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Toby Keith was inspired to write this song by Clint Eastwood who was about to turn 88. Toby Keith wanted to know what Clint Eastwood was going to do for his birthday and Clint said he was starting to make his new movie “The Mule” that next week.

Amazed Toby wrote about keeping that “Old Man” at bay. As the song says, “How old would you be if you didn’t know the day you were born?”

We all say “I don’t feel as old as I am” which is so true. There are times we are shocked when we look in the mirror because we have forgotten the number of years that have passed by. If we do not think about it, we can do what we have always done regardless of our age.

And as we move into this new year it is time to think and decide how we want to live. How we do not want to let that old man in. How we want to live, do what we love and expand what we are doing.

It is time to make our Bucket List for 2021 and 2022. What do you want your 2021 and 2022 to look like? What is your next act? If we do not plan for our future that old man just might seek in when we are not looking!

It does not have to be just huge things. What are the little things…?

Maybe… Enjoy the sunset more. Visit with family and friends more. Make 2 new friends. Read a good book. Maybe join a book club. Garden. Grow your own salad. Take a walk. Go someplace new each month. Redo a room in your house. Paint the walls and rearrange the furniture. Clean out the garage or the shed or both. Make a scrapbook of past vacations. Plan new vacations. Take an online class. Learn how to do 3 new things on your computer or smart phone. Do something kind for someone you hardly know.

For bigger things it might be take that road trip. Volunteer weekly at a school, hospital, or Senior Center. Do a makeover – you, the backyard, or your wardrobe. Brew your own beer. Learn a craft – maybe counted cross-stitch, carving, knitting. Reread your favorite book. Learn to meditate, then meditate daily for a month. Eat healthy and learn to cook new recipes. Redo your budget so you free up money to do the things you are always talking about doing! Book your next big trip!!

And as you make your Bucket List include another list of all the things you want to do as places open back up!! What have you missed the most? What was it you were planning for 2020 you never got to do?

And remember you are never ever “TOO OLD” to do anything!! Get out there and live. “Don’t let the old man in”

Change is defined as – the act of making or becoming different. This whole COVID situation certainly has made our entire lives different in a multitude of ways. From how we stay safe, interact, work and even make purchases evolves constantly.

2020 has been the all-time master of change whether we wanted it or not! Who would have ever dreamed we would be wearing masks? In 2019 we didn’t even know what social distancing was. Also, in 2019 just what could of possibly have been meant by “mandatory stay at home”?? Or that children would no longer go to school?

Even if someone had told you that they were going to make all of this into a movie, most of us would have said it’s all too crazy and no one will ever go see that!

For us New England Patriots fans the biggest 2020 news should have been Tom Brady leaving!! Instead local and high school sports almost doesn’t exist. Fans can’t go to games.  We don’t know from week to week which school is opened, and which are closed.

COVID has changed our world forever. Whether we wanted it or not! Life will never go back to what it was.

Now is the time we should be thinking about how we want our individual lives to be as we move past 2020.

What do you want your 2022 to look like? What have you been dreaming about? What did you miss the most? What did you get robbed of in 2020? My husband and I were not able to celebrate our 50^th Anniversary the way we had been planning for the last three years. We were going to have a huge party with all of the bells and whistles followed by a three-week vacation to Vancouver, a cruise to San Francisco and then onto Las Vegas.

So now is the time to start planning to live the life you want. Use the present to get healthier. Find new paths to travel. Start saving, even if it’s only $5.00 a week.

Don’t be afraid to reach out. Talk to your doctor, your friends, your family. Find a therapist.  Tell them how hard 2020 has been for you.

Embrace change! No matter what it will look like.

Figure out new ways to socialize. I’m doing a Zoom Paint Night where the instructor will be online, and attendees can be in person in small groups or on Zoom. A network I’m part of is planning a Zoom night where we will learn how to make a couple of drinks.

Start work on your “2020 Bucket List”. Start making the actual plan on how you will achieve those goals. Hit the ground running. Be ready  to live.

Now start planning your 2022 so you will know what it’s going to look like!!

We just had another election.

Did your candidate win or lose? Are you happy with the results? Or are you disgusted…. with the results… the candidates… the road we are headed down?

Earlier this year I wrote… “I recently was at a networking event and we were asked “What is important enough to you that you would protest for it?” That is a pretty deep question to answer when you don’t know those around you. My answer was “our basic rights”. The freedom of speech. The right to assemble. The right to bear arms and the right to vote.

And this country was founded so we as individuals could not be suppressed. We have freedom of speech which enables us to voice our beliefs and we need to continue to exercise all these basic rights.”

As we reflect on the results of this election, we need to look for better candidates at every level. Talk to your friends and family. Ask them and yourself which Office, Committee or Board needs help and what you can offer. Then reach out. Make the phone call. Write an email. Step up! All Towns and Cities have many positions that need to be filled every year. I can guarantee they will welcome your offer of help.

When you see something you don’t agree with, don’t just complain and write an angry post or comment. Ask others what they think and how they feel about it. Learn them. Figure out how the situation or problem can be changed or fixed. Then work towards doing just that.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  -Gandhi

Don’t settle for status quo.

We need to stand up and be a part of the system. We need to be a part of the process. We need to hear each other and be respectful. We need to bring our differences together.

We cannot just complain and expect someone else to “fix” things!!

Take some time and reflect. Decide what you believe in today. Challenge yourself.

And as Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Now go out and be a part of that change!