WRITTEN FOR CENTURY MARTIAL ARTS
I love quotes. Some people simply appreciate them, but I make a conscious effort to embrace them and try to live my life in a fashion often inspired by them. The quote above, which is derived from an interpretation of Aristotle by contemporary philosopher Will Durant, is one of my favorites, as it is directly related to one of the most significant aspects of my life.
I’ve been asked to speak and write quite a bit about being in midlife and yet still being in beast mode boxing!
I’ve been boxing since 1999 and the thought of stopping due to age has never occurred to me. If anything, I’ve become more inspired to find new challenges and continue pushing myself. I try different workouts even if they seem impossible (that’s you, HYROX). Am I usually the oldest one there? Sure. Do I care? Not at all. Especially when younger women come up to me and tell me how I am inspiring them. It’s not an insult to be acknowledged as older. Why should it be? We all age. I know that they will have a different narrative to tell themselves about positive aging.
A big positive about being in midlife is that I have accepted myself as I am, while always striving to be the best version of myself that I can be, through fitness and embracing a healthy lifestyle. I’ve realized (wish I had earlier) that it’s not about perfection, it’s about effort. I work very hard at staying fit and appreciating how at 59 I can still perform as well as ever. As Vince Lombardi said “mental toughness is essential to success.” It’s a mindset.
I no longer compare myself to anyone else. I am unique and proud of my efforts and results. I keep a balance and enjoy my cookies and dark chocolate too.
The challenge is to not get in my own head. I must accept that although I avail myself to many wonderful resources to fight the signs of aging, I must accept the aging process. I control the controllables: good nutrition, a supplement routine, good skincare, no sun (tough In Miami) and lots of sleep. I surround myself with positive, like-minded people, read things that inspire me and have done what I can to delete or diminish toxic relationships. The things that I can’t control, I don’t sweat over (I do enough of that working out, anyway!).
I won’t let a number stop me from doing what I love and have fun at: punching, kicking and pushing myself onto new challenges!
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