Anne-Louise Sterry, 60, Oregon, USA

The first thing that pops into my head when I hear “Age Esteem” is, oh my gosh, instead of thinking that old people are useless we’re going to look at people who are older with a sense of esteem.

What concerns do I have about growing older?  Actually concerns about aging just popped up for me when I turned 60.  One is a sense of anxiety that I don’t really have so much of my life left, and if I haven’t done what I wanted to do when I am I going to do it?  I better get to work!

A second concern is that I’ll never be able to retire.  I ought to be able to, except for the fact that I love what I do so I wouldn’t want to stop.  – But then when is the time that you can relax?  My father used to say, “You can relax when you’re dead.”  So that is a concern.  And of course there is the sagging of the body bits.  I’m not so happy about that.

Anne-Louise’s Tips:  I wake up in the morning and I try, especially if I am at home, to spend some time writing.  One of the things that I write at the top of my page is the type of day I want to create.  I often write that I am creating a day of joy and focus, or I’m creating a day of joy and love, or I’m creating a day of patience.   That actually carries me through my day.

Laughter is a really good thing.  Laughter makes you feel good.

Exercise.  You’ve got to get outside and walk.  You have to do something to get in the fresh air, something to move your body.  My husband and I ride bikes. I try to walk, especially since I turned 60.  I’m a new 60 and I’m struggling with that a bit.  It just seems old though I don’t feel old.  It is just the number.  I would like to change the number to have more years left.  I work on staying present and not future tripping or past tripping.  Both are useless.

When my parents were 60 they were old.  They weren’t out; they weren’t walking; they weren’t running; they weren’t doing things with their bodies.  So I guess I still see that as what 60 is supposed to be like.

When my Grandma was 60, she was a little old lady.  I think it is just an idea; it is just a concept that we need to change.  We need to change the concept of what 60 means.  Then I have a husband who is 65.  How did he ever become 65?

I’m a young old person so I don’t have very many tips yet.

 Anne-Louise Sterry, aka aunt Lena, speaker, author, performing artist www.Anne-Louise.com 

P.S. This interview wouldn’t be complete without a photo of Anne-Louise as aunt Lena, who is full of age esteem!

Bonnie AgeEsteemers, Secrets to AgeEsteem 60, 65, able to retire, age-esteem, Anne-Louise Sterry, Anne-Louise's tips, aunt Lena, creating a day of joy and love, esteem, growing older, laughter, sagging of body

Many of the films for May/June are from around the world: France, Spain, Argentina, Switzerland, Norway, Mexico, United States.  I no longer dare call them foreign films since AgeEsteem readers come from most areas of the globe so many films will be foreign to most.

Films are a wonderful escape into another world and other lives far removed from our own, or perhaps not so different.   They are good for our age-esteem.

• We continue to learn through movies.  They stimulate our minds.
• Going to a theater is a social event, as is watching a DVD with friends.  We share the film and our impressions and reactions.
• Films often make us laugh or cry.  Laughter is a great preventive medicine..  Crying is also a good release that rids us of toxins.
• Films help keep us abreast of what is ‘in’.
• Watching films can be an intergenerational activity.  It offers us the occasion to ask questions and to learn from others, including small children and teens.

Research also shows that to watch a film in another language, whether or not we read subtitles, helps to connect our mental neurons in new ways.

Bonnie Across-generations, Au Cinema age-esteem, AgeEsteem, films, foreign films, intergenerational, laughter, social event

World Penguin Day coincides with the annual northward migration of penguins which happens on or around April 25th.  It is believed that they migrate north to have more daylight since they cannot see well and the light is essential for finding food.

Penguins do not fly. Rather, they walk or waddle and slide.  They are amusing to watch as they parade around in their black and white tuxedos.  This is a great exercise for your age esteem since the they are bound to provoke your laughter. and laughter is healthy for both mind and body.  You will probably need to got to the zoo to watch them.  Unless, of course, you  live in Antarctica, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, the Falkland Islands, or the Galapagos Islands where they are found.

Bonnie Holidays age-esteem, laughter, migration, penguins, world penguin day