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Articles from Michael Brickey | Selfgrowth.com
- ***Centenarians In The News - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2008 from Michael BrickeyWhat does every golfer want? A hole in one. 102-year-old Elsie McLean got one on a 96 yard par three. See article and video of interview with her. At 99, retired brick layer Richard Hubbard loved bowling but found his game was deteriorating. That prompted him to see a doctor who diagnosed ...
Views: 1213 - ***Exercise That Fosters Longevity - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2008 from Michael BrickeyA widely reported British study of twins found that the twin who exercised more had longer telomeres--and the more exercise the longer the telomeres. Under a microscope, telomeres of frequent exercisers looked nine years younger than couch potato telomeres. Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes ...
Views: 1243 - ***The Green Revolution - by Submitted on Feb 26, 2008 from Michael BrickeyWith aging, even the worst scenario can be better than you imagined. I did some keynote speeches at the Fall Metropolitan Conference on Aging in Minneapolis a while back. I received a note from Cathy Clairmont, which said that she would pick me up at the airport. The stationery the note was ...
Views: 1296 - ***Mourning Rituals - by Submitted on Feb 26, 2008 from Michael BrickeyIf you are going to live a long time, one of the challenges is dealing with loved ones dying. When grieving, consider King David's example of when to mourn, and when to end mourning. King David was one of God's all time favorites--a poet, a warrior, and King. But he had one big sin--he lusted ...
Views: 1167 - ***Smile Lines - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2008 from Michael BrickeyImagine the face you want to have thirty years from now. Planning experts advise visualizing the result you want. Focusing on the end result helps with motivation and holds up a picture to your brain saying, "This is what I want." Remember times when you’ve studied faces? There are some ...
Views: 1192 - ***Compassion Fatigue - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2008 from Michael BrickeyWhy do some people rally to help out with disasters like the Tsunami, Florida hurricanes, Katrina, and Rita, and some feel overwhelmed just hearing about “so many disasters” and try to numb themselves? Part of the problem is that TV fosters compassion fatigue. The first objective ...
Views: 1227 - ***Consulting Pharmacists - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2008 from Michael BrickeyIf you are taking many medications, consider consulting a pharmacist. Every time a physician sees my mother, she seems to get another medication. Even she thinks she is taking "too many pills." Fortunately, I discovered an innovative service that I hope will become commonplace. An experienced ...
Views: 1183 - ***Red Hat Salute - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2008 from Michael BrickeyWhen I turned fifty, I received my invitation to join AARP. Unlike turning 18 or 21, it wasn't very exciting. For most people, AARP perks are the magazine and newspaper and some discounts. When women turn 50, however, they become eligible for a sisterhood of fun, frivolity, and fellowship--The ...
Views: 1147 - ***Being Hopeful - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2008 from Michael BrickeyEveryone should periodically take their mental health temperature by asking themselves if they feel hopeful about aging well and hopeful about their future. I was at a seminar for professional speakers and marveling at the speaker's skill. Afterwards I asked him if he consciously crafted his ...
Views: 1926 - ***Holistic Health - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2008 from Michael BrickeyIf you are like most people, you have probably taken an antibiotic a number of times in your life. Antibiotics often kill "good" bacteria in your gastrointestinal system as well as bacteria that make you ill. Acidophilus, the best known of the "good" digestive bacteria, helps break down complex ...
Views: 1002 - ***Attitudes are Improving - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2008 from Michael BrickeyBe encouraged that Americans' attitudes toward aging are improving. Television, radio and print media have story after story about how we can't afford to support the swelling ranks of seniors. Some stories suggest young people will be stuck with supporting a legion of seniors who got in on the ...
Views: 1212 - ***Insomnia Cures - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2008 from Michael BrickeyMost people experience insomnia at least occasionally. There are effective alternatives to pills, alcohol, and supplements. First, rule out caffeine, alcohol, or medications contributing to the problem and try to have a regular bedtime and bedtime habits. Suggestion #1: Our body’s ...
Views: 920 - ***Curiosity - by Submitted on Dec 25, 2007 from Michael BrickeyUrban Myth: Curiosity killed the cat. To the contrary, it was curiosity that gave the cat nine lives. A client recently told me he had no reason to get out of bed in the morning--every day was the same. How sad, I thought. There are so many distinctions I would love to learn that it would ...
Views: 943 - ***Seeking Adventure In Adversity - by Submitted on Dec 25, 2007 from Michael BrickeyAt the District Toastmasters conference, John Rich gave an inspiring talk in which he asked how many of us had experienced obstacles in our lives. Everyone raised his or her hands. He said he has not—he has only experienced adventures. At some levels, his advice is sophistry. If you break ...
Views: 889 - ***Happiness Insurance - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2007 from Michael BrickeyA patient is in a nursing home, no longer able to walk, in a lot of pain,and has multiple health problems. I'm thinking that she is going to be terribly depressed. Instead, she tells me how blessed she is and she seems to be truly happy. I've experienced this so many times I am no longer ...
Views: 949 - ***Helpful Delusions - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2007 from Michael BrickeyIn a recent psych consult a rather fit gentleman told me he was 63. I asked when he was born and he said 1911. I asked if he remembered World War II and he said he was in school then. I wrote 2005 -1911 and asked him to do the subtraction. He accurately computed 94. "Something's wrong." he ...
Views: 967 - ***Senior Moments - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2007 from Michael BrickeyTrash the idea of senior moments. If friends suggest they are having a senior moment, do them a favor and explain why it is highly unlikely. Baby Boomers want everything instantly—including their memory. When their memory isn’t instant, they give up and lament, “I’m having a senior moment.” Few ...
Views: 1591 - ***Optimism: The Mental Placebo - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2007 from Michael BrickeyTake the leap of faith and be an optimist. It's amazing how thousands of drug studies find a sizable portion of the benefits of a drug come from the power of suggestion. For example, in a classic study, half of the medical students were given red pills they were told were amphetamines (that ...
Views: 1773 - ***Future Health Resources - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2007 from Michael BrickeyI love the Statue of Liberty. I know she will get some wear and tear. It’s comforting to know that in a few decades when she needs major maintenance again, the technology for helping her be her best will be even better than we have today. The trick is keeping her in reasonably good shape ...
Views: 921 - ***Money and Happiness - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2007 from Michael BrickeyPursue a career you love. David Myers’ classic study of happiness found that between 1960 and 1990 Americans’ income, adjusted for inflation, doubled but the percentage rating themselves very happy remained constant at 30%. Does the relationship hold? Any study is merely a ...
Views: 982 - ***Love and Sex After 60: It Can Be Better Than Ever - by Submitted on Oct 21, 2007 from Michael BrickeyLook forward to continuing to have a fulfilling sex life after 60 that might be even better than your current sex life. How can sex be better after sixty? Let me cite the ways: 1. no fear of pregnancy 2. no need for birth control (if in a monogamous relationship and no venereal diseases) 3. ...
Views: 3992 - ***Perks of Being Over 60: Sex and Relationships - by Submitted on Oct 21, 2007 from Michael BrickeyWhen you think about growing older, realize that it has its perks. One perk is that sex doesn't complicate relationships as much as in younger years. Many seniors have a rich sex life and sexuality is important in their lives. Sexuality, however, becomes less about proving manhood or validating ...
Views: 3072 - ***Four Stupidest Things Americans Do To Their Skin - by Submitted on Sep 23, 2007 from Michael BrickeyA friend called me in distress. To celebrate his birthday his kids washed his new car—only they used Brillo scouring pads. What would you say to the kids? We periodically replace worn out cars. Most Americans do the equivalent of a car wash with scouring pads to their skin every day. We ...
Views: 2578 - ***Two Minute Aging Antidote - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2007 from Michael BrickeyAt lunch today a fellow professional speaker, Marie Pollack, talked about how she developed a habit of journaling what she learned each day. I asked myself why I had never thought of this. Because of Marie’s example, I started a daily lesson journal. I have not kept a diary or journal ...
Views: 1481 - ***Iron Age Blood Giving - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2007 from Michael BrickeyWhat if you could perform one of the most generous good deeds possible, help your health at the same time, and it would cost you nothing? Chances are that you can. Philosopher Rabbi Moses Maimonides would add that giving blood is one of the highest forms of charity as the recipient is anonymous. ...
Views: 1808 - ***Who Are Your Heroes? - by Submitted on Sep 06, 2007 from Michael BrickeyWhen we were kids we had lots of heroes—perhaps they were football stars, cowboys, movie stars, TV stars, rock stars, or even our parents or teachers. Many people outgrow their heroes and don't replace them with new ones. Perhaps they think heroes are just for kids. If you want to be ...
Views: 960 - ***Outsmarting Depression - by Submitted on Sep 06, 2007 from Michael BrickeyIf you become depressed, vividly remind yourself of an upbeat, resourceful memory before imagining the future. If a friend, co-worker, or family member is depressed you can seamlessly use the same sequence to help him or her feel more hopeful about the future. Depression is the common cold of ...
Views: 1008 - ***Accessing Your Strengths - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2007 from Michael BrickeyI saw a woman who told me she grew up in an alcoholic family and became an alcoholic herself. Eventually she did something “beneath her dignity” and was so disgusted she quit drinking the next day. A decade later, she was a three-pack-a-day smoker despite emphysema. One day she was ...
Views: 1273 - ***Brain WiFi - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2007 from Michael BrickeyOur brains have a built in WiFi (wireless fidelity system) to read and imitate others’ emotions in a matter of milliseconds. There is great adaptive value to quickly recognizing danger and reacting to it before the conscious mind even has time to figure things out. Our WiFi system also ...
Views: 1696 - ***Making Life Personal - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2007 from Michael BrickeyRiddle: What is the best five-dollar present you can buy for yourself but would be inappropriate to give as a gift to someone else? I’ll give you the answer in a few paragraphs. How often do you get a hand written letter or even a hand written note? For most people postal mail has ...
Views: 1244 - ***Breathing - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2007 from Michael BrickeyYoga instructors, singing coaches, athletic coaches, exercise gurus, meditation gurus, and even Lamaze instructors all try to teach us deep breathing. We know we should. But few of us actually do it. I believe change can be easy if you engineer it well. Going from multi-tasking to peaceful ...
Views: 1292 - ***Centenarian Heroes - by Submitted on Jul 19, 2007 from Michael BrickeyForget Superman and Beckman. Choose remarkable centenarians as role models. Here are four who recently made the news: At 104, R. Waldo McBurney maintains a downtown office in Quinter, Kansas where he sells honey from his 199 colonies of bee hives. He still competes in several track events in ...
Views: 1118 - ***Preventing Diabetes - by Submitted on Jul 13, 2007 from Michael BrickeyMost Americans are aware of the obesity epidemic but most haven’t caught on to its sister—the diabetes epidemic. U.S. diabetes rates are soaring due largely to our eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, and living long enough for our habits to haunt us. At about 250,000 American ...
Views: 1183 - ***Aging Can Help Your EQ - by Submitted on Jul 13, 2007 from Michael BrickeyIf you know more, have more savvy, and are more effective than you were years ago, give yourself credit for having a higher EQ. Pat Nicolino, a corporate consultant friend, was catching me up on what had happened since I saw her in September. In short, she is having great success at turning ...
Views: 1194 - ***Cheerleader Partners - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2007 from Michael BrickeyHas this ever happened to you? You had an accomplishment or a win and you were excited. You told your spouse, or parent, or good friend and with underwhelming enthusiasm they said, “That’s nice.” What a let down. It’s the answer to if a tree falls in the forest and no one ...
Views: 1285 - ***Mutual Love Stories - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2007 from Michael BrickeyPeople all over the world crave love stories¡Vin books, magazines, television, music, theatre, and fairly tales. They play a big role in our culture and our psyches. When you pair off with a lover or partner, you probably have some stories in your mind that validate your beliefs about love. ...
Views: 1920 - ***Making Living Longer a Goal - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2007 from Michael BrickeyLiving your life as if you are going to live a very long time helps you live longer. It also increases the likelihood your of being happier your whole life. An East Sussex man recently obtained a 25-year mortgage on a $400,000 rental property. The UPI article doesn’t sound remarkable ...
Views: 1015 - ***Longevity Insurance - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2007 from Michael BrickeyWant to make some money, and encourage yourself to stay healthy at the same time? Bet someone you will live to 100 (or older)! 250:1 odds. I'd love to take that bet. Ten years ago Englishman Alec Holden placed a £100 bet with his bookie that he would live to 100. He recently cashed in on ...
Views: 1376 - Coping with Someone Dying - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2007 from Michael BrickeyIf you become depressed every time someone dies, the depression and stress will shorten your lifespan. One important skill for coping with death is knowing what to say when someone is struggling with dying. The ideal is to be like to Energizer Bunny on Alkaline batteries. He just keeps going ...
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