The aches and pains of growing old can distract me from getting busy with life. How do I keep my energy levels up and my attention span longer?
When I was a young man, I had unlimited energy. I ate with abandon, I could work for hours. I was strong and virile.
In my 20’s, I was in the Army as an Infantryman. Viet Nam loomed in my future. I trained for 11 months before shipping to The Nam. Most trained for just 4 months. I was a rock.
I got shot.
Coming back to The World left me in another state of limbo. I went back to school, endured the scorn of the peace-nicks, and got my degree. I bought a business.
The stairs in that shop kept me nimble. Up and down dozens of times a day, carrying, lifting, running. I stayed in shape through activity, not a plan.
Raising two boys kept me active, too. Scouts and campouts and hikes added to my enjoyment of life. I became a trainer and influenced the lives of tens of thousands of leaders over time.
The Eighties brought depression and failure. My business slowly eroded to a dwindling trickle. I closed the doors.
The Nineties gave me a new lease on living. I became a Consultant and traveled the USA and Canada for up to 200 nights a year. I got really good at living in airports. My middle began to grow on the rich eating in restaurants. I began to run and shop for groceries instead of sit-down eating.
I changed jobs several times and got closer to the desk instead of the road. Managing clerical workers was not the same as pushing troops. At one time, I had gained 40 pounds from my rock-hard best. These weren’t rocky pounds, though, just spare tire fat.
Today, I am eating moderately. I am hydrating some. I take my dog for long walks every day. I stretch. I take supplements.
My mental energy has improved. I’m still working on the physical. Lost years are hard to overcome, you know. But, every day I make progress through small changes.
How do you keep your energy up?
