Refuse To Die With Your Music Still In You!

Grandma Shellie, The Zumba Gold Queen, Jan. 2011

January 27, 2011

The day we stop planning for our future, is the day we stop living says Joel Osteen, Minister of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX . This morning, I was listening to one of his podcasts. Rev. Joel  goes on to say that when we’re not planning for our future, we’re just breathing. These words penetrated my soul when I realized that I stopped setting future goals and was no longer considering long term plans  5, 10 or 20yrs from now. I believed I had nothing to look forward to as I was too afraid to look that far ahead.

I’m a 72yr old Grandma of 6 and Mother of 3. I’m a successful Health & Wellness Coach, Licensed Massage Therapist, Author, Speaker, Certified Reiki Practitioner and Licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor (Basic, Advanced, Gold, Aqua and ZumbAtomic). In 5yrs I’ll be 77; in 10yrs, 82; in 15yrs, 87 and in 20yrs, I’ll be 92yrs old. These facts take my breath away. These facts terrify me and have stopped me from setting long term goals since my 70th birthday.

I used to be more feisty, more courageous and believed I was ageless -  that I could do, be and have anything I wanted regardless of my age.  I was unstoppable with an enormous future ahead of me filled with fun, adventure and accomplishments. I celebrated each birthday with a party,  inviting those who were dear to me,  my colleagues, friends and family.

However, when I reached my 70th birthday, something changed within me. I had a major attitude shift on a very deep level and I became severely depressed. I hid it well. I now realize I was living my life moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, planning nothing for ‘my future’.  Why? Because I believed I was in my future and 5yrs, 10yrs, 15yrs or 20yrs from now, was too frightening to consider making plans or setting goals.

When we”re depressed, we tend to look at everything through negative lenses. I reviewed all the losses in my life.

• I was no longer married.
• Gravity changed my muscle tone and skin texture
• I now use reading glasses
• I was forced to evacuate my beautiful home due to a flood from my upstairs neighbor’s 60 gal hot water heater.
• My savings was depleted due to repairs, storage fees and several relocations while my home was being reconstructed
• I have many more senior moments
• My NY experience didn’t work out
• I no longer believed I was ageless and I stopped believing I could be, have and do anything I wanted.

From the outside, no one knew what I was feeling as I didn’t discuss it.  It was too uncomfortable to face these feelings. From the outside, it looked like I had it all together:  Successful Health & Wellness Coach, Licensed Massage Therapist, Licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor, Author, Speaker and Certified Reiki Practitioner. People admired me, yet, I hadn’t begun to to plan my own future. I had given up on myself.

I no longer felt my future was a wide expanse of choices, fun and exciting adventures. Always extremely grateful that I continue to be youthful and energetic, healthy, on no meds and with no medical conditions, I was not living. I was merely existing, just accepting what life was dealing me- as Joel Osteen said, ‘just breathing’. I allowed all the discouragements and difficulties I had experienced to take away the spring in my step. I learned to cover-up what was going on deep within me.

My fears arose from seeing a majority of seniors who are 76, 86 and 91+yrs old,  who are not healthy, have had many surgeries, whose minds are riddled with Alzheimer’s or dementia, who are in nursing homes, wheelchairs or using walkers.  My thoughts drifted towards the questions,   “Will I be healthy as I age? Will I be able to teach Zumba? Will I be able to do massages or drive or….or……?”  I shudder at the thought of seeing myself unable to do all this.

• THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT  TELLING THE TRUTH TO YOURSELF AND/OR TO SOMEONE ELSE, IS THAT YOU NOW HAVE THE OPTION TO CHANGE.

• BEING SURROUNDED BY LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR CONSCIOUSNESS SUPPORTS US IN RECOGNIZING WE HAVE A CHOICE AND WE CAN CHANGE
  

• WE CAN’T CHANGE THE AGING PROCESS, BUT WE CAN SLOW IT DOWN BY LIVING AND THINKING DIFFERENTLY.

TODAY IS THE DAY YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

• WHAT CAN I DO TO STAY HAPPY,  HEALTHY AND PASSIONATE FROM THIS DAY FORWARD?
• WHAT ADVENTURES AND DREAMS HAVE I SET ASIDE THAT I AM READY TO FULFILL ?
• WHAT DO I WANT TO DO THAT I HAVEN’T DONE YET?

RE-ESTABLISHING OUR HEALTH GOALS:

1. Take vitamin/mineral supplements/herbs
2. Eat at least 10 fruits/veggies per day, local, organic preferably
3. Avoid ‘fat-free’ foods loaded with sugar
4. Cut down on foods containing white sugar, white flour
5. Eat more whole grains
6. Move your body. Park your car far from your destination and walk. Join a gym. Take a dance class. Walk around the supermarket a few extra laps.  Take the stairs not the escalator or elevator. Walk 10,000 steps/day
7. Have massages, at least once/month or more often
8. Have a chiropractic adjustment every few months as a preventive measure
9. Make new friends and visit long time friends either by phone or in person
10. Challenge your brain. Learn new skills. Take a class
11. Sleep 8hrs or more
12. Drink 6-10 glasses of filtered water /day
13. Listen to more music and reduce  TV watching
14. Laugh more often. Watch funny movies, learn new jokes
15. Take The Landmark Forum or if you’re a graduate, sign up for a seminar
16. Get involved in a spiritual group

YOUR BUCKET LIST:

1. Make a list of  adventures you’d like to experience
2. Make a list of places you’d like to visit
3. Make a list of fun things you used to do that you’re ready to do again
4. Make a list of  people you want to meet or visit

MAKE A VISION BOARD OR TREASURE MAP

1. Cut out pictures from magazines that reflect your new goals, dreams, people, places, things you want to do, be or have
2. Use a poster board, cork board or photo album and look at it every night before bed and morning upon awakening

ARE YOU COMMITTED TO GETTING YOUR PASSION BACK?                                                                  I AM!!!

SUGGESTED AFFIRMATIONS (or make up your own)

• I am committed to getting my PASSION back
• There is more in me to be manifested
• Setbacks cannot stop me from reaching my destiny
• I am not average or ordinary. I am Extraordinary
• Now is the time for me to dream a new dream if my original dream didn’t work out
• We’ve come too far to stop now
• Something good is going to happen today
• Difficulties and discouragement are tests of our faith
  
• Nothing can take away my joy today
  
• Spirit has great things in store for me now or I wouldn’t be alive.

REVIEWING MY LIFE AT 71 THROUGH POSITIVE LENSES

MY GRATITUDE LIST

1. My friends, family, children and grandchildren are healthy, happy and beautiful
2. I am healthy
3. I love my work as a Massage Therapist, Zumba Fitness Instructor and Health Coach
4. I have 2 great Massage Therapy jobs
5. I teach Zumba Gold to other seniors
6. I live in Virginia Beach, VA (VA is for lovers state)
7. I have a reliable beautiful Red Toyota Prius
8. I’ve lived in the most beautiful places, AZ, NM, CA,FL, NY and VA
9. I have a beautiful 2BR apt, with w/d, 2BR, 2BA, patio, central a/c, pool, gym
10. I love my new 32″ HDTV
11. I appreciate Verizon Fios
12. I’m enjoying my new dining room set
13. I am blessed for great friends around the U.S.
14. I am grateful for my friend Fran W. who  invited me to do The EST Training, preceding The Landmark Forum, in 1980. It changed my life
15. More to come

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT IN SETTING YOUR GOALS, ENCOURAGEMENT OR COACHING, CONTACT ME:

EMAIL: drshellie614@gmail.com

PHONE: 602-708-9018