Finding Your Own Spirituality

Your Core Beliefs Determine Your Spirituality

Every one of us is influenced by several primary factors during our lives that determine our core beliefs as adults. From family and friends to the various institutions such as schools and churches that we come into contact with, we develop our own understanding of the world and our place within it. We also develop core beliefs about life, death, God, the universe and so on. For this reason, there are likely as many personal beliefs as there are people. These are beliefs that have been instilled in you since your early years and they are not easily changed.

HERE is an interesting video on how our beliefs have become instilled throughout history. Hopefully, you will find this very illuminating.
Your core beliefs can change drastically during your life. A serious situation can arise at any time, which demands that you re-evaluate those beliefs. For example, if you lose a child, you would most certainly be devastated, but such a terrible event would most likely cause you to re-think your beliefs on death. Is there a God, did angels come to greet your child or is he or she just gone forever? A death in the family is by far the biggest factor that determines whether your core beliefs will stay the same or change in some way. Another reason you might change your views is if you are in a life-threatening situation yourself, such as a car accident. Some people even have a near death experience that completely alters their beliefs.

”All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.”

Anthony Robbins

Obviously, death is not a welcoming topic but it is vital to this discussion. How one feels about death determines to a great extent how one lives their life. If you believe death is the end, with no consequences for your actions, you will likely take more risks when it comes to your thoughts, words and actions. However, if you believe there is a God, almighty presence, universal energy with action and reaction results or something similar, you will take much more care with how you act and treat others. This option means you have chosen to live spiritually. It doesn’t really matter if you are Christian, Catholic, Anglican, Buddhist, Hindu, Sunni, Jewish or whatever. What is important is what you believe is the “right” way to live and treat others.
For a more comforting video, please enjoy This One by John Lennon:

Find Your Creativity Niche
& Enjoy Your Latter Years!

Being creative is not something that just happens, unless you already have a particular talent that you would like to explore. The first step is to get out of that easy chair! The next is to find inspiration by reviewing your options and looking into those that interest you in more detail.

There are many options to choose from, including art, which takes in charcoal drawing, sketching, oil painting, installation art, sculpture and more. If any of these artistic endeavors appeal to you but you have no particular skills, check out the local art programs available in your community. Colleges, art institutions and even some art galleries offer programs in art.

Do you like music? Perhaps you’d like to learn how to write songs. Maybe, joining a local choral group would be a better fit or learning to play the piano. You could also collect and listen to the tunes you love the most, which should bring you many happy hours. Instead of buying all kinds of CDs, you can borrow from family and friends, and then load them into the media player on your computer. Of course, you can also download music, but be aware that this practice is frowned upon, since you are stealing copyrighted material.

Another option is crafting and there is an endless list of things you might consider, including scrap booking, beading, candle making, ceramics, etching, stained glass, leatherworking, macramé, needlecraft, knitting, egg art, fabric painting, paper machete, doll making, soap making, weaving, crocheting, rubber stamping, pottery, basket weaving and woodworking. Again, courses may be available in your area. If not, the Internet can be a valuable source of information. Do your homework first and you’re bound to enjoy your craft so much more. You might also want to try airplane modeling, cabinet refinishing or furniture restoring.

Though you might find yourself in the kitchen cooking every day, you can also turn this activity into an interesting endeavor. Consider taking up cooking as a hobby, so you can try new recipes. You don’t have to become a skilled chef to learn how to create new dishes that your entire family can enjoy. Have you ever tried Thai food? How about Japanese sushi, homemade pizza, Caribbean Adobo, Chinese lemon chicken, Greek baklava, French Cassoulet, Indian Gee, Irish cabbage and bacon pie, Italian chicken parmesan or Polish pierogis?

Photography is another option and today, all you need is a good digital camera that you can also hook up to your computer with a USB cable so you can transfer the pictures into your photo album. You might also want to have a special “camera dock” for this process. Once your photos are on your computer, you can share them on line or if you have a printer, you can make copies for family and friends.

Those who enjoy the old fashioned way to take pictures will need to purchase the right equipment, including a camera with at least a 50mm lens and flash. You might also want to get a tripod, wide-angle lens, zoom lens, camera bag and an assortment of additional products. If you know nothing about taking pictures properly, research the subject beforehand and make sure you read any users manuals that come with your equipment as well. For those who truly love photography, it is easy to set up your own developing center in a darkroom or basement area. Of course to do this, you will need special equipment for that too but once you have it, you can spend many hours coming up with your own unique creations.

If you are the more active type, you might want to consider an activity that lets you stretch you physical muscles a bit, such as cycling, dancing, golfing, belly dancing or tennis. You may be over 50, but if you’re still in good shape physically, there is no reason why you cannot get involved in one of these activities. They will also get you out of the house and meeting new people.

Have you ever considered writing your autobiography or just creating a personal memory book? You could write articles, children’s books or poetry. The great thing about writing is that if you enjoy it, you might also be able to make some money freelancing. Starting out might be a bit difficult, but if you are an avid reader, you will probably like it. The best way to get started is to join a local writing group where you can share your work and get valuable feedback. Of course, you can also go to Aging With Creativity’s own site: Boomers Write for lots of tips and tricks to inspire the imagination.

Those who like fashion might want to explore tie dying T-shirts, cutting out patterns and sewing up new outfits, learning how to add rhinestones to clothing and overall, simply coming up with your own creations.

Astronomy is another interesting area that you might want to consider. Most communities have at least one astronomy group (either private or through a college) that meets on a regular basis to view the starry nights. You could also read up on astronomy, so you know what to look for when you go out with the group, including constellations, planets and more.

If you’re more the sedentary type but still like to have fun, why not consider having a social night once a week or once a month with family and friends where you get together to play board games or cards. If you enjoy playing games, get yourself an X-Box or join an online community where you can play a whole host of different games. Aging With Creativity will soon have its own “Games” site, so be sure to check back on this site in the future.

A new area that is becoming all the rage on the Internet is videos. We all know how successful YouTube has become in a very short period of time. In keeping with that emerging trend, Aging With Creativity will be providing you with a new site where you can view, upload, download and share your own videos. There will also be plenty of advice on the equipment you will need and how to transfer your videos to the web. We’ll keep you posted!

Don’t ever let age get you down. You have plenty of life left in you, so make the most of it! When it comes to any creative pursuit, sharing an activity with your partner or friend can bring many hours of joy. However, there are still plenty of things you can do on your own to make living over 50 the happiest years of your life!

How to Cope with Bad Memories

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just get hypnotized to forget your more painful memories? Unfortunately, the experts say this cannot be done. However, there are coping strategies that you can use to make those memories less painful.

Some of us have terrible memories of such things as being bullied at school, losing a parent at a young age or even childhood violence, abuse or rape. These memories tend to ferment in our minds until they just seem to boil and sometimes the problem is handled with through drugs or alcohol. These are not solutions but rather Band Aides to cover up how we feel.

Such memories can also cripple you with a negative self-image and must be dealt with, as this can hold you back in every aspect of your life from getting a good job to having healthy, happy relationships. You must consciously create a new and positive self-image based on who you are today – not who you might have been in the past. To assist you in doing this, here area few tips:

1) Whenever you hear your mind belittling you in some way (you are so stupid or you don’t deserve to have whatever.) immediately replace that thought with a positive one. Keep doing this and eventually, you will automatically think positive things about yourself. It is a matter of reprogramming your mind.
2) Recall the negative memory and try to find a positive in it. For instance, did that experience make you a more understanding person? Did it help you cope with events that occurred later in life? It helps to understand that everything happens for a reason.
3) Is there someone from your past that you truly hate because of what they did to you? There is no way to get past this except to forgive that person. I know this can be terribly difficult, but it may help to know that we are all on our own path in life and along that path, lessons (no matter how difficult) are placed in front of us to be learned. That person was on his or her own path and karma will come into play at some point. By hating, you only hurt yourself.
4) Realize that the past is just that: the past. Why let it ruin your future?

Anti-Aging Tips for You!

Let’s face it. We all want to stay as young, healthy, mentally alert and strong as long as we can into our latter years. What follows are some helpful tips to help you do just that.
Exercise
Whether that means full out exercising or gentle stretching, regular physical activity will reduce your level of free-radical induced oxidative stress, which adds to the cause of aging and disease, including Alzheimer’s. Dr. James Jessup of the University of Florida tracked 9,777 men between the ages of 20 and 82 and found that those who exercised and took Vitamin E had a death rate 44 per cent lower than those who didn’t. As well, inactivity can lead to arthritis and osteoporosis.
Mental Acuity
Use it or lose it is the motto when it comes to maintaining your mental acuity. Reading helps keep the mind sharp, as do crosswords that make you think. As well, eat blueberries and take Vitamin E.
Healthy Diet
Your fat intake per day should be less than 30 percent of your total calorie intake to lower your risk of heart disease. Eat five servings a day of fruits and vegetables to lower your risk of cancer and three servings of whole grains daily. When you choose foods, choose color and choose fish or chicken over beef. Drink green tea because it contains a potent antioxidant called EGCG, which is good for your mind and heart. Researchers at the University of Montpellier found that drinking apple and grape juice protects against clogged arteries.
Vitamins
Perhaps the most important vitamin you can take over 50 is calcium to stave off osteoporosis and for more effective results, take with magnesium. Good antioxidants for better skin are Vitamins A, E and C.
Minerals
Two important minerals that should be a part of your regular routine are chromium and selenium. Chromium slows down the aging process, while selenium helps protect against disease. For better skin take selenium, zinc and copper.
Hormone Balance
Balanced hormones can add years to your life. Hormones are chemical messengers that send messages to receptors in the cells. When your hormones are out of whack there is miscommunication. If you feel this may be a problem, see your doctor.
Check-ups
When you’re over 50, health care is all about prevention. Both men and women should have their cholesterol level tested. Women should have regular mammograms and both sexes should have their heart and blood pressure tested regularly.
Eye Exam
Have your eyes tested annually to avoid glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Hearing Test
If you are having trouble hearing, get tested. There are many new gadgets available today that can help you.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking ages your skin and more importantly, cause cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Drink in Moderation
Alcohol not only kills brain cells, it also raises your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, as well as liver and kidney problems. Common sense should tell you that drinking heavily raises your risk of falling and injuring yourself too.
Wear Sunscreen
The best anti-aging cream is sunscreen to reduce the drying effect of the sun on your skin, as well as reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Sufficient Sleep
While you sleep, your body shuts down and goes to work repairing itself. If you don’t get enough Z’s your body produces too much coristol, which breaks down collagen and causes wrinkles.
Slow Down
By that we don’t mean exercising. We mean the day-to-day running rat race. Slow down to reduce stress and extend your life.
Laugh Often
Laughter really can be the best medicine. It reduces stress, boosts your immune system, enhances brain chemistry, can add years to your life and makes life a whole lot more fun!

Boomer Aging: It’ll Change Everything

25 things you learn by the time you reached middle age

1. If you're too open-minded, your brains will fall out.

2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.

3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

4. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat.

5. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission. 9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it. 15. No one has ever been shot while doing the dishes.16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.23. When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste.24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.25. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.

Maxine’s Living Will

I, _________________, being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means.

Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of pinhead politicians who couldn’t pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it.

Nor in the hands of lawyers/doctors who are interested simply in running up the bills. If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:

Bloody Mary

Margarita

Scotch and soda

Martini

Vodka and Tonic

steak

lobster or crab legs

the remote control

bowl of ice cream

the sports page

chocolate

or sex

…it should be presumed that I won’t ever get better. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my appointed person and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day.

At this point, it is time to call a New Orleans Jazz Funeral Band to come do their thing at my funeral and ask all of my friends to raise their glasses to toast the good times we have had.
Signature: ________________________

Date: ____________________________

I also hear that in Ireland they have a Nursing Home with a Pub. The patients are happier and they have a lot more visitors.

Baby Boomers Anthems

The Beatles–”I Get By with a Little Help From Depends”
Carly Simon–”You’re So Varicose Vein”
The Bee Gees–”How Can You Mend a Broken Hip”
Roberta Flack–”The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face”
Johnny Nash–”I Can’t See Clearly Now”
Procol Harem–”A Whiter Shade of Hair”

George Carlin on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we’re kids? If you’re less than 10 years old, you’re so excited about aging that you think in fractions.“How old are you?” “I’m four and a half!” You’re never thirty-six and a half. You’re four and a half, going on five! That’s the key.You get into your teens and now they can’t hold you back. You jump to the next “How old are you?” “I’m gonna be 16!” You could be 13 but hey, you’re gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life… you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There’s no fun now. You’re just a sour-dumpling. What’s wrong? What’s changed?You BECOME 21, you TURN 30 and then you’re PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes. It’s all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.But wait! You MAKE it to 60. You didn’t think you would!So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.You’ve built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it’s a day-by-day thing. You HIT Wednesday!You get into your 80’s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn’t end there. Into the 90’s, you start going backwards; “I Was JUST 92.”Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. “I’m 100 and a half!”
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

Before even discussing alternative healing, you should know that just because a licensed doctor is not doling out a prescription it does not mean a particular alternative medication or healing procedure will not work. Throughout history, people have discovered and used natural cures for what ailed them. When we speak about alternative healing, we’re talking about not only using products found in the natural environment, but also healing techniques that have been used for centuries.

This subject is so vast that it would take a book to cover it all, so we will provide you with some links that you can explore as we go along. First of all, if you’d like to try some natural medicines, you need to find a naturopath that does not just treat one problem but views your overall state of health. These health care professionals may use homeopathy, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, and botanical or herbal medicine to help you.

Here are a few examples of natural healing herbs:

Green Tea:

Researchers have found that the natural chemicals in green tea (polyphenols and bioflavonoids) are terrific anti-oxidants that protect your body against free radicals. It has also been found to help fight tooth decay, help with weight loss and even help acne.

Thyme:

Use thyme to get rid of colds, clear congestion and viral infections. It will also help a dry, hacking cough.
Rosemary:

Take Rosemary for better circulation. This herb is a stimulant that can increase the blood flow to your brain, improve memory and help headaches. It is also good for treating stress, anxiety, mild depression and chronic fatigue.

Turmeric:

Turmeric, a spice used in curry contains an anti-inflammatory called Curcumin that can be taken to help ease arthritis pain and swelling. According to recent research, it may also prevent Alzheimer’s disease and colon cancer. A clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2006 found that Curcumin helped shrink colon polyps “when taken with a small amount of quercetin, a powerful antioxidant found in onions, apples and cabbage.” Reference

Basil

This herb has been found to reduce stress, relieve indigestion and ease headaches. Basil tea has also been found to shrink tumors by reducing their blood supply in mice.

St. John’s Wort

This herb can relieve mild depression and anxiety, as well as promote sleep, because it contains Melatonin.

Garlic
Garlic has been found to lower incidents of colorectal and ovarian cancer. Since garlic contains more than 70 active phytochemicals it has also been shown to help prevent arterial blockages and strokes.

Aloe
Use straight from an aloe vera plant as a topical ointment for skin disorders.
Ginger
Use to help motion sickness, nausea, vomiting and even stomach viruses.
Ginkgo
Use this herb to boost your memory, improve mental function overall and stave of Alzheimer’s disease.

You will find a comprehensive herb encyclopedia Here.

Most holistic practitioners will also suggest that you perform some herbal body cleanses to rid yourself of toxic chemicals and heavy metals. These include but are not limited to a liver cleanse to remove biochemical compounds excreted by the body, a lung cleanse to rid the lungs of pollution, a kidney cleanse to rid it of toxins and a colon cleanse to rid the area of parasites and bacteria.

What follows are some of the other natural healing therapies available.

Massage Therapy

There are many forms of massage therapy that provide soothing comfort to aching bodies and also relieve stress. Shiatsu is a Japanese treatment in which physical pressure is applied along energy paths called meridians. Hot stone massage as you might have guessed involves applying hot stones to various parts of the body to stimulate circulation and ease pain. Ayurvedic massage from India involves using a heated blend of herbal oils and deep tissue massage means working deep into specific joints or muscles to allow better movement. There are many other forms of massage that you can learn about Here.

Reiki

In Japanese, Reiki means universal life force energy. Reiki practitioners utilize hands-on healing to balance your body’s energies for total wellness. By placing their hands on a particular spot on the body, Reiki practitioners claim they can push out negative energies and replace them with clear life force ene

Acupuncture

This Chinese therapy can be used for everything from pain relief to stopping smoking. It involves strategically putting fine needles into the skin to regulate the flow of energy. For more information, go Here or Here. There is even an article on acupuncture and age-related macular degeneration that you will find Here.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy involves using the fragrances of plants to refresh the body, ease the mind and sooth the spirit. For more information you can read some articles on this topic provided by Positive Health magazine.

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Alternatives to Retirement A preconceived notion of life exists for many of us. A notion where you grow up, get a job, work to provide for your family and then retire peacefully at 65… or was that 62… or perhaps 59…?!? Baby boomers are being phased out or forced into retirement at earlier and earlier ages. But for many baby boomers, that golden age is the new 30 and they are at their prime. For those who still crave the nine-to-five (or aren’t quite in a position to live off the savings just yet), there are many options for a second career. Become a Teacher The ever increasing shortage of teachers is hitting school districts nationwide. Many states have begun to seek creative solutions to this huge problem. Many baby boomers, set to leave the classroom within the next several years are being offered incentives to stay, from bonuses to opportunities to have their retirement funds placed in escrow to accrue interest while they teach additional years (still earning a salary). School systems are also looking for retired professionals to enter the classroom to teach a variety of courses. There are many special programs that provide specific professionals lateral entry into education. Open a Business Turn that hobby into a moneymaking opportunity! If you have always wished you had more time for this or that, you now have an opportunity to realize that dream. Love old cars? Consider investing in a restoration business. Love photography? Take courses and become a professional photographer. Always loved to entertain? What about opening a bed and breakfast or a café or diner? Have a love of knick-knacks? What about becoming an antique dealer? The options are endless! Volunteer If you are seeking fulfillment but don’t necessarily need the funds, there are many rewarding opportunities for volunteers. Give some time at the local senior home, library or civic organization. Become a companion or mentor. All of these are priceless experiences that will enrich and reward the lives of you and the people you encounter. Retirement is not death! There are many examples of older Americans beginning and being successful in careers during their golden years. You are only limited by your imagination.