Category: Senior Fitness

Will picturing yourself younger, make you younger? It might help you feel younger.

Have you ever tried visualization? “Imaging” is a better term since it applies not only to visual imagery buts to other senses: Kinesthetic, emotional feelings, smell, taste, and hearing.

In 1961, while I was in training to be a Marine Corps Officer and Naval Aviator, I nearly flunked out of flight school because I couldn’t seem to do a “loop”, an aerobatic maneuver where you fly the aircraft in a vertical circle. I always seemed to fly too slow at the top of the loop and “fall” out of it.  Not being able to do it jeopardized my future in the program.

One night, while laying in my bunk, I had a “vision” of actually seeing, and “feeling”, the right way to do it. I could see the horizon moving around overhead and I could “feel” the G forces as I repeatedly went through the maneuver correctly in my mind. All of a sudden, I “knew” precisely how to do a “loop”. The next day, I flew the maneuver perfectly and never again had a problem with it. Ever since, I have been a firm believer in the power of mental imagery to affect physical circumstance.

Jack Nicklaus, the professional golfer and tour champion many times over, said he visualized every shot he ever took before he ever physically took the shot. He said that he knew precisely where the ball was going to land before it left his clubhead. He could “see” it.

Can visualization help heal physical ailments?

Emile Coue was a French Pharmacist and Hypnotist (interesting combination) in the 1800s. He combined mental imagery with Affirmations to heal many of his patients. He would tell his patients to mentally visualize themselves as becoming cured of whatever ailed them, and to repeat the affirmation: “Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.”  It seemed to work.

How does it work? There seems to be several schools of thought on how it works. Some suggest that you must visualize the end result. If you clearly and vividly see the image of yourself with the result you want, along with a verbal affirmation that you have reached your objective, you will physically realize that objective.

Others say that you must visualize the process, just like Jack Nicklaus visualized the entire process from the beginning of his golf swing until the ball settled wherever he pictured it to be. Emile Coue’s patients visualized themselves becoming cured rather than being cured.

With either method, it works best when the emotional component of “feeling” is a part of the imaging process. Remember the experience I had in flight school? The feeling of the “G” Force, the physical force of gravity pushing me down into the seat, was an integral part of the imagery.

Researchers have demonstrated that visual imaging, when combined with the emotional component of mentally “feeling” during the process has resulted in:

• Faster and better healing of injuries
• Higher motivation to be healthy and fit
• Improved feeling of well-being
• Improved quality of life
• Reduced use of pain medication
• And much more.

I know from first hand experience that mental imagery can result in physical benefits. I attribute my fast recovery from open heart valve replacement surgery three years ago not only to having been in good condition physically to start with, but also to mentally imaging and “feeling” the very fast and easy recovery.

More on the action steps necessary to make mental imagery work for you, in Part 2 coming next week.

Thank you for reading.

Do you feel inside like you’re getting older? Do you look like you’re getting older? Are you healthy?

All too often, we let our age define who we are. We look in the mirror and tell ourselves that we are looking older. When we think of ourselves as getting old, we project that message to others through our voice, our posture, our bearing, our movement, and our attitude about life. How do you come across to others?

Are we old curmudgeons with an old person’s attitude toward life, or are we healthy, vibrant seniors with a vitality and zest for living our lives? Do you look forward to getting up in the morning, or do you roll over and mentally project how miserable your day is going to be?

Charles Fillmore, a spiritual leader of the early 20th century woke up one morning at the age of 93 and said out loud, “I fairly sizzle with zeal and enthusiasm and I spring forth with a mighty faith to do the things that ought to be done by me.” Now that’s a Come Alive Attitude.

Do you think yourself old, or do you have a “Come Alive Attitude” toward your life as it is? Do want to stay like you are, or do you want to try new things and experiment with life? Are you looking forward to your future or are you dreading it? Are you buried in the past or are you willing to accept inevitable change in the real world as time marches on?

Is your physical body up to the task of living a long and active life, or is it weak, filled with aches and pains, with a mind that is dreary and full of dread.

“The effects of the years upon the physical body depend not upon the physiology but the psychology involved.”  — Eric Butterworth, from the book, Celebrate Life.

It’s a matter of self awareness and self-care — taking responsibility for your own mind and body and doing something to build and maintain your own health and vitality. Yes, that means exercise and eating right, and every bit as important — is the mental attitude that goes with it.

So, does your age define you, or do you define your age? In the former, you let life dictate the terms. In the latter, you dictate the terms of both your present and your future. Can you completely control your future? Of course not. You could get hit by a truck tomorrow. But you have the responsibility to take control of your own health and fitness, along with the mindset that encourages you do it.

It’s up to us to define who we are and how we want the world to see us. We are able dictate the terms. We know what to do. Will we do it?

“Fitness and health is within reach of anyone who wants it. The question is, who will reach?”  — Jim Rohn

Thank you for reading.

This is my 77th Independence Day. It’s been a long time since 1776. 241 years. That means that I have been alive for nearly a third of our nation’s history. Not bad. I’m on my 14th President. That means I’ve been alive through 32% of all the President’s we have ever had. Some have been popular and some have been unpopular; some effective and some not so effective. There’s a difference. We have survived as a nation because of the value we place on our independence as a nation, that we have earned throughout our short history.

I’ve lived through World War II, the Korean ”War”, Viet Nam as a Marine Corps helicopter pilot, and the ongoing Middle East Conflicts. We’ve been involved in a series of smaller conflicts that could have escalated had it not been for our intervention. These include the Dominican Republic in 1965, The Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s, the 1980s intervention on a tiny island in the Caribbean, and others that many have forgotten about. We remain free because of our strength and our ideology.

As a species, our personal independence is a major goal. It is up to us to take responsibility for ourselves to make sure we remain independent longer, without having to rely on family or Government. We will retain our personal vitality and independence as individuals because of our personal strength and attitude toward life.

So here’s to Independence Day, 2017. May we continue to be independent as a Nation and may we insure our own personal independence as seniors by stressing the care and feeding of — ourselves.

Happy Fourth of July! Thank you for reading.