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STAYING OPEN TO LIFE’S LESSONS
There’s a line in Simon & Garfunkel’s song The Boxer that has always stuck with me: “Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.” It’s a simple phrase, but it speaks volumes about human nature — especially as we age. Psychologists have a name for this tendency: confirmation bias. This means we tend to focus on information supporting our beliefs and dismiss anything that challenges our perspective. This is not necessarily a flaw — it’s how our minds work. But as we age, this can shape our experiences in ways we may not even realize. Throughout life, we create stories about who we are, what the world is like, and what we expect from the future. These stories are built from our experiences, values, and the lessons we’ve learned. But as time passes, it’s easy to become locked into a particular way of seeing things. We might resist new ideas or dismiss different perspectives simply because they don’t fit the storyline we’ve already accepted. We see this play out in many ways. I was recently standing in line at the grocery store, and I heard an older man say, “Young people just don’t understand hard work.” I can hear some of your internal voices saying, “Yes, that’s true,” but that gut reaction ignores the many young people working tirelessly to make a better life for themselves and their families. The same day, I heard a 20-something say, “Older generations had it easier — everything’s harder for us now.” Well, that triggers flashbacks to our struggles and puts us on the defensive, ready to pull out the old stories about walking to school in the snow, uphill, both ways. You know the drill, and it’s hard to consider that statement without pushing back. Aristotle once said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Over 2,000 years later, Albert Einstein expanded on that quote by saying, “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” Those quotes remind us that wisdom isn’t just about holding onto what we’ve always “known” — it’s about staying curious and at least being open to seeing things differently.
are not a matter of absolutes. But if we’re not careful, we can fall into the habit of seeing only what we expect to see.
By making a conscious effort to listen — to really listen — we open ourselves up to a richer, more meaningful life. That means listening to our loved ones, even when their views differ from ours. It means listening to the world around us with curiosity instead of judgment. And sometimes, it means listening to ourselves and questioning the stories we’ve told for so long. Aging gives us the freedom to choose how we see the world. That freedom allows us to embrace the idea that life still has more to teach us and that there are still new things to see and understand. So, as we move through life, maybe we should ask ourselves, “What am I hearing? What am I choosing to ignore? And what might I gain if I listened just a little more?”
Because the more we listen, the more we grow. And isn’t that what life is all about?
One of the greatest gifts of aging is perspective. We’ve lived through enough ups and downs to know that most things in life
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Celebrate the Small Things
WHY EVERY WIN MATTERS Working toward big goals is a rewarding and exciting process, but it can also feel overwhelming. It’s easy to get bogged down thinking about how far you still have to go, but you can use a simple strategy to maintain your momentum: Focus on small achievements. The Science of Small Wins
Practical Ways to Celebrate Small Wins Incorporating small celebrations into your daily routine doesn’t have to be complicated, so here are three strategies to help you get started. • Track your achievements in a progress journal. Seeing progress in writing can be very rewarding and provide much-needed motivation when things get difficult. • Share your win with friends and family. When you celebrate your achievements with others, you strengthen personal connections and add positivity to the experience. • Reward yourself. Even simple rewards reinforce the habit of recognizing progress and help make the journey more enjoyable. Achieving small goals is always worth celebrating. Acknowledging every step forward, no matter how seemingly insignificant, helps you stay motivated and confident while improving your overall mental well-being.
While seemingly insignificant, celebrating small wins has psychological benefits that can carry over into every aspect of your life. When you celebrate small achievements, your brain releases dopamine, the “feel good” chemical that lifts your mood and motivates you to keep going. This positive reinforcement generates momentum, making it much easier to tackle the next step. Acknowledging small wins also has a measurable impact on mental health. It reduces stress, improves resilience, and helps build a growth mindset. Focusing on your accomplishments allows you to alter your perspective, and you learn to see challenges as opportunities for growth.
WATER’S SURPRISING SUPERPOWERS
Sometimes, the greatest solutions to our physical and mental health problems can be found in our refrigerators or faucets. Water is a critical part of life, but how important it is may surprise you. Here are two fascinating reasons why hydration is the key to health and happiness. Thirst for Thought With our everyday lives becoming faster and more demanding, it’s common for people to feel stressed, anxious, or burnt out after hours spent at work, in traffic, or handling responsibilities at home. While certain medications may help some people rise above their mental malaise, simply drinking a few bottles of water throughout the day can help alleviate negative feelings. Studies have shown that even slight dehydration can cause a person to experience headaches, reduced concentration, and irritability. Do you know one of the leading causes of dehydration? Coffee . That’s right, your go-to for a midday energy boost may be putting you on the hamster wheel of poor mental health — and that’s before the inevitable caffeine crash makes matters worse. Instead of brewing a solution to your sleepiness, try consuming the Harvard Medical School’s recommended daily amount of water — 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 for women — through bottled water, fruits, vegetables, and
other sources. You may be surprised by how much smoother your dreaded daily grind becomes after just a few short days.
Pour Away Pounds Of course, our minds feel better when our bodies feel good. In a world full of well-marketed weight loss schemes with about as much substance as a bowlful of Reddi-Wip, drinking water remains a tried and true way to slim down. Water naturally increases our metabolism and helps us feel fuller faster, leading to less temptation at the dinner table and more reasonable caloric consumption. Here’s something else to remember: Those snack cravings you feel may be your body’s way of asking for greater hydration, so go for the Dasani before reaching for the Doritos.
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Sudoku
It’s not a revelation that regular exercise helps us feel better, but keeping our bodies in motion as much as possible also improves our thinking. Aging introduces the possibility of health issues we didn’t have to worry about in our youth, including cognitive decline. In some cases, mental ability is affected by our level of physical activity — a dilemma when a person’s physical health doesn’t allow them to be as mobile as they once were. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for people to help keep their minds sharp regardless of their capabilities. Here are helpful thoughts and tips from both sides of the spectrum. Auditory approaches for Alzheimer’s and beyond. Have you ever heard a song on the radio that immediately brought back memories of your youth or other pleasant times? Our minds have an intimate relationship with the sounds we hear, and listening to the right ones can drastically improve your overall health. Studies show that regularly listening to music can help reduce blood pressure, strengthen our immune systems, and even help combat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. Although classical music has been found to improve brain function across various age groups, any tunes that lift your spirits — from The Beatles to Beethoven — will likely do more for your well-being than just prompt you to tap your foot. Stamina secrets for mental strength. The benefits of regular physical exercise on our mental acuity are simply astounding. First and foremost, exercise encourages blood flow to our brains and helps keep lymph fluids flowing through our bodies while keeping our internal systems engaged. While the need for exercise is obvious, the amount seniors need to maintain healthy cognitive function hasn’t always been as clear. Fortunately, a landmark 2018 research project led by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida provided an answer. The project team examined nearly 100 existing studies comprised of nearly 12,000 participants with an average age of 73. After conducting an extensive review of this documentation, it was determined that 52 hours of exercise over a six- month period was the minimum magic number to reach to improve a senior brain’s ability to process information and complete tasks. Helpful Tips for Cognitive Health Music, Motion, and Stronger Minds
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Helpful Resources • Is your estate plan up to date? Ask us about our FREE Estate Planning Checkup. Call our office or email Julie@mtolaw.com. • Don’t miss Glenn on “Senior Law Radio,” WHMI FM 93.5 every Sunday at 8 a.m. You can also listen live (or to previous shows) on WHMI.com. • Questions about your money? Do you need help with your financial goals, investment management, or retirement planning? Glenn has partnered with his personal financial advisor, Brad Jerome, to bring expert financial services to our clients. Brad meets with you right in our office — no cost, no obligation, and no pressure — just an opportunity to discuss your goals with a top-notch financial advisor to see where your path might lead. You can reach Brad directly at 517.301.3070. • Let us be your trusted advisor for all your legal matters. We’ve grown with the referrals we receive from our clients. We want to return the favor by helping you find a great attorney outside of estate planning, elder law, and probate. Our clients often call us in need of an attorney who focuses on personal injury, auto accidents, elder and nursing home abuse, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and many other areas. To get the best results, you need an experienced attorney to help. If you want a referral, call our office or email Julie@mtolaw.com. We are glad to help!
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What’s Inside? 1 2 Never Stop Learning From Life The Psychology of Celebrating Small Wins
Sips of Fitness
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Brain-Boosting Basics
Helpful Resources
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A Naval Legend Lives On
A Deep Dive Into ‘Old Ironsides’
Some American institutions were built to last.
In 1794, a shipbuilder named Joshua Humphreys earned his status as an American hero by designing the first half-dozen warships used by the U.S. Navy. Amazingly, one of these ships, the USS Constitution, remains commissioned to this day after being used in some of our country’s most significant achievements at sea. The USS Constitution was first commissioned circa 1797 during the Quasi-War with France before being shipped off to North Africa during the U.S. conflict with the Barbary Pirates. However, the ship’s greatest fame came during the War of 1812, when it helped secure a victory against the British Navy. Known for its virtually impenetrable construction, the USS Constitution earned the nickname “Old Ironsides” after it was victorious against a British warship known as the HMS Guerriere. When the war-worn Old Ironsides seemed to be nearing the end of its structural life and would need to be decommissioned in 1830, a national campaign to save the ship kept it in service. By 1881, Old Ironsides finally got its well-earned retirement, and the ship was officially decommissioned. Was that the end of this
iconic vessel’s storied history? Not by a long shot! In 1931, the Navy returned the ship to a different kind of active duty, where it remains to this day. These days, Old Ironsides is docked in the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts — next to a nonprofit museum dedicated to preserving its incomparable impact on American history. The warship and museum attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, and official USS Constitution crew members are on hand to deliver presentations on the frigate’s extraordinary past. More than 200 years after it first left Boston Harbor, Old Ironsides continues to stand (or, more accurately, float) as a symbol of American ingenuity and our nation’s commitment to liberty and freedom for all.
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