Growing Bolder Magazine Spring 2020 by Growing Bolder

IN THIS TOGETHER

O RD I NARY PEO PLE LIVI N G E X TR AO RD I NARY LIVE S

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GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Being able to breathe, is a feeling that you want to rejoice instantly.

At 70, Ed Henry lived through a double lung transplant. Today he’s back to work, in the gym, and looks forward to his morning walk at sunrise — a daily reminder of a new beginning. He thanks his donor, his surgeons, and his Florida Blue Nurse Care Manager, who helped get him liquid oxygen when he didn’t know where to turn, which kept him alive until he could get the double lung transplant.

“Florida Blue has carried me through the last year and I know they have my back.”

See more stories at floridablue.com/ storiesofstrength

— Ed Henry

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CONTENTS

36 features 14

CONSERVATION OF THE GULF COAST

Restoration after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

MIRA LEHR’S “HIGH WATER MARK”

Environmental artist: now is the time to act

FROM ESPN TO EDUCATOR

A life en fuego: Dan Patrick battles back

special section: book excerpt GROWING BOLDER: DEFY THE CULT OF YOUTH, LIVE WITH PASSION AND PURPOSE

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

SOMEONE LIKE ME

The power of example and the magic of personal transformation

Spring 2020

in every issue 6

NOTE FROM THE CEO

CONTRIBUTORS

GROWING BOLDER WITH

Big names, bold lives

5 QUESTIONS

Denise Austin celebrates 40 years in fitness

ORDINARY PEOPLE

Living extraordinary lives

GB BOOK REVIEWS

Suggested reading for lifelong learners and bibliophiles

THE TAKEAWAY

The big life of Little Anthony

create 48

LATER-IN-LIFE ROMANCE NOVELIST

The "oldest author of erotic romance" is still publishing at age 83

DRIVEN BY DESIGN

Architect Turan Duda merges art and function

SUSTAINABLE HOME DESIGN

Get creative and do-it-yourself

THE POWER OF CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT

Problem solving in life and in art

GROWING BOLDER MOVIE NIGHT

Q&A with Roger McGuinn

finance defy 30

GREATNESS NEVER QUITS

Inspiration from Dr. Jim Smith, Jr.

I USED TO BE A DANCER

Connecting the past and present versions of yourself

“CAT TALE: THE WILD, WEIRD BATTLE TO

SAVE THE FLORIDA PANTHER”

Adapted from “Florida Man” Craig Pittman’s latest book

heal 34

5 TIPS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Defense against COVID-19 starts at the cellular level

FLATTENING THE CURVE

One New Yorker’s story of surviving COVID-19

YOUR LIFE AS A MASTERPIECE

Creating harmony from the inside out

Plant-based foods bursting with bold flavors

ONE SLOW BREATH AT A TIME

How to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic

A FREELANCER’S TIPS FOR WORKING

FROM HOME

Adjusting to the emotional challenges of working alone

THE VALUE OF TRADITION

The joy of teaching self-reliance to the next generation

travel 12

CAMPING

The original social isolation

connect 18

MEMOIR WRITING

Your story is the gift of a lifetime

MAN OF TWO COUNTRIES

A Cuban-American looks at 64

FROM A DISTANCE

Staying connected while staying apart

ON THE COVER BUBBLE BOY BRINGS LEVITY TO LOCKDOWN

Photographer George Kamper and his wife Sherryl create photo series sensation G R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0

NOTE FROM THE CEO

This issue of Growing Bolder celebrates the power of creativity and the importance of creative engagement to all of us.

It’s one of our greatest human gifts, especially as we age. A long-term study, published in the ”Journal of Aging and Health,” examined a variety of personality traits and concluded that only creativity has significant life-extending benefits. Those with above-average creativity enjoyed a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 12% decrease in mortality over an 18-year period. The mechanisms behind the health benefits of creativity are not fully understood, but most researchers believe it’s because creative thinking draws on a variety of neural networks within the brain. Creativity, at its core, is simply problem-solving. Any great painter or composer will tell you that a blank canvas or blank sheet of staff paper is little more than a problem to be solved. Creativity is taking what is and constructing what can be. Human creativity has never been more important than it is right now. It’s being tested as we race to find a cure and a vaccine for COVID-19 and scramble to find ways to reduce pollution, to clean our air and oceans and ultimately to save our planet. We might not be the ones to solve these monumental problems; but it’s important that we nurture and develop our creative spirit, because it helps us adapt to circumstances, find solutions to problems and keep moving forward without being trapped by the challenges of aging.

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

The good news is that creativity is not a magical process that only some possess. It’s part of human nature. We all have it. It is true that some are more easily connected to it than others. But for most, creativity is never a lightning strike of ingenuity. It’s the by-product of fearlessness and persistence. When we were kids, we were encouraged to develop our creativity. The arts were part of the curricula in every school in America. We drew, danced, sang, acted, wrote poems and played musical instruments. But at some point, if we didn’t show what our teachers or parents believed to be exceptional ability, they took away our crayons so that we could get serious about the so-called “important stuff.” Fast forward 50 or 60 years, and we’re learning that creativity, coloring outside the lines and thinking outside the box is the important stuff. So, get back to coloring outside the lines, and remember that the No. 1 enemy of creativity is a fear of failure. Now is the time to start Growing Bolder.

POWER OF CREATIVITY Creativity Increases Longevity and Addresses Humanity's Biggest Challenges

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Volume 40 PUBLISHER Jackie Carlin EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Thompson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ashley Heafy GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Styles EXECUTIVE EDITOR Doris Bloodsworth FEATURES DIRECTOR Bill Shafer PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jill Middleton EDITORIAL SPECIAL FEATURES

Jane Harrison Mary Lou Janson Ed Lederman Barbara Wagner George Kamper Sherryl Kamper VIDEO + PHOTOGRAPHY

Jason Morrow, Michael Nanus, Jacob Langston CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Patricia Carpenter Jean Chatzky Christy Wilson Delk George Diaz Doro Bush Koch Tricia Reilly Koch Roger Landry, M.D., M.P.H.

Danielle Pali Craig Pittman Leslie Kemp Poole Dr. Jim Smith, Jr. Jonathan Taylor Kay Van Norman Lisa Wood

GROWING BOLDER PRESS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Marc Middleton PRESIDENT Robert Thompson SUBSCRIPTIONS

For subscriber information or address changes, visit GrowingBolder.com/subscribe or email subscriptions@growingbolder.com NEWSLETTERS

To sign up for Growing Bolder's weekly newsletter, go to GrowingBolder.com/newsletter COMMENTS

For information about advertising and sponsorships, email Ame Fuhlbruck at advertising@growingbolder.com GROWING BOLDER IS PUBLISHED BY GROWING BOLDER PRESS

Editorial Content Â©GrowingBolder. Growing Bolder is a registered trademark of Bolder Broadcasting Inc. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents of this magazine without written permission for the Publisher is prohibited. Growing Bolder Publishing makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all published content. Neither the publisher nor advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found herein and the publisher accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by advertisers in ad and/or paid promotional features. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Growing Bolder Publishing. Growing Bolder Publishing does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information found within the articles. All content is presented for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional, legal, financial or medical advice. Growing Bolder Publishing expressly disclaims and denies any liability for any decisions made based upon the information presented.

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

©Disney ABD-18-394798 CST 2082519-20

The best education in the world? That’d be the world. Adventures by Disney® can show you the world in ways you’ve never thought possible. We’re a leader in guided group family travel, with active itineraries and VIP access throughout Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and the Americas. Visit AdventuresByDisney.com or contact your local Travel Agent. facebook.com/AdventuresByDisney

Machu Picchu, Peru

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Jean Chatzky

Jean Chatzky, financial editor of NBC’s “TODAY” show, is an awardwinning personal finance journalist, bestselling author and host of the podcast “HerMoney with Jean Chatzky” on iTunes. Her newest book, “Women with Money: The Judgment-Free Guide to Creating the Joyful, Less Stressed, Purposeful (and, Yes, Rich) Life You Deserve,” is available now. Photo by Matthew Peyton/ Getty Images For American Express

George Diaz

Born in Cuba and raised in South Florida, George Diaz became inspired to be a journalist while working for his school newspaper at Coral Gables High School. He is a 1978 graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Journalism. Diaz worked at the “Miami Herald” and “The Cincinnati Post” before joining the “Orlando Sentinel” sports department in 1989. He went on to serve in a number of roles, including columnist and member of the editorial board.

Christy Wilson Delk

Christy Wilson Delk is a business professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, as well as a contributing franchise industry writer. Delk is a franchise educator. She consults, leads workshops and gives presentations about how to achieve greater performance and success through the franchise business model.

Contributors Meet our team of global thought leaders

Craig Pittman

Craig Pittman is an award-winning journalist and author of the new book, “Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther.” He's the author of four other books, including the “New York Times” bestseller, “Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country.” In his 30-year career at the “Tampa Bay Times,” he won the Waldo Proffitt Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism in Florida four times. Twice he won the top investigative reporting award from the Society of Environmental Journalists. He currently writes a column about environmental issues for the “Florida Phoenix.” Photo by Dirk Shadd

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Dr. Jim Smith, Jr.

Dr. Jim Smith Jr. is a global leader in personal and professional improvement who specializes in creating performance breakthroughs for individuals, teams and organizations. An internationally sought after professional speaker, coach consultant and best-selling author, Dr. Smith helps men and women worldwide reach their full potential through his "No Excuses" philosophy.

Tricia Reilly Koch

Tricia Reilly Koch is co-founder of BB&R Wellness Consulting. Driven by a lifelong passion to understand the mind-body connection, she is a certified holistic health coach, a student of ayurvedic living and a wellness entrepreneur. Her most recent business endeavor is Georgetown Gourmet Market with a mission to bring healthier foods to air travelers at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Reilly has worked as an advocate and consultant helping individuals and businesses rethink health and wellness in the 21st century.

Kay Van Norman

Kay Van Norman is president of Brilliant Aging and is an internationally known author, writer and thought leader in healthy aging. Her passion is uncovering hidden barriers so that people can move from intending to age well into taking actions that will help ensure that they age well.

Doro Bush Koch

Doro Bush Koch is co-founder of BB&R Wellness Consulting. She has managed the demands of being the daughter and sister of two U.S. presidents by practicing mindfulness. It has had such a positive impact on Bush’s life that she has spent the last two decades sharing the power of this ancient practice with others through her meditation CDs and at wellness conferences. Bush is the “New York Times” bestselling author of the book “My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush.” She is also the chairwoman of The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

Leslie Kemp Poole

Leslie Kemp Poole is an author and assistant professor of environmental studies at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Her work reflects her interest in how women, who historically had little political power, rallied together in grassroots efforts to protect the environment and preserve natural resources.

Roger Landry, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Roger Landry, author of “Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging,” is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard University School of Public Health. He is president of Masterpiece Living, which helps communities become destinations for continued growth. Dr. Landry is a highly decorated colonel and chief flight surgeon at the Air Force Surgeon General’s Office in Washington, D.C. His medical career has included the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and U.S. shuttle launches.

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Jordan Siemens / Stone via Getty Images

CAMPING The Original Social Isolation Mark Sunderland

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

If you’re going to be stuck inside, it may as well be inside a tent in the great outdoors. Here’s how camping can take the common out of quarantining. Nature abounds. And during the pandemic, we have seen nature rebound. A respite from the usual stresses of human interaction has caused a discernible difference in our urban and rural ecosystems, including our wildlife, our flora and fauna and even in the air quality in a few major American cities. It all sounds like a perfect time to go camping! Well, it sure would be. And it will be again. The question is, when? As of this printing, the National Park System has closed or limited public access to a majority of park sites. Many state parks are closed as well. There are still private camping sites where camping is permitted. Although in many of these locations, common amenities, such as bathroom and shower facilities, remain shut down due to contamination and contagion risks. However, it seems safe to suggest that camping will be one of the first activities available to us when we cautiously return to getting out of our bunkers in small doses. In the meantime, some state park operators are resorting to creative ways to keep the public engaged. Benji Studt, the public outreach supervisor for the Palm Beach County, Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, is offering a way for nature lovers to stay connected to wildlife during these wildly different times.

We all are trying to get into this new normal...provide a little bit of a story where people can see some of the beauty that still is going on around us. “We all are trying to get into this new normal, and so the thought with these videos is really just to provide a little bit of a story where people can see some of the beauty that still is going on around us,” Studt said. “We’re trying to tell stories that are interesting to us, hopefully are interesting to some other folks and hopefully they teach something along the way,” he said. The fact is, while the parks are closed, nature continues. In Florida, longlegged wading birds are still teaching their spring hatchlings how to be birds. And none of the state’s wetland ground orchids have canceled their blooms, which only happens one month of the year around spring time. As we begin to transition to whatever life looks like post-pandemic, timeless pursuits, such as camping, may offer some people the only opportunities to get safely outside, mask-free, even as the acceptable ways we connect with each other in this new era remain uncertain. It is impossible to predict exactly how the reopening of America will transpire. But the great, wide-open spaces will be a big attraction for those of us who long to be near a river, or around a campfire, reminiscing about camping pre-pandemic and pondering the state of the outdoors and its apparent new dangers to mankind. Considering the worldwide pandemic pause, when we are all together — and keeping our social distance — camping under the right conditions can be a relatively safe outdoor endeavor. And depending on where you pitch your tent, it’s one of the most adventurous ways to shelter in place.

T R AV E L

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Conservation of the Gulf Coast Environmental Restoration After the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill Leslie Kemp Poole

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Saving, protecting and restoring natural areas is Bob Bendick’s passion — and his life’s work. Now, at 73, Bendick is leading one of the most challenging efforts of his 40-year career: working with state and local governments abutting the Gulf of Mexico, and with federal agencies, to use funds from the worst oil spill in U.S. history to rebuild the fragile coastal ecosystem. The BP Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in 2010 off the coast of Louisiana killed 11 people and poured more than 3 million gallons of oil into the Gulf. Litigation resulted in a $20-billion settlement for damages, of which at least $16 billion was designated for environmental restoration.

Photos: Jacob Langston

Enter Bendick. As director of the Gulf of Mexico Program for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), an international nonprofit environmental group, Bendick is charged with tasks that include supporting restoration work, supervising scientific studies and developing relationships with environmental groups as well as with state and federal governments. For six years, he has traveled through five states on the Gulf Coast, trying to guide different restoration efforts stemming from the settlement. “There is a lot of exciting work to be done,” said Bendick in his genial, soft-spoken but determined manner. “With the Deepwater Horizon settlement, there is a real opportunity to show how real work can be done on the ground and to show how conservation can be done in the Gulf. This is an opportunity to move things in a different direction in one of the nation’s most important ecosystems.” And one of its most troubled. The Gulf, once rich with marine life, has been damaged by the oil spill but also by long-term human impacts, which include overfishing, dredging and pollution. Perhaps the best example is the “dead zone” at the mouth of the Mississippi River — a lifeless, depleted section of the Gulf that’s the size of New Jersey as a result of agricultural pollution flowing down the river. Other problems include eroding shorelines, disappearing seagrass and diminished shellfish beds. Now the oil spill funds are sparking hopes that some of that decline can be reversed.

DEFY

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“The TNC’s Gulf of Mexico initiative shows an astute understanding of the intertwined economic, social and ecological value of one of the world’s most vital estuarine environments,” said Dr. Jack E. Davis, an environmental historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea.” He added, “Equally astute is drawing on Bob Bendick’s experience and skills to head up the initiative. The Gulf will benefit, which means we will benefit.” One project Bendick touts is an oyster restoration program that TNC supports. Oysters, once “a cornerstone of the Gulf ecosystem,” have become a “disaster” in the Gulf, Bendick said. Oyster reefs once were found across the Gulf ’s bays and estuaries where they served as a habitat for fish, crabs and shrimp while also filtering water and stemming coastal erosion. The TNC estimates that 85% of the original reefs are gone, which affects the Gulf ’s health and has dramatically decreased the once productive commercial oyster fishery. Using science, and working with stakeholders in the commercial oyster industry, TNC is leading efforts to build artificial reefs of stone and concrete to which oysters can attach and grow. Half Moon Reef in Matagorda Bay, Texas, some seven years in the works, is now covered with oysters, a smiling Bendick reported. In summer 2020, a similar project will begin in Pensacola Bay, Florida. Creating jobs for residents of coastal areas is part of the agenda as well. GulfCorps was developed by TNC with a $7 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide jobs for hundreds of area youth, ages 18-24, who may come from disadvantaged or minority populations. This year, 11 crews of young people are working in the Gulf states in marsh and wetland restoration, in prescribed fire in coastal forests and in invasive species removal. “It’s exciting to see them work,” Bendick said, adding that the youths are getting high-level training that can prepare them for careers in restoration. After 20 years at TNC, during which he held numerous management roles, Bendick could be hanging up his hat; but the opportunity to make a difference keeps him motivated. “If I didn’t feel that I was physically or mentally able to do this, I wouldn’t do it,” he said. “At this point I think my very broad experience in conservation is valuable.” TNC Southern Division Director Michael Lipford said, “Bob represents the best of the Conservancy in the way he lives our values and the integrity he demonstrates daily in the conservation of our lands and waters along the Gulf Coast. His wisdom gained in working in many roles of public service across the country serves both the local communities and the restoration of the Gulf of Mexico very well.”

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

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im t e f i L a ift of

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Patricia

Charpe

ntier

Long before my mother had dementia, I asked her to write some recollections about her life. I learned how much she wanted to be a teacher; but as a sharecropper’s daughter, she didn’t allow herself to dream. I then understood why teaching religion at her church after she retired meant so much. Stories like this helped me see her as a woman, not just as my mom. Today, her words are priceless, because she no longer possesses the memories or the means to communicate them. As an author and speaker on the subject of memoirwriting, I believe everyone has an important story to tell, so I’m tackling two of the most common roadblocks that keep people from writing their memoirs. W H Y S H O U L D I W R I T E M Y L I F E S TO RY ? I H AV E N ’ T D O N E A N Y T H I N G S P E C I A L .

I hear this all the time. You need not have cured cancer or climbed Mount Everest, though some of you may have done that, to benefit from writing about the amazing life you have lived. Your perspective on the world is unique. You’ve experienced life in ways no one else has, and committing that viewpoint to paper is worth your time and effort. Chances are you’ve been asked by your children, grandchildren or other loved ones to put your stories into writing. Doing so will give them the greatest gift — yourself. In my mother’s case, her recollections were not only a gift to me; I can now give my mother back a part of her life as I read those stories to her.

your ninth-grade English teacher with the red pen. You won’t be graded, only applauded, by those who love you. I talk about the people who will benefit from reading your story, but know that you will likely gain more than anyone else. Through the act of writing, you’ll connect mental dots, gain insight and come to conclusions you might never have otherwise. You’ll have fun reliving moments from the past. You’ll pay tribute to important people because they will live on through your words. And, if you encounter painful memories, as difficult as it may feel, write those, too. You may just come out the other side with a new way of looking at the situation or even find forgiveness. In today’s digital world, putting your words into a book you can hold in your hands is easier than ever and may be as close as the nearest office supply store. Self-publishing has taken the world by storm; and hybrid publishers that charge fees, rather than receive royalties based on sales, abound. Minimum orders of 500 or 1,000 books are no longer the norm. You can print one book if that is all you need. With that said, be careful. Seek out a trusted professional and know the printing and other costs upfront. Remember this, as you consider writing your story: The only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all! Start today, right now. Grab the nearest pen and write a memory on the back of an envelope. Then, share it with someone you love.

E V E N T H I N K I N G A B O U T W R I T I N G M Y L I F E S TO RY I S S O OV E R W H E L M I N G . W H E R E D O I S TA R T ?

This is another common concern. You’re right. You’ve lived thousands of moments worth writing about. First, you don’t have to write about everything you’ve experienced. Write the moments that stand out in your memory. And ditch the idea that you have to write chronologically. Your life story doesn’t have to start with: “I was born a very young child…” Start with what’s in your heart. If you want to write about the day you married, do that. Tomorrow, if you remember your 10th birthday, write that. Get your words on paper and organize them later. I’m a big fan of list-making, and I believe that’s a great way to begin writing your life story. We make lists all the time — to-do lists, grocery lists, invitation lists — so it doesn’t seem as daunting as writing. Sit for 10 minutes in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee or tea and make a list of what’s been important to you over the years: people, experiences, places, events, turning points, possessions, etc. Don’t write complete sentences, only a list of two- or threeword entries. Do that, and you’ll have all kinds of topics to write about. Start there. Start anywhere. Just begin writing. Don’t worry about spelling or fear that your grammar ain’t no good. Write your story in your way and forget about

CONNECT

Through the act of writing, you’ll connect mental dots, gain insight and come to conclusions you might never have otherwise. G R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0

A Freelancer’s Tips for Working from Home

Try Thought Management to Improve Mood Jane Harrison

Halfpoint Images / Moment via Getty Images

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

With the world stuck at home, too much alone time can wreak havoc on our mental state. People, places, things — our everyday distractions have been stripped away. Add to that the list of distressing byproducts of the pandemic, it’s no wonder our minds are going from one unpleasant thought to the next. How can we calm ourselves? Enter thought management. Now is the time to stop giving your inner thoughts permission to run rampant. Similar in meaning to time management, thought management is the process of exercising conscious control of your thoughts. It is accepting the notion that you determine the quality of your thoughts. And you have the power to put an end to the suffering. Having worked from home as a freelance writer for more than two decades, I’m well aware of how my thinking impacts my overall frame of mind. Here are five things you can do today to employ thought management, experience more inner peace and enjoy life on a deeper level.

Begin with self-care basics

Taking your contentment temperature

The best way to wake up every day with a positive state of mind? Love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle. Start by incorporating these essential self-care basics: Eat nourishing foods, adopt an exercise routine, stay connected to your loved ones, prioritize sleep, meditate; and whenever possible, soak up a little sunshine. You might also consider enlisting a friend to be an accountability partner in your new practice of selfcare. This may sound like familiar advice to some, but I find a quick review is always helpful.

Learning to limit negative distractions and encourage positive activities begins with taking your contentment temperature: How do I feel? Am I anxious? Relaxed? Satisfied? What could I be doing that would feel better? You can improve the balance in your life by putting limits on scary news, toxic people and violent TV. Focus more time and attention on fulfilling acts like meditation, inspiring programs (think TED Talks), gardening or learning a new instrument or language. A good analogy is food shopping. Imagine filling your cart with only fresh, healthy food and eliminating processed and sugary snacks. When you go through the next week, it’s that much harder to eat junk food because it’s not in the house. How many times have you craved something sweet only to find yourself happy you satisfied your craving with something nutritious?

Process — don’t ignore — your feelings Too often, we try to avoid, stuff or ignore our negative feelings. Unfortunately, diverting yourself only means that the feeling will return. Without effective intervention, the distress will continue. Perhaps the most crucial thought management tool is to learn to process feelings correctly. When I first began working from home as a freelancer, I was haunted by unpleasant thoughts and memories. I had practically endless alone time and no awareness of the concept of thought management. I decided to see a therapist to tackle the problem. I’m paraphrasing the therapist’s advice: Think about what it feels like to be full after a big meal. You’re confident that within a short time, your body will process the food, and you will feel comfortable again. Thought management is similar. When a bad thought comes into your mind, acknowledge it with the same confidence. Tell yourself you feel shame, fear or sadness; and then sit with the feeling for a few minutes while your brain processes it. All the while, know that soon enough, it will move through you and leave your mind for good. Name it, feel it and let it move through you — a simple strategy that helped put an end to my torment. Today, I process feelings naturally without thinking about it. I also wake up each day with a peaceful state of mind.

Fill your own cup Oftentimes, negative thoughts become self-sabotaging and can make us feel like there’s something wrong with us. Filling your own cup works to rebuild confidence and cultivate a calm, positive mindset. Find a comfortable place to sit. Make a mental list of all your good qualities. What are some of your accomplishments? Who have you helped during this difficult time? What problems have you solved at work? Are you strong, clever, witty? A good listener? Keep going. When you’ve collected a complete and thorough inventory of your most beautiful qualities, take a few extra minutes to reflect on them. Once your cup is full, you should be well on your way to feeling less anxious and more at peace with yourself.

FINANCE

Become a collector of good thoughts Positive affirmations are popular for a good reason — they work. They are a potent strategy to release you from negativity and stress. Repeated often, they have the power to slowly change your thinking, overcome negative thoughts and encourage growth. An affirmation is a goal in its already completed state. It’s simple and positive. I AM peaceful. Once you settle on a statement, write it down and place it around the house and in your car as a reminder. To take self-affirmation a step further, create a video in your mind of all the beautiful places you’ve seen or want to see. Include good memories, dreams and goals. I collect good thoughts.

“What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.” — Ellen Burstyn Because you’ve made it this far in the article, you’re on your way to inner peace. As Eckhart Tolle says, “Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” You now know that you can control your thoughts. That’s big. Take a minute to feel good about where you are right now. Adopt these new tips and strategies as fast or as slow as you need. Take your first step. Stop. Compliment yourself. Then take another step. This is not a race. The time will come when changing your thoughts will happen just as easily as blinking your eyes.

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to living a better life.

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GROWING BOLDER WITH

Herb Alpert

Dr Joycelyn Elders

Herb Alpert has always marched to the beat of his own horn. That can be a lonely journey for a musician; but for Alpert, it led him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and earned him nine Grammy Awards and 29 gold and platinum albums. He sold 72 million records.

Dr. Joycelen Elders is one of the most controversial surgeon generals in U.S. history; and at 86 years old, she is still speaking her mind.

Risk also played a key role in his career. In 1962, after losing faith in record labels, Alpert formed A&M records with Jerry Moss. A&M began in Alpert’s garage, only to become one of the most successful artist-owned companies ever created. By 1966, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass were outselling the Beatles. Meanwhile, at A&M Records, Alpert personally launched the careers of The Carpenters, Liza Minelli and Janet Jackson. The most important lesson he’s learned is to spend your time doing what you truly love. “I’m having as much fun playing now as I did at any time in my career,” Alpert said. “I just love to make music.” The musician, sculptor and painter also believes the challenge of artistic expression keeps him mentally sharp and excited about the future. “I don’t really feel old or young,” he said. “We’re all striving to live in the moment, and that’s a great place to be.

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Elders made history as the first African-American and the second woman to be appointed U.S. surgeon general. She is a pediatric endocrinologist who has spent decades speaking about the importance of sex education for teens and advocating for the legalization of marijuana. She says she’s just as outspoken and passionate as she’s always been; but these days, she’s focused on the state of aging in America. “We don’t do it as well as we could,” she said. “Even as more and more of us grow older, our infrastructure is not set up to accommodate us. It's set up to keep us isolated in our children's home. They feel an obligation to take care of us, but we don't always want to be there, either.” That’s why in her late 80s, she continues to fly to events around the country, making speeches and working tirelessly on policy change. Elders says she’s ready for someone else to take over the cause, but she won’t give up.

John Corbett

Janice Lennard

The path to stardom isn’t easy nor is it typically direct. In the case of actor John Corbett, it was meandering, to say the least. Before landing his breakout role on the beloved show, “Northern Exposure,” at the age of 31, Corbett was a steelworker, a hairdresser and a country singer.

Janice Lennard is the poster child for the benefits of staying active as we age. She has been involved with ballet, yoga and Pilates for more than 65 years.

That big break led to his first Emmy Award and the beginning of a long and successful career. He’s since charmed audiences in projects such as “Sex and the City,” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and now the hit young-adult Netflix series, “To All the Boys I Loved Before.” “My career hasn’t always been easy,” Corbett said. “It’s cold out there! Thankfully, I’ve always been able to jump from one lily pad to the next. Just as it’s about to sink, another one comes by. People pay me to do this, and this is kind of a dream come true, really.” Another dream come true is his 18-year-long relationship with the iconic Bo Derek. “She’s the love of my life and a fantastic partner in life,” he said. Now 58, the actor is loving his career and loving life itself. “I’ve learned that none of it really matters,” Corbett said. Try to enjoy every day to its fullest. You never know if the sun is going to rise tomorrow, so just enjoy it, man!”

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The 77-year-old teaches yoga classes at Rancho Mirage in California and stars in a series of at-home yoga, ballet barre and Pilates workout DVDs, inspiring men and women around the world with her style and technique and with her graceful attitude on aging. “As you age, you tend to accept things that happen and let them slide off your back instead of dwelling on negative things,” she said. “You take all the good things because you’re still here, still breathing, still able to move and still enjoying every day.” Lennard says she wants everyone to know it’s never too late to start moving. Even a total hip replacement surgery a few years ago wasn’t enough to sideline her commitment to fitness. “I’m feeling great,” she said. “Sure, I’ve had aches and pains just like everyone else; but it goes back to attitude again. I tend to just go with it. I still keep moving and relaxing with the pain and it just works for me. I know it can work for you, too.”

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Artist Mira Lehr on the

Importance of Environmentalism

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Solo Exhibition "High Water Mark" Warns about Effects of Global Warming on Sea Levels Marc Middleton

Mira Lehr is one of the art world’s pioneering environmental activists. A self-described eco-feminist, Lehr is now 85 and admits that she hears the clock ticking — not just for herself but also for mankind. “We are on a timeline, and we no longer have a choice,” she said. “If we want to save the planet, we have to get going.” Lehr has been at the forefront of environmental activism ever since visionary architect Buckminster Fuller handpicked her in 1969 to become part of his groundbreaking World Game Project. An elite team of 26 artists, poets, scientists, mathematicians, economists and historians joined forces in a noble, ambitious initiative to promote human sustainability on what Fuller called “Spaceship Earth.” “The World Game was the opposite of a war game in which one side wins and one side loses,” Lehr recalled. “In Bucky’s World Game, every human is a winner. Every human survives on a healthy planet.”

C R E AT E

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She seems stronger now at 85 than when she was in her 40s. Her energy, creativity and passion for making a difference are amazing. 26

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Lehr’s work begs the viewer to appreciate the beauty of Spaceship Earth and understand its fragility before it’s too late. “I love the planet so much, and I’m very worried about what’s happening,” she said. “So, I try to inspire people to see the beauty and to take action to protect it.” Her nature-inspired abstract imagery includes painting, sculpture, design, video, jewelry and anything else that captures her interest. “It’s her spirit, her sense of adventure that really makes her who she is,” said son, Paul Lehr. “My mother’s crazy. She’s lighting fuses and gunpowder with cigarettes to create unique effects on canvas. I’m sure one day we’re going to drive by the house, and it’s going to be smoldering in the background while she’s hard at work on a new art project.” Mira Lehr’s art has always given her a platform and a voice. Now her age is magnifying that platform, and she’s embracing the opportunity. Son Paul Lehr noted, “For a long time, if you looked on her Wikipedia page, you could never figure out how old she was. She now realizes that it’s not only cool but inspiring that she’s 85, breaking down barriers and creating amazing art.” Mira Lehr agreed. “I never used to tell my age,” she said. “Now I tell everyone. People can’t believe that I’m still working, and I’m proud that I am. I still bring great energy to the process. I have more curiosity and a much wider vision because of age. Bucky said you can never learn less; and at 85, I’ve learned quite a lot. I think this is my best work, and this is the best time. I wish it could go forever. “ Those who know Mira Lehr best don’t know exactly what’s next. They just know that there will be a “what’s next,” and it will be something to behold. “She’s constantly working on the next thing. She never stops,” her son said. Daughter Allison Lehr agreed. “She’ll continue growing and experimenting,” Allison Lehr said about her talented mother. “She will not retire. I’ll probably retire before she does.” Can an effort begun over 50 years ago finally make a real difference? Can fine art created by an audacious octogenarian help confront what Mira Lehr calls “Climate Armageddon?” Her eldest son, Dr. James Lehr, says don’t discount the possibility. “She seems stronger now at 85 than when she was in her 40s,” he said. “Her energy, creativity and passion for making a difference are amazing.” Mira Lehr is not worried about what sells. She’s consumed with what works. Her curiosity is relentless and her commitment to creative risk-taking is boundless — all in the service of protecting Spaceship Earth. “Human beings are amazing,” Lehr said. “We have the capacity to make things right, and we still can do it; but we can’t waste time anymore. The time is now.”

Photos: Jacob Langston

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THEY TALK TO Growing Bolder TV, Radio and Podcast. Watch. Listen. Learn. 28

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Greatness Never “Greatness Never Quits.” That’s what the enormous, cherrycolored banner with the white letters read. I was on Temple University’s campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last fall and I noticed the banner hanging across from the Peter J. Liacouras Center. Liacouris was the president of Temple University from 1981 to 2000 and was dean of the Temple University School of Law from 1972 to 1982. I was paralyzed. I didn’t take another step. The words on the banner, though silent, sounded thunderous in my mind. Seemingly in a trance, I continued to look up and just stare at it. I look for lessons, for pithy phrases and for powerful expressions of courage, conviction, empowerment and vulnerability as often as I look at my smartphone. To say I was significantly moved by the banner’s words, “Greatness Never Quits,” would be akin to saying that Katherine Hepburn was a phenomenal actress or that Jeff Bezos was wealthy or that Muhammad Ali was “the Greatest” of all time. Professionally and personally, I write, speak and advocate for these types of inspirational sentiments religiously; but something felt “deeptissue massage” different this time. Maybe it was the fact that I had recently completed my doctorate degree at Temple. The pursuit of that diploma, beginning at age 55, was an immensely intense and character-building journey. Nevertheless, the tassel was certainly worth the hassle. Have you ever had a moment where you took pause and thought about your life’s highs and lows? That’s what happened to me. I was extremely self-reflective. In addition to considering my dissertation journey, the following zoomed through my head: my high school and college experiences, my marriages and divorces, my children, my corporate and entrepreneurial exploits, the books I’ve authored and the places where I’ve spoken. I even thought about my skydiving moment in 2018. If I were standing at the foot of the art museum steps (the “Rocky” steps), rather than on Broad and Montgomery, I probably would have heard “Gonna Fly Now” in my head and would have run up the steps. It was almost as if the banner and I were having a

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Dr. Jim Smith, Jr.

one-on-one conversation, and nothing or no one else mattered. It felt as if the banner was encouraging me to raise the level of how I was living — to step up. As we get older, this is the mindset we should have, especially considering that we live in a world that reminds us that we’re getting older and that we should take our foot off of the gas. This City of Philadelphia-themed article is an invitation for you to join the Greatness Never Quits Club. Membership is free… well, not exactly. Your dues include, every day:

1 Living not existing. 2 Soaring not snoring. 3 Stepping out not sleeping in. 4 Celebrating not commiserating. 5

We have to change our mindset regarding what it means to grow older and where we can find inspiration. We have to become allergic to mediocrity, average and “same stuff, different day” thinking and embrace living with passion and purpose. We have to change our “why me” to our “what’s next.” To assist you in this area take a page from my book — look for lessons and look for inspiration. Remember, Greatness Never Quits!

DEFY

We are all cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out. - Ray Bradbury

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The Original At-home Workout Queen is Still Going Strong Jackie Carlin

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Photo Courtesy of Denise Austin

QUESTIONS WITH

Denise Austin has been empowering people to take ownership of their fitness for decades. She was one of the first and one of the biggest names to burst onto the scene in the 1980s, and she helped the industry grow and evolve to where it is today. She’s sold more than 25 million videos and DVDs, starred on countless TV shows and written a dozen books. Now in her 60s, she is still fit, still amazing and still going strong, anxious to share what she’s learned along the way. What is life like these days for Denise Austin? I wake up happy and feel energized every day. This year, I’m celebrating 40 years in the exercise-and-fitness industry. I just turned 63, I believe in what I do and I believe it does truly make you feel better. And that’s what it’s all about.

How much has the industry changed since you first got your start in the 1980s? These days we talk a lot about functional fitness and the importance of strength training. What is most important to you? It’s been fun through the years to try out all the different phases and crazes in the exercise industry. We had the high-energy aerobics, then it went to step aerobics, then Pilates and yoga. One thing that has always stayed the same is the fact that exercise is the best preventative medicine there is. We have so much new science and research about how food helps us and how moving helps us. And now we also know this: Health is the most important thing in our lives. You can have all the money in the world; but if you don’t have good health, you have nothing.

As we age, things change. How has age affected you personally in terms of how you work out, what working out does for you or how much harder it is to maintain? Through the years, and the different stages of life, my workouts have certainly changed a lot. I’ve had children, so I had to get back into shape after giving birth to my two daughters. Now I’m going through menopause, and that changes a woman’s body. To tell you the truth, I’ve been able to keep up with workouts through the years, but I’ve changed in certain things. Like I truly enjoy yoga now. I love it because of the flexibility that it gives my body to stay limber. I believe stretching as we age is so important. The most important thing to do as we age is to strengthen your muscles. We begin to lose muscle mass quickly after the age of 50, so we need to keep up those muscle cells. Strength training, to me now, is of utmost importance; whereas before, cardio was important. I used to do highenergy aerobics. Now I do cardio walking. I walk as fast as I can. It’s easy on the joints, and I get out there every day and get in my 10,000 steps.

IN E VERY IS SUE : 5 QUE S TIONS

In the 1980s and ‘90s, you were THE at-home workout VHS queen. These days, you’re tapping into new technologies to reach your fans. How do you feel about the changes? I’ve been through the world of VHS tapes, then DVDs and now I’m on the internet. I’ve seen all the changes, and I love it. I can interact with people on my Facebook and Instagram pages or my website. They’ll ask me about ab exercises or how to get rid of the jiggle in their arms, and I just love being able to answer them immediately. I’m talking to our followers daily, and it’s just so much fun. I’m also now working with my daughter Katie and having a blast. When she was 6 years old, she’d be behind the camera working out alongside me; and now, she’s in front of the camera with me! She played lacrosse at a Division 1 school, so she’s a really gifted athlete. We really complement each other well. She helps me with technology, like introducing me to Instagram and all the changes online. (She tells me I’m old school all the time!) And with my background, I help her with what moves really work — technique and posturewise. We’re having a lot of fun!

Is there a moral to your story? Is there something we can learn from what you’ve been through and what you’ve experienced? Prevent bad health later by exercising now. I only work out for 30 minutes, but it’s consistent behavior. That’s the key, being consistent and getting it done in the day — walking, moving, getting out of the chair as often as you can. The bottom line is: Just find an activity you enjoy and stick with it because you can do it. It’s also about having a positive attitude, to wake up feeling grateful and knowing that you can do this. Do the best you can and live each day to the most that you feel you can. I’m committed to staying healthy in my body and mind. Strong bodies lead to strong minds. You are worth it, and I believe that.

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5 TIPS

to Boost Your Immune System Defense Against COVID-19 Starts at the Cellular Level Jonathan Taylor

GET ENOUGH SLEEP.

There is a global sense of fear, uncertainty and helplessness as we all face the same invisible enemy, COVID-19. Did you know that you possess a secret weapon against this threat? It’s your immune system. You possess the power to build this complex, protective system from the inside out. Take care of your immune system so that it can better take care of you. Remain vigilant with social distancing, follow stay-at-home orders and stay abreast of the latest CDC recommendations. But also use this disruption to your normal pace of life to nurture a stronger immune system as another commitment to your health. Try these five simple steps to build a strong and resilient immune system.

We all know that doctors recommend adults get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. But did you know research shows that getting deep and consistent sleep actually improves immune function? Adequate sleep specifically improves your immune cells, also known as T cells. In addition, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is released during the body’s deep sleep cycles, which helps repair and rebuild tissue. Can’t go to sleep? Try turning off electronic devices at least one hour before getting some shut-eye. Exposure to the blue light from electronics suppresses the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Build a stronger immune system in your sleep, literally!

DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

The average human body is made up of about 60% water. Water is used for every process and function, including maintenance and survival. The body can survive up to 40 days without food but only seven days without water. Did you know that the body uses as much water during sleep as when you are awake? Translation: We need lots of it. Drinking enough water helps your body naturally flush and eliminate toxins and bacteria that may cause illness. Consider using a reusable water bottle and tracking how many times you finish and refill it throughout the day. Bonus — this is a sustainable practice because it means fewer glasses to wash throughout the day and no plastic water bottle waste.

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MINIMIZE STRESS.

When the human body is stressed, it responds by secreting a hormone called cortisol. In fight-or-flight situations, this is a good thing because it increases heart rate and opens veins for greater blood flow so that you can react quickly to danger. However, when the body is constantly exposed to cortisol because of heightened levels of fear and anxiety, this leads to greater levels of inflammation. And what happens when you are constantly inflamed? An overworked, over-tired immune system results. Fear and stress lead to increased susceptibility to illness and infection. Try to set the electronic devices down and limit media consumption of content that makes you worry. As Peter Pan says, “Think happy thoughts.”

AVOID SUGAR AND HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS.

Did you know that sugar suppresses the body’s immune response for up to five hours after ingesting it? Sugar reduces the ability of white blood cells to kill pathogens (germs), therefore lowering your immune defense. Because of this, we need good, clean fuel for our bodies to work at optimal levels. So think twice about baking those cookies while cooped-up during quarantine. Green smoothies anyone?

MOVE OFTEN.

Movement is medicinal. Lower to moderate intensity movement can decrease stress levels, release dopamine (the feel-good hormone), oxygenate the body, and sweat out toxins. Feel run down or unmotivated? Don’t overdo it. You can start small with a walk or bike ride and see how you feel afterward. I guarantee you won’t regret taking some me-time to boost your mood with exercise. We already have within ourselves the greatest defense against any virus — our immune system. Help it, don’t hurt it. And be confident that we will get through this together, while social distancing of course.

HEAL

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FLATTENING THE CURVE One New Yorker’s Story of Surviving COVID-19 Barbara Wagner

During St. Patrick’s Day evening, March 17, I suddenly felt that I had a fever and immediately felt I had the coronavirus. Right away, I made up a bed in our den, because I was concerned that if I did have the virus, it could be severe for my husband, who has a serious underlying medical condition. The next morning, I reached out to my doctor and set up an appointment by teleconference. She agreed that it sounded like I had COVID-19. My main concern was my husband. The doctor insisted that he immediately move out of our apartment. He did, and his hotel stay lasted three weeks. What began as a twinge of fever eventually blew into a hellish nightmare — 15 days of high fevers, headaches, horrible coughing and other indignities. By Day 5, I had no appetite, my fevers ranged from 102 degrees to 105 degrees and I had zero energy. I was by myself; and even changing the sheets, sopping wet from fever sweats, was an ordeal that would take hours to complete. I somehow managed to obey my doctor’s orders to “hydrate like crazy” and even kept a record of my fevers. I was very sick.

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T O WAT C H T H E

Facebook Live recording of Lederman’s interview with Marc Middleton VISIT

growingbolder.com/covid

Ed Lederman has been a professional photographer in New York City for more than 30 years. He was the lead photographer on the construction of the Whitney Museum, a featured photographer for the New York City Marathon and he’s photographed everyone from JK Rowling to Stephen Sondheim to Stephen King. I know I was a worry to my husband, my family and friends — and to my neighbors, who have been blessedly kind. I could eat very little, but bowls of rice with butter and salt, chicken soup, juices and Gatorade would appear at my doorstep. The good news for me was that throughout this ordeal, I was able to breathe; and that was huge. I can only imagine others having the symptoms I had with the added horror of not being able to draw breath from their lungs. It’s heartbreaking. I was lucky that my lungs were spared. I do get asked if I know how I got this. And no, I don’t. None of my family, neighbors or co-workers have the virus. My suspicion is that I got it in the subway. One day before I got sick, the subway station was so packed with people that I could almost feel the germs. But who knows? As I write, I have been fever-free for two weeks and have tested negative for the virus. My husband has returned home, and my energy has returned. I have begun the process of being tested to see if I have the antibodies to donate platelets, doing whatever I can to help others from getting this miserable illness. I know I am one of the lucky ones — I am in good shape and I am strong. I wish good health to all during these trying times.

HEAL

Once he found himself sheltered at home like the rest of us, he quickly grew bored and started looking for a purpose. He says the purpose found him. Lederman talked to Growing Bolder about his latest project, as part of a new series of Facebook Live interviews launched by Growing Bolder and Florida Blue Medicare, Stay Informed. Stay Connected. Lederman is documenting the at-home lives of Americans across the country. He explained how he collaborates with subjects and reveals how you can get involved. If you would like to take part, you can email him at edledermannyc@gmail.com.

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ORDINARY PEOPLE LIVING EXTRAORDINARY LIVES Bill Shafer

Julia Hawkins At 103, Julia Hawkins is the oldest competitor in USA Track and Field history. She took up running at the age of 100, proving that it really is never too late, especially if you don’t let fear hold you back. “Honey, I’m always afraid!” she said with a laugh. “I’m afraid I might fall, that I might embarrass my family or that I might even die. I even took care of some things at home — just in case, but I look fear in the face and I run.” She was dubbed with the nickname, “Hurricane”, and her story has been featured in media outlets all across the nation. Millions have been inspired by her accomplishments and her attitude. “Why do I do it?” she asks, “Because it makes me feel young again! And if I happen to inspire somebody along the way, that’s good, too!” Her advice for the rest of us is to take good care, practice moderation, keep an active mind and body and don’t be afraid to try something new.

David Hackett David Hackett is a pioneer and legend in the sport of skateboarding who is just as proud of what he’s doing now: saving the lives of young addicts. Hackett, 59, is still in great physical shape, but it was more difficult coping with the damage from drugs and alcohol. “It took me about 20 years to get sober, and it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done,” he said. Hackett understands the challenges and opened his life to desperate, young men who have lost their way. “The most powerful medicine we have is the power of belief,” he said, and he proved it to himself in a battle with colon cancer. “I stick to a vegetable-based diet, work out every day, I have fun and a positive attitude,” he explained, “and I’m still here six years later.” Hackett said cancer changed his perspective. “It gave me an appreciation for life that I never felt before,” he said. “I’ve had the most incredible, amazing, groundbreaking, radical life. I can truly say if I died tomorrow I’d be at peace.”

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Marc Mero “I want to be rich, and I want to be famous.” Those were the words a young boy scribbled down many years ago, words he never forgot. As a professional wrestler Marc Mero fought his way to the top. He became a superstar in the World Wrestling Federation. He was living the high life. Then the call came. His mother was dead. Mero was jolted. “I was an addict, I did stupid things and I felt like a total disappointment,” he said. Mero struggled to get over his regret of being “too busy” to make time for his mom. When he retired he was lost. He found himself by telling his story to teenagers in school assemblies. The students related to his desire for fame and fast times. “I lived that life,” he explained. “It leads to broken hearts, broken dreams and death.” His message connects and Mero is in great demand across the country. He feels he’s finally found his purpose mentoring youngsters and honoring his mother’s legacy.

Jenn Ross Jenn Ross wanted to open a vegan restaurant in an economically disadvantaged location, something everyone advised against. “If you have an idea that everyone thinks won’t work,” she said, “you’re probably on to something.” Much to the surprise of her friends and business advisers, she opened her restaurant; and after one year, DaJen Eats has been a success. Ross says the experience has taught her things she wishes she had known about business and life, especially when it comes to dealing with the one thing that nearly stopped her from moving forward, fear. “I feel fear every week, every day, sometimes every hour,” she said. “But I’ve realized something that changed my outlook: Fear is nothing more than another word for excitement.” Ross said facing fear is the key to changing your life. “If you take the approach that the universe is ever conspiring in your favor, and live your life in that way, there are so many things that can unfold beautifully right in front of us all,” she said.

Joe Pires Joe Pires looked up in the sky and caught a glimpse of a strange contraption. He couldn’t get it out of his mind. He had always wanted to fly, but he pushed that dream aside for decades. But what if this could make it possible? It was a gyroplane and Pires decided he had to have one. “When you dream of flying, it’s about feeling the wind, seeing the birds, touching the clouds,” he explained. “I don’t want to be a pilot reading dials in a cockpit, I want to fly!” Now, Pires flies nearly every week. In his 60s, he’s proof that it’s never too late; and it’s changed the way he lives his life. “If I didn’t wake up to the fact that the clock is ticking, I wouldn’t have realized what’s truly important to me,” Pires said. “I’m happier than ever and can’t imagine how I could love life more.”

I N E V E R Y I S S U E : O R D I N A R Y P EO P L E L I V I N G E X T R AO R D I N A R Y L I V E S

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Growing Bolder’s EMMY® Award-winning broadcast journalists are Rebranding Aging® by sharing the inspirational stories of men and women redefining the possibilities of life after 45.

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THE VALUE OF TRADITION Intergenerational Creativity and Sustainability Christy Wilson Delk

H E R E A R E A F E W E A S Y WAY S TO C O M B I N E C R E AT I V I T Y A N D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y T H AT M O S T C H I L D R E N A N D T E E N S W I L L E N J OY L E A R N I N G , A N D YO U W I L L E N J OY D O I N G : 1 .

R E V I V I N G H O U S E H O L D I T E M S . You know, and I

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T E AC H I N G B A S I C AU TO A N D B I C YC L E M A I N T E N A N C E . My son Roland’s car battery died

know, that there is not much in this world that a good coat of spray paint won’t resurrect. Grab an old gardening pot or a small piece of furniture and show them how it’s done. Hardware and craft stores are full of great colors and textures. If that goes well, move to advanced level sanding and staining.

last week, and my newlywed husband was surprised that Roland and I had the hoods open and his car running before he even walked out the door. Adding oil to the vehicle, changing bike tires and other tasks are relevant skills to teach. 3 .

pair of cords into a maxi skirt or blue jeans into a favorite short skirt? Show the girls how to fray their jeans to update the look for all lengths, including shorts. If that’s not your thing, consider bejeweling or adding decorative beads or stitching on their favorite denim jacket.

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When Growing Bolder asked me to write about this topic, the C-word was not leading every conversation. What I pondered at the time, was this: Can we, the Growing Bolder Generation, pass down our hands-on values and memories about the creative and sustainable endeavors that connect us to feelings of joy, self-love and increased life satisfaction? Today, with COVID-19, it’s a resounding, “Yes,” because it’s much easier to get their attention. Not only are children and teens more available, but their parents are also eager to “share” them. Indeed, the signs are everywhere that the time is right. A F E W T H I N G S I ’ V E N OT I C E D I N O U R S LOW E R - PAC E D C I T Y:

Ɂ Sidewalk chalk art and hopscotch games along my usual running route. Ɂ Drive-in theaters being noted as a new, appropriate family activity. Ɂ Brown sugar and other baking staples are hard to find on the grocery shelf.

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PERSONALIZING AND EMBELLISHING C LOT H I N G . Who doesn’t remember turning an old

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G R I L L I N G A N D C O O K I N G . My son asked me this

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G A R D E N I N G . Share your passion and respect for

morning to show him how to scramble eggs. He even posted a picture of this new survival skill. After the coals or propane is lit, older grandchildren can learn the basics of grilling while you sip your favorite beverage and praise their effort. And who doesn’t love a homemade bunny cake? Mother Nature with a basic lesson in proper plant watering, pruning and repotting to demonstrate discipline and that delight that can be found in simple tasks. Put flowers and greenery from your yard in a vase of their choosing on the kitchen table will reinforce that the effort is rewarded and appreciated by others.

The next time you want to get something done before the kids come over, stop to consider if it would be better shared.

FINANCE

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INTERNATIONAL

Your Life as a Masterpiece

Creating Harmony from Inside Out Roger Landry , M.D., M.P.H.

Research has definitively shown us that our lifestyle is the major determinant of how we’ll age. That lifestyle is not just about our physical self — how much we move, what we eat, or how much we sleep, the intellectual, the social and the spiritual. Are we continuing to challenge our brain by learning new things? Are we staying engaged with others across all generations? Do we have meaning and purpose that’s bigger than us and gets us enthusiastically out of bed in the morning?

Tuning your life’s orchestra 1 .

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Being the conductor of your life Like a symphony orchestra, where strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion all come together under the guidance of a maestro to be something more than the sum of the parts, each of us must be the maestro of our lifestyle. That is the sure way to ensure that all components are nurtured and contribute to the overall symphony of a healthy longevity. Failure to do this can result in a cacophony in quality — and possibly quantity — of our lives. We do not have to be graduates of the Juilliard School to be the maestros of our lives.

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Move every day. Make it part of your day rather than only as a scheduled event that you’ll forego if you get busy or lazy. In the Blue Zones, where people live to be old yet quite vital, movement is natural and part of everyday activities. Learn something new every day. It can be a simple fact, or part of a larger undertaking, such as a new skill, craft, language or musical instrument. You’ll be building new pathways in your brain that could well protect you from developing the symptoms of dementia. Reach out to someone everyday. It can be a smile to a cashier, a nod to someone on the street or reconnecting with people once important in your life. Whatever it is, welcome people into your life — people of all ages. Get rid of those defense mechanisms and biases that are isolating you and robbing you of the stunning health advantages of being connected to others. Do something that scares you every day. Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Find something that will quiet your chattering mind. Unchecked thoughts and worry create stress that rots us from within. Music has the ability to do this, but so does nature, pets, art and crafts. Find your peace. Find your purpose. Explore the essence of the current phase of your life’s journey — that one thing that makes you grateful to be alive.

This isn’t rocket science, dear reader. Paying attention to all aspects of our life’s symphony — the physical, intellectual, social or spiritual — will make this phase of our lives a masterpiece with a resilience to manage anything that attempts to put it out of tune. Till Schmitz / EyeEm via Getty Images

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Did you know? Music has powerful brain and body benefits! We’ve learned through research that just listening to our favorite tunes can: 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 .

Release the “feel good” neurotransmitter, dopamine, into our systems. Decrease cortisol production. Cortisol contributes to stress and chronic illness. Support pain reduction. Help stroke patients recover faster. Help us preserve cognitive function with age.

Now, look at what happens when we pick up an instrument and learn to play. (It’s like a full brain workout.) Playing an instrument can: Facilitate our motor, visual and auditory cortices working together in intricate and integrated ways. 2 . Enhance executive function, which includes planning, strategizing, emotional regulation, memory and focus. 3 . Aid in problem-solving, language skills and creativity. 4 . Enhance verbal memory, spatial reasoning and literacy skills.Make us more creative. 1 .

If that’s not enough to inspire you to seek out music in your life, we encourage you to tune in for this special, two-part series on “Dr. Roger & Friends: The Bright Side of Longevity, Your Life as a Symphony” with Maestro David Dworkin. Danielle Palli is a Positive Psychology & Mindfulness Coach, spiritual advisor, author and co-host on the “Dr. Roger & Friends: The Bright Side of Longevity” podcast.

Roger Landry, M.D., M.P.H. is the author of ”Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging.”

HEAL

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GB Book Reviews "The Moment of Tenderness" by Madeleine L'Engle

Well before she became famous for her best-selling novel “A Wrinkle in Time,” Madeleine L’Engle was writing short stories. The stories in this collection were written in the 1940s and ‘50s, and were only recently discovered by her granddaughter. Crossing genres and generations, these are stories of how hope transforms suffering into joy. Fans of L’Engle will find insight into the abiding faith that informed so many of her other works.

"The Glass Hotel" by Emily St. John Mandel

The drama, mystery and moral compromise of “The Glass Hotel” takes the reader on a journey through diverse landscapes and locales. Vincent works as bartender in the five-star glass and cedar Hotel Caiette on Vancouver Island, where she meets New York financier Jonathan, who owns the hotel. She becomes his trophy wife. Vincent’s troubled half-brother threatens Jonathan’s life, but the only person who knows is Leon, a shipping executive for NeptuneAvramidis. Thirteen years later Vincent disappears from a container ship owned by the company and the investigation reveals more than expected.

"What Is the Grass: Walt Whitman in My Life" by Mark Doty

National Book Award–winning poet and best-selling memoirist Mark Doty explores Walt Whitman’s influence in his own life and his enduring legacy. Doty is one poet appreciating another, blending biography, criticism and memoir. He explores Whitman’s hopeful vision of humanity and his radical claims about body and soul. Doty appreciates the parallels between his own experiences and Whitman’s, pondering why they make him feel both haunted and comforted.

"Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back" by Mark O'Connell

Mark O’Connell wrote “Notes from an Apocalypse” well before the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic together. He looked at the grim state of news headlines and pop-culture jokes about the end of the world and asked himself what it means for his own family. How do you face such a bleak vision of the future? His exploration of this question in “Notes from an Apocalypse” is both investigative and deeply personal. His wit and optimism invite the reader to consider: What if the end of the world isn't the end of the world?

"Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life"

by Ozan Varol Rocket scientists are the ultimate creative problem solvers. But you don’t have to be a rocket scientist like author Ozan Varol to think like one. He shares nine strategies to help anyone facing complex and unfamiliar problems — which is all of us trying to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. From business ideas, to artistic endeavors and learning a new skill, these strategies can help you get there in ways previously unimaginable.

IN E VERY IS SUE : BOOK RE VIE WS

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LATER-IN-LIFE ROMANCE NOVELIST Erotica Bestsellers and a Nom de Plume Mary Lou Janson

Judith Rochelle realized her passion for writing books late in life, after pursuing a variety of professions, raising a family of three with her first husband, the late Jack Horwitz, and eventually retiring to Texas after exchanging wedding vows with David Rochelle. What she did not know is that passion would be her path to literary fame. The writing career launched in her 60s has amassed a worldwide fan base, generated more than 200 book titles, garnered numerous awards and earned the Rochelle recognition as the world’s “oldest author of erotic romance.” Publishing under the slyly naughty pen name, Desiree Holt, the former newspaper reporter, rock band manager and public affairs director for a private university shows no signs of slowing. Intricate and intriguing tales, involving everything from international corporate espionage to covert military maneuvers, helped her rise to the ranks of a best-selling author, who has been featured in such high-profile media outlets as “CBS Sunday Morning,” “The Village Voice,” “The Daily Beast,” “USA Today,” “The Wall Street Journal” and London’s “Daily Mail.” A contract with a Hong Kong company signed last year boosts her global reach by serializing 43 of her book titles in English, Chinese and Spanish. Rochelle credits carefully chosen words for creating captivating sexual encounters that are tasteful and tender. “I work hard to write scenes that I don’t find offensive but are beautiful expressions of emotion and attraction,” she explained. At age 83, occasional arthritic pain and stiffness may temporarily slow Rochelle these days. But her knack for creating compelling characters, inexhaustible ability to come up with engaging plots and unflagging productivity rival any author of any age. “I have been a storyteller all of my life. People tell me my brain never shuts off,” Rochelle said during an interview from her home-based office in Tampa. “Sometimes I have ideas while I am in bed at night and have to get up to take notes.” Drafts of mystery novels she thought would be her writing ticket never really gelled. But once she found her genre, ideas flowed and typewritten pages filled.

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I work hard to write scenes that I don’t find offensive but are beautiful expressions of emotion and attraction.

“I did have some titles released before, but erotic romance is what really launched me and made my name,” Rochelle recalled. “I later branched out into contemporary romance and paranormal romance; although these days, I pretty much stick to stories about former military officers, which is what my readers overwhelmingly voted they wanted.” Quite literally, anyone or anything she encounters may inspire a character or integral story element. It could be a dashing character based on a chance encounter with a good looking fellow wearing a cowboy hat that she crossed paths with in a Texas coffee shop. Or some minor scene from a TV show could capture her attention, trigger her imagination and begin to spin into another, enthralling, action-oriented adventure. The disciplined writer starts each day with coffee while catching up on news and emails before working on multiple writing projects in various stages. “Writing is work,” she acknowledged. “It requires discipline and effort. Starting is the hardest part. But I am energized by writing. I love what I do, and I don’t foresee ever slowing down. The thing I value most about writing is the response I receive from my readers. A woman emailed me about ‘Protecting Amy.’ She didn’t get one chore done because she had to finish reading the book. That warms my heart and makes it all worthwhile.” To learn more, please visit desireeholt.com.

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Someone Like Me The Power of Example and the Magic of Personal Transformation

Excerpt from “Growing Bolder: Defy the Cult of Youth, Live With Passion and Purpose,” by Marc Middleton.

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100 Years and 100 Meters My favorite example demonstrating the power of “someone like me” is the story of Ida Keeling, Ella Mae Colbert and Julia Hawkins. Ida became despondent in her late 60s following the murder of both her sons. Her daughter, fearing for Ida’s mental health, suggested that they begin walking together. Their daily walk became a jog, and then a run. Running not only saved Ida’s life— it soon defined it. Just four days before her 101st birthday, Ida lined up to compete at the Penn Relays in a special mixed-masters (men and women) 100-meter dash for runners 80 and older. With more than 40,000 spectators on their feet and a worldwide television audience tuning in, she set a new women’s world record in the 100-104 age group, finishing in 1 minute and 17.33 seconds. “Thank God that I can still run,” the great-greatgrandmother from New York City told Growing Bolder, standing at four and a half feet tall. “I’m very happy to hear that I can inspire others. It makes me feel even greater than my height.” The video of Ida’s run went viral, and it didn’t take long for 100-year-old Ella Mae Colbert to hear about it and to become inspired. Within weeks of Ida’s run, Ella Mae — who had never been a competitive runner — stepped onto the track behind Chesnee Middle School in South Carolina. A crowd of family, friends and a representative from Guinness World Records lined the track to cheer her on. When the starter signaled “go,” Ida took two steps and did a face plant — hitting the track and splitting her chin wide open. Certainly, everyone thought, this 100-year-old

was done for the day, if not forever. Not even close. Ella Mae asked to have her chin bandaged and within minutes she was back on the starting line ready to try again. This time she not only stayed on her feet, she beat Ida’s time by more than 30 seconds. Afterward she told the crowd: “You do not stop. You’ll have some trials and you’ll have something that gets in your way, but you can’t let it get you down. You get up and you go again.” When video of Ella Mae’s run also went viral, it was seen by 101-year-old Julia Hawkins in Louisiana. Julia took up running at age 100, and when she learned that the USA Track & Field National Masters Championships would be held near her home she figured, why not? If Ella Mae and Ida did it, she should be able to as well. Running in just her second meet ever, Julia not only established a new agegroup world record, she became the oldest female competitor ever in USA Track & Field history. Suddenly, the hottest division in track and field was Women 100-104 — thanks to the power of an example from “someone like me.” Videos of all three runs have been viewed millions of times. And somewhere, another 100-year-old woman, 60-year-old couch potato or 10-year-old girl has experienced a seismic mental shift. The Machine has been interrupted and someone’s internal, age-related self-image has been transformed — but not because of the results of a scientific study or the opinion of a global thought leader. The reality of possibility is only ignited when we can see ourselves in others — when “someone like me” does something that interests or inspires us. Once that occurs, it’s game on.

Suddenly, the hottest division in track and field was Women 100-104 —thanks to the power of an example from “someone like me.”

Growing Bolder: Defy the Cult of Youth, Live With Passion and Purpose Available now on amazon.com

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FROM ESPN TO EDUCATOR The Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting at Full Sail University Marc Middleton

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Dan Patrick is one of the biggest names in sports broadcasting history, but his journey to the top of his profession has been anything but easy. Unable to get an anchor job in a Small Town, USA, Patrick drove to CNN headquarters in Atlanta, in 1983, and talked his way into a job as a sports reporter. “I didn’t think I could get a job in this business,” Patrick said. “I nearly quit before I was given an opportunity. But I was good when I got the opportunity. If I wasn’t, I would have failed.” In 1989, Patrick became anchor of ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” aka “The Big Show,” with Keith Olbermann. Together, they helped change the face of sportscasting, and some say, well beyond. Bryan Curtis effectively argues, in “The Ringer,” that Patrick and Olbermann gave rise to what we now know as late night network TV. “It’s not that John Oliver and Trevor Noah and every other disciple of Jon Stewart are doing Dan and Keith, exactly,” Curtis wrote. “But I’d argue Patrick and Olbermann anticipated the way news and comedy would merge. They refined a hyper-literate, funny, swaggering voice. And they made it cool as hell.” In 2007, at the height of his popularity, Patrick walked away from what’s considered by many to be the top job in his industry. It was a move that “Sports Illustrated’s” Rick Reilly called, “One of the top five biggest career mistakes in entertainment history,” along with Shelley Long’s leaving “Cheers” and Katie Couric’s leaving the “TODAY Show.” “I wasn’t happy,” Patrick recalled. “I wasn’t around my wife and my kids. I always tell people the better you are in this business the worse your hours become because you’ll be working late at night or early in the morning. I had four kids between age 9 and 15, and I didn’t see them at all during the week.” Patrick put his energy into the nationally syndicated “Dan Patrick Show,” which he simulcast from a studio in his

CONNECT

attic to over 2 million listeners and viewers every week. Life was good until he began experiencing intense joint pain throughout his body. “Everything hurt, every morning, to varying degrees,” he said. “There were days I couldn’t put my shoes and socks on. There were days we had to bring all my clothes downstairs because I couldn’t climb the steps. I thought that I was dying. I felt like I was 90 years old.” Patrick was diagnosed with severe polymyalgia rheumatica — painful inflammation of nearly every joint in his body. He began to self-medicate by taking Vicodin, an opioid pain medication, to play golf and by drinking alcohol to help him sleep. He was prescribed Prednisone, an antiinflammatory corticosteroid that helped relieve the pain but led to a very dark place. “Prednisone is wonderful, but it’s also horrible,” he said. “It helped relieve the pain but quickly led to depression. I had suicidal thoughts. I was emotional. I cried for no reason at the smallest things, and I kept thinking ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’” He found hope at a clinic in New York where he was given “light chemo” through an IV once a month for nearly a year. The treatment relieved much of his pain and inflammation; but once again, there were serious side effects, especially for a man who hosts a three-hour, unscripted show every day. “I was having brain fog. I had memory loss,” he said. Patrick is renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of sports and his ability to recall minute details about games and athletes. When he began to forget well-known names and events on the air, he knew that it was time to share his secret struggle with his audience. The next day, without telling his wife or co-workers, he revealed everything: his disease, his struggle with drugs and alcohol, his chemotherapy and the reason for his brain fog. It was an emotional confession.

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“I didn’t tell those closest to me that I was going to do it because I didn’t want to be talked out of it,” he said. “It was as honest a moment as I’ve ever had in my life. I don’t regret any part of it because people want somebody that they can relate to. I heard from so many people who said, ‘Thank you for sharing.’” Patrick has completed his chemo regimen and is doing much better. He’s off prednisone, his pain is manageable and his brain fog is gone. His career is going strong, his family time is abundant and he’s found a unique, creative and powerful way to give back — The Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting. “I started thinking about this about five years ago,” he said. “It was an idea that I kept coming back to. How can I prepare students to get a job in one of the most competitive industries? How can I give students the answer to the test before they take the test?” Patrick found the right partner in Full Sail University, an internationally acclaimed creative and digital arts school in Winter Park, Florida. He tapped former “SportsCenter,” Emmy Award-winning producer Gus Ramsey as program director, and the school began enrolling students in 2018. The following year, Patrick’s dream was realized when his school began graduating students directly into full-time jobs in the industry.

They mocked the thing they were doing, and did the thing they were mocking, and were somehow the best at doing both. 54

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“My promise to every student is that you’ll get the best education available in sports broadcasting,” Patrick said. “My name is attached to it. You will leave here better prepared than any other student in America who wants to major in this. That’s my word.” Lesson No. 1 for his students might very well be not to try to be like him. ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt once said of Patrick and Olbermann, “They mocked the thing they were doing, and did the thing they were mocking, and were somehow the best at doing both.” Success spawns imitation, and it didn’t take long for nearly every local sportscaster in the country to become “Big Show” wannabees trying to deliver their sportscast with the witty, intellectual irreverence that Patrick and Olbermann perfected. The problem is they made it look effortless — but it’s not. They engaged in a highly refined form of performance art and delivered the news and the highlights without becoming the news or the highlights. “Don’t get in front of the product,” Patrick tells students. “The product is still the most important part of your job. I think we birthed quite a few sportscasters who thought they were the stars instead of the product that they were supposed to be selling. So yeah, I take full blame and partial credit for that.” It’s been a long and winding road for Dan Patrick, but he’s been true to himself, his family and his many fans. He’s won nearly every sportscasting award available, but his greatest accomplishment, his lasting legacy, might well be the school that bears his name. “If that’s my lasting mark, I’m satisfied,” Patrick said. “Leaving ESPN and starting the Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting had nothing to do with money, notoriety or prestige. I realized that I could have all the awards and all of the great job assignments, but I really wouldn’t have anything if I wasn’t happy and making a difference. I don’t know if I’ve been happier, but it took one of those Growing Bolder moments that you talk about where you bet on yourself and do it for the right reasons.”

To order a GB Tee for you and those you want to inspire visit: GrowingBolder.com/shop

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Sustainable Home Design Get Creative and DIY Lisa Wood

Sustainable and creative design

Flooring

This time of year brings with it a sense of renewal and a desire to welcome new life. It’s also the perfect time to look at how we can freshen up our homes and make them more welcoming as the days get longer and warmer. In keeping with the theme of sustainability and creativity, let’s talk about some ideas and ways you can creatively make your home more efficient, welcoming and enjoyable.

Select wood floors from manufacturers in North America or Canada to ensure that the flooring is sustainably harvested and ethically manufactured, without sacrificing style. Ask which types of wood are best for your demographic based on style, lifestyle, architecture and preference. Wood species that do well in Florida may not fare as well in drier climates, for instance. Turkish and antique rugs are extremely sustainable. Their materials and unique patterns make a room feel custom. Select carpets made from natural fibers to avoid off-gassing, such as wool, with a natural-fiber backing. Choose a pad made from 100% recycled cotton padding or “rag pads.”

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for your home and your soul. Use paints free from or low in volatile organic compounds (VOC) to improve your indoor air quality, especially if you suffer from asthma, allergies or have chemical sensitivities. To select your perfect color, get a large paint sample. Look at it within the environment of the room and check it against your trim work, furnishings and lighting — both sunlight and artificial light.

Landscaping Reduce water usage with drought-tolerant plants that add color, texture and attract wildlife. The most beautiful landscapes contain plants that flower at different times of the year, which maintains great visual interest. Other ideas: Ɂ Ɂ

Create areas that allow rainwater to permeate into the ground with pavers, decomposed granite or gravel. Hydrate plants with a drip irrigation system controlled by satellite or smart technology.

Reuse, repurpose Shop your home first. Move furniture and artwork around to create a fresh, new look. Paint or refinish a piece of furniture and use it in a new way. Other suggestions: Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ

Create a bench from a bed frame. Turn a glass hutch into a coffee bar. Use a dresser for a sink base or kitchen island. Convert a coffee table into an ottoman.

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Counters and tile There is no doubt that countertops can make a gorgeous statement in a home. Sustainable materials that are used creatively include: Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ

Recycled glass, plastic or concrete Paper-based products Quartz Stainless steel or copper Tile Reclaimed or new wood

Select a matte or honed finish to reduce glare and mirroring effects.

Let in the natural light Homes with great light feel more expansive. If your home is lacking light, consider the following: Ɂ Arrange furniture to let in light and pull back the drapes. Ɂ Hang mirrors on walls across from windows and doors to reflect the outdoors and increase the appearance of “space.” Ɂ Use light paint colors. Ɂ Enlarge openings within the home, such as hallways, doors and windows.

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Eco friendly paint

Become energy efficient Your home is one integrated system starting from the outside to the inside. Taking effective measures to improve how it functions can save you money and increase performance. Other tips: Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ

Properly insulate your walls and attic. Replace leaky windows. Install smart technology and programmable thermostats to control heating and cooling. Install motorized blinds to protect furniture and décor from sun damage. Upgrade appliances, water heater and furnace, if they are more than 10 years old, with high-efficiency models. Plant shade trees around your home.

Talk with an energy-audit expert to determine where improvements are needed. Depending on what you choose, you can potentially save 20% or more on your utility bills and improve the environment.

Bring in the outdoors To reduce stress, improve overall wellabeing and become more creative:

Take one or more of these ideas and see how they can help you live more comfortably in your beautiful home.

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Add plants with natural containers Build an indoor garden. Connect indoor and outdoor spaces visually with windows and doors. Use natural materials in your décor, such as wood, leather, sea grass, rattan, stone and shells. Create a feature wall with botanical peel-and-stick wallpaper. Add green and blue colors through artwork, pillows, rugs or throws.

YO U D E S E RV E I T !

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THIS TOO SHALL PASS! J E A N C H AT Z K Y

We're all shell-shocked by what's happened to our 401(k)s, retirement, investment and savings accounts. Marc Middleton gave Growing Bolder contributor and personal finance guru Jean Chatzky a call to get her advice on what we can do during these trying times. Watch their conversation in this special Facebook Live, Covid-19: Stay Informed. Stay Connected.

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FROM A DISTANCE Stay Connected While Staying Apart Emily Thompson

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SOCIAL VISITS WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING From a distance. We’re not talking about the 1990 hit song by Bette Middler — though it is an inspirational ear worm as we adjust to life with COVID-19 social distancing. Rather, we’re talking about how to stay connected with friends and family while maintaining social distancing guidelines and shelter-at-home instructions where they apply. Social connection is important to our physical and mental health. Did you know that doctors classify loneliness as a disease? We thrive when we are together. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation. It’s more important than ever to be intentional about connecting with loved ones, friends and our communities. It boosts our own mood and health and gives us the opportunity to do the same for others. We can use technology to stay connected through a wide variety of platforms and apps. Check out the list below for ideas on how to reach out and brighten someone’s day with a virtual visit. Cheering up someone else, even when you can’t be face to face, will have an immediate and positive impact on your own mood and health.

Spoil Grandkids with Attention on Facebook’s Messenger Kids Most of us are familiar with Facebook and its Messenger app. But did you know that there is a dedicated app just for kids? It creates a safe environment for children to communicate because parents/guardians control the account. The adult account selects whom a child may interact with through the service. Kids love it because they can initiate or respond to video chats and text messages with friends and family members on their approved list of contacts. Learn to use the filter tools to put silly animations on your video chats and watch your grandkids be amazed! Visit messengerkids.com to learn more.

See Your Favorite Faces with Zoom Video Want to host a virtual visit with more than one person? Zoom lets you invite multiple people to participate in a video conference using the camera built into your computer or smartphone. You can host a virtual tea time, game of charades, dinner party or any creative idea that fits your interests. Zoom offers free and paid versions of their service at www.zoom.us.

Create a Party Line with FreeConferenceCall.com If apps or video chats aren’t your thing, you can recreate the old-school party line with FreeConferenceCall.com. It’s simple and free to create an account. The service will send you an email with a call-in number and access code to share with your participants. Invite your friends and family to the conversation by scheduling a time for everyone to call the number. Each participant will enter the access code and be joined into the call. FreeConferenceCall.com offers a pay-what-you-wish pricing model to help everyone stay connected regardless of ability to pay. This is a great option for staying connected with larger social groups like clubs and volunteer organizations. Take the lead and invite the group to stay connected with conference calls.

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VIRTUAL VISITS WITH HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS You can now visit your doctors without ever leaving your home. As our healthcare system treats patients with coronavirus, avoiding in-office visits is a way to receive medical treatment from your doctor without risking exposure. You can utilize a variety of services for treatment of existing conditions as well as new concerns.

eConsults with Specialists

Network Providers Offer Virtual Visits

Specialists who are the best in their fields offer virtual consults with primary care doctors (PCP) through the eConsults service. This makes it possible for your PCP to consult with specialists throughout the U.S. and get clear answers about your treatment while you are at home. Ask your PCP if they offer this service.

You can also call your current doctors and healthcare providers to ask if they offer virtual visits. If they do, there is no cost difference between these and an office visit for Florida Blue Medicare Advantage members. Ask your primary care doctor, behavioral health provider or specialist if they offer virtual visits.

Teladoc

Remote Monitoring with Smart Devices

Virtual visits with a Teladoc doctor can be conducted by phone or by video conference through the app. You can set up your account on Teladoc.com or download the app from the Apple App store or the Google Play store. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to set up your account and submit your medical history before your first visit. Then as soon as you need to schedule an appointment, you are ready to start using the Teladoc service. For as long as coronavirus continues to be a concern, Florida Blue Medicare Advantage plan members will have $0 costsharing for virtual visits with Teladoc for any kind of health concern. For questions, call Teladoc at 1-800-835-2362.

Smart devices can be used to monitor your health and track your progress at home. Ask your Florida Blue Medicare nurse care manager if this is an option for your condition.

GrowingBolder.com/Medicare 62

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HAPPINESS EXPERIMENT YOU CAN DO FROM HOME Curious about how social connection improves mood and health when you may be feeling down? Conduct your own experiment to find out. Make a list of at least three people to connect with from a distance. Take note of your emotions, thoughts and worries before you reach out so that you can compare afterwards. Then give them a call, send them a text, write them an email or try a video chat service. You can experiment with trying to make them laugh, expressing gratitude for having them in your life or even letting them vent frustrations without judging them. Talking about worries and challenges is a way to feel less alone in the face of them. Vulnerability is a powerful way to connect with others that unites us in our common humanity. After your connection experiment, check in with your own feelings again. What emotions did you experience while connecting? Did you laugh or cry, or both? Do you notice any changes in physical sensations, like relaxation? How have your thoughts changed, if at all? Taking time to express and share emotions is a great way to strengthen all kinds of relationships while improving our own physical and mental health.

Vulnerability is a powerful way to connect with others that unites us in our common humanity.

Florida Blue and Florida Blue Medicare are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. © 2020 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc., DBA Florida Blue. All rights reserved. We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or gender. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-352-2583 (TTY: 1-877-955-8773). ATANSYON: Si w pale Kreyòl Ayisyen, gen sèvis èd pou lang ki disponib gratis pou ou. Rele 1-800-352-2583 (TTY: 1-800-955-8770). Y0011_101112_C 0420 C:04/2020 Y0011_101112_C 0420 EGWP C: 04/2020.

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JOIN OUR INSIDER Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on the latest Growing Bolder news and What's Next FacebookLive show teasers! We feature top-stories, timely events and inspirational accounts of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Plus get a sneak peek at the Friday 10am What's Next FacebookLive show topics and guests.

I’m a constant editor. I shed people, I shed clothing, I shed possessions, I shed ideas. The biggest thing I’ve shed is my own limitations and perception of who I am. — Jamie Lee Curtis

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Spring is a time for new colors, new flavors and new habits. More and more people are opting for a plant-based eating plan, and these recipes feature delicious ways to incorporate more fresh produce into your diet. Each dish is bursting with bright flavors and is rich in essential vitamins and nutrients, such as Vitamin C found in the leeks, strawberries, mango and orange juice. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also fiber in all the fresh produce and healthy fats in the avocado and flaxseed. Use these fresh and healthy recipes to incorporate some new flavors into your diet, including the rich, sweet taste of coconut milk for the soup and the bright and lively turmeric in the smoothie. The recent coronavirus outbreak proved that taking care of our health is more important than ever; and if you keep your pantry stocked with some of these healthy, plant-based ingredients, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re helping your body fight off future infections. Be well.

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Vegan Potato Soup 6 Servings

Ingredients

Directions

Heat a medium pot and add olive oil, white onions, garlic, leeks and fresh thyme. Saute until the onions and leeks become translucent. Then, add the potatoes, bay leaves, vegetable stock, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are soft, and then puree until smooth. Serve and garnish with chives. Calories 184, fat 2.9g, cholesterol 0mg, carbs 37.1g, fiber 6.2g, protein 4.3g

2 white onions, chopped 2 teaspoons garlic, microplaned 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 large leeks, white and light green parts, sliced 4 teaspoons fresh thyme 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced 2 bay leaves 4 cups vegetable stock 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk Pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Fresh chives, sliced for garnish

Florida Strawberry & Corn Salad

Sunshine Smoothie Yields 1 12-ounce smoothie

Ingredients

½ cup frozen mango ½ teaspoon fresh turmeric ½ teaspoon ground flaxseed ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice Chia seeds for garnish

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with chia seeds if desired. Calories 116, fat 1g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 3mg, carbs 26.3g, fiber 2.1g, protein 1.8g

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound mixed greens 10 strawberries, quartered 1 avocado, sliced 1 ear corn, kernels removed from cob 2 ounces goat cheese crumbles 4 tablespoon lime poppyseed vinaigrette

Lime Poppyseed Vinaigrette ½ cup lime juice 1 shallot, minced ½ teaspoon pink salt 1 teaspoon poppy seeds ½ cup olive oil ½ cup flaxseed oil (or just use 1 cup olive oil)

Directions

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and keep in a jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Place lime poppyseed vinaigrette in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add mixed greens, strawberries, avocado and corn to the bowl. Toss the ingredients gently and divide evenly into 4 different salad bowls. Garnish with goat cheese. Calories 309, fat 14.4g, cholesterol 15mg, sodium 369mg, carbs 36.2g, fiber 10g, protein 8.6g Collette Haw is a classically trained Culinary Institute of America graduate. Chef Haw operates the Nourish Coffee Bar + Kitchen at the Center for Health & Wellbeing in Winter Park, Florida, and approaches the Nourish menu with a unique hybrid of her comfort food gone-healthy and “food as medicine” philosophies. She also instructs cooking programs at the Center. Learn more at nourishchwb.com. Illustrations: lightkitegirl / iStock / Getty Images Plus, Photo: Monika-Grabkowska via Unsplash, Recipe Photos: Jacob Langston

HEAL

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Where Wholeness, Fitness, and Medicine Come Together in Winter Park, Florida

A first of its kind, the Center for Health & Wellbeing is a state-of-the-art healthy living center developed and owned by the Winter Park Health Foundation in partnership with AdventHealth.

Learn. Engage. Be Inspired. The digital destination for curated health and wellbeing content providing tools, resources and inspiration to people in all stages of their lives and wellbeing journeys. For around-the-clock access to free health and wellbeing video and blog content, visit WellbeingNetwork.org.

From its studio at the Center, the Wellbeing Network focuses on Seven Dimensions of Wellbeing:

Intellectual

Physical

Social

Environmental

Emotional

Vocational

Spiritual

2005 Mizell Ave | Winter Park, FL 32792 | YourHealthandWellbeing.org FOLLOW US @CenterHealthWellbeing @YourWellbeingNetwork

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Community Driven Architect Turan Duda Merges Art and Function Jackie Carlin

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

If the recent coronavirus pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that the places where we spend our time have an extraordinary effect on our overall wellbeing. As you bunkered down at home, did your surroundings make you feel calm and peaceful? Did you experience a sense of flow, movement and instinctual serenity as you walked room to room? If you did, you can thank an architect. For more than 40 years, architect Turan Duda has infused his projects with passion, purpose and thoughtful design. The former Yale University professor trained under and spent 15 years working with famed architect Cesar Pelli, worldrenowned for tall skyscrapers such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the World Financial Center in New York City. In 1997, Duda returned to his hometown of Durham, North Carolina, to launch Duda | Paine with his Pelli colleague, Jeffrey Paine. Together, they’ve created an impressive portfolio of projects, including Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University; the Emory University Campus Life Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and now, the groundbreaking and unique Center for Health & Wellbeing in Winter Park, Florida. The Center for Health & Wellbeing (CHWB) combines wholeness, fitness and medicine into one, integrated center. It was an audacious idea, launched by the Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF) and its partner on the project, AdventHealth. Growing Bolder has partnered with WPHF on a new project, the Wellbeing Network, which is headquartered at the Center. “When we first started dreaming of one center that could cater to a person’s entire journey through wellbeing, we began looking around the country for inspiration,” said Winter Park Health Foundation President and CEO Patty Maddox. “To be honest, we struggled to find one location that did it all. So, we said, ‘Well, let’s design that space. And when we achieve this goal, let’s share with wellness centers around the nation what’s possible.’ And that’s where our fabulous partners at Duda | Paine came in.” Duda says one key word drove the design: community. “We have the three different aspects of life here, through wholeness, fitness and medicine,” Duda said, “but those three circles need to be connected with a central space that will be a community. If you make the space comfortable, warm and inviting, it draws people to it and becomes an integral part of their everyday lives.”

C R E AT E

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At the heart of the CHWB is The Commons, a wide-open space that serves as the building’s beating heart. From its center, visitors branch out to their various destinations, whether it’s the Peggy and Philip B. Crosby Wellness Center for a workout, the Elinor & T.W. Miller, Jr. Community Conference Center for an educational program or the Nourish Coffee Bar + Kitchen for a cup of coffee or meal with a friend. The Commons also features inviting sofas and circular tables, all designed to inspire community members to pause and enjoy social time together. On any given morning, you can find groups of friends playing cards, mahjong or even putting a puzzle together. “People are the life of any building,” Duda said. “Architecture is not living until there are people in it. I welcome that, I want people living in my building. If people are avoiding my building, I’ve failed. This is not some abstract notion of what architecture should be for academics. I want people to see and enjoy and live in this building.” Duda says he draws inspiration from his travels, and one particular feature of Italian life inspired The Commons — the piazza. “Every small town has this little piazza. It’s where life happens. If you’ve watched Fellini movies, he filmed a lot of his scenes in these little piazzas. It’s a theater of life where people are sitting, watching other people. The show is watching other people,” he said. As our recent social isolation experiment has taught us, humans are hard-wired to connect to each other. We crave interactions and experiences with our fellow humans. Technology has distanced us in many ways, whether it’s hiding in our phones while sitting in public or relying upon a text instead of a call to a loved one. Duda says creating a warm and nurturing place for people to interact drives his passion for carving out such spaces. “My 107-year-old uncle said to me, ‘At my age, the most valuable thing you can give me is your time,’” Duda said. “The older I get, the more I understand and appreciate what that means. In this day and age, when we are booking every 5 minutes of our lives on our iPhones, to stop and pause and give your time to somebody, sitting in a cafe, sitting on a terrace …,” Duda trailed off. “Well, if I can create places for people to have that human connection, one on one — wow, to me, that’s success. If I cause people to think differently about their lives, to appreciate what they have, to be grateful for what they have, to be grateful for another human being, then the architecture has really been successful. “It’s in our very human nature to engage in real-life conversations with our friends and watch the theater of life go by. With my designs, I try to bring a little bit of that civic space, civility and community into every project we work on,” he said. He is also inspired by our natural world and is always looking for ways to bring the great outdoors inside. At the CHWB, that includes an undulating wood ceiling that evokes

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the idea of movement and takes advantage of the shifting sun, creating different moods depending on the time of day. In the Crosby Wellness Center’s pool area, wall tiles mimic ocean waves, and the ceiling overhead twinkles with light in the patterns of constellations. In the Commons, large wooden pillars rise up to the ceiling, emulating the power and grace of tall trees. Duda and his team are passionate about features like this, but what if the average person misses the connection that inspired their design?

Well, if I can create places for people to have that human connection, one on one — wow, to me, that’s success.

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“As architects, we talk about what is called a haptic sense. These are things that your body senses, even if you don’t visually see it,” Duda said. “Your body senses when you’re in a compressed space, when you’re in elongated space. So those rhythms of life, the rhythms that we have in our daily activity, are things that we wanted to bring to this building. I think that people do feel them. They may not see them but they will sense them in a very intuitive way. It’s intrinsic to how we use buildings. It’s about a sensation that you get that’s not overt, it’s subtle, it’s in the background; but whether you realize it or not, you’re aware of it.” Duda also is inspired by something that terrifies many of us — math! He is particularly fond of the geometric ratio known as the Golden Section, sometimes called the Golden Ratio or the Divine Proportion. It’s something that’s been discussed since the Greeks, and it shows up in ancient and modern architecture, Renaissance paintings, the music of Claude Debussy, Dan Brown’s best-selling book “The DaVinci Code” and even in nature. The Golden Section is a ratio based on the Greek number Phi, or 1.618, which goes on infinitely, and it exists when a line is divided into two parts and the longer part (a) divided by the smaller part (b) is equal to the sum of (a) + (b) divided by (a), which both equal 1.618. Got that? “The Golden Section is something that is pervasive throughout history. I was just in Greece last year, and the Parthenon is based on proportions of a golden section,” Duda said. “The CHWB has a Golden Section in about a dozen different places. It’s something that is found in nature, is found in the movement of the stars, is found in the wave motion of water, is found in the growth of a snail and all kinds of plant life. It’s something that is intrinsic and fundamental to life itself. “It’s one of those things that I may incorporate but not even make it obvious. It’s subliminal, but it’s something people sense; and they sense the proportions are right, the heights and widths of the space feels right. So never underestimate what something feels like,” he said. Duda sees his architectural designs as a marriage between art and function. He says he personally is inspired to make his projects like great works of art, something that you return to time and time again and pick up something new each time. “Great art provokes curiosity. if you look at it and go, ‘I wonder why the artist did this? Why does this composition have this unusual moment in it?’ That aspect of discovery is what makes the experience of a building rich,” Duda said. “I know as an architect I’m raising the bar really high; but when our visitors walk into these buildings, I want to spark curiosity and inspiration in each of them as well.” Now 66, and after spending more than four decades in his field, Duda says he has no intentions of winding down his career. In fact, he feels he’s just entering his prime. “I tell my wife every morning that I feel like I’m just getting started in my career. It takes a very long time to master what we do. To master this thing called architecture is so complicated. You’re dealing with the realities of construction costs, programs, all kinds of things the complexities of all that,” he said. “It takes a long time to satisfy the problem solving side of architecture. And it’s only when you get to my age, we feel like now I can make all of that into an art form. It’s no longer about problem solving; it’s about creating an art of architecture.” Duda says it’s a lesson anyone can apply to their own lives. The former Yale professor is always teaching, always mentoring and always urging people to imbue what it is they’re doing with passion. “If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, you won’t last,” Duda said. “You’ll either be disgruntled, angry or bitter. Or, you can be enlightened and have joy for what you do. And believe me, that will come out in the work.”

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CHANGING LIVES AND TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES Phil Madsen owns Anytime Fitness in Port Orange, Florida. His goal is to change the culture of aging in his gym and his community and says "Growing Bolder, Defy the Cult of Youth" is helping make that happen. ”When I read the book it literally took my breath my away,” he says. "My staff did a study of the book and we held meetings to discuss it. We practiced and rehearsed the many good ideas so that we can better communicate with our members, and that's made a big, big difference. Our training program increased dramatically once we learned how to speak the language of Growing Bolder. The mindset that's communicated in the book is something that's beyond the gym. It goes to the very depths of our souls. Growing Bolder is a philosophy that works. It changes people's lives. We can all live a longer, healthier and happier life by embracing the Growing Bolder philosophy.” Anxious to share the message beyond the gym, Madsen has now started a community-wide Growing Bolder Book Club. “We see people making wonderful progress at the gym, but we don't have room for everybody in the county. The more people develop this Growing Bolder mindset, the more likely they're going to find their own way to make their own progress.”

Fight back against the ageist stereotypes from Hollywood and Madison Avenue. Growing Bolder inspires readers of all ages to believe that it's never too late to pursue your passions. Marc Middleton shares how to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Growing Bolder: Defy the Cult of Youth, Live With Passion and Purpose Available now on Amazon.com

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ONE SLOW BREATH AT A TIME How to Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic Doro Bush Koch and Tricia Reilly Koch

These are distressing and uncertain times. We are facing a global health crisis unlike anything we have experienced. Countries are going on “lock-down;” businesses and schools are closing. To stay safe, people are physically isolating themselves from family and friends. The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting our way of life to a degree that is unprecedented in modern times. It is only natural that entering such unchartered territory, people are feeling acutely stressed and anxious. A certain amount of anxiety can be a good thing, in fact, as it motivates us to become informed and take action to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community. Too much anxiety and stress, however, especially over a prolonged period of time, can wreak havoc on our emotional and physical wellbeing. One of the most effective ways to manage the fight-or-flight response so many of us are experiencing, in the face of this pandemic, is to practice deep breathing, also known as “diaphragmatic breathing” or “belly breathing.” Because breathing is something we do all the time without thinking about it, most of us tend to take our breathing for granted. But, as scientific studies have shown, deep breathing can help reduce stress, lower our heart rate and blood pressure as well as boost our immune system. The best news about deep breathing is that it’s free and available to us all the time no matter where we are or what might be happening in our world.

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

"But, as scientific studies have shown, deep breathing can help reduce stress, lower our heart rate and blood pressure as well as boost our immune system."

Illustrations: Invincible Bulldog / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Deep breathing can initially feel uncomfortable, because most of us are so accustomed to shallow “chest breathing.” But what’s important to understand is that shallow chest breathing actually contributes to our feelings of stress and anxiety. By limiting the movement of our diaphragm, quick, shallow breathing fails to get a full dose of oxygenated air into the lowest part of our lungs. That lack of oxygen can make us feel short of breath and anxious. Worse, when we are feeling anxious, our breathing tends to be quicker and more shallow, exacerbating the fear, tension and stress that we already feel. On the other hand, when you take deep, slow breaths, you signal to your brain that all is well, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which decreases respiration and heart rate and increases digestion. So, when anxious thoughts begin to hijack your mind, stop and take a few moments to breathe deeply. The goal is to breathe at a rate of five breaths per minute, which translates into inhaling and exhaling to the count of six. If you’re not in the habit of breathing deeply, you may want to start with inhaling and exhaling to the count of three and working your way up to six. Our breathing has the power to calm our minds and bring our awareness to the present moment. When we are conscious of our breathing, we get to experience the unfolding of our lives moment to moment. And in those moments, we have the freedom to choose how we live instead of being reactive. The vast scale of the COVID-19 pandemic can’t help but trigger our fight-or-flight response. After all, our lives collectively have been upended in ways that were unimaginable just a few weeks ago. But we don’t have to succumb to our anxiety and fear. We can pause, take a few conscious moments to breathe deeply and choose a more calm, measured and loving response to the new situation in which we find ourselves. When you begin to feel fearful, irritated or anxious, inhale slowly to the count of six then exhale slowly to the count of six. The more we practice deep breathing, the more we will discover the peace and stillness that is always within us no matter what might be happening in our lives and world. In Thailand, the word for breathing is “hai jai,” which in English translates to “to give your heart.” When we breathe, we are giving our hearts to ourselves, to our loved ones and to our world. Let us take a deep collective breath and come together and support each other during this new and challenging time. On our podcast “Health Gig,” we interview former NFL football player Keith Mitchell about how deep breathing helped him heal from a life-altering injury that he suffered on the football field. Also, to help each other get through this pandemic with wisdom, grace and kindness, we are hosting a guided meditation every Sunday evening from 8 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. EST.

To find both Mitchell’s inspirational story and access to the video link for Sunday night meditation, please visit bbrconsulting.us.

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I USED TO BE A DANCER Connecting the Past and Present Versions of Yourself Kay Van Norman

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

What have you given up that you used to love to do?

Eleven years ago, I learned that understanding ageism intellectually isn’t the same as knowing something to the core of your being. I’m sharing my story to illustrate ways that deeply embedded aging expectations can bubble to the surface when faced with challenges — even for “believers.”

I used to be a dancer

In my 20s and 30s, I taught dance and codirected and performed with a university dance company. In my 30s, I directed an exercise program for adults 55-plus, danced when time allowed and became a mom. Then a published book, speaking engagements and a career as a wellness consultant left so little time for dancing that the tagline “and a dancer” added to introductions was the only stretching I ever did! Eventually, I uttered “I used to be a dancer” in place of the tagline and felt immediate pain as my kinship with strength, grace and joyful movement fractured. So, at age 48, with a “now-or-never” urgency, I leaped into a local dance performance. The problem was my mind lagged behind.

The aging myth

As a healthy aging specialist, I fully understood the power of ageism to undermine a person’s wellbeing; but professional knowledge failed to stop subconscious “aging scripts” from running the show. Long story short: My return to the stage failed. I learned the dances and went through the motions; but all the while, the whole process felt foreign. Ultimately, I injured myself on dress rehearsal night and couldn’t perform. The flood of disappointment was immediate, and then resignation swept in as strong and dangerous as an undertow... “I used to be a dancer”. That could have ended my story. But much later, it hit me. I’d fallen prey to ageism. Me! I know that inactivity — not age — causes the majority of functional loss. Yet even with advanced education in healthy aging, and my reluctance to give up dancing, at the first signs of my own physical decline I’d let aging expectations sideline me. So, at age 52, a busy professional, wife and mother of two, I found myself standing on stage in a skimpy leotard, fishnet stockings and heels, seconds from performing a Fosse dance piece (think the movie “Chicago”) with eight other dancers ranging in age from 18-28. But it wasn’t an easy path. The physical training paled in comparison to what it took to overcome both external aging stereotypes and covert aging beliefs. First, I had to admit that “intellectually” I had let myself off the hook by framing my retreat as an issue of time, which I didn’t have, rather than age. However, that revealed a subconscious belief that “at my age” I would have to invest heroic amounts of time to accomplish my goals.

Mads Perch / Stone via Getty Images

DEFY

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Marshaling resources, floor-to-ceiling mirrors

I approached dance like a work project and identified the resources I needed to be successful: strength, flexibility, balance and a good friend in whom I could confide my mission. My intermittent cardio-and-strength training sessions became a twice-per-week commitment, and then I added dance classes twice a week. But walking into the dance studio posed a different kind of challenge. There’s nothing quite like floor-to-ceiling mirrors and being surrounded by a roomful of dancers — none over 25 — to make you feel self-conscious. But, there was something more; not one of them would meet my eyes. I taught dance five days a week for over 10 years, right here. How could I feel so out of place in a dance studio — my dance studio? I hadn’t expected that, nor had I anticipated this wall of indifference. Perhaps I could casually point out my picture painted into the colorful mural of dancers leaping and spinning above the mirrors. No, I was going to have to earn my place.

Overcoming challenges

My resolve was tested continually: when I had to choose between attending a professional conference and dancing, when I doubted my ability to choreograph a dance, when my knee started to hurt and when I started to feel anxious about performing. I had been one of the best dancers. Could I stand to be average? And what about that invisible line — the one I crossed somewhere along the way where people felt compelled to add “for your age” onto otherwise welcome compliments. Did I want to be just good “for my age?” I had to make a conscious effort almost every day to override aging stereotypes and self-doubt that I thought I had conquered years ago. “My knee hurts. Maybe I should stop.” Well, my knee hurt when I was a young dancer and offand-on through the years when I wasn’t dancing. The solution: Advil, ice, stretch, strengthen and better warm-up. “I probably shouldn’t use that move; I could hurt myself.” Did I have the necessary strength, flexibility and balance? If so, get with it; and if not, what can I do to regain them?

Reclaiming joy

Gradually, some eye contact and smiles, as well as more confidence and joy in movement, graced my hours at the studio. When a dancer asked, “Can you show me that move?” I knew I had graduated from being a mere curiosity. When I regressed to the attitude of doing well enough “not to embarrass myself,” my friend Toby challenged my thinking and then drove seven hours to be here the week of the show. Curtain up, lights on cue, music friends, husband and kids in the audience — what a rush! The piece was good. I was good. And the experience was life-affirming.

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Fast forward 8 years

After that, I danced in every yearly show; and as a 60th birthday present to myself, I choreographed and performed a physically challenging piece to Aretha Franklin’s classic song, “Rock Steady.” And here’s the deal — I was stronger, leaner and more flexible at age 60 than I was at age 52. What’s more, I was stronger, leaner and more flexible than many of the dancers in my piece who were 20-32 years old. I put the same amount of time into training as the younger dancers. No heroic investments necessary.

3 more years

I wish I could say it’s been smooth dancing since then. But shortly after the “Rock Steady” performance, I hurt my back trying to move something far too heavy, resulting in a year of almost constant pain and no dancing. None of the usual fixes — rest, massage, chiropractic care, acupuncture, etc. — seemed to help. Discouraging? Yes, but the difference was my scripts didn’t blame age, so I kept looking until I found solutions. Plus, I had the Growing Bolder community as a constant reminder of what’s possible in the face of challenges! Gratefully, I returned to the dance concert last year, and I am now preparing to choreograph and perform in this year’s show.

...I had to make a conscious effort almost every day to override aging stereotypes and self-doubt that I thought I had conquered years ago.

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly. G R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0

THE POWER OF CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT Problem Solving in Life and Art Marc Middleton

Inside her studio, with a big brush in her hand, Martha Jo Mahoney is talking to herself, arguing with her painting and communicating with the outside world — all at the same time. “Whatever I have to say, this is how I say it,” she said as she waves her brush at a brightly colored canvas that looks a bit like a slow, controlled explosion of happiness. While painting is how Mahoney communicates with the world, it’s also how she escapes it. “When I paint, I forget about anything else that might be bugging me,” she said. “Anything I’m upset about I can take it out on the canvas and get it out here.” Mahoney is approaching her 73rd birthday, and her passion for painting not only gets her up in the morning, it drives her to her studio. “I’m in the studio three hours every day,” she said. “I have to paint. It’s my language. It’s in my soul. I can’t imagine my life without art.” Art is war; and at times, Mahoney enjoys engaging in the battle — trying to extract a finished piece from weeks of trial and error. “I love the process. I love the problem solving,” Mahoney said. “But I’ve finally learned that sometimes letting go and moving on is more important than solving that damn problem. Quit stressing over it. If it’s not working, turn it upside down and go for it. Pull out your big brush! Life is precious, paintings are not.” Paintings might not be precious, but the process of painting is. Decades ago, Mahoney was diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis, a disease of the heart valves that can lead to sudden death. She was in such bad shape that doctors performed open-heart surgery to transplant a life-saving bovine valve. The operation was a success, but recovery was

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difficult. It wasn’t until she had a brush in her hand that she found her way forward. “Painting was the most important part of my rehabilitation,” she said. “It gave me hope and inspired me to keep going.” Mahoney’s main artistic influence has always been her travels. “I take a trip and absorb the culture, the colors, the history, the essence of a place. When I return to the studio, I start a new series and the experience somehow finds its way into my work.” She is also influenced by other artists. “I have, at times, painted a Monet or a Picasso,” she said. “In doing that, I’ve discovered how they solved their problems. I also go to workshops and paint with other artists several times a year where I learn new techniques, new brush strokes or new ways to mix colors.”

Mahoney is still experimenting, learning and growing. She said, “I haven’t closed myself in yet, and I hope I never do. I want to create something I haven’t seen before every new year. I want to take another step forward.” Mahoney believes that art is for everyone. “Whether it’s creating pottery, sculpting, painting, whatever — take a class,” she said. “When you create something, it changes you. It helps you understand yourself and puts you in touch with thoughts, feelings and abilities that you never knew you had.” Research reinforces Mahoney’s message. A long-term study, published in the “Journal of Aging and Health,” looked into a variety of personality traits and concluded that only creativity confers significant, life-extending benefits. Subjects who demonstrated above-average creativity enjoyed a 12% decrease in mortality risk over an 18-year period. The mechanism for the health benefits of creativity is not fully understood, but most researchers believe it’s because creative thinking draws on a variety of neural networks within the brain. Creativity, at its core, is problem solving. A blank canvas is nothing more than a problem to be solved. Mahoney says the opportunity to develop our creativity surrounds us all. “Every little town in America has an art community that you can join,” Mahoney said. “Does it make any difference whether you’re any good or not? No! It doesn’t make a damn difference. Art is for you.” Ultimately, creating a great life is a lot like creating a great abstract painting. Both rely on continual problem solving. And when things aren’t working, Martha Jo Mahoney has a suggestion borne of experience: “Turn it upside down and pull out the big brush!”

I have to paint. It’s my language. It’s in my soul. I can’t imagine my life without art. Photos: Jacob Langston

C R E AT E

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Q&A with Roger McGuinn Bill Shafer

Roger McGuinn is curious, creative and caring. He is also one of the most influential pioneers in rock music history. McGuinn, 77, founder of the Byrds, is still influencing, inspiring and innovating. Social media followers of Growing Bolder experienced those qualities and more when, during the pandemic, work-from-home period, he joined the Growing Bolder Movie Night event on Facebook as a special live-chat guest to discuss the documentary, “Echo In the Canyon.” The film explores the birth of folk-rock and the influential Laurel Canyon music scene of the mid 1960s and how the Byrds, Beach Boys and Mamas and the Papas created a sound that reverberated around the world. Thousands of viewers watched live as McGuinn explained how the song, “Mr. Tambourine Man,” came to the attention of the Byrds. McGuinn, guitar in hand, sang it as Bob Dylan recorded it. McGuinn recalls David Crosby said, “I don’t like it, man. That folky 2/4 beat will never play on the radio.” McGuinn then explained how he put a “Beatle beat” to it and demonstrated the difference. The song became the Byrds’ first No. 1 hit on the Billboard charts. McGuinn’s voice sounds virtually the same as it did in 1965, and it was clear to see that his passion for that time period has not diminished. Growing Bolder’s Marc Middleton kept the conversation going by digging deeper as McGuinn revealed he was the only member of the Byrds who actually played on the recording of “Mr. Tambourine Man,” because the rest of the band was replaced by the famed session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. Middleton pointed out that many of the other rock stars interviewed in the documentary credited McGuinn with being a major influence.

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“I knew you were important,” Middleton told him. “But I never knew you were that important.” Middleton was able to bring Bill Shafer into the chat, who shared questions and comments from viewers who were logged in from across the United States and as far away as Canada and Portugal. One user wanted to know why McGuinn changed his name from Jim to Roger. Another asked what it was about the 12-string guitar that helped create the unmistakable Byrds sound. Yet another wanted to know if he was actually high when he wrote the song, “Eight Miles High.” McGuinn’s answers were energetic and interesting, offering insights and reflections that only he could provide. Middleton sees this as a recurring project. “There are some great documentaries out there that the Growing Bolder community would find most interesting,” he explained. “And following them up with the ability to connect with the producers, celebrities and experts involved is an exciting opportunity for the Growing Bolder online community.” Viewers had high praise for the Growing Bolder Movie Night chat concept. “Wow, this is fantastic,” Gwen Fuschetto said. “That was an amazing experience,” Tracy Nicholson said. Annette Gluskin-Habin said, “This was just what we needed to help through this time of physical separation.”

To learn more about Growing Bolder Movie Night, go to facebook.com/GrowingBolder

C R E AT E

A life is not important except in the impact that it has on others. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jackie Robinson

G R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0

Qualify for the national senior games today! Experience over 23 miles of GOLDen coastline to enjoy, thousands of acres of Everglades to explore, countless attractions, shops, and restaurants. Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward County is a destination that will work hand-in-hand with the National Senior Games to create an atmosphere that feels welcoming and familiar to all of the attendees when they visit South Florida! Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward Count will offer The 2021 National Senior Games attendees an opportunity to visit one of the most popular beach destinations in the country! Make sure to go to NSGA.com to find out how you can qualify in your state.

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

NSGA.com

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In Greater Fort Lauderdale, we welcome everyone who shares our spirit of adventure. Discover a vibrant collection of cultures and activities, along with many ways to stay and play. Start planning at sunny.org

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CAT The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther Craig Pittman

The panther ran as fast as it could. The dogs gave chase, plowing through the underbrush, howling with delight. This was what they were bred to do, to sniff out and chase down big cats like this one. Their master, the tall man in the cowboy hat, would be pleased. The female panther they pursued was a scrawny thing, seriously underweight. It wasn’t strong enough to keep the chase going long. Finally it leaped onto a tree trunk and clawed its way up onto a branch, then stopped to look down. The dogs circled the trunk, their eyes trained on their quarry up above, breathing heavily. Then the cat heard more noises approaching — a group of humans, all but one of them men. One of the men climbed partway up the tree with a gun, then raised it, and fired. The cat flinched. A dart hit it in the leg and everything went dark. Then the cat was falling. When it hit the ground, it didn’t move again. One of the men, and then the lone woman, bent over it. They put their lips on the panther’s hairy mouth, blowing their breath into its lungs, trying to revive it with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. They were too late. *** The most important Florida panther that ever lived is the one that’s in a glass case in the R.A. Gray Building in downtown Tallahassee. It’s just a couple of floors up from a towering mastodon skeleton on display in the Florida State Museum. Tallahassee is not the place you’d ever expect to see a panther. It’s too far north, for one thing. Plus it’s Florida’s state capital, its seat of government. That means that instead of cypress trees and wild palms and thick stands of palmetto, you’ve got lots of marble office buildings and sidewalks and pavement and parking garages.

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The museum is low-key but impressive, what with the mastodon skeleton and other displays about Florida history. But all that’s downstairs. To see the panther, you’ve got to ride the elevator up to the State Archives, where it stands alone outside the entrance. The first time I saw it, I thought it was a statue. Not a very good statue, mind you. It looked like one made by an enthusiastic but unskilled amateur working with inferior materials. Not until later did I realize that this had been an actual panther, a seventy-pound female that once prowled South Florida’s swamps and forests, its shoulders rolling like the waves on the ocean, its tail twitching restlessly, its topaz eyes stretched wide to detect any movement in the surrounding darkness. Now it was stuffed and mounted, its limbs stiff, its eyes glass.

Adapted from Cat Tale @ 2020 by Craig Pittman, used with permission by Hanover Square Press/HarperCollins.

DEFY

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FLoRiDa pAnThEr

CRaIg PItTmAn,

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“Craig Pittman has a remarkable talent for telling stories set in the Sunshine State that never fail to fascinate and entertain.” —GILBERT KING,

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“The definitive book on one of America’s least understood apex predators.” —DANE HUCKELBRIDGE, author of NO BEAST SO FIERCE

Available now

wherever books, ebooks R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0 or Gaudiobooks are sold.

Man of Two Countries

A CUBAN-AMERICAN LOOKS AT 64

George Diaz

My name is George Diaz, and I am a hyphenated- American. I love my country of birth, Cuba. I love the country that I call home, the United States of America. The hyphenated conflict that festers isn’t unique, harkening back to the days of Ellis Island, which welcomed about 12 million immigrants arriving at the Port of New York from 1892 to 1954. My journey began in 1961, when I arrived by plane in the United States. I was simply a tagalong, accompanied by my parents and two sisters. Oblivious to disruptive forces in our lives, I was excited to be stepping foot on an airplane for the first time. Yea! A political skirmish, called the Cuban Revolution, would set the winds of change for my life and for countless others who became collateral damage for Fidel Castro’s power trip. Decades of struggle ensued. While my parents have since passed, they left behind a love and longing for Cuba in each of us.The Diaz family legacy is one of food, writing, music, dancing, creativity, laughter, love, family culture… and sacrifice. They sacrificed to give their children an opportunity to live in this land of freedom. I never got the feeling they regretted that decision, not once. It’s easy to lose sight of the American Dream, given our topsy-turvy political climate, where labels referring to immigrants are tossed around flippantly and dismissively. The contentious dynamics weigh on me every day, all the while fending off an international pandemic at home with a dog recovering from major surgery. But most days, I feel very blessed. My parents’ sacrifices have allowed me to build a good life in the United States. Ditto for my sisters. I have a nice home, a fancy Infiniti and hopefully enough savings stockpiled to afford a roll of Charmin double-ply in the near future. It feels good to be home. But, still… Mi Tierra. My Homeland. It’s the official soundtrack of our lives as Cuban exiles. You can hear the angst in Gloria Estafan’s voice in the first single she released in 1993 as a tribute to her homeland.

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Of my beautiful homeland, of my saintly homeland, I hear that cry of the drums and the timpani. And this song that a brother sings, Who lives far away from his homeland, And the memory of it makes him mourn. A song that lives in tune Of his sorrow, of his own weeping, and he listens to it and grieves. Mine is a quiet grief, not very palatable most of the time. But it lingers. I feel it as the tears flow listening to the song. I think of my father, who used to tell me all the time, like clockwork, “El proximo año, amigo mio.” Next year, my friend. He lived for the hope of returning to his beloved home. It was always next year, driven by faith that Fidel Castro’s power trip would crumble in the face of righteousness. Next year never came. My father died in April, 1999, proud of the life he built here, proud of the country he came from but one he never got to see again. I’d like to think he can visit there anytime he wants, with his beloved Dalia by his side. With gray hairs creeping in daily, I Iook at 64 hoping every day to honor Francisco and Dalia Diaz. All the while, Cuba still tugs at me. The 90-plus miles of separation from my native land morphs into an emotional and physical disconnect stretching for decades. I may as well be looking up at the moon, wondering if I will ever set foot on its surface. Travelling to Cuba is always subject to political volatility in the United States; and in the current climate, a pandemic. The days of cruises to Havana, with thousands of strangers exposed to multiple all-you-can-eat buffets, looks very much like a death wish. But even with safe passage, I won’t sign up. I don’t begrudge anyone who does, but please read the fine print. The fine mojitos and the pretty show girls in the night clubs and the beautiful beaches are just an illusion.

A peek at the real Cuba reveals people living under an oppressive regime that crushes individual thought like a cockroach. I got a taste of that when I went back in 1991, covering the Pan-American Games for the “Orlando Sentinel.” It wasn’t a nostalgic businessworking trip by any means. I reconnected with family members, some of whom embraced this dystopian society where freedom is squashed. I felt the heartbreak of a grieving father whose son had died trying to escape, freezing in the landing gear of a jet bound for Spain. I listened to the heartbreak of a newlywed wife, whose husband, a baseball player, defected without a word. And I looked at my life for what it could have been and drew a deep sigh of relief, fully understanding the heartwrenching choices my parents made. They bequeathed to me this precious gift called the United States of America. Thirteen years ago, Gloria Estafan’s voice resonated with me again. She was speaking at a citizenship ceremony at Walt Disney World. “The most beautiful things in this country have the flavor of other places. Chinese food. Pizza came from the Italians, but it's an American experience. French fries. There's always some other cultures involved. "You don't have to be a hyphenated American, but you

CONNECT

can certainly be an American who doesn't forget where they came from.” People fear what they don't understand. The natural reaction is to build fences and walls, figuratively and literally. But that certainly goes against this country's history of cultural diversity. Immigrants and exiles each have their own story to tell; their own journey. But to disavow where we came from —-Cuba, Venezuela, Tthe Dominican Republic— , wherever it might be, -- would be disrespectful to the land of our birth. We walk among you not trying to encroach on your values and way of life, but to hopefully enhance them. If you disagree, I suggest you take a sip of a mojito, or take a bite out of an arroz con pollo dish. Those tastes connect me to Cuba, as do the mementoes and photographs my parents were able to take with them on our flight to Fort Lauderdale in 1961. It’s been 59 years now. Photographs and memories fade with time. Jorge Diaz has become George Diaz, in deference to the country that is now home. My heart remains a bit conflicted at times. It gets nicked in the most subtle of ways. I bear the scars of a hyphenated American, a badge I wear proudly.

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BUBBLE BOY Photo Series Reinforces Self-isolation with Whimsical Details Emily Thompson

Professional photographer George Kamper and his wife Sherryl are the creative team behind the Instagram sensation “Bubble Boy.” They are making the most of their time in self-quarantine with their creative endeavor designed to delight and educate despite the challenges we all face living with COVID-19 precautions. “Bubble Boy” is a two-person operation. George controls the camera remotely from inside the bubble while Sherryl executes most of the propping, styling and art-directing from outside the bubble. “Our main goal was to create something fun that we could share with friends and hopefully elicit a smile,” George Kamper said. “As an advertising photographer, I need to keep coming up with fresh ideas and work,” he said. “I literally woke up in the middle of the night and started thinking of ideas on how I could be inspired by the coronavirus pandemic rather than becoming totally depressed by it.” Kamper happened to have an inflatable, human-sized bubble at home that he had purchased for a fashion shoot. “Ultimately, we decided to visually present the idea that it feels like we are literally living in a bubble,” he explained. Beyond this project, George’s distinguished career includes photographing subjects and locations around the world. His client list ranges from Fortune 500 companies to celebrities and athletes. You can see more of his work at georgekamper.com.

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CONNECT

BUBBLE STORY-PENDING

G R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0

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George and Sherryl Kamper haven’t put any restrictions on creating the series. “While we are in lockdown mode, we are shooting around the house. Once we are able to get out and about, we may go to the beach, take a ride on the boat, etc.,” said George.

“We love that we start fresh every week and try to have one new relevant shot every Saturday morning for posting. It’s been challenging, yet lots of fun, to work together while on lockdown. There’s a lot of back and forth and respect. We each kinda know our role but are open to each other’s suggestions and feedback. Kinda like our 34 year marriage!” said George Kamper.

Sherryl and George capture the COVID-19 pop-culture touchstone, “Tiger King.” This Nexflix documentary series became a juggernaut as millions of people stuck at home watched the story of Tiger King Joe Exotic and shared their reactions online.

@georgekamper GeorgeKamperPhotographer @geokamper

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HIS 60-YEAR CAREER IS GOING STRONG Bill Shafer

GROWING BOLDER / SPRING 20

Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer via Getty Images

THE BIG LIFE OF LITTLE ANTHONY

THE TAKEAWAY

“If you have a true passion for something, don’t fight it, because your life starts when you give in and commit 100%.” He was born Jerome Anthony Gourdine but became known worldwide by the name, Little Anthony. He didn’t just love music, he lived it. Music took him from the projects in Brooklyn, New York, to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On this day, because of Growing Bolder’s curious probing, Gourdine is taking a brief look back. “I don’t normally live in the past,” he said. “I’m all about today. What can I do today?” Today, Gourdine is where he’s most comfortable: a recording studio. He’s far from his Las Vegas home and is now in Orlando at Solar Studio working on a project with acclaimed producer Michael Franklin. “There aren’t many 79-year-olds who’ve still got it quite like Little Anthony,” Franklin said as he played back a freshly recorded track. “Listen to that. He sings his hits in the same key he did as a teenager and still hits the high notes!” Gourdine’s voice is unmistakably recognizable. It should be, it’s been a big part of the popular music scene for over 60 years. He was just 17 when he had his first hit record. “Tears on My Pillow” sold over 1 million copies, peaking at No. 4 on the pop charts and No. 2 on the R&B charts. It didn’t surprise Gourdine. “I don’t know how or why; but as long as I can remember, I had this spiritual belief that I would become a performer, a special performer” he said. Gourdine was surrounded by music from birth. His mother was a gospel singer, and his father was a saxophone player in several big band orchestras. Three of his brothers were involved in music as was his entire neighborhood. “In those days, what turned us city kids on were singing groups like the Ink Spots,” he remembered. “We’d all come out and work on singing those harmonies all day, everyday. We were just street corner doo-wop kids, but that’s where I learned.” After the success of “Tears on My Pillow,” Little Anthony and the Imperials released another million-selling hit the next year with “Shimmy, Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop.” At the age of 19, he had two hit records and says there was nowhere for him to go but down. “The success was great, but my life was a mess,” he said. “The sex, drugs and rock and roll nearly took my life.” Gourdine began a slow spiral into alcohol, drugs and depression — things he would battle for most of his life.

I N E V E R Y I S S U E : T H E TA K E AWAY

“But by the grace of God I am still here today,” he said. “Many of my peers are not.” More hits would follow, such as “Going Out of My Head” and “Hurts So Bad” and Gourdine’s powerful, heartfelt tenor voice became the defining sound of an era. Today, the band continues to tour and Gourdine performs on stage and in plays, including a one-man show about the ups and downs of his remarkable life’s journey. “I love to tell stories about how much fun it was growing up, being friends with Sam Cooke back in Harlem when he came up to sing with the Soul Stirrers,” he said as his smile vanished. “And then I leaped right into that commercial success chapter of my life that was a personal disaster. It could have killed me, but somehow I was saved. So many of my peers are gone. Drugs, alcohol, whatever it was that took their lives, it was their lifestyle that destroyed them.” “So, to anybody like me who’s getting on in years, anytime you’re lost in life, just look to the Lord. That’s what did it for me,” he advises. “When you follow your passion, what you’re really doing is making use of the gifts God gave you; and it’ll bring you the greatest joy you’ve ever had, even if you’re 79 like me.”

If you have a true passion for something, don’t fight it, because your life starts when you give in and commit 100%. G R O W I N G B O L D E R / VO L . 4 0

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