Are you living for your future??

This picture is Gwen.  She is holding up her 3 grandkids a total combined weight of about 138 pounds!!  Gwen is a great example of what is possible when you are doing the work of regular exercise and healthy eating.  She is strong, energetic, and healthy.  This is not true of all grandma's or even moms!  But, it is possible for most of us to do this and feel this good in our 50s, 60s, and even 70s (and maybe not all the grandkids in our 80s!)

I know we are supposed to be in the present trying to experience the moment we are in.  Not too lost in the “what if’s” of the future or be stuck in the past. 

But, we all know we need to be thinking of this future thing.   We don’t get to enter our “golden years” without some prior planning if we want it to go smooth-ish.

FAR TO OFTEN we are seeing people reach those years and really stop living life.  They aren’t able to partake in adventures or able be active with their grandchildren.  Travel has to be carefully picked by what their limitations are.  More hours are spent at PT and appointments than hiking, reading, gardening, kayaking, biking, serving the community or whatever it may be. 

You work so hard raising a family and building a career.  Then this magic happens where your children are grown, the mortgage is finally paid off and the last college bill sent.  You have more time and resources to live out those long awaited golden years.  But oops.  YOU FEEL LIKE CRUD!  Daily living is becoming more and more of a challenge. 

Each year I am blessed to keep aging I think about those future years and what I want them to look like.

Take a moment and think.  If you stay on the path you are on what does the next 5 years.... 10 years..... 20 years.....30 years ...look like?

Is it a steady decline to the recliner? Does your leisure become mainly food focused and being entertained because other activities are just too difficult?  Is it more and more Dr. visits and pills to swallow? Surgeries with long and painful recoveries?

Life throws us curve balls all the darn time so some things can’t be avoided.  But one thing for sure is exercising regularly, being involved in a positive atmosphere and eating a few vegetables WILL set you up for aging well. 

Our average client is over 50.  Many well past that.  Here is what we get to see all the time!

*Things that were getting hard aren’t anymore. 

*Walking to get the mail at the end of the driveway used to be difficult and no longer is.

*Faster recovery from pretty much all surgeries because of the strength going in prior.

*Bounding up and down stairs when they used to be out of breath.

*Dead lifting their grown children (Susie you rock)

*Adventurous trips taken.

*Throwing around heavy bags of mulch, dirt, rocks, wood and groceries like they are feathers.

*Going on mission trips. 

*Starting new experiences.

*Bringing back past hobbies they loved to do and no longer could.

*When they trip and fall it doesn’t destroy them.

*Enjoying grandchildren with ease.

*Being able to step in for a family member or friend who is in crisis with strength and hope.

*Creating new friendships and going for hikes, bike rides, kayaking adventures together with the people they meet in class. 

*Serving the community in beautiful ways making the world a better place!

*Creating a legacy and inspiring those around them!

We could go on and on with this list but you get the point.

We get one trip on this go around of life. 

We have a big purpose here. 

Let’s take steps to be able to LIVE this one precious life we’ve got!