Longevity Stories
Joy practising yoga on the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert, Morocco. Captured by David Masefield
Longevity: age is just a number, baby!
I believe that there is no point in living longer though unless I am actually living a life that I enjoy. One that makes me want to jump out of bed most mornings and greet the day like Snow White singing to the birds from her balcony.
Of course, there is also great enjoyment to be found curled up in a warm bed late into a cold windy day if you have a good book or someone to snuggle with.
The longevity stories will cover topics that I feel influence the potential for me to improve how many years in my life and equally, how much life I can put into those years.
The important thing to you is not how many years in your life, but how much life in your years!
– Edward J. Stieglitz
Aging is the enemy of long life
Part of this journey has been learning the difference between age and aging, and being alive and living. There are so many factors that influence parts of my body that I did not even know existed inside me.
While my results have been obvious to anyone that knew me prior to making the decision to step through the looking glass, they are definitely still a work in progress. There have been ups and downs, both physically and mentally.
To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.
– Leonard Bernstein
Time keeps on ticking
I do know that there are some pretty basic, common-sense approaches that I can take to increase my chances of having enough years available to do maybe half the things on my bucket list.
Having a list, written down, makes a huge difference. Why? Well apart from being excited about things, it also encourages me to make a plan to be prepared to do those things.
If I want to kayak the length of the Hudson River in upstate New York, I need to be:
- able to fit in the kayak
- strong enough to paddle for hours
- aware of the fuel my body needs
- able to sleep to restore my energy
None of those happens by accident, or overnight. They are the result of many conscious decisions and actions.
My goal is to live in a body that is ready to perform whenever I make the choice to enjoy life.
xo Joy
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Favourite Longevity Topics
REST & RECOVER
The human body is not designed to go, go, go. Taking time to rest, sleep, meditate and just chill out are also part of an enjoyable life. Being okay with that, takes some practice.
STRENGTH & FLEXIBILITY
Being able to bend and stretch, point and flex, lift and carry. Functional fitness that prepares the body for all of the adventures that life can offer. These stories will inspire you to move.
SOLO & SOCIAL
Who we spend time with can add to our years, or take from them. We learn from those who live a long life, that they have a good social circle and also were able to enjoy being alone.
NUTRICIOUS & DELICIOUS
From recipes and meal plans, to tips on prepping, these stories will introduce you to my love of food and the challenges that come with it. They’ll inspire you to make life tasty.
More learning stories
Finding the motivation to do the work to achieve what you want
What do you do to find the motivation to do the work you know is needed in order to achieve the goals you have, to feel how you want to feel?
A Dose of Happiness
How do you get your daily dose of happiness? This story is about one very happy day in Joy’s life, and what we can do to be happier every day.
Losing weight and finding joy
Losing weight is not easy and it doesn’t happen overnight. Here I share my story of finding joy by sticking to the rules.