THINK AND WHEN
I long to be the person that I would like to be.
But if I’m going to do it, it’s entirely up to me.
And, I think the time to start is not some distant day
Now is the time to start that change–Now, without delay!
There’s a word that was used some years ago as a slogan by IBM.
The word was “Think”- a great reminder, for women and for men.
But “THINK” alone can also be a word that’s like a missing link
For there are those who go through life and all they do is “THINK”.
There’s another word that I believe gives power to the thoughts of men.
It’s a modest word– only four letters–that powerful word is “WHEN”!!
For when we put a timetable on the things we want to do,
Those things begin to happen, and that’s how dreams come true!
– Art Holst
Many years ago, Rudyard Kipling penned these words: “What you do when you don’t have to, determines what you will be when you can no longer help it.” Wise words that apply to many facets of our lives, particularly for those of us who are growing older…and that includes everyone I know! So, now at age 86, and still pursuing a career as an inspirational, humorous and informative speaker, I’m asked almost daily by countless people, “What is the secret of growing old successfully?”
I was a football official in the National Football League for 15 years and that experience remains a metaphor for many life lessons, both in our working and personal lives. Here are six things you can do to make growing older productive and fun.
1. Get Smart! Take charge of your body. The first thing an NFL player gets when he reports to camp is a physical exam. Get one. A good one. From a reputable physician. Once that is done, start an exercise program to get in shape for playing on the team when “Draft Day” arrives. I have had four hip replacements and walk several miles every day. But you have to work up to that. Do some weight lifting or stretching and start slowly. More repetitions are better than too much weight too fast. When I started my walking program, I could only go a bit over a quarter of a mile. By adding 50 or 100 steps every other day that soon became a mile, then two, and now I walk 3 to 4 miles per day, 4 or 5 days a week.
2. Maintain Your Proper Weight! Eat a sensible diet. More fresh fruit, lots of vegetables, and limit sweet desserts and creamy salads (a tough one for me). Be disciplined with the amount of food you eat, as well as what you eat. You can dig a grave with a knife and fork, if you dig long enough!
3. Get Some Interests! I love to play golf–but NOT five times a week! Our minds need to be kept as flexible and active as the rest of our bodies. I have always enjoyed writing and learned that writing poetry is fun and challenging for me.
And I still speak for audiences all around America. Luckily, I don’t have to travel nearly as much as I did in earlier years, but I enjoy it even more now and hope my audiences do, too. Wine gets better with age…why not people? I know a man in his mid-seventies who sacks groceries at a Publix store in Ft. Myers, Florida. He’s a retired corporate vice president and loves his job at Publix.
4. Read More! Read newspapers and the books you told yourself you’d read “some day when you have more time.” Listen to others’ opinions and share your own opinions and ideas with others. You’ll feel younger, act younger, and yes, you be will be younger in the eyes of your family and friends.
5. Keep Love in your Life! One of the hard facts in becoming older is that life partners and cherished loved ones will be lost. But, rich and enduring love can be found at any age. Seek it! Find it! Live it!
6. Get Going! Growing old successfully and gracefully is not easy. But like the rest of life, no one said it was going to be easy. It takes work, dedication, discipline, and we don’t “have to” do it. So remember, “What you do when you don’t have to, determines what you will be when you can no longer help it.” When will you start? I suggest RIGHT NOW. Go for it and good luck!
