Language is powerful.

As Demond Tutu said, “Language does not just describe reality.  Language creates the reality it describes.”

It is one of the reasons I created my tagline for Thriving in unRetirement as “living healthy, vibrant and fulfilled.”

I know you create your own reality.

As Eric Kim, research fellow, at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health showed, “Positive thinking and physical health are linked.”

I know for each person what they create as living healthy, vibrant and fulfilled will be different.

I don’t care.

I want you to ponder, decide and act upon what that tagline means for you.

What I want is for you to have a vision of what is possible, not feel like the good life is impossible as you age.

I want you to challenge yourself to live bigger than you thought possible.  This last year, I amped up my workout routine.  I attend this body sculpting/TRX class three days a week with mostly 30-40 year olds.  I am the oldest one in the class.  At first, I felt a little intimidated because these are serious minded workout people.

In the beginning, the masses of burpees, 4-point push-ups and planks seemed impossible.

But today, I’m one of them  – at my own level.

It’s impossible until it is possible.  Just like it was impossible to run a mile under four minutes UNTIL in 1954 Roger Bannister broke it with 3:59.4.  Then, just 46 days later it was broken again. And, it continues to be broken.

I know, the media and other sources don’t portray aging and retirement as hopeful and vibrant times.  But, I’m trying to change that.  I intend to show models of what’s possible during this time of our lives.

You CAN do more than you think.

Change your thinking.  Change your life.

I know from the research, and authors like Chris Crowley, unless I keep challenging my body, the muscle mass will deteriorate.  Crowley says that beginning in your 30s you lose 10% of your muscle mass a decade unless you are involved in physical activity.  He claims the ideal workout is four days of aerobic exercise and two days of strength training.

Change your physiology,  Change your life.

Most of the barriers you have in your life are mental.  And those thoughts, can limit what you believe is possible for you physically and emotionally.

Where in your life are you saying it’s impossible to walk 10,000 steps a day?  Or being able to do something that will get you moving?

Where in your life are you saying it’s impossible to learn something new? Rather than recite comments like, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?”  What about Harold Cole, completely blind, graduating with a criminology degree at 67 years old, as reported in Disrupt Aging newsletter.   Pretty amazing.

Everything is possible with a little willingness and a positive vision for your life.

It might not be at the level of the 40-year old you once were.  You aren’t 40 anymore, but you aren’t dead either.

As Chris Crowley, author of Younger Next Year, says, “ 70% of aging is in your control.”

Create your vision of what retirement and aging will be for YOU to live healthy, vibrant and fulfilled.

Your life matters.