{"id":28796,"date":"2021-01-26T08:15:37","date_gmt":"2021-01-26T16:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/?p=28796"},"modified":"2023-09-05T12:19:36","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T19:19:36","slug":"the-simple-7-buckets-that-build-my-buffer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/all-mfn\/the-simple-7-buckets-that-build-my-buffer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Simple 7 – Bucket #7: My Spirit, Inspired to Aspire"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Simple 7 Training Buckets That Build My Buffer:<\/strong> Suppleness\/Stability, Speed (Gait), Skills, Strength, Stamina, Specificity, Spirit<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Let’s focus on spirit.<\/strong> My soul, my psyche. My purpose, meaning and relevance. My reasons to get up in the morning. My attitudes, perceptions and mindset that take charge of my day and my life\u2019s journey. In this context, a wise and \u2018seasoned spirit\u2019, a gritty spirit, one that is tenacious, persistent and committed to prepping and pre-habbing for the long haul; one that drives the mindset of invest early to earn our healthspan, to nudge it up tight to our lifespan.<\/p>\n

The New Map of LifeTM<\/sup>, created by the Stanford Center on Longevity supports this \u2018spirit\u2019 through six principles:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. New roles and opportunities must be created so that people experience purpose, belonging, and worth; relevance.<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Education must be a lifelong pursuit; not necessarily FORMAL.<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Working longer should occur in multigenerational contexts; if by choice.<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. Money. Opportunities to earn and save must be available throughout life to ensure financial security; plan for a 100-year lifespan.<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. Advances in the science of aging must be distributed broadly in the population; we need to stay knowledgeable and own our decisions.<\/em><\/li>\n
  6. Physical health and the prevention of disease is critical to achieving the promise longevity presents; fortify our buffer. . .<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The New MapTM<\/sup> encompasses the physical, social, intellectual, emotional, environmental, spiritual, and vocational\/occupational dimensions of well-being. They are inter-related, rarely in perfect balance, and evolve with life lessons and experiences. Like the Simple 7 Buckets, each one plays a significant role in surviving and thriving. All require cultivation through daily practices, habits and patterns AND stimulating growth opportunities.<\/p>\n

    This column focuses on the physical dimension. The FIVE pillars of:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Movement,<\/li>\n
    2. Food-Drink,<\/li>\n
    3. Rest-Recovery-Regeneration,<\/li>\n
    4. Stress-to-Survive+Thrive, and<\/li>\n
    5. Purpose-relevance-meaning all bolster the 7 dimensions of overall health and wellbeing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Our Movement pillar is grounded in the Simple 7 buckets of Suppleness-Stability, Speed (Gait), Skills, Strength, Stamina, Specificity and Spirit, all of which boost my BUFFER, that space, that barrier between succumbing to the effects of aging per se, and pro-actively resisting and retaliating. It\u2019s also the cushion between the GO in my chosen activities, and the BLOW, injury.<\/p>\n

      6 principles, 7 dimensions, 5 pillars and 7 buckets \u2026 we\u2019ve got it! As we restore and refill Buckets #1-6, let\u2019s shift our focus to Bucket #7, the most potent of all.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Bucket #7 is SPIRIT<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      \"\"\u201cWe don\u2019t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. Don\u2019t be the first to grow old!\u201d I\u2019m not sure who said this, but it resonated with me over 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

      FUN is not frivolous, nor is it just for kids. Activities that bring joy and learning fertilize the brain, neutering boredom and stagnation.<\/p>\n

      Of the 7 Training Buckets, the Spirit bucket rules the roost.<\/strong> Our mindset towards aging matters. One of positivity and purpose has been unequivocally shown to extend the healthspan, sometimes more so than the physical factors. Coaches, military leaders and emergency services personnel repeatedly observe that \u2018psychology trumps physiology\u2019 even when physically mismatched. Upbeat and positive beats doom and gloom hands-down. Resilient folks bounce back, and some do it over and over again. They resonate hope, are flexible, optimistic, show gratitude and goodwill, accept what cannot be changed, then respond accordingly and do the work. [Chip Conley, The Modern Elder]<\/p>\n

      Aristotle stated that the body is perfect at 35, the soul at 50. Hippocrates said that we peak at 56 years. He had no clue that we had another 30-50 years to go, exactly why our longevity mindset needs an overhaul.<\/p>\n

      From Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame football coach, \u201cwe\u2019re either growing or dying.\u201d Growth lies in pushing out of our comfort zone, beyond the physical. Our vehicle will eventually call it quits, but we can optimize our life\u2019s ride with DAILY use and regular maintenance, allowing us to deny the slide and ramp up our ride. AND BEST OF ALL, we set the stage for our kids and grandkids, a wellspring into a long and resilient adventure. This is the new spirit of an uncharted journey, ripe with opportunities to care, share, contribute and thrive along the way.<\/p>\n

      Re-WIREment is replacing retirement today, filling Act III with opportunities to learn, grow and discover. Time-affluence, control over schedules and priorities is a bonus, allowing the 60+er to re-imagine and reboot.<\/p>\n

      My Spirit Check-Up<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      YES = 1 point: “I just do it; that\u2019s me.”
      \nNO: “Not in my thought process.”<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. I more often than not choose the uncomfortable, like walking, climbing, getting off the couch or training, even when I don\u2019t feel like it.<\/li>\n
      2. I value the benefits of physical labor and choose it; I rarely hire out for chores like shoveling, digging, landscaping, etc.<\/li>\n
      3. I seek out physical projects and work with my hands; it challenges my brain.<\/li>\n
      4. I look towards the future with enthusiasm and optimism, and plan to \u2026\u2026; I thrive on \u2018what\u2019s next\u2019 and prep and prehab accordingly.<\/li>\n
      5. I take reasonable, not stupid risks; guaranteed safety is unachievable and stifling.<\/li>\n
      6. I strive to beef up all my dimensions and pillars 85% of the time, but certainly enjoy treats and breaks.<\/li>\n
      7. I rely on medications ONLY when absolutely necessary, and only when I have exhausted a full-blown restoration effort of my pillars and buckets.<\/li>\n
      8. I get up every morning with a purpose and enthusiasm, and am truly grateful for that.<\/li>\n
      9. BONUS: I TRAIN so I CAN do ALL the things that I NEED and LIKE to do year-round with confidence and competence.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Scoring<\/strong>:<\/p>\n