I started meditating around age 60. It’s safe to say it changed my life. It certainly changed how I approach my life.

At first, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. If it was good enough for Oprah, then maybe there was something to it. I was also slogging my way through the end of a demanding career, and mindfulness sounded like a respite.

But I was adamant I wouldn’t sit on a pillow in an awkward cross-legged position. (I was 60. I wanted to be sure I could get up. Unassisted.) I also didn’t have a lot of time to devote to this.

Gratefully, neither a lot of time nor a pillow were required. I discovered five benefits that even a few minutes of meditative silence bestows. 

Reduced Stress

I could tell right away that meditation would be good for my health. It simply felt good.

My heart rate would slow. I’d breathe more deeply and more consciously. I relaxed.

There are scientific studies that tout the benefits of meditation, but I also intuitively knew that it rubbed a salve on the inflammation that tried to ignite me, physically and emotionally.

Appreciation of the Present Moment

At this time of life, it’s easy to equate enjoyment with leisure time, trips abroad, or visits from the grandkids (all lovely). But dropping into the joy of the present moment is truly sacred.

When in a meditative state, there is no “before” or “after.” You allow your thoughts to come and go and focus on the breath or on a verbal mantra. In doing that, you embrace now. 

And there’s nothing sweeter than appreciating the moment we’ve been given, the only one we truly have.

Increased Sensory Awareness

My meditation practice helped me pay closer attention to the sights, the sounds, and the feeling of all that’s around me. I actually noticed things more deeply.

This came as a surprise. By age 60, you can get a little jaded. You can think you’ve seen it all, maybe even done it all. But I developed a greater awareness of natural beauty, of the abundance of color in our world, of clear musical notes.

Experiencing the outside world at a deeper level was an unexpected gift.

The Power of Intention

In the beginning, I began each morning in meditation. Even if I only had 15 minutes, I’d contemplate these questions:

What do I want to feel?

How do I want to serve?

Who do I want to be this day?

What do I want to bring into my world?

The intentions I made during morning meditation set the tone for my day. I began living a more purposeful life, one day at a time.

The Gift of Receiving

At 60 or beyond, our missions are not finished. Not by a long shot. Yet getting to “what’s next” isn’t always easy. We might talk with friends or seek other support. But looking outside ourselves for solutions only takes us so far.

We each have our own perfect wisdom and “special sauce.” All of that lies within.

In quiet meditation, I learned to tune in to my inner GPS with an open heart and a clear mind.

The answers I’ve received have been simple or they’ve been profound. They’ve sometimes come to me in whispers.

I just had to get quiet enough to hear them and become open enough to receive them.

There’s always time for us to do what’s best for ourselves, no matter what life demands (and especially if those demands are many). At this stage, we owe it to ourselves to choose whatever provides deep and lasting value to our bodies, minds and spirits.

Here’s to a few moments spent going within.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you experienced any benefits of meditation? What other practices do you engage in that nourish your body, mind, and spirit?

Ciara Miller’s Purple Leather Dress on Her Instastories

Summer House 2023 Instagram Fashion

Celebrity stylist Law Roach has been spotted quite frequently in the media lately. But last night he was spotted on social media with our girl Ciara Miller. I’m not sure that he had anything to do with this gorgeous purple leather look, but WOW. And I may not be a celeb stylist like him, but I’m pretty sure you would look good wearing a new leather dress.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to Shop Her House of CB Dress

Photo: @ciaramiller___

Originally posted at: Ciara Miller’s Purple Leather Dress

Ariana Madix’s Floral Tiered Dress at Scheana and Brock’s Shower

Vanderpump Rules Season 10 Episode 8 Fashion

If you weren’t #TeamAriana already, I have a feeling you will be when you see her floral tiered maxi dress at Scheana and Brock’s couples shower is in stock at 3 different places.  Wedding and shower season are approaching, and she just took the guesswork out of what to wear to your next event so you’ll totally look top tier.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her ASTR Midsummer Dress

Click Here for Additional Stock

Click Here for Even More Stock

Originally posted at: Ariana Madix’s Floral Tiered Dress

As we age, our bodies change, and we can start to experience different health problems. One common issue that many people face as they get older is back pain.

This can be caused by a variety of things, such as poor posture, incorrect lifting techniques, or even just the natural wear and tear on our bodies.

In this article, we will discuss some tips on how to take care of your back and prevent pain from occurring. If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to stay healthy and comfortable well into your golden years!

#1: Follow Good Posture Habits

Poor posture is one of the main causes of back pain. When you sit or stand, make sure to keep your spine straight and your shoulders relaxed. Avoid slouching or hunching over; it places unnecessary stress and strain on your vertebral discs.

Also, be mindful of your posture when you are sleeping. The best position for sleeping is on your back with a pillow under your knees.

This will help to reduce the strain on your lower back. If you sleep on your stomach, you can put a pillow under your hips to help alleviate some of the pressure.

Finally, make sure to get up and move around every few hours to keep your muscles and joints from getting stiff.

By following these simple tips, you can help to prevent back pain and keep your spine healthy.

#2: Correct Lifting Techniques

One of the most common causes of back pain is incorrect lifting techniques.

When lifting a heavy object, you should always bend at the knees and not at the waist. Furthermore, you should try to keep the object close to your body and avoid twisting your spine.

These simple tips can help to prevent strain on your back muscles and keep your spine healthy.

#3: Counter the Natural Wear and Tear on the Body

As we age, it’s natural for our bodies to experience some wear and tear. This is especially true for the back, which supports the weight of the entire upper body.

Over time, the discs between the vertebrae begin to break down, and the ligaments and muscles that support the spine can weaken. These changes can lead to a loss of flexibility and mobility, as well as pain and stiffness.

To help keep your back healthy and prevent these age-related changes, it’s important to practice good posture, engage in regular physical activity, and keep your body well-hydrated.

With a little care and attention, you can help keep your back healthy for years to come.

#4: Stretching Exercises

One of the best things you can do for your back is to keep it limber with stretching exercises. Stretching helps to lengthen and maintain the flexibility of the muscles and connective tissues that support your spine and can help to alleviate pain and prevent injuries.

There is a variety of stretching exercises that can be effective, but some simple tips to keep in mind include:

• Start slowly and gently, warming up your muscles with stretches that are easy to do.
• Do not bounce or jerk while stretching. Instead, hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds and breathe deeply.
• Focus on key areas such as the hamstrings, hips, and shoulders. These areas are often tight and can lead to back pain if they are not properly stretched.
• Be consistent. Stretching regularly (at least three times per week) is the best way to see results.

By incorporating these simple tips into your stretching routine, you can help keep your back healthy and prevent back pain.

#5: Spinal Stabilization Exercises

One of the most important things you can do for your back is to perform spinal stabilization exercises on a regular basis.

These exercises help to strengthen the muscles that support your spine, improving your posture and helping to prevent injuries.

There are many different spinal stabilization exercises that you can do and there are specific exercises for back pain as well.

Start by performing 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise, 3 times per week. As you become stronger, you can increase the number of repetitions and sets. Remember to listen to your body and stop if you start to feel pain. With regular practice, you can help keep your back healthy and pain-free for years to come.

You Don’t Have to Live with Back Pain

Back pain is a common problem for baby boomers and can be caused by a variety of factors. However, by following the simple tips provided in this article, you can help to prevent back pain and keep your spine healthy.

Good posture habits, stretching exercises, spinal stabilization exercises, and good lifting techniques are essential for keeping your back strong and flexible.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you live with back pain? What do you do about it? Do you take medications, or do you use exercise and posture techniques – or maybe both? What have you learned about back pain in your own life journey?

Good news! We are getting close to half of our states here in the US that will begin to require a personal finance course in order to graduate from high school. Yeah! At the same time, I’m also wondering why we haven’t done this long ago?

Making Financial Decisions

Who can you or do you talk with about money or financial decisions? Probably your significant other, if you have one. But if you don’t, then who? Most of us never had formal financial education training in school. So it’s no surprise then that we are uncomfortable or feel less than knowledgeable about personal finance.

I often hear from women that it’s a subject that can be difficult or inappropriate to talk with friends about. And depending on our age and circumstance, our adult children might not be the right answer either, at least not yet.

A Financial Advocate

Unless you have a financial advisor, you may not feel like you have found the right person to act as a sounding board, a resource for checking facts, and someone to talk with about making some financial decisions. I know this is the main reason that I have stayed in the financial services industry… to be a financial advocate for women.

Good ‘Ole Boys World

I remember after working in a bank and then an accounting firm, I was sharing my frustration with the industry with my dad. I had well over 10 years of experience at the time, and he encouraged me to hang in there and not give up.

Living through “goals” handed down by employers that I knew were not in alignment with what I was seeing clients actually needed was getting more and more difficult to swallow. Plus, it was a good ‘ole boys world, so my approach to helping clients was very different than most men.

Fatherly Advice

But in talking with my father, I realized I felt obligated but also very passionate about using my experience, my organizational skills, and my heart for education to stick with it and be the resource for women that I saw sorely lacking. Then and now I feel like a financial translator, on a mission to improve women’s financial health.

Financial Literacy Awareness Month

How do you feel about your financial wellness? April of each year is a great time to revisit this topic since it’s one of the national themes: Financial Literacy Awareness Month. I prefer the term financial wellness because that implies a more broad and preventive approach.

Afterall, the more we prepare in our financial life, the less we have to repair later. No different than our health. The better we take care of ourselves now, the less likely we are to deal with poor health later.

Financial Wellness

I started out as a Registered Dietitian many moons ago. I believed and still do in wellness as a preventive approach to enjoying good health instead of the typical band aid approach our health care system is currently based on. So I helped people balance their diet and exercise for a healthier life.

Ironically, now I help people balance their finances instead, which is also for a healthier life. It is all tied together. The more we take care of our body, the healthier we are, which costs less so we are less likely to need to worry about running out of money (which is one of our fears in life).

Making an Impact

As women, we have so much to offer the world. Whether it’s in a profession, our family, our community, or even bigger and more globally than that. Our minds are so capable of right and left brain thinking and seeing the big picture, that we are well suited for making an impact in many ways.

If we can just get the “money monkey” off our backs in order to focus on whatever it is that you are good at or passionate about, the more we can live what you value. I encourage you to use this April theme of Financial Literacy Awareness Month as almost a separate New Year’s Resolution time but just related to money and your personal finances.

Making a Change

Any time we want to make a resolution to change, we are more successful if we break it down into small steps. So identify a step you feel is important to you right now; this quiz might help you narrow it down. Then pick the best format for you to take action.

We are all different learners and doers. Maybe you prefer to read, or watch a video, or attend a workshop, or use a checklist, or listen to a podcast. My website offers all of those, or check out The Financial Awareness Foundation for great personal finance resources or search online for the topic/format you are looking for and you are sure to find lots of options.

Catalyst for Change – You

I think of resources as catalysts for change. But the only real catalyst is you. Make this a priority in your life, so you can enjoy more calm and peace in your financial life which will give you more energy to focus on what you really love. Who doesn’t want less worry, more life!?

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What resources have you found helpful in your money life? What more can we be doing to support women on their financial journey?