To accept…or not
There’s a meme going around Facebook that lists the ways one can tell if they’re a grown-up. The list includes items like choosing comfort over style and having favorite cooking utensils. Those two items for me are true. The other items on the list made me want to yell, “NO!!!” Those items implied everything is harder and “lesser” the older we get, e.g., more pain, more weight, less enjoyment and less energy.
In all fairness, I do believe that there are those who believe that to be true. And, in fact, those beliefs may actually be someone’s truth; however, I believe that we need to take a step beyond the blanket acceptance implied in the meme that as we get older, we have no control over our destinies. Instead of sharing this type of falsehood and perpetuating the myth, we need to recognize that there actually is a lot we can do as we get older.
My last two posts were about change; I suppose this post is, as well. The meme I saw - and ones similar to it - truly do us all an injustice in that they imply that change isn’t possible. Change is HARD, even if you want it. But that doesn’t mean we should give up and accept our pain, fatigue, weight gain, irritability or whatever.
I recently gave a presentation and included in it was something along the lines of this: some people are more comfortable living in their pain and unhappiness than they are in being willing to experience the discomfort of working toward more ease and content. I get it and I’ve been there. There’s definitely a pseudo-comforting familiarity in already knowing you won’t have the energy to do what you want or maybe a sense of freedom in accepting your weight gain.
If you are comfortable with your status quo, own it, but don’t martyr it. If you’re not comfortable with your status quo, give me a call or send me a message. You don’t have to agree with a meme just because it resonates with you. Perhaps being able to identify with it is the sign you’ve been searching for as a reminder that you ARE the adult and you alone are responsible for your choices that impact how you feel. If you feel unable to make choices, read my last post and still send me a message. You are worth more and you deserve more.
**This picture is of my grandmother at 86 years young in 2007, at my cousin’s wedding. At the time, she had Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, 2 hip replacements and other ailments that are common for people her age. She made the choice each and every day - as long as she could - to engage in habits that she knew would make her feel and function her best.
