May you love yourself at every age and stage of life, knowing that you are lovable and worthy of love.

May your love for others overflow into all areas of your life.

May you embrace all that comes your way with confidence and love.  

May love fill your heart today and every day of the year.

I love you!

Bonnie Fatio

Celebrate Love!

What an ideal time to celebrate love! – Valentine’s Day.

Love is at the basis of all that is good.  It is the foundation of peace and understanding.  It is the fuel of making this world a better place for each of us.

Love is the force that gives Age Esteem its pizzazz.

We all strive to love and be loved at every age.  The need for love is a continuum through life.  Love may take on different dimensions as we experience different stages of life, but it remains a constant.

As we look towards this day of love, Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate love. – Love of self, love of family, love of friends, love of those who we do not yet know and yes, even love for our enemies.

• Allow your heart to overflow with thoughts of love.
• Look for indications of love around you.
• Remember the precious moments in your life when you have had so much love in your heart that it bubbled over.

Celebrate love!

Bonnie Fatio

Be My Valentine

There is no better way

Than Saint Valentine’s Day

To remember that Love’s not a Dream.

If you’re young or you’re old

It’s so nice to be told

You are special and highly esteemed!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Saint Valentine

The ever Saintly Valentine

Is a special friend of mine;

He has the gifts which come with time

(the ones which are so hard to rhyme!)

Such thoughtfulness and love and care,

And generosity to spare.

He’s ageless and esteemed the way

He keeps hearts full on his own day.

I always feel so very merry

On that date in February!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Valentine collage by Bonnie Fati0

Two Thousand and Twelve,

Imagine!  It’s here!

The start of another

Wonderful year.

Make resolutions and

Make them to last;

Live in the Present,

Inspired by the Past.

Growing old is not as bad as it seems;

Model each day by the book Age Esteem!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Big Bird

Big Bird is a gift for all ages, and a symbol of age esteem.  When our four year old granddaughter and I met him at Busch Gardens, Florida, we were both equally thrilled.  – And we both wanted our photo with her!*

When I met her I said, “Oh, Big Bird, you have been my idol forever!”, later to discover that she was created in 1969.  She represents the  generation between our granddaughter and me.  So this is truly an intergenerational photo.

Big Bird is definitely a friend of AgeEsteem® and a gift for all ages.

• Big Bird makes you laugh, without even speaking.
• All generations love him.
• His goal is to help people learn, especially children.
• He is a role model as a good friend to the other Muppets.
• He reminds us of the importance of play and having fun, at every age.

The Best Days For Living

If you esteem others’ age, and your own,

Your Life’s meaning will have gracefully grown!

You will make every moment a specialty feat

And you’ll take time to froment each day as a treat.

Why linger on aging?  Think, it’s bound to become.

The best days for Living, for Loving, for fun!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem.

When is the last time you spent 12 hours non-stop and still had energy to spare?  Yesterday?  Ten years ago?

Our age esteem soars when we are full of energy and vitality.   We feel good about ourselves when our energy seems boundless.  We are happier and healthier.

On my hour drive home from playing with my two little granddaughters ages 2 and 4 for ten hours – after my early morning drive to their home – I was still bubbling with energy.  I felt exuberant.

Why would I feel energized after such a long day?  One reason is that I did not babysit.  Instead, I played!   We spent the whole day having fun, doing what we enjoyed.  It was a powerful lesson on how to put more energy into your age esteem.

• Build into your day activities that you enjoy.  Roll in the grass.
• Find ways to make activities that you must do enjoyable.   Sing to your spinach.
• Change activities when your attention span tires and move onto something else.  Make cookies and then paint or draw.
• Move and use all parts of your body.  Dance with abandon.
• Create a balance between quiet activities and active ones.  Read a book and then play tag.
• Take a break in your day to nap or meditate.  Go to sleep after lunch.
• Drink often and have a small snack in the morning and again in the afternoon.
• Laugh with abandon.
• Hug others as often as possible.  This includes animals and stuffed toys.

If you practice the above you will put more energy into your age esteem and feel happier and healthier.  Enjoy!

Bonnie Fatio

YES!

All you need to do is think ahead;
Turn your thoughts away from gloom and dread.
Every time you rise up out of bed,
Follow Age Esteem’s path with every tread.
Don’t say “No, I can’t”, say “YES, I will!” instead.

Written by Alexandra Taylor after the chapter “Personal Talk” in the book
AgeEsteem: Growing A Positive Attitude Toward Aging
by Bonnie Lou Fatio

This is your time to bloom with Age Esteem!

Flowers are bursting forth with the first hint of warmth and sunshine as Spring becomes reality.

• Plan an activity with others.  Include older people and younger ones.  Make it intergenerational.
• Make a commitment to volunteer, join a new group or participate in a new activity.
• Encourage friendships with positive people, people who make you feel good.  Avoid those who bring a negative energy with them.
• Do something courageous.  Push yourself beyond your comfort zones.
• Give thanks for all the blessings of your life, large and small.

Age Esteem is a frame of mind, a way of life.  This is your time to bloom with an Age Esteem positive attitude!

Bonnie Fatio