Friday, January 25, 2013

Self Improvement

Ramana brought this topic to the Loose Blogger Consortium this week and, having cogitated on it for a bit, I find it interesting in ways I wouldn't have expected.  I encourage you to do what I will after this is posted, go see what the other LBC members have to say.  You can find clickable links to them on the right hand side of the page.

The first thing that struck me is that, unlike my youth, I am not much interested in self improvement any longer, at least not in the sense I used to consider it.  When young, I read various books on the subject, such as Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking.  That evolved into various forms over the years, some philosophical, some mystical, some practical, like Covey's seven habits.

I find that I don't do that so much now.  Why?  I ask myself this question right now, for this may be the first that I have realized that I no longer have interest in these things in that way.  I think it is because I now approach life and the world with a much more established sense of self and, instead of looking for self improvement, I instead look to walk the best path I can find each day.

Oh, I'm not saying I won't change over time.  What I'm saying is that I will now allow that change to happen organically, fed by my experience.  I'm more interested in helping my kids, who are at that age when self improvement is high on the list.  

Are there any other sexagenarians out there who have had similar shifts of perspective?  Is this just a natural part of our aging process, or is it that we have established pretty well who and what we are by this age and just want to enjoy what is left of the party?

14 comments:

  1. "…we have established who and what we are by a certain age." I believe this is true, Fossil. Party on!

    Blessings ~ Maxi

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    1. @Maxi

      I reach across the ether and clink glasses with you! Cheers!

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  2. I agree Fos - there comes a point when what you see is what you get. Beyond a certain degree of changing with the times - just keeping up with the pace of life these days - hopefully we've sorted out that who we are question. I'd rather spend my cash on mystery novels and good booze - that's self help I can appreciate.

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    1. @shackman

      It really is the age of just doing with what we've learned, isn't it? And both of us seemed to learn along the way that a single malt is part of the good!

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  3. Completely agree, but I think that you have arrived at this oint much sooner than me. I have always been a slow learner.

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    1. @Maria

      Somehow, I doubt you are slower than me. I am on the turtle path to enlightenment, LOL!!!

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  4. Well, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. (oops...did I say that?) lol ;)

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  5. You articulate what is indeed organic though you claim not to. This is what aging/maturing etc are supposed to do. I am at the three score and ten and did go through the three score minus/plus stage handling very difficult personal problems which led me to a kind of an epiphany that I cannot really 'improve' myself but I can most certainly 'change' myself to adapt to realities as they evolved in life. That included bringing about a ready willingness to give rather than take that had been the earlier kite flying existence driven by a heady corporate life.

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  6. Just like me, you accept yourself warts and all. Being comfortable in your own skin gives you the freedom to help others.

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  7. @Rummuser

    Well said. Indeed, it is a nice natural change that takes place if one allows it. The sense of pending changes much more to the sense of now.

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  8. @Grannymar

    Yes, more comfortable every day.

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  9. As an approaching octogenarian I have to say there's no helping me now. I am trying to physically get back to the way I was in my 30s--well 50s, but it's not working very well.

    bikehikebabe

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    1. @bhb

      Time takes an undeniable toll, but I must say that you are one of the best at avoiding the toll taker that I know!

      Delete

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