Your Most Audacious Dream: How to protect it with guardrails.

Image created by Annelie with help from AI

When my daughter was 7 years old, she asked me why she did not have grandparents. I told her that Mormor in Norway and Abuelo and Abuela in Colombia were her grandparents. "I don't mean them", she said. "I mean real grandma and grandpa, like my friends."

That broke my heart.

Grandparents' Day was coming up in school, and she had no grandparents to share with her class.

There and then, I decided that if I ever became a grandmother, I would become the best grandma I possibly could.

Fast-forward almost 20 years, and my daughter gave us our first grandchild. A beautiful boy, born on Norway's 100th year of independence, May 17, 2005. His other grandparents had their preferred grandparent names picked out for the boy, and so did my hubby and I.

Grandma and Grandpa, nice and easy.

There would be no confusion as to who we were.

But it so happened that when the little boy started talking, he could not say "grandma" and "grandpa," so we became "Ganga" and "Kaka." Because kaka (Caca) in Spanish means poop, grandpa became Abuelo.

But I am still Ganga, a name I carry with great honor.

Not all my grandchildren live close by, but I am close with all of them. I love watching them grow. Every day is a treasure of the best kind.

My deepest wish is for this precious time to last as long as humanly possible.

Many years ago, I sent an application out to the Universe and asked if I could live to be 113 years old. By then, my youngest grandchild will be 50.

When my friends hear about my crazy dream, they shake their heads and say they want healthspan over lifespan and quality of life over quantity.

I want both.

In my dream, I can. Dreams are free and only need imagination and belief.

Most of us have dreams or unrealized goals. Some are more audacious than others. To protect them, we must set up guidelines, especially as we grow older and run out of time.

What is your dream?

"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." -- John Barrymore.

If a future goal keeps hanging out in your consciousness, keep it alive. Somebody put it there.

If we don't put guardrails around our dreams and goals, they may slide into nothingness.

We don't want that.

Regardless of what our dreams may be, we must hope to live long enough to make them happen. This may be easier said than done.

A report from the CDC informs us that 90% of adults over age 65 have at least one chronic disease. The good news is that we can adopt a few lifestyle habits to optimize health in the body, mind, and spirit, while keeping chronic diseases at bay.

No matter what our dream may be, we need a body, a mind, and a spirit to get there. Here are some guidelines to get the job done.

• Engage in hobbies you truly enjoy. For me, that is writing and gardening.

• Choose your thoughts wisely; our own thoughts can make you or break you.

• Exercise or move your body for at least 30 minutes per day, sending oxygen to the cells.

• Walk for 10 minutes after dinner. Burning off the extra glucose from the meal prevents fat buildup.

• Share your wisdom, your love, your time, or your energy with a boomer sister who needs your help.

• Learn something new every day; maintain and develop neuro connections that produce neuroplasticity.

• Feed your body at least three fruits and vegetables per day. Your 30+ trillion cells will do a happy dance.

We can do all this, and more. We can play by every rule in the book. At the end of the day, it may not make a difference.

When St Peter knocks on the door, our time has come. Reaching our most audacious goals is not what matters; enjoying the journey does.

Thank you ❤️

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If you have a question for Annelie, get in touch at info @northboundspry.com. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time, live, love, learn, do your thing, and be happy.