A Time To Chill & Wind Down?

[Brandi]

I am 38 and i can not wind down at all. I am always moving. Drives my dh up the wall! He is always telling me to sit. And when i do he is amazed! There are to many things to do in life to wind down! Now even when i throw my neck out i don't stop!

[TrekJeni]

I'm 31 and I always joke I have a form of ADD. Can't sit still. Must be doing something. I get "bored" really easily. No kids but active in road and MTB, dog training and competing, I'm a licensed AKC hunt test and field trial judge (judge pointing breed hunting competitions). Plus the normal 9 - 5 job.

Left a seven year relationship that was going nowhere earlier this year. I'm happy doing my thing and he's happy doing nothing - well unless you call the bar 4 nights a week "something".

Now involved with a guy that is as much as a tornado of activity as I am!

Jeni

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm 52, my two daughters are grown.
I would have to say that I do way more now every day than I did when I was in my 20's. I do more work, more play, more chores and things to keep track of. But in my 20's it FELT like I was impossibly busy. I do more now but it does not feel as out of control or hectic because I have gotten better at managing my time more efficiently and suffling things and prioritizing stuff. Stuff that might have taken me 4 hours to do in my 20's now might take 2 hours.
I also am better able to say "no" to certain things without guilt, and better able to back off on some things so I can concentrate on other things. Just all around better at getting things done and planning my life and schedule, moving things around. Also definitely better at balancing work and play- if you are able to play too you feel less overwhelmed.

I don't plan on slowing down until my body forces me to- hopefully not until my 80's! (knock on steel)

[five one]

What Lisa S.H. and Mimi said.

We have a friend who only recently stopped doing triathlons at 74. She just oozes positive energy! I've told her I want to be her when I grow up. I'm "only" 54 now, so there's time. I have no plans for a tri, but hope to continue cycling as long as I possibly can. I only came back to it four years ago after an almost 30 year lull. I'm fitter now than I ever was in my 20s when I was thin simply because I was young and didn't eat much.

[RoadRaven]

Interesting thread

Part of my job is teaching teachers about the brain development that occurs in infants and toddlers and so I try and stay abreast of recent brain research as there are new things discovered every year.

Last year I read how, contrary to popular belief, "they" had proven that the brain is not fully formed as we end adolescence, and in fact there are significant parts in the adolescent brain that are linked to various things (such as decision making) that are still incomplete.

Just a few months ago I was reading about another study that shows that although the brain begins to deteriorate as we get older, if we are physically and mentally active, other bits of the brain begin to take over from the "worn out" bits. In other words, the brain retrains and reorganises itself.

In short, if you dont use it, you may lose it.



As for me - 41 years, 21 year marriage, 5 kids, part-time study, employed full-time as a tertiary teacher and an avid cyclist... well, if I tried to fit all this into my day/week when I was 19-20 (or even to think about what I fit into a day!)... I honestly don't think I could have coped!