midlifejourney.com

The sad truth is that as we midlifers get older that little bulge of belly fat gets bigger and more stubborn with every passing year. In your twenties you could dismiss it… a passing thing, you think. With a little more exercise it’ll be gone in a day or two. But now you’re in your forties, fifties, maybe just into your sixties? The Boomer generation stretches across all three… and that “little” bulge is now a BIG bulge. When was the last time you got into those skinny jeans?

I hate exercise. I really do. I’ve got all the equipment, the clothes, the shoes, the music gizmo to keep me entertained… but I still hate exercise and find every excuse to not go to the gym. But here’s a great idea I think will satisfy. Dance it off!

Get yourself to a local class, ballroom, night club or even your living room and dance your self silly. If you don’t have a partner, go on your own. When the room is full of jiving bodies, who knows who you’re dancing with anyway? If you are staying home to dance, just juice up the music and move!!!! Do this at least once or twice a week. Drink lots of water— no alcohol, unfortunately… that just puts the pounds right back on. And enjoy! You’d be surprised how music can shake it up and sweat it off. If you really want to have fun, dress up for the occasion, wear a funny hat, pretend your “Dancing with the Stars” – don’t take yourself too seriously and just have a good time. That belly baby will move and groove to the tunes and melt away. Honest.

Boomers: How many times have you surprised yourself with something you thought you didn’t know, but you did! In midlife we sometimes begin to worry about loss of memory. How many times have you gone into a room, only to not remember why you went in there in the first place? Or where are those keys you keep losing?

Just as surprising however are all the things you do remember. It could be the name of a state capital you suddenly remembered when you and your friends were looking at travel magazines, planning your next trip to Yellowstone National Park. Who knew that Cheyenne is the Capital of Wyoming? Somewhere in the deep recesses of your brain that small factoid came out just when you needed it.

You have lots of surprises inside! Lots of wisdom. And the older you get, the more wisdom you find within. Every midlifer has stories to tell. I remember playing Trivial Pursuit with my aunt. I was in my thirties, she in her late seventies. Everyone else was in their twenties and absolutely certain they knew more than any two of us combined. We paired up and I chose my aunt as partner. Good thing to. When it came to movie stars, broadway musicals, sports teams of the mid 1900’s she was an encyclopedia! We beat the other teams, hands down. Of course if the game had been anything other than the first edition which was published back in the early 1980’s we would have been stumped.

Never underestimate how much you know, Boomers. Every day you add to your library of wisdom and knowledge. Sometimes it takes a little while to dig down and find the fact you are looking for. But that’s because there’s so much there to dig through!

Last weekend I was traveling with friends through the great state of Maine: Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, that area. Enjoyed the sea air, quiet harbor (in April the tourist crowd is still not in full force) and the ocean. Even played a little golf at the par 3 at Merryland Farms, a great place to practice your short game!

By mid-afternoon we were hungry. We could have gone to one of the usual spots the tourists invade – but there is a great restaurant on Route 1 in Wells that the locals call “home.” The Maine Diner has been serving fabulous meals for 25 years. You don’t survive that long among the locals without a great reputation for delicious food and great service! Simple and unpretentious, with a counter and tables packed into two rooms, the place is famous for its prize winning chowder, generous portions and home made desserts. They have a limited wine and beer list, children’s menu and serve breakfast anytime! Prices are mid-range.

Usually the place is packed. (The tourists have, in fact, found the place and passed the word around.) We were fortunate. Although it was nearly 3 in the afternoon we were lucky to find one empty table in the main room. Continue Reading »

My last post focused on the surprising miracle of Susan Boyle, from Britain’s Got Talent! (Click here to read.) The world is amazed at how much talent this woman has and how such a voice could remain hidden in a little village in Scotland. Surely, she should have been “discovered” years ago.

Well, let me assure you, that there is miraculous talent everywhere! It just needs a little help to get heard. Check out this audio clip I just received from one of my readers. The producers wandered the globe recording this famous song, Stand By Me, inviting local musicians to contribute their remarkable talents. It proves the point, that talent and enthusiasm for sharing it, really is without borders.

No matter who, or where we are, we are joined by the music, the song, the rhythm and the energy! Check out Playing for Change, a multi-media movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. I’m inspired!

I just viewed the YouTube video of Susan Boyle, (use the link to the video at the end of this post), a nearly 48 year old woman from Scotland who recently auditioned on the Britain’s Got Talent TV Show (the inspiration for the U.S. hit show American Idol.) To look at her you would think Susan Boyle was just a common middle aged woman with crazy hair, heavy eyebrows and no fashion sense. She was wearing what can only be described as a “mother of the bride nightmare dress.”

The audience and the three judges were clearly skeptical. There were a lot of raised eyebrows, rolling of the eyes and tittering in the crowd when she was first introduced. No one expected anything much from this simple midlifer who lives with her cat Pebbles in a small town. “I’ve never been married, never been kissed,” she admitted to the crew back stage. “But I’m going to make that audience rock.” And she did.

From the moment she opened her mouth and began the first notes of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables the audience was ga ga! She has a fabulous voice and the judges knew they were witnessing something extraordinary. Unemployed before the audition, Susan Boyle is now in demand by media everywhere. She is even scheduled to be on the Oprah show!

What makes this all very miraculous is that even at the boomer age of 47-48, Susan Boyle had a dream she was willing to go for! Life has handed her some tough stuff, but she believed in what she wanted to be: a professional singer, and though it took her years to finally get her chance, she clearly believes in her talent and is making this dream come true!

Midlifers everywhere should take heart from this remarkable woman. Believe in your dreams, work to achieve them, give your self permission to succeed, grab life and GO FOR IT!

Click here to view the HD YouTube video of Susan Boyle’s audition.