Getting Old Really S...ks!

This getting old stuff really s...ks, if you let it get to you. I never realized Bill and I would have so many physical issues after we hit 50. The reality is that it's our fault. As baby boomers, we're the generation that refuses to grow old, so we've had a tendency to put off till tomorrow what we didn't want to do today... like exercise, drink more water, you know the drill...

My good friend Margaret (who's just a tad bit older than me- tee hee) told me the funniest story awhile back. She was in Ross shopping, and when she left the store, she saw a sign on the window that said 'Age 55 and older- get 10% discount'. Now Margaret has the you-know-what to go back in and tell the clerk she would like her 10% discount. The clerk said, "I already gave it to you~!" Margaret immediately made an appointment to have her hair colored and highlighted (you know, banish that gray!).

Well, I just cackled about this. People 'always' think I'm at least 10 years younger than I am. So I'm telling my daughters this story a few weeks ago when they were here on a visit, and we're hitting all the thrift stores, looking for deals.

I'm checking out at the Waterfront Rescue Mission in Fort Walton Beach, and the sales clerk (who looked about my 'real' age) said to me, "Tuesday is Seniors Day. Would you like your 10% discount?" (That's another personal rant of mine- businesses that advertise to Seniors 'over 50'. Don't they realize those are fighting words to Baby Boomers, who will always be teenagers at heart?!)

I almost went through the floor, and I said NO THANK YOU! My daughters were a few people behind me in line, and I was hoping they didn't hear. So much for that.... We get in the car, and they're dying laughing.

Man, I was depressed for a week! I mean, I won't even join AARP because I won't admit I'm over 50! OK, I admit it... I'm a little vain...

Visualize this skinny little girl in high school (valedictorian of my class- pretty nerd-y looking) with the blue horn-rimmed glasses... It's that 'adult child' within us that remembers all the things people said to us growing up- 'four-eyes'... 'you're too thin...' 'you're going to grow up to be just like your Aunt' (the one who was an old maid)... 'straighten up- your posture is awful!'... 'you have the biggest feet'... Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me... WRONG... unless I let them!

Some people have 'flat forehead moments''. For me, I guess it takes a brick hitting me over the head. When I got hospitalized a couple of months ago with heart attack symptoms and it turned out to be Mitral Valve Prolapse, my symptoms were triggered by stress, dehydration, and lack of exercise.

I am very fortunate- I realize that my ailments are caused by neglect, not by some chronic illness. My friend Leslie is going through bone cancer treatments right now (she had breast cancer a couple of years ago), and it's very tough for her. I pray for her and ask that God heal her body. And I truly do realize that I can change my physical condition, at this point, by my own CHOICE. Leslie right now doesn't have that option. My cousin Tommy just lost his beautiful wife Sally to liver cancer. I pray for him and ask that God heal his soul. And I realize just how fortunate I truly am.

My big pity party mainly stems from the crash of my Seasilver business (parent company was shut down for 6 weeks by the FTC for making medical claims) almost 3 years ago, to the day. Watching a 5-figure monthly check plummet to virtually nothing was devastating. However, I like to think of myself as an entrepreneur and ENTREPRENEURS are future-based, not past-based. I quit walking the walk... was just talking the talk...

So having pity parties about my loss was totally incompatible with the person I like to think I am- an abundance-minded future-thinking entrepreneur!

I HAVE UNLIMITED ABUNDANCE AND RESOURCES IN ALL AREAS OF MY LIFE! I AM ATTRACTING, WITH GOD'S BLESSING, THE PERFECT CUSTOMERS AND BUILDERS TO MASSIVELY GROW MY BUSINESS. WHOSE LIFE CAN I ADD VALUE TO TODAY?

OK, with that said, I fired the conductor of the pity party band, and I'm moving on. Eating healthy, exercising (starting out slow, admittedly), being the best I can be in every way.... and I'm feeling GREAT again!

Now if I could just figure out a way to fire A.. (it's a 3-letter word) Coulter... Her latest rants about the 9/11 widows really ticked me off... She professes to be a Christian- but her behavior sure isn't God-like. Maybe the name of her new book really refers to her! I won't even say the name of it here- I refuse to fund her book sales, and I doggoned sure won't buy her book. Whether she herself believes what she says is not even relevant- it's all marketing calculated to 'drive' book sales.

However, as a Christian and a marketer myself, I totally believe that the energy you put out there will attract like-minded people and things, so A.. could have some 'interesting' things in store for her in the future.