As I reflect on my life, there are a few constants that keep me vibrant and young at heart. I’ll walk Sotland’s 134 mile, John Muir Way to honor my 75thyear next month. Here’s to the grace of Yes!
Be happy. Happiness fosters optimism. It allows me to walk on the sunny-side of the street.
Nurture your inner child. My passion as an educator has kept me closely connected to children, their wonder, curiosity and openness. Each day I learn something from everyone.
Question. Questioning builds my listening skills and leads me to insights instead of assumptions.
Read. Reading sparks my imagination and transports me to other worlds, and new ideas allow me to see a larger picture of the world and its peoples.
Risk. It’s a joy and an accomplishment for me to go beyond what I thought I could do.
Listen to your body. I ask my body what it needs and look to my emotions when something is out of balance. My daily meditation acknowledges my body’s beneficent role as host of my spirit and soul.
Travel. My travel takes me out of routine and shows me that we have a lot to learn from other cultures, and we have more in common with each other than we think.
Find time in nature. Nature’s microbes are healing. A walk in nature gives me reflective time and nourishes my soul.
Dream, make mistakes and find joy. I create a dream board every year and love how those dreams become reality. Make mistakes—that’s how we learn. Look for the joy in life—it is everywhere.
Say, “Yes!” to life.