Don’t let yourself wither away. Keep moving and doing things.
I talked to someone the other day, and they said you have to keep on moving or you’ll grow old. I came right out and asked if I could use that in my post. He quickly agreed and referenced a singer whose name now escapes me (maybe Lynyrd Skinner?)
This concept, though, has been covered in many a song where we are told to keep moving, keep on trucking, etc. It is upon us to not let life pass us by because we are the captain of our vessel.
My body may be a bit slower with every passing year, but I keep moving. When I don’t, I find that I move even slower. I get tired, and sometimes depression can set in.
There are days when I have been in quite a bit of pain and discomfort, especially when I was sick, but the goal was always to keep moving and never give up. I suffered a short-term (10+years) movement disorder resulting from a reaction to a needle. This affected the whole right side of my body and made moving difficult and quite challenging.
I could have given up and ended up in a wheelchair, which is where one doctor said I would end up, or I could keep on going. The choice was solely mine. I choose to look for alternative methods and keep working with my body. The result is that today the tremors and dystonia-like movements are in remission. I know what will trigger them, so avoid those types of movements and continue to strengthen my muscles.
It is easy, especially with covid lockdowns, to sit stagnantly and do very little. I chose to dance while in lockdown and go out walking when permitted to keep moving. Yes, there are days when I sit and do nothing. It’s called relaxation, but most days, I try to get up and move around, even if only for a little while.
You can do many things to keep your body and your mind moving. Daily stretching, walking, dancing, if you enjoy it, are just a few on the list. There is biking, sports, swimming (another love of mine), etc. Water fitness is also easy on the joints if you have those issues.
I have an 84+ neighbour who puts 1lb weights on her ankles every morning and does leg lifts for 15 mins, and she rides her bike throughout the week. She once told me if she looks after her legs, they will keep her moving and mobile and help her keep the rest of her body in shape. It is a great mindset to have, and she is a wonderful lady.
It is not just your body, though. You must also exercise your mind to keep it functioning. Keep learning new things. Learning doesn’t have to be a task. Choose something you like or would like to try and go learn how to do it. Reading, problem challenging puzzles, and meditation are all ways to work out your mind.
Meditation may not seem like an exercise, but you need to relax your muscles after working them out and recharge. The same is true for your mind. You need to de-stress and let your thoughts go.
It doesn’t matter what age you are. Just keep moving. Commit yourself to do this so that when you approach your older years, you will be more mobile. We will all get a bit slower, but as long as we can get around and are sane, we can retain our independence.
Do yourself a favour and don’t become complacent. Look after your mind and body and keep on moving.
Free inspirational or motivational posts can be found on the inspirational page of Leslie’s website.