals who have a healthy sense of self-love—one that makes them feel confident in their own skin—wrinkles and all.
Adopt a new perspective. Consider the mantra: “I’m not just getting older; I’m getting wiser.” Let the features that reveal age be the ones that are reminiscent of the wisdom and maturity collected throughout a life time. Admire, appreciate and like the person looking back at you in the mirror because that’s the person who still has a lot to offer the world.

Remember, everyone gets older, so aging is not an option. But how people age is a choice. People have far more power over how they age than society conditions them to believe. Anyone can become chronologically gifted. Just decide you don’t just want to live longer, you want to live better—beginning right here, right now. This is what we call disrupt aging.

Take comfort in knowing that everything you do from this point on takes you one step closer to living the kind of mindful, joyful, seize-the-day life you were designed to enjoy. Let that belief become a springboard for deeper engagement with the life inside of you—the timeless part of you that is desperate to express itself, despite the best efforts of an age-fearing culture to suppress it. You can do it!

Life-long Learning

Life-long Learning

While there’s no “magical” way to halt or reverse the aging process, there are ways to embrace it. Start by admitting that you’re getting older. Stop fighting it. Own it. Love it. Adopt a positive attitude. The world is going to move forward with or without you. Where some people get hung up is with the misconception that as they age, they have to fit in with the younger generation. This simply isn’t true. A more helpful attitude is, “I may not be young anymore, but I’m still capable of growing and I will continue my process of evolving until the end of my life.” Each time an individual acquires a piece of knowledge or improves upon a skill that helps them deepen their relationships, appreciate their past and current experiences, and leave a more robust legacy, that’s a change that matters.

10 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Happy

10 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Happy

These scientifically proven ways to be happy are published by Secrets2Success, which is known for its famously popular page: @secrets2success, where the company inspires and motivates many people day-in and day-out.

Exercise (at least seven minutes a day). It really all comes down to moving. In all facets of daily life, do your best to avoid a sedentary lifestyle. The more hours you log sitting down each day, the higher your risk of serious health problems.
Go outside (especially when it’s very cold). The outdoors is a natural, cost-free, easily accessible mood elevator. Also, it provides a dose of vitamin D, which produces important health benefits such as promoting calcium absorption, reducing bone inflammation, and supporting immune function. Not bad for such a simple act.
Help others (at least two hours each week). The scientific benefits of helping others have been proven again and again. It reduces the extreme loneliness some people experience, which has actually been known to increase lifespan.
Meditate (rewrite your brain). Meditating improves concentration. Improving this ability enhances a person’s self-awareness, which increases happiness and acceptance. All of these benefits can come from simply taking a little time to think.
Move closer to work. Are you one of the countless individuals who spend hours of your day commuting? Unless you can find a way to make those hours productive (beyond getting you from one place to another), try to arrange something where the drive time doesn’t weigh so heavily on your day.
Plan a trip (even if you don’t take it). The act of planning is itself beneficial. Visualizing yourself on a family outing or experiencing adventures is intoxicating.
Practice gratitude. Feeling grateful and expressing it put people in good moods. The better your mood, the more resilient you become. It’s all good news!
Practice smiling. Do you know what happens when you smile? Neuronal signals travel from the cortex of your brain to the brain stem. From there, the cranial muscle carries the signal further toward the face’s smiling muscles. Once those muscles contract, a positive feedback loop goes back to the brain and reinforces your feeling of joy. Just hearing that should arouse a smile!
Sleep more. Sleep plays a vital role in your overall health. A lot of important activities occur when you sleep, namely the healing and repairing of your heart and blood vessels.
Spend more time with family (and friends). How else can memorable experiences be created? Family bonding time is an opportune time to model good behavior, as well as to give your children a greater sense of self worth.

Did You Know? World Changing Ideas

Did You Know? World Changing Ideas

The world is full of brilliant scientists, researchers and creative thinkers who are working diligently to discover and implement new products and services that will change our quality of life.

For example, in Scientific American’s recent booklet, “World Changing Ideas,” experts share some exciting and innovative ideas and predictions about the future. Just take a look…

“Your electric toothbrush will beep to notify you that dutiful brushing twice a day every day for the past six months has earned you enough points for a 10 percent discount on your next checkup.”
“A future in which almost every aspect of your life includes a game-like experience is all but inevitable” (according to Carnegie Mellon University researcher Jesse Schell). The reason why this is important is because it identifies the value of engagement as a key factor in addressing motivation to change a destructive behavior.
Julie Greensmith of University of Nottingham in England created a “dendtritic cell algorithm that detects computer viruses and other malicious code in the same way that our immune systems sense real viruses.” In science today, there is a lot of collaboration between computer scientists and biologists who recognize the importance of patterns in detecting computer and human functionality.

These are just a few of the many items listed in Scientific American’s special report. Other topics include liquid fuel for electric cars, producing gas from trash, innovations in solar panel technology, “know-it-all” toll roads, subway like bus lines, crops that don’t need replanting, innovations in cleaning our oceans, advanced pocket translators and many more.

There’s no question about it. We live in an information age where solutions to common problems are coming faster than ever, and new discoveries are changing the way we live, work and play.

10 Fun Facts About Laughter

10 Fun Facts About Laughter

The following list is by Robert Provine, author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation

Laughter is an instinctive behavior, produced and recognized by people of all cultures.
Most laughter is not about humor; it’s about relationships between people. We are 30 more times likely to laugh in a social situation than when we are alone (without the presence of TV, books, radio).
Laughter usually follows comments in conversation rather than intentional jokes.
The speaker tends to laugh more than the audience.
In groups, women laugh more than men. Women also laugh more at men more than men laugh at women.
Laughter tends to occur in short bursts of vowel-like sounds such as “ha-ha,”, “ho-ho” or “he-he” which are repeated every fifth of a second.
Most people can’t laugh on command. Laughter is not something we produce consciously.
Laughter is contagious. The sounds of laughter often trigger laughter.
Laughter is believed to have its origins in rough and tumble play, evolving from the panting behavior of our primate ancestors (when tickled, chimpanzees and gorillas pant).
Laughter usually doesn’t interrupt a sentence structure of speech. We really only laugh during the pauses we make for coughing or breathing.

Facts About Aging

Facts About Aging

The aging population around the world is increasing at an unprecedented pace, and the numbers are astounding. According to the World Health Organization: (http://www.who.int/aging/about/facts/en/)

Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years old will double from about 11% to 22%.
The absolute number of people aged 60 years and over is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion over the same period.
The number of people aged 80 years or older will have almost quadrupled between 2000 and 2050 to 395 million.

Other interesting statistics include:

 The number of 55+ is the fastest growing population in the United States and around the world.
There are more than 53,000 centenarians (persons that live to be 100 and beyond) in the United States, and more than 316,000 worldwide. Japan, according the a United Nations survey, has the highest number of this age group and will continue to lead the way in the foreseeable future.

The lesson for all of us is: Older is not old. Views have changed in recent years. Longevity in the 21st century is not what it was just a few decades ago. We are in the midst of an “Aging Revolution” that forces us to confront our beliefs and behaviors about the past, present and future. There’s no doubt about it. Living longer comes with challenges and opportunities. Let this be a time to face them with humor, grace, practicality, confidence and openness to what is yet to come.