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Embracing Forty: Embracing Forty Means Growing Bolder
Views: 557Added: Tue. Mar 16, 2010 10:48am
Posted in: Aging
Okay. It's time for a shameless plug. I have a friend that I mentioned a few blogs ago who I worked with at a local television station several years ago. He has since gone on to create something I think we should all embrace in our lives sooner or later. Growing Bolder is a content driven social networking web site geared towards those of us pursuing more active lifestyles as we get older. According to Growing Bolder's founder (and my friend) Marc Middleton, "Growing Bolder is the realization that it is never too late. It's the realization that you can always chase your dreams. It's about smashing stereotypes and taking chances. And more than anything else, it's good news". Their tag line, "It's About Attitude", says it all.
Now many of us were raised to believe that you go through life following the traditional course of events that most people before us have gone through. That is, you go to school, you get a decent job, raise a family, retire and finally sail off into the sunset of life as you get older. To those who have believed in such a plan, I ask you to consider this. Imagine the story of your life playing out before you on a DVD. Now imagine the story of your life playing out before you on a DVD with a surprise alternate ending. That is what I believe "growing bolder" can mean. But I don't really think of it as an alternate ending. I like to think of it as a new beginning.
As I find myself embracing forty, I am thinking more and more about what growing bolder means to me. For example, I've recently taken an interest in personal fitness. I've been going to the gym now four times a week for the past couple of months which is something I've never done before. With respect to my career, I currently find myself in a position in which it could go one of three ways...all three of which could result in their own rewards (but more of that in a future blog). And as for my personal life, I'm planning on doing something that many people only dream about doing. My wife and I are going to take that dream honeymoon we promised each other when we got married just 3 1/2 short years ago. (more about that trip in a future blog as well). The point of all of this is to recognize that the decisions I have made (and those that I will continue make) about my life are all a direct result of a specific cognisance. It is an awareness that I choose to make positive decisions based on taking chances that will lead to positive outcomes. These days, I don't find that I am necessarily feeling older, but I that I'm feeling wiser about life. I feel as though there is still much more of a life of opportunity and less likey a life of any kind of stagnance. It is all a part of this mindset of growing bolder.
Growing bolder is an attitude adjustment. It's a state of thought that transcends into a state of action. With respect to all of my friends over at the Growing Bolder web site, I believe that they are providing us an invaluable service. It is a starting point. They provide a place to show us what others have accomplished for themselves. They inspire us to dream big through the video stories they tell. Then they challenge us (and even dare us) to look inside ourselves and find the strength to realize these dreams.
There are many stories that the folks at Growing Bolder will inspire you with as well...just check out their web site at growingbolder.com. I'll be checking in more frequently to see what the gang at GB is up to. And hey...you can check out a video of my friend Marc Middleton describing his idea of Growing Bolder in his own words. Just click here.
