Charlie Brown and Lucy have done it again! These cartoon characters of Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” make me both laugh and ponder. They share such pertinent lessons.

In a recent cartoon, Charlie tells Lucy that he’s decided “this will be a year of decision”. He proudly shows her a list of things he is going to improve in his life in order to be a better person.  Lucy, who has a way of ruining the intentions of others, replies that she is “going to spend this whole year regretting the past”, crying over what she can no longer control. “Why did I do that?”

How often do you have a Lucy in your life, dimming your joy and crushing your enthusiasm? How often does a Lucy step into your day to tell you that you should not make that trip you have planned, or go out with friends in the evening, or even buy new clothes now that you are older?

If I were Charlie Brown, I would have dumped Lucy a long time ago. I don’t want to waste time regretting the past. I want to enjoy today!

An important aspect of aging well is to have people around you who encourage and support you in what you do, people of all generations who uplift you and who show AgeEsteem. You know the people I am referring to. They are the ones who live fully at each stage of life, who dare to act on their dreams, who have a meaningful purpose, who surround themselves with positive people of all ages, and who continue to contribute to society.

AgeEsteemers do not regret the past, they live in the present and embrace the future.

No, Lucy, I will not let your attitude spoil my joy of living.

Bonnie Fatio

Flying Lighter

Since AgeEsteemers are among the millions of travelers who fly, I can’t resist sharing this information concerning efforts being made to diminish costs, economize on fuel and eliminate as much CO2 as possible.

Each pound that can be avoided saves money and energy.  Companies like Swiss Airlines has introduced what they call ecological piloting, reduced the number of spoons on board, and is looking to install lighter seats.  All Nippon Airways has a different approach.  They ask passengers to go to the restroom before embarking in order to lighten the load for takeoff!

With so many AgeEsteemers in multiple countries around the world, it seems appropriate to feature international holidays.  Holiday does not necessarily mean time off from work and businesses closed.  It simply means a day that has been deemed as a special day internationally.

With gratitude to the Earth Calendar which has compiled information on special days around the world.

For information concerning World Thinking Day visit  http://www.worldthinkingday.org/en/about

Do you say “Thank you”?  Of course you do.  You say it multiple times a day.  But do you say it mechanically without any real thought or feeling or do you say it with enthusiasm and a special lilt or timbre to your voice?

Thank you isn’t enough.  Part of being thankful – and we AgeEsteemers know it is important to our well-being – is to acknowledge what we are thankful for.    So why not try the following.

• The next time you say “Thank you” add what you are thanking the person for.  It might be “Thank you for making it fun to shop here, for your cheery smile, for letting me know you like my singing, for opening the door…
• When you say “Thank you” make eye contact with the person you are thanking and smile. 
• Put some spice and rythym into your voice.  Sing the words.  Add that spark of pizzazz!

Salute to Dr. Norman Borlaug

During this week of celebrating older persons, I would like to honor Dr. Norman Borlaug, a man who has marked our world and inspired many though he has never sought praise.  I was privileged to serve on the Board of Legacy® with him.  Dr. Borlaug was a true AgeEsteemer.   Even in his nineties he worked for what he believed to be most important – feeding the world as a means to promote peace.

Dr. Borlaug, a scientist and recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize,  developed a type of wheat that is credited with saving up to 1 billion people from starvation.  He was known as the father of the “green revolution“, which many experts say averted global famine during the second half of the last century.  More on Dr. Borlaug

Many older people inspire us and lead us in new directions.

Who would you like to honor during this week of celebration?

Babies and AgeEsteem
Keep It Simple

Keep your language simple: Baby reacts to your tone of voice and gestures.  She encourages you to use simple vocabulary and to repeat the same message clearly as she begins to understand words.  You explain why what you are saying is important, (why she shouldn’t play with the electrical socket!) even before she can understand your words.  These are all good tips for AgeEsteemers.

• Be clear and direct when speaking with people of all ages.
• Use vocabulary the other person can understand.
• When you make a request, explain why it’s important.
• Keep your non-verbal message congruent with your words.  Even Baby will detect something wrong if the non-verbal and verbal is not the same.

A dream, a purpose, new relationships and synergies, constant learning, support and encouragement, a can do – will do attitude and resilience are but a few of the qualities that Alinghi shares with AgeEsteemers.

What is Alinghi?

Alinghi is the Swiss sailboat and team that won the America’s Cup in 2003 and again in 2006. – Not bad for a land-locked country!

Alinghi is now preparing for the next America’s Cup, this time with a huge catamaran supporting a mast of 164 feet.  What a treat we’ve had to watch Alinghi sail on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, this week.  It’s a thrill for all generations.