Tips From A 102-Year-Old On Staying Fit In Mind, Body, And Spirit
My mother-in-law, Jean Carino, age 102, continues to be strong in mind, body, and spirit. The key to her being able to sustain health and vitality is that she pays attention to mind, body, and spirit. Her interests include games such as Mah-jongg and cards. Regularly, she works out by taking yoga classes and riding on a NuStep exercise machine. She is an active member of her church. When I ask her for some advice, here are a few of the tips she gives me.
Jean’s Tips on How to Stay Strong in Mind, Body, and Spirit
- Stay active.
- Make regular habits and rituals to stay fit.
- Be mindful in all that you do.
- Be around other positive people.
Here are some ideas I have on how to create regular habits or rituals to be sure to do something daily to stay fit in all three areas. Some examples are:
- Journal – writing and/or drawing
- Meditate, pray
- Spend time outdoors, enjoy nature
- Engage in a creative activity
- Exercise
- Participate in sports
- Play, including games with friends and family
- Engage in stimulating conversations
- Read meaningful literature
Be mindful of all that you do.
- Do one thing at a time.
- Be aware of the impact you have on others.
- Do good for others without seeking benefit for yourself.
- Look for specific ways to love yourself.
- Love your family and friends, this may take some creativity when they are far away from you.
- Love the world you live in and protect the earth.
Your Assignment – Imagine you’ve reached 102, and you are looking back on your practices for having a successful life. What ingredients would have gone into your secret sauce for health in mind, body, and spirit? Describe them in a letter to yourself. For example, “Dear Rob, this is your 102-year-old self writing you a letter … “ Date the letter and revisit it over the years.
Body and Body Image
For most young people, body and body image are primary concerns and are often the source of deep anxiety. A major part of self-awareness is to develop an accurate sense of how you feel about your body.
Some students have body image challenges such as eating disorders and self-loathing about their bodies. Since every college campus has resources for students, please seek resources early to take care of yourself and your friends.
Your Reflections
- List the positive qualities that make your body unique to you.
- What do you do each day/week/month to care for your physical body?
- How do others support you and how do you engage with others to eat and drink healthfully?
- How do others support you in health?
- How do you engage with others to participate in health activities?
- What positive changes could you make toward better self-care in the next week/month?
- What resources are available to you if you or a friend are having thoughts or actions of an unhealthy lifestyle?
- Who would support you to work toward a more positive self-image?
Your Assignment – Write a paragraph summarizing what you do well to care for your body. Write a second paragraph outlining any plans you have to improve your self-care.
Manage Your Energy As Well As Your Time
When I hear about low energy from a client, I first ask whether they feel engaged in their work. Then I ask about any family or health issues that may be preoccupying them. If there are some problems, I help them discover any actions they can take to resolve these issues. I also ask whether they are getting enough sleep and enough exercise.
Juan greatly improved his energy by taking a 20-minute walk/run with his dog every morning. Irene switched to a four-day workweek to be able to spend more time with her two young children. William sought a family therapist to help with problems with his son, who has attention deficit disorder. Alfred began taking his children to the golf course every Sunday for an outing. Josh went to a sleep disorder clinic to find out why his sleep was constantly disrupted.
These kinds of actions helped these leaders avoid the burnout that so often accompanies people in demanding roles. When you’re a leader, you don’t have to prove yourself with a superhuman effort or superhuman time commitment. Sustainability is more important. And to achieve that, you have to know what reenergizes you. It’s all about discipline and knowing what recharges your batteries.
Managing time is really about managing energy. It’s not just becoming more efficient. People often will try to do two things at once, take calls in the car while driving home, for instance. But if the person previously used the drive home to unwind and recharge, now they’re not giving themselves time for that. They’re still working.
Time is a finite resource. You really can’t cheat time.
Your Reflections
- If you don’t know what re-energizes you, ask the people around you. Ask your mate what he or she notices about your behavior when you’re up or down and what led to it.
- Keep an energy journal so you can zero in on when you lose your energy and when it’s at a peak. Write in the journal the time of day, type of activities, and people (or solitude) that correlate with your high-energy moments. Accept that you need these stimuli to boost your energy.
- Ask yourself what might be draining your energy. Are you fully engaged in your work? Are there family or health problems that are preoccupying you? Are you getting enough sleep? Enough exercise?
- Take a nap.
- Spend time on activities that give you a full sense of purpose.
- Meditate.
- Go to places that energize you, not to ones that drain your energy. (I write this as I sit in my local cupcake shop with my notebook.)
A Few Other Reflections From My Book, Men: A Guide To Healthy Aging
- Develop some kind of spiritual practice. It may be a reflection. It may be prayer, maybe deep reading or keeping a journal.
- In terms of time, my friend, Frank Ascione, advises that when you do your planning, think 10 years out about the decisions you’re making today. If you’re 45, imagine being 55. Think about the difference that 10 years will make and then plan accordingly.
- Imagine that most of us will have about 4000 weeks in our lives. Be intentional about how you will live each week.
- As Walt Whitman said, “If anything is sacred, it’s the human body.“ Remember that no matter what our age, we have been blessed with an amazing body, which works in multiple ways to keep us alive and functioning. It is inherent in us to keep that body well-tuned and running as smoothly as possible.
- As you age, remember that you cannot stop the passing of time and how it affects your body. However, you can work to keep a clear and positive mind. You could be young upstairs in your head, even if your joints creak.
- If you think you’re moving fast, you are correct. We live on an earth that spins at 1000 miles an hour and orbits the sun at an average speed of 372 miles per second.