Time to Celebrate!
I never miss an opportunity to celebrate my friends, so I was thrilled when I was invited to spend time with my friend, Amanda, on the evening of her 40th birthday dinner.
This is going to be fun, I thought as I drove to the restaurant. I’d found the perfect humorous card and a few gag gifts to bring lots of laughs to the occasion, and I was looking forward to meeting my friend’s tribe of other “out-of-the-box” extraordinary beings.
I’m so glad Amanda is being reasonable about this birthday! I chuckled, thinking about the common view that hitting 40 is a devastating turning point, and that it’s all downhill from there. What a silly conspiracy….it’s so not true. And I won’t tolerate any of that talk tonight.
Posing as an incognito, undercover agent for truth, I was prepared do all I could to unfold the youthful exuberance that is ageless and be on high alert for demeaning messages that could in anyway impact my friend’s special day. By my calculation, she has more than 80 years ahead of her and is not even in middle-age. I walked into the restaurant more than ready to generate this awareness no matter what.
As I slid into the booth with four other women, I noticed we were a mixed age group with each decade represented. It did occur to me briefly that I was the eldest of the crew, but I have learned that in my world, this has little impact. We introduced ourselves and started to ask all the questions about partners, children, and work.
When the waitress had left with our orders, I smiled at the beautiful, amazing Amanda.
She is the catalyst for so many at only 40 years old. Who was I at age 40? I honestly see such resonance with my friend. It doesn’t seem like there is a 30-year gap in our life experience?
“This was such a great idea. I wonder what I should do for my big birthday next month?”
Catching my comment, Michelle asked, Which birthday will you be celebrating?”
“Seventy!” I exclaimed proudly.
Her jaw and all of the others at the table, except Amanda’s, dropped open.
Amanda jumped right in, “Renee Beth, you see all their faces? We have to make a big deal about this. You are living, breathing proof of your message of organic and regenerative learning.”
“You mean tell more people than these ladies here?”
“Ummm… yes.” And she flashed me that knowing grin.
Wildly, maybe it was the wine, this idea launched a litany of thoughts related of how amazing it might be for others–this idea of being ageless, and what if I could proudly declare that I am about to be 70 and ageless to others?
So, here I am… sharing it with more people than were at that table.
Yes, I am 70.
But I feel like I am barely 45.
I have plenty of energy to lead teams of people, write books, facilitate masterminds; and I am boldly JUST GETTING STARTED with Living The Potential Network–at 70 years old!
And the truth is that if you’d seen me when I was Amanda’s age, you would have seen a very different woman. In fact, I’m sure I’d be unrecognizable to most who know me today.
Thirty years ago, I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue/Epstein Barr – exhausted and depressed with too much to do and no energy to manage. “Burned out” doesn’t even begin to explain how I was feeling in my body, mind, and soul.
Somehow, I was divinely guided to discover a wholistic pathway to taking ownership of my health and choose who would be on my healing team. I am so grateful that this mindset allowed me to recognize that “although getting older is a given, aging is optional,” and for the regenerative health protocol that I discovered 16 years ago that has helped me grow younger over time.
I’ll never forget the look on my doctor’s face when he reported that, according to my bloodwork, my biological age is 30 years younger than my chronological age.
For me, life is about energy–cultivating it with the right protocols, tools, and skills; directing it at purpose-filled goals; and sharing it with others. And I believe the secret to a fulfilling life is playing with people of all ages (intergenerationally) to keep evolving.
So, thank you, Amanda, for being such an inspiration. We make a great team!
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