Age Esteem is participating at the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York with the World YWCA.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), established in 1946, influences the lives of people of all ages, including children and men.  It is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) dedicated to gender equality and advancement of women. Each year it draws women from around the globe to the United Nations in New York to evaluate progress, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

This is also important for you men!  It has been shown time and again that when women are empowered the family and the whole community also improve.

Age Esteem will present an Intergenerational Dialogue on February 28.

Bonnie Fatio

My wish to you on this Valentine’s Day is that you be your own Valentine and love yourself as much as you love others.  Be your own Valentine this year!

Bonnie Fatio

People of all ages enjoy receiving Valentines. In order of popularity, Valentine’s Day cards are given to teachers, children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.

In Medieval times people who couldn’t write their names, signed with an X in front of a witness.   The person then kissed the X to show they were sincere.   This is why many think that the X has been associated with the kiss when people write X and O for kisses and hugs.

The city of Verona, Italy, which is where Shakespear’s lovers Romeo and Juliet lived,  receives 1000 letters addressed to Juliet each Valentine’s Day.  This inspired the movie, Letters to Juliet.

The oldest existing love poem is written on a clay tablet and dates from the time of the Sumarians who invented writing around 3500 B.C.

Candies were among the earliest Valentine gifts, the most common being chocolates in heart-shaped boxes.  More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold this year.

About 3% of pet owners will give a Valentine’s Day gift to their pet.

Who are your Valentines?  Who do you love?  Who is important to you?

Valentine’s Day offers a unique occasion to take stock of who matters to you. –  And what a joyous opportunity to express your feelings.

Whether you purchase cards or create your own personalized messages specific to each of your Valentines, they are certain to be appreciated.

• Make a list of the people who matter to you and perhaps some who you may know less well but who need a lift.  Include people of all ages.  Many are lonely.
• Select your Valentine cards or simply cut out a heart in colored paper and write a message on it, or make a collage like the one above.
• Add your own special message expressing why the person is special to you.
• If you don’t have enough time to prepare Valentines, why not phone each person and let them hear the message directly from you.

It may surprise you to discover what a boost it can be to your own age esteem and positive attitude as you do this to make others feel good.

Bonnie Fatio

My wish for you at every age is to

• Live each day fully.
• Stretch your body, mind and spirit.
• Embrace new experiences.
• Share your talents with others of all ages.
• Learn something new each day.
• Celebrate frequently.
• Seek the positive in each person and experience.
• Give thanks for the blessings of your life.
• Meet new challenges with a sense of adventure.
• Greet each new day with anticipation and zest.
• Become a living model of AgeEsteem for those who meet you!

Bonnie Fatio

This year instead of making New Year’s resolutions, why not make a promise to yourself?

A promise is so much more powerful than a resolution.  Resolutions are usually statements about what we will not do.  We look back and try to correct our behaviors.  A promise is focused on realizing something that we want to do.  It is proactive and positive.

I challenge you to set a date with yourself with the goal of focusing on your dreams and passions.  What would you like to do in 2011?

• Is there a dream that you have tucked away and tried to forget?  Allow it to surface in your thinking and promise yourself to realize it in 2011.
• Do you have a passion that you have been smothering?  Release that passion and promise yourself to act on it in 2011.
• Are you wondering what your passion or dream is?  Ask yourself this question.  “If I knew I could not fail, if I could only succeed, what would I be doing now?”  Listen closely to your answer and promise yourself to bravely embrace that passion or dream and make it real.

2011 will become the year that you make it become.  Promise yourself to live your passion and realize your dream.  It is never too late, but only you can make it happen.  Start today and shine with Age Esteem in 2011!

Bonnie Fatio

Are you tired of society’s relentless negative talk about age and aging?

Would you like to feel more confident at any age despite a few wrinkles and lack of energy?

Would you like to know some secrets to Age Esteem that you can practice immediately?

Would you like to start the new year with a meaningful promise to yourself, and make 2011 your year of “Aging with Pizzazz?”

Listen when Bonnie Fatio is interviewed by Sandra Haymon of Baby Boomers Sandwich on Tuesday 28 December at 6pm MST.

Listen and/or join the chat room at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/sandra-haymon.

Home alone for Christmas?  This blessed Christmas season can be a lonely one for many of us.  This becomes especially true as we mature and our children leave home, marry and have their own families and traditions.  Not everyone can travel long distances to be together.

If you are going to be alone, why not create some new traditions of your own?  Age Esteemers know that when you are reaching out to others, you no longer feel lonely.  Why not plan some activities like these?

• Find out if help is needed at the local soup kitchen for the hungry, reading the Christmas Story to people in the hospital, or distributing gifts to the poor.  Most churches and communities have programs like these.
• Search out others of all ages who might be alone and organize Carol singing on Christmas eve followed by hot chocolate and conversation, a homemade or white elephant gift exchange, or party to play board games.
• Bake cookies or candy or make candles or decorations that you can wrap and deliver to people who you know will not be able to leave their homes.  Your visit when you deliver your gift will be precious.  It may prove to be the greatest gift.
• Plan to phone three people each day to wish them Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas or simply to let them know you are thinking of them.  Include people who will also be alone as well as family and friends.

Share your vitality and joy for living, your age esteem.  Even if you have to pretend to feel happy when you begin to reach out to others, before you know it your happiness will be genuine!

Bonnie Fatio

Galerie Chausse-Coq
presents an exposition of watercolors by
Helen Drew
with the participation of
Madame Zita Burgy
7 december – 23 december 2010
Vernissage the 9 december from 6pm.
Galerie Chausse-Coq
Arcade rue Chausse-Coq 16
1204 Geneva, Switzerland
www.helendrew.com

Helen Drew is a friend and model of Age Esteem.  I hope many of you will be able to view her work.

Bonnie Fatio

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

This Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for YOU.

You may be a treasured friend, a precious member of our family, a casual acquaintance, a first time or long time visitor to the AgeEsteem site, or a complete stranger. –   Know that I am thankful for YOU.

You are a blessing and a gift to this world as you share your special talents and personality each day.  You may think that your contribution is small within the bigger picture, but what would that bigger picture be without all of our little efforts added together?

Thank you for being YOU, just the way you are.  This Thanksgiving Day and every day I am truly thankful for YOU.

I pray that I, too, might be a blessing in your life in some small way.

May your Thanksgiving be filled with happiness, fond memories, and age esteem.

Bonnie Fatio