Skating Uphill - September 2017

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“New Year’s Resolutions in January are so over done.
Let’s start the real New Year, the “School New Year”
right with some REAL resolutions!”
­- The Uphill Skater ­-

Everyone makes those same old resolutions every year, and we have talked about this before, dear friends. Don’t say you will call your mother, write thank you notes and lose 20 pounds EVER again. Promise me? As school starts, let’s pretend this new start for so many young people can actually be a new start for us, too. It is never too late to be early!

Autumn is a lovely time of year that simply begs for a different start. What can we do now to make the rest of 2017 better? Read on for three excellent suggestions.

Every study I have read in the last several years has found taking a class is good for your mind, heart, soul, health etc. In other words, you need to actually DO it! Keep your mind active, as well as your body. You can do a jigsaw or a crossword puzzle, but a class where you actually interact with other people is even better. The local community college near me just sent out a brochure with classes ranging from Italian to ballroom dancing and tons of other lectures on a variety of subjects. Local high schools frequently offer evening classes. Public libraries and senior centers offer Bridge, quilting, book talks, luncheons and sometimes even tap dance. If you don’t want to go out or meet anyone new, take an on-line class. I recently learned to play Canasta. Okay, it is not neurosurgery, but it was quite a lot of fun.

Next, move around a bit more. Personally, I love yoga. Sometimes I go to yoga class, but more often, on the floor in my bedroom. I have a little TV on my dresser and I use a DVD for instruction. Attending classes are good though, especially for beginners, because learning the right postures and movements is important to prevent injuries and maximize the exercise. Plus, I always push myself a little more with a teacher in the room.

Go walking, swimming, biking, or participate in a tennis or golf clinic, even if you’ve played for years. I promise you will learn something new. Exercise classes and groups are everywhere for all ages and levels of fitness. I once did Silver Sneakers at a yacht club. We had a ball.

Next, I challenge you to do anything new. Try a new food. Buy a new piece of clothing or new shoes. Walk a new direction. Call an old friend or a new one. Go to a different church—just once for a different take on Sunday morning. Go to a movie you think you might not like. If you cook, try a new recipe. Paint a wall or wallpaper an area. Refinish anything that’s not moving around. Buy and read a new magazine. Read a book and discuss it with someone. Plant some bulbs. Make a pretty flower arrangement for your table. Yes, you can use grocery store flowers bought while shopping for that new recipe you are going to try. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Just try it once and see what happens. Let me know. Go to www.skatinguphill.com and I will post your comments on the blog.

Here’s this month’s bonus challenge and it’s not for the faint at heart: Patch up an old quarrel. This one is tough. Is it a friend or a loved-one?  I have had it on my heart to do, and will make a real effort this month. Really think and pray over what may have caused the estrangement in the first place, and decide if continued conflict is really worth holding on to pain and anguish. Someone smarter than me once explained that hating someone, or holding a grudge, is like ingesting poison and expecting the person you’re mad at to get sick. Bad feelings are toxic and hazardous to our health. Resolve something, let it go, and feel better.

Life is so valuable and precious. Health, both mental and physical, is of the utmost importance. If you don’t believe me, just ask someone who has neither.   Love, Judith

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