Sixtyish and Strong

Some days I wake up feeling like a slightly deflated potato sack… not even a fresh one—like the one that’s been sitting in the pantry judging you. 😬 But here’s the thing: life does not pause just because I’d prefer to dramatically flop back into bed and avoid humanity. There are errands. There is posting. There is functioning (rude, honestly). So what do I do? Well… full honesty? There have been days I’ve gone out exactly as I woke up and frightened the general public. I do not recommend this approach unless you’re trying to clear a grocery aisle quickly. Instead, I’ve learned a little trick: I fake my way into feeling better. Step one: shower (non-negotiable… for me and everyone else). Step two: makeup—not perfection, just enough to remind my face we’re participating in society. Step three: a real outfit. Not “I give up” leggings (you know the ones). I mean something that fits, flatters, and says, “Yes, I am a person with intentions.” Step four: accessories—earrings, maybe a necklace...

Lately—like, really lately (yesterday and today)—I’ve been doing some serious thinking about the future. Not in a doom-scrolling, panic kind of way… but in a “what on earth is going on here?” kind of way. It feels like somewhere along the line, we lost the ability to just… talk. I remember when people—maybe not always agreeing—could at least sit down, have a conversation, and not immediately jump to name-calling, eye-rolling, or verbal boxing matches. Now? It’s like everyone’s carrying around emotional gasoline just waiting for a spark. And it’s not just people—it’s everything. The tone, the tension, the constant noise. It makes you wonder: when did we decide that being loud was more important than being kind? I’ll admit, sometimes it makes me feel like the world is speeding toward some kind of breaking point 😬 I remember asking my pastor when I was about 10 years old, “When is God going to end the world?” His answer? “When we stop asking.” At the time, I’m pretty sure that was the “l...

😄 The 21-Day Habit Theory (and My Ongoing Negotiation With It) There’s an article I once read while prepping for a talk I gave to a struggling restaurant staff I was brought in to “fix.” Yes— fix. No pressure or anything. Just casually walking in like, “Hi, I’m here to improve morale, performance, and possibly your will to live.” 😄 Anyway, this article claimed that if you do something for 21 days , it magically becomes a habit. Did I fact-check it? Absolutely not. It sounded official. It had numbers. It felt science-y enough. And more importantly—I was on a deadline. So I said, “Perfect. We’re going with this.” ⸻ 🍽️ The Experiment (a.k.a. Smile Like You Mean It) I challenged the staff to do one simple thing for 21 days: Smile. Be friendly. Act like you enjoy being there—even if you don’t. Groundbreaking, I know. But guess what? It worked. Tips went up Attitudes improved Customers were happier And suddenly… work didn’t feel quite so painful Whether it was actual science or ju...