Forget Yourself
“Develop interest in life as you see it: in people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich simply throbbing with treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.” – Henry Miller
Achieve Your Ambitions
“Write, paint, sculpt, learn the piano, take up dancing, whether it’s the tango or line-dancing, start a college course, fall in love all over again – the possibilities are limitless for you to achieve your private ambitions.” – Joan Collins
Lost and Found Moments
Do you find yourself with time on your hands? As we age, often we seem to have more “down” time than we might like.
I love moments that others might count as “lost time”. These little windows of unexpected time are a gift.
You know the moments I am thinking of – waiting for a bus, plane or train; the time you have at the hairdressers waiting for your hair to dry or take color; being all ready to go somewhere and having to wait for your partner or child; sitting in a restaurant waiting for your guest to arrive, or sitting in the doctor’s office. Each of us experience moments like these.
People with age-esteem know how to step into the “now” and enjoy the moment. Try some of these ideas next time you have to wait.
Actually, I drafted this message while waiting for my hair to dry…
Next time you have “lost” time on your hands, turn it into “found” time.
Age In Other Words
Remember that age is an integral part of many words to describe who we are and what we do in life.
Without age there would be no sage, linkage, or language. We would not be able to engage or envisage. We could not describe ourselves as having courage or a message. Nor could we enjoy either a massage or a vernissage or earn a wage.
Add your own, the list is long, beginning with Advantage, Corsage, Entourage, Gauge, Heritage, Homepage, Lineage, Luggage, Linkage, Mage, Marriage, Mileage, Mintage, Page, Passage, Personage, Percentage, Pilgrimage, Stage, Verbiage, Village …
Bonnie Fatio
Say “Yes” to 2016!
One of the many keys to living with age-esteem is to acknowledge that you have control over the realities of your life.
When I was 12 years old and leaving for summer camp, I said to my mother, “I wonder if I will have any fun. I don’t have any friends going to this camp.” My mother stopped what she was doing, looked me straight in the eyes and asked, “Do you want to have fun?” “Oh, yes!” I replied. “Then decide right now that you are going to have a good time, and you will,” she said simply. I had a fabulous time at camp.
Does this sound too simple?
Assuring your happiness during this new year really can be as simple as deciding what kind of a life you will have in 2016 and then embracing each day as it unfolds.
People with age-esteem know that the number of years you have lived have less influence on your health and happiness than your attitude. Anticipate happy moments and they will be yours.
Say “Yes” to 2016 and bask in its joys!
Happy New Year!
Bonnie Fatio
Life Is What We Make It! – And we each create it differently.
Meet my AgeEsteemer friend, Amy Andersson, who just rappelled down 31 stories of a building in Philadelphia, USA!
She loves to push her comfort zone. During the past few years Amy has driven a dogsledding team in subzero temperatures in Canada, climbed trees and rocks in Pennsylvania, and bicycled in Europe. She says with each new adventure, she gains unique insights into problem-solving and operational processes that she then can apply to her business and those of her clients.
It will not surprise you to learn that Amy also created her business, Andersson Productivity Solutions offering virtual CFO services, at a time in her life when most colleagues of her age were retiring.
Bonnie Fatio
Intergenerational Diversity
A quality of Age Esteemers is to have regular contact with people of all ages. I would also extend this to include diverse backgrounds and cultures.
We live in a world today where we can no longer simply sit back and live as though there is no evolution and we can live with the status quo. The world constantly evolving: technology is advancing, health care is making tremendous inroads concerning our bodies and minds and how to keep them healthy, education includes topics that were not yet dreamed of when we were children.
It is an exciting time to be alive!
One way to make the most of it and to keep up with worldviews and events is to speak and interact with people of diverse backgrounds and from other cultures.
As you get to know each other better and to understand both your differences and similarities, you will grow in appreciation and tolerance of those differences and find new complementarities among your similarities. Instead of criticizing each other, you will be able to value the other person for the qualities she has.
Bonnie Fatio
Age-Esteemers Come In All Shapes And Sizes
I love to meet age-esteemers in different parts of the world. Here I am in Yvoire, France studying a newly found age-esteemer standing in front of one of the shops.
Age-esteemers come in all shapes and sizes, but they are easy to recognize. They draw people of all ages to them because they are happy and confident in being just who they are, their authentic selves.
Bonnie Fatio
Bonnie Fatio and Leonie van Daalen-Röell
Go, Not Knowing Where!
What a blessing to have friends who are true age-esteemers and continue to contribute to our world! Leonie van Daalen-Röell is one of these friends. Leonie, who is Dutch and living in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband of 60 years, originally wrote Go, Not Knowing Where! for her American grandchildren.
Leonie’s happy childhood days on her family’s sugar plantation in the Dutch East Indies colony quickly becomes the story of terror, separation and internment during World War II in Indonesian, a war area we seldom hear about. This is followed by the difficult return to Holland and readjusting to normalcy. It is her personal record based on memory and a multitude of personal letters.
Go, Not Knowing Where! is a captivating, real, and informative story about one girl’s life during the transformation of the Dutch East Indies colony into the independent country of Indonesia.
Do you also have a story worth telling? Your story might also represent a precious contribution to convey history as it was lived, just as this age-esteemer‘s has.
Bonnie Fatio
Leg Health To Enhance Age Esteem
It is easier to feel good about yourself at the age you are and to glow with age esteem when you are healthy. – And healthy legs are important to your overall health.
You can do much to prevent varicose veins and keep your legs healthy.
Age-esteemers know it is important to care for their legs.
Grandma Nature
