Who are these two people?  What were their life journeys like?  Where did they come from?  How did their lives evolve?

No matter who they were, our lives are somehow interrelated.  Their lives, like ours, represent lessons learned, events experienced, roads traveled and relationships built. – All of this was part of their own age esteem; it is part of the legacy of life’s lessons that they passed on to others.

In AgeEsteem: Growing A Positive Attitude Toward Aging I share a chapter “My Legacy of Wisdom” which suggests how you might leave your own Legacy of Life’s Lessons.  Why not begin doing this now?  Then when future generations look at your picture, they will know the answers to the questions we asked about the couple pictured above.

• What are some of the lessons that you have learned through experience?  For examples see “Put More Energy Into Your Age Esteem“.
• Keep a diary of these lessons as they come to mind.
• Rewrite these lessons to share with others.  You may wish to make a book of these lessons, design them into a collage, or put them into the form of a will.

Being able to use the past with its experience of living is a gift I have to share. –  Bonnie Fatio

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