Swap Shop

www.southernsenior.info 23 In my younger days when faced with adversity, laying down, crying and feeling sorry for myself wasn’t an op- tion. I rolled up my sleeves and went to work harder than ever before to become a success to provide for my fam- ily. Fast Forward to today, still the same person inside, ex- cept much wiser for life’s experiences. This pep talk, com- ing from the heart is as much for myself as for anyone else. Thinking there might be others out there who may be feeling alone, defeated or downtrodden because of health, financial or other issues, just know that you are not alone. Be assured that there are others all over our great country like you and me with our own individual sto- ries. Collectively we Senior Citizens are parents, grand- parents and great grandparents who are facing challenges right now. Instead of feeling sad because of circumstances, let’s find a reason to smile, maybe even try to laugh every day. Let your worries and stresses be your concern only for a designated time and then let it go, don’t take it all to bed with you. Leave those concerns at your desk or in one place in your home and only worry for the time that it counts-when you can do something to change it. I’m trying to do this long enough to correct the negativity in my mind and life. If you are like me, with a love and admiration for our Cre- ator, lean on your faith is times of angst, fear and worry. I am making a pledge to myself to try to get up and move even when my body hurts or when my mind tells me I can’t. I know that a body in motion will for sure stay in mo- tion. A body who sits or lays without movement will be more and more inclined to never move. Sadness makes us not want to try to move. Taking baby steps in life, es- pecially when feeling overwhelmed with daily pain or feel- ing depressed, is the only way of moving forward in life. One step in front of the other, even if it’s a little crooked. Pandemic brain will make your mind go to undesirable places, y’all. Please discover ways to find your happy every day. Recognize negative thoughts and the havoc they can cre- ate in your lives. If being on social media is a trigger, limit your online time. Certainly the evening news might cause you to lose sleep. Let’s try to make positive affirmations daily out loud. Take a few moments to speak aloud to your animals or even to yourself, but be sure to use your voice daily. Don’t stay alone in silence, reach out to a friend or family member on a certain day or time you know they will be available. Don’t suffer in silence, especially if you live alone. Looking for my own reason to speak the above into exis- tence. Sharing these thoughts and feelings with you helps me feel less alone. What can you do to solicit a change to make your days happier if you spend them alone? Get creative-so we singular seniors will have reasons for high fives every day! Remember that before doing any type of exercise it’s im- portant to reach out to our doctors for help and guidance. S