Every woman is a warrior.
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Starting week four of Shelter in Place, I feel like I’m handling it pretty well. When the order first came down, one of the first things I did was to load some library books on my Kindle so I would have plenty to read. The first book I read was A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. It proved to be especially appropriate. It is the story of a Russian aristocrat who was placed under house arrest during the Russian Revolution. He had been staying in a hotel in Moscow and was ordered not to leave the hotel for the rest of his life. Instead of the nice suite he had been inhabiting, he was relegated to a small room in the attic. His philosophy was no matter the circumstances one finds oneself in, make the most of it.
He had few personal belongings but he took a few to the attic to make it feel more like home. He took the high quality sheets he was used to and made up the small bed in the attic. Quality soaps were also acquired. He started his day with good coffee, dined well, dressed and kept up his daily grooming, keeping to a normal routine. His next strategy was to make himself as useful as possible to the hotel employees and was befriended by a little girl living at the hotel. The child’s curiosity was infectious and he willing joined in the games of exploring the hotel.
My take-away from the book, was I can’t control what is happening right now, but I can to make the most of it. I now have time for a long, leisurely bubble bath. I stocked up on the Starbuck’s French Roast I love and have even reacquainted myself with cooking and baking.
There is no excuse not to spend time writing
, meditating and reevaluating where I’m heading in life.Exercise is a priority. I’m still able to take walks while social distancing and do some kind of strength workout a few times a week. A website that has great, free workout videos is Fitness Blender. They have something for every level using equipment or no equipment.
I strive to eat healthy but don’t get restrictive. I’m monitoring my weight more diligently than during normal times and when I see it start to creep up, eating a lighter dinner does the trick.
This may be the best time to get out the good china and put some candles on the table—all those things we save for a special occasion. This virus has taught me that every day I’m healthy and alive is a special occasion.
Tomorrow I may even do something really radical and put on makeup.
This time of year it’s time to make resolutions for 2020. I am a master planner, goal setter and resolution maker. The lists are written and vision board for the new year started.
In reading the Letters of Seneca, I was hit square in the face with this 2000 year old wisdom. “The fool…is always getting ready to live” and “It’s easier to plan than to do.”
Too often for me, the planning gets in the way of actually executing my plans and living life the way I choose. Fear holds me back.
My resolution for the new decade, is to start spending more time doing than planning. Having a plan and a goal is important but it can’t get in the way of moving forward and taking action.
This decade will be my time to plan courageously and execute fearlessly.
Did you ever have one of those dreams that when you woke up you weren’t sure if you had been dreaming or it was real? I recently woke up feeling frustrated at my inability to hit a golf ball. What was surprising is that I’m not really a golfer.
In my dream
, I couldn’t hit the golf ball at all. I then realized that I was using a left-handed club (I’m right-handed) and I was attempting to hit the ball with the back of the club. No wonder, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t hit the golf ball. Everything was ass backwards.Dreams usually have something to say about real life, so what did this dream mean, I wondered. What in my life isn’t working because I’m using the wrong equipment the wrong way? What am I doing ass backwards?
What do I need to change to fulfill my dreams, ambitions and goals? What does the right equipment consist of–taking classes, making connections, attending events and networking? Maybe it’s asking for help when I need it and building a support group.
I’m not a golfer but I am a warrior. Life works much better when you choose the right equipment, use it the right way and stop trying to succeed at life playing ass backwards.
#f*ckoldage
I have felt broken and shattered at times and have ofent been told that shattered pieces that are not whole and need to be put back together. Even mended, there is still the image that we are weaker and scarred. The pieces can be glued back together, even when arranged into a beautiful stained glass, we are still broken.
“I am making all things new.” Rev. 21:5
When a new construction is being built, you never hear that it is being made out of broken pieces although in reality it is. When an old construction is being demolished to make room for the new and the rubble is being cleared away, instead of lamenting the old debris, it is understood that the new construction will be stronger, beautiful and more useful than the old one.
The lumber used to build the new construction is not a whole tree but in reality, it is pieces of a broken tree. Lumber is not referred to as broken trees but new material to make a new, strong construction. The bricks or stones used to lay a new foundation are not considered broken, damaged goods.
The tiles used to make a beautiful floor or wall is never lamented for being broken pieces put together but rather admired for their beauty.
Although I’ve felt shattered and broken and lamented the pain it caused, there would have been no room for a new construction without clearing away the debris. I am not broken pieces glued back together or a pieced together stained glass
My intention is to die young—at around 102. “How can you do that?” you may ask. I plan to stay active and engaged in life as long as possible. There have been numerous studies done on people who live active lives well past 100 from all over the world. What is their secret and what can we do to live young all our lives?
Defy what you’ve been taught about aging. Be a rebel who doesn’t go along with the beliefs on aging.
Find likeminded people to hang out with. Your friends have an impact on your health and longevity. Take stock of who your friends are. Don’t hang around “old people” (those old in attitude) but rather look for people who make it easy to be happy and healthy.
Stay physically active. Taking the stairs can decrease your chance of early death by 15%. Walk a mile or more a day at a good clip. Fast walkers have been shown to live longer than their couch potato counterparts.
A terrific sense of humor along with a strong survival instinct will help insulate you from negative emotions such as depression and anxiety. Stay optimistic and smile.
Enjoy a daily pleasurable daily ritual like a glass of wine
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, a cup of tea or a brownie.
Know why you wake up in the morning. Have events and new challenges to look forward to. Live in the present and look forward to the future.
A strong sense of family and community helps us stay connected whether through a church or other religious organization or your biological family or friends.
Maintain a healthy weight. Include plenty of nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
And my favorite
Age is just a number—don’t let it define or confine you.
#f*ckoldage
“When one door closes, another one opens.” Have you ever gone through security doors where the one behind you closes and locks before the one in front of you opens? The door behind clicks shut but there is no sign of the one in front of you opening. You trust the mechanics of the doors, the company that manufactured the door, its mechanisms and the people who maintain the door. There is no doubt that the door in front of you will open.
Too often, though, there seems to be doubt when one door in life closes that another, better door will open. You feel stuck in the middle, wondering what next? Going back is not an option; the door behind is closed and locked. You can only move forward even though door in front is not opening as quickly as you would like. If you can trust the mechanics of the door
The house had a beautiful facade—what the Realtors like to call “street presence”. The landscaping was immaculate and the flowers were in bloom.
Walking through the front door, the foyer was warm and inviting. “What is that strange odor?” Proceeding farther into the house I notice many closed doors. These rooms seem to be off limits. Approaching the rear of the house
After unexpected setbacks, I’m finally back on track.
To celebrate, I’m offering “F*ck Old Age” at 1/2 price to kick-start my comeback
The book was written and published. Taking the leap, I was flying. Soaring, I felt free and light. I was on my way ready to run forward until I hit the bend in the road and got stopped in my tracks. The landing was rougher than I anticipated with bumps and setbacks I never imagined. I’ve always been healthy and I took my health for granted. Getting sick was the last thing I expected.
I was on the floor checked out. Waking up with the paramedics hovering over me, I had no idea what had happened. At the ER they could find nothing wrong so it was easy to ignore the warnings I was getting and pretend that everything was fine.
The second time it happened, it was in public at the farmer’s market. I got lightheaded and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. As people gathered around there was no longer any possibility of pretending everything was fine. It was obvious that I had a problem.
Another trip to the ER,and I was once again told they could not find any medical reason I had passed out even after multiple tests from a brain scan to a heart scan.
It was time to ask myself “what was so painful to face in my life that going unconscience seemed like the best option?” How much more of a wake-up call did I need? Lying in the CT machine, I heard a message loud and clear. “You’ve been knocked flat twice, what more is going to take for you to wake up and get your attention? This is your life. Live the life you are meant to live and fulfill your destiny.”
I couldn’t see what was ahead and had to slow down to take the curves in the road, rest, evaluate and find the lessons. “What would a warrior do,” I asked. A warrior knows setbacks are temporary. It is a time to breath, regroup and regain her strength, connect with her tribe and troops and plan a new strategy. A warrior will overcome her setback and I AM A WARRIOR! The bend in the road isn’t the end of the road.
Start a Revolution! Baby Boomer women accepted the challenges of their generation and started a movement—the sexual revolution and women’s liberation. We demanded control of our reproduction. We were on the frontlines of social and environmental change.
We now face our greatest challenge—aging. It’s time to start a new revolution to dispel the myths and misconceptions thrust upon us. Women can take on this new challenge, kick ass at any age and once again make history.
Joan Maiden discovers what it means to finish strong in the final act of life and teaches how to reject the limitations of getting old and be your own hero through your golden years.
Unearth your inner warrior, let go of what’s been holding you back. Renew your passion, pursue your purpose, claim your power and make a difference.
F*CK OLD AGE AND EMBRACE LIFE!
Boudica is the central character in “F*ck Old Age”. Who was she and what do we know about her? Boudica was queen of the Icini tribe in eastern Britain around 62 a.d.. There is not much known about her other then what Roman historians have to say.
The Romans were invading Britain and taxing people beyond their means and taking people as slaves if they couldn’t pay their taxes. When Boudica’s husband died
, to try to keep the peace with Rome, he left half of their kingdom to Rome and half to their two daughters. The Romans thought they could take it all by flogging Boudica within an inch of her life and raping her two daughters. Little did they know what a pissed off woman could do and Boudica was pissed off. Instead of slinking away the way the Romans thought she would, she gathered the tribes, rallied the troops and formed an army to take on the Roman army and won many battles against them.Rome, being a male dominated society didn’t know what to think of a woman warrior so they had to make her sound like a real bad ass.
“She was large in frame, terrifying of aspect, and with a harsh voice. A great mass of bright red hair fell to her knees. She wore a great twisted golden necklace and a tunic of many colors, over which was a thick mantle fastened by a brooch. Now she grasped a spear, to strike fear into all who watched her. In build she was very tall, in her demeanor most terrifying, in the glint of her eye most fierce.” Cassius Dio
Boudica is an example of a woman taking charge, becoming a warrior and making a difference.