Lifestyle

First published in 2007

There is a proverb which one has to listen to more and more often the older one gets:

You are as young as you feel!

This is the kind version; usually it's 'you are as old as you feel'. Yeah well, but if I'm feeling old, what can I do to make myself feel younger?

A lot of this site is about looks, because that is what I was after initially. I wanted to look better. What I actually got in the end was VITALITY. It then appeared to me that this is what is meant with 'feeling younger' and my way to get there? Well, in this place you will find phrases like 'dealing with yourself' and doing 'selfish/self centred things' over and over again. I felt guilty at first, that all of a sudden I have put myself in the centre of the world. But something interesting happened. It sort of made me go back to my roots, and I didn't even notice until I started writing this.

All my adult life I thought I couldn't be without people around me, having to be available for others, and when I had a bit of time for myself I got rather bored and watched the telly, although feeling a bit guilty about the time wasted. Now I'm comfortable again with my own company just as I was as a child. I have this recollection of sheer happiness when I was walking the family dogs in the fields around my village. I felt safe and in control, I could stick with the paths I knew, or I could get adventurous and explore new ones. It was my choice and whatever I chose was right. The dogs were my trusted followers and enjoyed the ride.

In the end it seems that my 'Project New Rika' found the Rika of the old days, and the circle is closing. As I said before, a lot of the things here are about looks. That is because I found that changes on the outside are done rather easily. And it's dealing with your outside that sneakily starts doing some things to your inside as well. The article on Body and Mind refers to this effect as well.

So let us give some flesh to to bone. It is here in the lifestyle section where it all comes together. Sometimes the simple issues make changes so difficult. It's easily said: Eat healthily and go to the gym twice a week! But where is the advice on how to find the time for this little bit of selfishness? How to save up the money to make the 'New You' affordable. How to convince the family that these changes are beneficial for them as well? Where to find the confidence to actually go?

It is here where the dreaming stops and where reality starts. The first step is lose the fear, that making the dream come true might reveal that it was not worth it. The fear that then a dream would be lost with no gain is such a common thing, but nobody admits to it. The wonderful thing is that once that dream is gone new ones show up. Getting one dream out of the way gives room for more. It's a bit like kissing frogs to find a prince - sometimes you have to kiss a lot of them to hit the jackpot!

So, that's sorted! Now it's time to find the determination! To make this silent promise to yourself that you will succeed in something, anything! However long it takes, how many ways you will have to explore - you will succeed! It is a contract with yourself. Remember the place, remember what you are feeling at that moment, and never forget it again. This is your most secret and most honest moment with yourself. Enjoy it - And then go for it girl!