As we age, we appreciate more and more the simple joys of our daily existence, and the life we have carved out for ourselves. We've grown to accept who we really are, and cherish the people in our lives. These rewards do not cost anything; they are attitudes we have adopted.
Just as we exercise and eat right to remain healthy, there are some ways to remain flexible in our outlook on life. You wouldn't eat only peanut butter day in and day out, would you? Here are some benefits of adding variety to your experiences now and then. They don't cost anything, and add even more richness to your life.
I live in a small village made of stone, and it is February, my least favorite month of the year. Maintaining my good attitude and appreciating what I have is a challenge for the moment. So, I drove four hours to San Sebastian, the lively town on the northwest coast of Spain. This town eats well and parties a lot, plus it was carnaval, the time of celebration before Lent begins, so I was prepared for noise and joy. It was out in droves. You can see about it here.
From there, I drove up into the Pyrenees to a Basque village, one of several that are famous for highly unusual festivals featuring animal furs, cow bells, and horns. They come from an ancient, rural time, and I, for one, had never imagined anything like this in Europe. You can see my video of it here.
I'm pretty fortunate to live where I can drive to experiences that are so different from my own. You don't need wooly creatures and marching bands -- the operative phrase is, "experience different from my own."
Here's what stepping outside your normal routine can bring:
- There are nice people everywhere. The smile you bring with you will always be returned, multiplied, and enriched.
Being outside of your routine requires paying more attention. You can't be on auto-pilot when you aren't absolutely certain about everything. Focusing on what is going on outside one's own head is an excellent way to stay sharp, and to redirect negative thoughts. There may be an activity, a landscape, or lifestyle that seems custom-tailored for you. You hear yourself thinking, "So THIS is what I love to do", or "My soul is happy HERE," or "THESE are my people." Defining what you are NOT is the other side of the point above. You think, "No matter where I am, I do not___", or "I am uncomfortable when ___." Clarity about what you are not, comes from testing your limits.Try stepping outside your comfort zone, even a little, and see what it does for your mental health and life balance. The Februarys of life may seem a little lighter, and the home fires a little brighter.
Emily Conyngham now lives in France, after a nine-month fling with the country turned into true love. As a photographer and writer, she shares her joie de vivre in images and words.
Come along with Emily at her blog, Under France on her facebook page, Otherwise Travel, and for visual inspiration .@cemilygo on Instagram
From a lifetime of travel and rich relationships, she's come to believe every day has something to offer - a life lesson, a poetic moment, information, and often, a laugh.
Her secret to happiness is paying attention to these things.
Betty White
AP
Doesn't it seem like Betty White has been around since David torpedoed Goliath with a slingshot? Our favorite golden girl is only 94 though. Even though Miss Betty White began her career in the 1940s on radio, and later appeared on late night talk shows and game shows (including "Password") in the 50s and 60s, she wasn't really a household name until, at the age of 51, she began playing "The Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1973-1977).
Morgan Freeman
Getty
Who doesn't love Morgan Freeman? This Academy Award winner paid his dues and then some. Freeman worked for several years as an actor, but really came into his own playing chauffeur Hoke Colburn in "Driving Miss Daily" at the age of 52 (although he was 50 when he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the film "Street Smart").
Sharon Osbourne
Getty
Heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne has been famous for over 40 years as lead singer of the English band Black Sabbath. His wife, Sharon, however, did not become a household name until their family reality show "The Osbournes" premiered on MTV in 2002. Just barely 50, Sharon became a media darling, which opened up many doors. She went on to become a judge on "America's Got Talent" and has been co-host of the CBS daytime show "The Talk" since it debuted in October 2010.
Regis Philbin
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Regis Philbin was comedian Joey Bishop's sidekick on the ABC television show "The Joey Bishop Show" from 1967 to 1969 and hosted his own local talk show -- "A.M. Los Angeles" -- from 1975 to 1983. But his name wasn't exactly on the tip of our collective tongues until he became a daytime staple with Kathie Lee Gifford in 1988 on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" when he was 57. His vibrant, caustic, yet fun-loving personality pushed him over the top sometime after the show began to gain in popularity with daytime viewers.
Abe Vigoda
Getty
Born in 1921, Abe Vigoda captured the role of Salvatore Tessio in the film "The Godfather" in 1972 at the age of 51. His next big role came in 1975 when he signed on to play Sgt. Phil Fish on the television series "Barney Miller." And that's when Vigoda -- who passed away in 2016 -- really became a household name.
Tom Bergeron
Getty
Sure, Tom Bergeron became the host of "Hollywood Squares" in 1998 and of "America's Funniest Home Videos" in 2001, but he didn't really become widely known until joining the wildly popular "Dancing With the Stars." The amiable host was 50 when the show premiered in 2005. After more than 20 seasons as host, it appears he's a keeper.
Mike Wallace
Getty
Maybe Mike Wallace was well-known in some hard-core news circles, and perhaps he was on a first-name basis with a few news junkies many moons ago, but it wasn't until he laid his groundwork as a superb gotcha reporter on "60 Minutes" which he did from 1968 (after he turned 50) until 2008 -- that his star really began to shine. This well-respected news journalist sadly passed away on April 7, 2012 at the age of 93.
Samuel L. Jackson
Gabe Ginsberg via Getty Images
Born in 1948, Samuel L. Jackson appeared in more than 100 films before the age of 40. However, it was only after he landed the role of a hitman in "Pulp Fiction" in 1994 that his star really began to shine. For this performance, Jackson received a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
Andy Rooney
Getty
Andy Rooney is another personality that seems to have been around since the beginning of time, and we're all glad to have been the recipients of his off-the-wall satirical takes on human nature. In 1978, at the age of 59, Rooney began his "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney" segment on the CBS news show "60 Minutes," continuing through 2011. He made us laugh, he made us cry, he made us think. It doesn't get better than that. Rooney died on November 4, 2011 at the age of 92 only a few weeks after his last appearance on the show.
Joy Behar
Getty
Joy Behar was 54 when she was cast as one of the original members of "The View," which made its debut in August 1997. A few years before that, you could catch Behar doing hilarious stand-up comedy on television. But she only became a household name sometime after "The View" became a must-see, daytime television talk show.
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