If you saw my recent email, you saw that my pen (keyboard) was stagnant for a couple of months. I explained that I was having security problems, my websites had been hacked, and that my email service stopped sending emails.
I lost momentum. I slowly became stagnant when it came to all things SeniorFlow. Why? Because loss of momentum breeds loss of motivation. Loss of motivation breeds stagnation. Fortunately, the stagnation didn’t last as long as the problem itself did, and I moved toward other things to keep the interest from flagging.
It happens sometimes to all of us. We lose our momentum or forward progress, and we lose our motivation and interest in what we are doing.
When it happens to Seniors, you often get what I call “Senior Rigormortis”. When you rest, you rust. And then you get that lack of motivation and stagnation, which can lead beyond that to isolation and depression. While it happens to younger folks too, it can often be a cause of serious depression as you get older.
All too often that’s what happens when people retire. When the freedom from work and the cruises and travel get stale, people often lose interest; you lose your motivation to find out “what’s next”. You isolate. You become depressed.
Fortunately, most of us come out of it. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. Often something will happen that re-ignites the spark, rekindles the fire, and we move on to new and sometimes better things.
How do we avoid it from the beginning of the cycle? We stay active. We keep moving. We try to discipline ourselves to remain upbeat and positive. We exercise. We walk. We get out in nature. We shift — a change in direction for a while. Yes, sometimes it takes a while.
This is not meant to be a lecture. I am not a therapist nor a counselor. I am an observer and I simply wanted to relate an observation. Feel free to add your own observations or comments below.
So, keep the fire burning. Stay active. Keep your body moving. Keep your energy up and you can live a positive, meaningful . . . And long life.
Thank you for reading this SeniorFlow Moment.
