While attending Margot Boland’s Book Cover Design Workshop, I shared my ideas on creating a project that dealt with one of my favorite subjects, “Death!”
The response I received from the other attendees made me sit up and take notice of the energy behind this subject. The crowd was made up of Boomers and Beyond age women who gave me wonderful feedback about my idea.
Wanting to have a good death seemed to be the common theme, yet how do make it happen was elusive. Strongly held desires of avoiding the road some of our parents took before they died were expressed passionately.
Sidestepping the experience of the slow downhill trajectory with lost of freedom and movement was at the top of the wish list. Followed by escaping the movement towards the end with exceedingly less awareness, physical power and possibly alone.
The women shared ideas on how to make the last years better, such as communal living, lifelong learning and social contacts.
Great ideas and thoughts, yet I must stick to my guns believing firmly that without a body that is strong, flexible, healthy and wise, nothing else will matter.
Here is my personal prescription for refusing to age:
1) Move and exercise your body everyday in whatever way possible for you. Pain and stiffness are not a reason to avoid exercise; it is the reason to get up and get on the floor.
2) Accept the extra effort it will take each year and don’t let that stop you.
3) Stick with positive, upbeat language that avoids “the aging words.” Surround yourself with friends of like-mind.
4) Take a tip from Sophie Loren when she was asked how to avoid aging, she answered, “plastic surgery and don’t make old people noises.”
5) My personal favorite, make an inspiration folder and keep all the incredible stories of people 80,90,100 years old refusing to age. Here’s my addition for this week. Enjoy the Fabulous Fashionistas.
