How To Make Sure You’ll Be a Kick-A** Grandma
Children get older. I’m getting older. (I seem to be channeling my inner Stevie Nicks.) And I’m not gonna lie, it’s so easy for me to get stuck in the past, reminiscing about the days when the kids were little and my biggest responsibility was to keep them safe and well-nourished, while making sure they learned to pee on the potty and go to sleep by themselves. But, focusing on the past won’t bring those days back and if I stay there too long, I might just miss all the amazingness that’s happening NOW!
Our kids are becoming independent. It’s as certain as the sun rising in the sky each morning. They’re stepping into a life that often have very little to do with us. Maybe you’re already empty-nesting or maybe your nest is half full. Whatever the case, at this phase in our life, it’s time to let go of the past and start looking to the future, imagining what we want our life to look like, 10, 20, even 30 years from now. Have you taken time to envision and even feel what you want your life to be like in the years ahead? If not, I encourage you to take some time to start today. Grab a pen and a journal or notebook and write down specifically what you want your life to look like in say 5-10 years. Because, unless you get really clear on what you want from your life, and unless you’re super intentional about creating that vision, you might just haphazardly ebb and flow through the rest of your life going wherever the wind may blow you. And sure, that might keep you content, and you will probably have a pretty good life. But what if you miss the chance to be better, what if you settle for good and content and never get to be stellar and delighted with life?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the status quo. I don’t want to accept traditional aging, ending up in a “house coat” in a house still looking like it did 30 years before, content passing the time watching “my shows” like my grandmothers did. I want more, so much more. I admit, I don’t want an overly complicated life, and there is something to be said for the simpler life our grandparents lived as they aged, but still, I feel more a longing in my heart, a quiet whisper in my ear, and yearning in my soul. I want to travel. I want adventure. I want meaning and purpose. I want to wake up each day with a sense of gratitude and inspiration for what I’m planning to do to give back to the world that day. I want to contribute and leave the world better than I found it. I want to love my husband wholeheartedly. I want to spend time with friends laughing until I cry. And I dang sure want to have energetic, quality time with my family, especially grandkids, if God chooses to bless me with them.
Whenever I get sad pondering the passage of time and my kids growing up, there are several things that I know I can shift my focus to that will lighten my mood and put a smile on my face. One of those things is the prospect of grandkids. I imagine it will be like all the fun of having your own kids but even better, because you can spoil them rotten and then give them back at the end of the day without losing a moment of sleep that night. I look forward to one day looking into the face of a sweet little toddler and seeing a part of my own child smiling back at me. I don’t want to be a stifling, eye-rolling, in your face, I know what’s best kind of grandmother. And I certainly don’t want my whole life to revolve around my children and their kids. (They need their own life and so do I.) I plan to have many things in my life that will bring me joy and purpose. However, “Kids should be seen and not heard” is 100% not going to be my grandmother’s life motto.
Instead, I plan to be the ambassador of fun. The nana who brings adventure, action, silliness, and giggles. I want to play on the floor with my grandkids and take them to the park and the zoo. I’ll go hiking with them. I’ll have sleepovers at the lake with them- nestling by the fire at night and tubing during the day. I will ski with them and take them sled riding. My heart might burst just thinking about all the memories to be made. There’s so much to look forward to in this next phase of life. It’s an opportunity to be exceedingly present, enjoying our grandchildren in a way we would have wanted to with our own kids had there not been so many of life’s distractions and so much sleep deprivation. But here’s the thing. If we want to have all kinds of fun and excitement with our grandkids, we must have the energy, the strength, and physical acumen to do it. This is not negotiable. We absolutely cannot leave our health and the way we age up to conventional medicine. We cannot sit idly by, assuming we have no control over our aging body, waiting until we need a pill or surgery to restore some semblance of health and mobility. We must take agency over our body. We must prioritize and be responsible for our health. And we should do it now. We can’t wait until something goes awry to make a change. I’ve been working with clients for over 20 years, and I promise you that it’s so much easier to keep a healthy person well than it is to get a sick person healthy.
So now what. What action steps can we take? I could have a whole discussion with you about healthy eating, proper nourishment, stress management, hormone balance, sleep optimization, and strength training. All these things lead to a healthier, longer life and I could write pages and pages regarding everything I’ve learned about these things and experienced with myself and my clients over the years. But at this moment, while I have your attention, I’d like to share some of the lesser-known things we can do to keep us agile, to keep our brain healthy, and to promote a longer life. I’ve listed them below.
A** to grass squats- Start in a standing position with feet hip width apart. Slowly begin to bend your knees as if doing a squat but continue to move downward until you’re so low to the ground that your rear end is almost touching. Hold the position for five seconds then stand back up. Repeat at least 10 times and practice daily.
Rebound daily for at least 4 minutes. This supports lymphatic drainage, builds bone density, and strengthens small intrinsic muscles around your ankle and knee joint to promote stability and joint health as you age. Rebounding is also fabulous for balance.
Hop on one foot on a rebounder or balance on one foot on the floor or on an isokinetic exercise disc (barefoot) for at least 30 seconds. It’s great for balance along with brain and joint health.
Jump side to side, alternating weight between your right and left foot. Do this on the ground or take it up a notch on a rebounder.
Play wall ball with a tennis ball- throw the ball against a wall with one hand, catch it with the other hand, then repeat with the opposite side. Continue this alternating catch and throw for a few minutes.
Practice standing up from a seated cross-legged position on the floor without using your hands. Do this at least 5 times a daily.
Reverse burpees- lay flat on your back, legs extended. Then, sit straight up as if you are doing a full sit up without bending your legs. Stand up without touching the ground with your hands for support.
Play racquet sports like ping pong and pickle ball.
I should take a moment to remind you that we are all starting our life after the kids’ journey at different places. You might be able to tackle all these action steps right away. Maybe you’re already living your best, proactive, healthy life but just needed a reminder and new set of tools to practice. Or you could be just getting started and the list above feels hard, overwhelming, or even impossible. Take heart. And take a breath. This is not meant to stress you out or make you feel bad about yourself. We all start somewhere and it’s never too late to get started on your health journey. I can honestly tell you that I’m in better shape at 47 than I was even in my 20’s and that has only transpired over the last 3-4 years. I tell you this not to brag or condescend, but to let you know what’s possible. I encourage you to start slowly. Pick something you can do, even if it’s just balancing on one foot while holding onto the wall. Maybe that means you practice standing up from a seated, cross-legged position on the floor, but you need a second or two of help from one hand as you get up. Whatever this looks like for you, just get started. Commit to adding at least three of things from the list into your daily routine and do them consistently. If you continue to practice, you will eventually get to where you want to be. You will be proud of yourself and pleased with the results.
Above all else, keep your eyes on the prize. We always need a “why” that’s big enough to keep us committed to achieving goals and creating positive change in our life. Remember, this is not about vanity, looking good, or being better than other women our age. This is about showing up in the world as our best selves, taking back control or our health, and being the best dang grandmother/mother/wife that we can be, exuding energy, health, and well-being. We owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to our family. We have the power to change the face of aging. We can forge a new path in our health journey. We can uplevel the aging game for our kids. We can do this. You can do this. Don’t sale yourself or your body short. And don’t ever doubt the power and capability that lies within you.