August 27th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
“While being young is an accident of time, youth is a permanent state of mind”
Frank Lloyd Wright
Have you ever noticed that some people age well, becoming older with grace and dignity, looking vibrant and alive and remaining physically and mentally active well into old age? Frank Lloyd Wright, quoted above, was still designing when he passed on at 92.
Others, it seems, begin getting old in their youth. What makes the difference?
Why is such a large portion of our society aging so poorly? Why are hospitals and nursing homes overcrowded and many older people just barely alive?
Is this a natural progression or can we actually alter the way we age?
The Bible teaches us that we have a natural life expectancy of 120 – 150 years. Many of the people written about in the Old Testament lived to be over one hundred, and in some parts of the world today, entire villages live well beyond one hundred years of age.
What are the secrets of a long and productive life and what can you do about it? More importantly, how can you live your life to the fullest, enjoying an abundance of health, wealth, and happiness? How can you make the most of your life, for however long you are here?
How can you live, laugh, and love more? What steps can you take, starting now, to achieve the best level of health and fitness you are capable of reaching? How can you get back in touch with your dreams and desires and begin to experience them? How can you learn to age with passion, purpose, power, and prosperity?
In Don’t Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body, you will be asked to reevaluate and question the preconceived notions you have about aging and the commonly accepted beliefs about health. You will be asked to examine your attitudes and beliefs and come to understand the important role they play in how we age. You will learn ways to age without becoming old.
You’ll be introduced to people who have aged successfully and learn their strategies. You will learn about the latest developments in the field of longevity and identify ways you can minimize, even slow, the process of aging. You will create a compelling vision for your future and a plan for a long, active, and prosperous life.
I invite you to join me in this exciting journey into aging and learn how you, too, can develop your personal plan of aging with passion, purpose, power and prosperity, and make sure you don’t let an old person move into your body.
It is your God-given birthright to have a life of joy, happiness, health, love, fun, prosperity, excitement, abundance, and all the other wonderful things life on earth has to offer. To accept less is to shortchange yourself and your loved ones.
To learn more about how you can make the rest of your life, the best of your life, and take advantage of special pre-publication pricing, go here
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August 11th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
You may have noticed that I’ve been quiet lately. Some of it has to do with everything I’ve been doing here, like finishing a new book, but it’s also that I’ve been taking time to enjoy the summer, especially now that it’s actually warm here in the northeast US.
If you’ve been reading Jim’s Jems for a while, you may remember a story I wrote titled, “Summertime and the Living is Easy.” It’s here on my blog if you’d like to read it again:
http://tinyurl.com/mecyzq
I’m a big believer in taking time to relax, recharge and renew. This is time we all need to stay balanced and keep our energy and creativity at its peak.
Be sure to give yourself a break from your routine regularly. If at all possible, get away for a vacation or even a quick weekend trip.
If you cannot get away right now, why not give yourself an extraordinary self-care day?
As you may remember, this is a day when you do none of your regular tasks. You just relax, play and pamper yourself. It could be something as simple as taking an afternoon nap. Breaks like these can do wonders for your mental and physical health.
If you’re like me and love what you do, all play and no “work” is no fun either so I’ve been busy here in our home in the woods.
One of the things I’m particularly excited about is the completion of my new book, “Don’t Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body” – How to make the rest of your life the best of your life.
I’ve been writing this book, on and off, for several years but the timing just didn’t seem right until now. A couple of close friends who read an advance copy said it’s the best book I’ve written and they really enjoyed it. I know it’s the most comprehensive, coming in at 182 pages. That’s almost twice the length of my first book. You’ll be hearing more about this new book later on.
Based on the book, I’m instituting a whole new coaching program for baby boomers and people entering a new chapter in their life. If this sounds like you, please email me directly since the Web page is not even ready yet.
Having always been a leading edge techie, I’m excited that my second book, the international best-seller, “This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal” is now available from the Apple App store for reading on an iphone or ipod Touch. It’s here:
http://tinyurl.com/lkq4d5
Not to exclude anyone, it’s also available for the Amazon Kindle here:
http://tinyurl.com/kvhj5y
And for fans of my first book, Handbook to a Happier Life, I’m almost finished with a sequel titled, “52 Ways to a Happier Life,” which will be available shortly.
As I said, I haven’t been totally idle:-)
Be sure to follow me on Twitter and “friend” me on Faceboook (mention Jim’s Jems).
Enjoy the remaining days of summer. Be happy, be safe and be well.
Blessings,
Jim Donovan
PS. If you’re in the vicinity of Easton, PA, my friend, Joe Paretta and I are holding a fr*e financial seminar on September 17th at 7:00 PM, at “TranquiliTea” at 106 Fourth Street, Easton, PA.
You may have noticed that I’ve been quiet lately. Some of it has to do with everything I’ve been doing here, like finishing a new book, but it’s also that I’ve been taking time to enjoy the summer, especially now that it’s actually warm here in the northeast US.
If you’ve been reading Jim’s Jems for a while, you may remember a story I wrote titled, “Summertime and the Living is Easy.” It’s below if you’d like to read it again
I’m a big believer in taking time to relax, recharge and renew. This is time we all need to stay balanced and keep our energy and creativity at its peak.
Be sure to give yourself a break from your routine regularly. If at all possible, get away for a vacation or even a quick weekend trip.
If you cannot get away right now, why not give yourself an extraordinary self-care day?
As you may remember, this is a day when you do none of your regular tasks. You just relax, play and pamper yourself. It could be something as simple as taking an afternoon nap. Breaks like these can do wonders for your mental and physical health.
If you’re like me and love what you do, all play and no “work” is no fun either so I’ve been busy here in our home in the woods.
One of the things I’m particularly excited about is the completion of my new book, Don’t Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body – How to make the rest of your life the best of your life.
I’ve been writing this book, on and off, for several years but the timing just didn’t seem right until now. A couple of close friends who read an advance copy said it’s the best book I’ve written and they really enjoyed it. I know it’s the most comprehensive, coming in at 182 pages. That’s almost twice the length of my first book. You’ll be hearing more about this new book later on.
Based on the book, I’m instituting a whole new coaching program for baby boomers and people entering a new chapter in their life. If this sounds like you, take a look here.
Having always been a leading edge techie, I’m excited that my second book, the international best-seller, This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal is now available here from the Apple App store for reading on an iphone or ipod Touch.
Not to exclude anyone, it’s also available here for the Amazon Kindle.
And for fans of my first book, Handbook to a Happier Life, I’m almost finished with a sequel titled, 52 Ways to a Happier Life, which will be available shortly.
As I said, I haven’t been totally idle:-)
Enjoy the remaining days of summer. Be happy, be safe and be well.
PS. If you’re in the vicinity of Easton, PA, my friend, Joe Paretta and I are holding a free financial seminar on September 17th at 7:00 PM, at TranquiliTea House at 106 Fourth Street, Easton, PA.
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August 7th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
As this classic song from the Broadway hit, Porgy and Bess, reminds us, summertime is a time to relax, rest, rejuvenate and reward yourself for all the hard work you’ve been doing. As they say, all work and no play makes Jack & Jill a very dull boy & girl. We all need time to relax and just “play.”
No matter how much you truly love and enjoy your work, it is necessary, from time to time, to get away from it all. This may mean going on a trip, even if only for a day or two, or an extended vacation of several weeks. Perhaps, for some, it means staying right where you are but taking time away from your day-to-day work to get out and see what’s around you.
Believe it or not, doing this can be the best strategy you have, especially if you’re in a rut. Removing yourself from the daily routines associated with running your business or household not only helps clear your mind and opens you to new ideas and possibilities, but it will also take you out of your patterned behavior and stimulates your creativity by presenting new experiences, sights and stimuli.
Being away from your everyday environment gives you the opportunity to see what life is like for other people in other locations. Whenever I travel, I make a point of observing what local businesses are doing. I usually talk to one or two business people in the town or city I’m visiting. This gives me a totally new perspective on things and opens my thinking to new possibilities.
Simply being in an unfamiliar location causes us to think and act differently. It takes us out of our routines, moves us away from our comfort zone and literally bombards our creative minds with new and exciting sights and sensations.
Take time to play. Not only will you return more relaxed and rested, you’ll surely have new ideas and renewed enthusiasm for your life and your work.
Can’t get away right now?
Why not give yourself a Self-care Day? When was the last time you took a day just for yourself? If you’re like most people, your answer is probably never. Essentially a Self-care Day is a 24-hour period where you take care of yourself. You do no work at all. I know, I can hear your protest. I protested too when I first heard this idea “But you don’t understand, I have to check my voicemail, I have to return phone calls, I have to answer my emails and on and on.” I protested in my very best entrepreneurial voice. The truth is any of us can take a day for ourselves without consequence. Believe it or not, the world will keep spinning. Calls will wait as will email.
This is a day just for you. If you normally do the cooking, on your Self-Care Day, you will refrain from making meals. Trust me your family will not starve. Obviously if there are small children or infants that depend on you, you would have to modify this. Overall try to do nothing that is related to your normal work. This is a pampering day just for you.
The first time I did this, I discovered just how my work relates to things that I do on any given day. Most of my reading was centered on business topics. Being an entrepreneur and self-employed, I was convinced I had to be working all the time. I was wrong. Kicking and screaming, I embarked on my Self-Care Day. I took a walk, read part of a novel, took a luxurious bath in our soaking tub (something I never used to do) and just hung out and took care of myself. What a concept!
It’s been some time now and my Self-Care Day has become an integral part of my life. I not only feel better, and am having more fun, I have my life back. Doing this regularly has enabled me to put my work back into perspective. I no longer work seven days a week and I no longer do email throughout the day.
The interesting thing is that because of my taking this time to nurture myself, I’m actually more productive. Because I’m taking better care of myself I have more clarity and I’m able to better focus on the task on hand. Because I am taking better care of myself, I am more creative and productive. Most of all, because I am taking better care of myself, I feel better and have more balance and happiness, after all isn’t that what it’s all about?
Action step
Schedule one 24-hour period, sometime within the next 10 days, when you can give yourself a Self-Care Day and then go and do it. Once you’ve done this, see how you might be able to do this weekly and when you feel really ready, schedule an Self-Care Day for what would have been a normal work day.
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