Who am I and What is Important About What I Have to Say?
Great question, let me start with a little about my background and my intention for writing to/for you.
My Background
I have been actively managing sales, marketing, operations, and high-performing teams for over two decades. I have also had the honor of speaking at IHRSA (International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association) for two years and provided an internationally attended webinar demonstrating how to outperform sales goals with sustainable outcomes.
My Journey into Human Behavior Science
Engaging in countless conversations from consumer need discoveries to coaching sales teams and even through my own buying experiences inspired my interest in exploring human behavior science. This led me to an intensive exploration and certification in Neuro-Linguistics Programming.
From my leadership experiences, I sought more education in organizational psychology and interpersonal dynamics, particularly the influence each individual may have on each other. This interest led me to complete my Masters in the "Psychology of Leaders" from Penn State.
My Fitness Career
During my fitness career, I coached fitness programs designed for high-intensity and high-impact capable bodies to those requiring modification and strategic adaptable programming. Adapting was also a result of my body requiring less impact through years of movement, acknowledging the importance of self-compassion and patience when healing and recovering. Subsequently, this led me to my PhD program in Gerontology.
My Beliefs on Aging
I believe age is a process of acceptance, adaptation, and perseverance, not necessarily in that order. I am grateful for these experiences; they have been instrumental in shaping who I am today. Also, I realize I wouldn't have experienced these milestones if I wasn't the age I am today.
I believe, as our vet once told us during an unavoidable surgery consultation for our beloved 15-year-old beagle, Barcley, "age is not an illness." This is true; age is not an illness. And, yes, he recovered perfectly. It can also be said, except for events out of our control, our legacy and our journey are the results of our beliefs, personal values, including our self-compassion, all leading to our actions.
My Intentions for Writing
My Instagram will reflect on choices I have made and choices I am making, the lessons I have learned throughout my leadership experiences, and during my PhD program in Gerontology. I hope to lift and encourage anyone who has limiting beliefs due to their age and struggles with their value among others. Also, to dissuade temporal landmarks as limiting markers which contrast with general previously accepted norms. In other words, to encourage living life on your own timeline, or in the case of my life, living counterclockwise (not limited by the expectations of others because of my age).
The Concept of Social Comparison in Aging
Age can be defined and dispelled by one's relationship with those who are in their aging arena, a method of "social comparison" and how they measure up in health, appearance, or achievements to others the same age. Some at age 50 may have the physiological health of a 30-year-old and others from extraneous circumstances can have the physiological health of a 70-year-old. Then again, who defines what is the biological age of a 70-year-old anymore?
An article by AARP, a resourceful authority on aging, shared, "A new study by U.S. Trust has found that perceptions of the onset of old age vary widely among different generations. Millennials, for example, say that you are old once you turn 59. Gen Xers, on the other hand, hold a slightly more generous view, saying that old age begins at 65. When it comes to boomers and the silent generation, both agree that you’re not really old until you hit age 73" (aarp.org, 2017). We will dive deeper into this later in my blog.
Personal Experience and Encouragement
An example from my life is when I finished my Masters, I was closer to my Professors' age than the average age of my classmates. I didn't allow that factor to deter me from reaching my goals. In fact, I had more experience to reflect on than most of the students when examining optimal outcomes in leadership projects.
So perhaps this may be a paradigm shift for you or some new ideas to consider, maybe even try. I hope to inspire your discovery of your potential which you may have disregarded because you believe you missed the timing necessary to achieve it.
