I’ll be fifty-two in just a few weeks, just the thought of this is wild to me. My youth doesn’t feel that far away. Most days, I feel as vibrant as I did in my 20’s, although some things are shifting and changing. As the crazy amount of miles (almost 50) my brother and I walked during our recent weekend trip to Montreal reminded me, my feet are more fragile. I’m finding that I definitely put more thought into comfortable footwear. Even with decent shoes my feet throbbed for the better part of three days after all that walking.
I don’t drink to excess anymore, the sheer agony of hangovers just isn’t worth it. Words can’t even describe how bad they feel. One glass of red wine, a whisky, or a beer is the norm for me. If I’m really kicking my heels up I’ll have two or three. I find that spontaneity, in general, takes slightly more preparation in middle age. I know that seems like an oxymoron but hear me out. With a few decades of wisdom under your belt you begin to amass little shortcuts that help circumvent the shortcomings of aging, these shortcuts make life much easier.
I’ve also become quite enthusiastic about sharing these shortcuts with any of the younger generations who are willing to listen. Some of these have taken a lot of precious time to find or figure out. Time, afterall, is our most valuable resource and it’s incredibly difficult to fully grasp this until you’ve crossed the halfway-mark in life.
I get so excited at sharing some of this stuff, that I really have to check myself. I mean, not everyone in this world is looking for advice and it can come across as GenX’splaining.
Hopefully some of this is useful.
Look at your attention like bandwidth. We all have a finite amount of attention so be very choosy about who and what you spend yours on.
Learn how to think critically. Critical thinking isn’t taught anymore and there's a reason for it. This skill will become infinitely more important in the age of AI. I found this great store online called The Thinking Shop that offers products to help.
If something isn't serving you, don't be afraid to prune it from your life.
Don’t engage with trolls. That old adage misery loves company is true. Arguing is a complete waste of time.
You will find whatever you’re seeking in life. If you’re constantly complaining and negative that’s all you’ll notice and you’ll be miserable. Find something to be positive about and grateful for every day. The world can seem like a harsh place but if you seek out the good you'll begin to notice more of it.
Choose a book of daily affirmations that you really connect with and read each day's affirmation religiously. Scribble down notes and observations in the margins and highlight words or phrases that particularly resonate. I've carried many different books with me throughout my life. The Daily Stoic is the one I'm using in this phase. This will spark more personal growth than you can imagine and, strangely, you'll begin to notice examples in your daily life that align with that day's affirmation.
It’s not all for nothing. Whether good or bad, all actions have consequences. We cultivate our personal integrity with every decision we make. Even some of our smallest decisions can have ripple
effects throughout our lives.No one is really paying attention and few care so stop worrying about what others think. The sooner you realize this, the better.
When spending time with friends or walking your dog, keep your phone in your pocket.
Time is a tremendous asset, use it to your advantage. Start investing while you’re young. The power of compound interest is a magical thing.
Invest for the long haul, not for short-term profit. Most people don’t have the stomach or the discipline for short-term investing. Most short-term investments equate to gambling.
Start a business, even if you work for someone else. Having multiple revenue streams will allow you to sleep better at night. Employers are ALWAYS looking out for their best interest, not yours. Remember that.
Invest in you. Cultivate your strengths, work on your weaknesses. Work on yourself, tirelessly and relentlessly. Meditate, learn the deep truths about yourself, participate in therapy to heal past trauma. This is the greatest gift you can give yourself and the world. Hurt people, hurt people (and themselves) even if they don’t realize. The world needs less hurt.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Run towards your fears in life and slay them. Your comfort zone is the barrier between you and success. All of the gold can be found there.
Move. Find one exercise that you enjoy enough to do every day and make this part of your daily routine. It should be something you like enough not to want to skip.
Get a hobby (one of mine is watch collecting). Do a deep dive and geek out about your hobby and talk about it ad nauseum. This pays huge unforeseen dividends and will allow you to make some great friends along the way.
Grow a garden. Growing and tending a garden provides a wellspring of joy, sustenance, as well as life lessons.
Seek out quality. Invest in the highest quality items you can reasonably afford. Quality doesn’t always equate to price so do your research. This goes for clothes, tools, luggage, furniture, etc. Anything cheaply made and/or disposable is usually much more expensive in the long run and worse for the planet. Ideally, material items should spark a little bit of joy in your life. If they don’t do that, think twice about buying them.
Carry a Swiss Army Knife. These things are ingenious and incredibly useful. I keep this one in my pocket at all times and a day never goes by that I don’t use it.
Do you have any life enhancing wisdom bombs? If so, share them in the comments below.
All for now. Trust your instincts, invest in you, live boldly, and take chances.
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Poetry should move us, it should change us, it should glitch our brains, shift our moods to another frequency. Poetry should evoke feelings of melancholy, whimsy, it should remind us what it feels like to be in love, or cause us to think about something in a completely different way. I view poetry, and all art really, as a temporary and fragile bridge between our world and a more pure and refined one. This is a world we could bring into creation if enough of us believed in it. This book is ephemera, destined to end up forgotten, lingering on some dusty shelf or tucked away in a dark attic. Yet the words, they will live on in memory. I hope these words become a part of you, bubble up into your memory when you least expect them to and make you feel a little more alive.
Pick up a copy of Ephemera today on Amazon.
Most of us have experienced a moment of perfect peace at least once in our lives. In these moments we lose ourselves and feel connected to everything. I call these mindful moments. Words can’t describe how complete they make us feel.
These moments are usually fragile, evaporating in seconds. What if there was a way to train your mind to experience more of them? It’s deceptively easy and requires nothing more than a subtle shift in mindset. My new book, Mindful Moments, will teach you to be much more content despite the chaos and imperfect circumstances continuing to unfold around you. Upgrade your life experience today for only $15.99 on Amazon.com.
Let’s Keep In Touch
Some sage advice old man :)
I don't take advice until I look back after the mess and think... hmmmm... "they were so right about that one!"
And about carrying the phone... I can't wait to abandon it as I march out the door.
Remembr when nobody knew where we were after we'd left the house?!
Can't belive so much time has passed since I read you. How and where does it fly...
I came for the stories and poetry. See a new one!
Brb
Hey Nicky! We used to be “off the grid” all the time. 😂 I don’t think I got my first cell phone until 1997 or so. That was a very primitive Motorola. Now, there’s a bit of anxiety if I leave the house without my phone. It’s crazy! Hope you’re well!
Yep. Those were the days 👣💥
All good here, thanks :D
Just super cold out near they coast and now I know why the call it "the Cape of Storms" 👀
I dare you to try it for a day... go wandering and leave your phone at home for a whole day and evening.
No plans or destination allowed but I'd head towards nature and then the local art district, personally.
Call it an "artist's date" with yourself. I used to go rambling for hours. It's really inspiring!
Let me know how it goes if you do?
If I were closer I'd come and drag you out sans phone et al
I'm dropping by to leave you a message of congratulations because I don't know if your birthday has passed. I hope you are well!
Thank you Nancy, you’re very kind! I still have a couple of weeks to enjoy 51 😊. I’ve been in Ohio visiting my family for the past week but am traveling back home today. It’s been a great week of visiting and reminiscing. A new post will be coming soon. Hope you and the family are well and you’re having a good week!
normal I hope you always have a nice day my friend. Greetings to the family there
Thanks!
you are welcome.. have a nice day always.
I'll be turning 25 by tomorrow or midnight and I must confess I feel a bit of those things you experience and I stay away as much as I can.
Like having aching on my feet when I wear less comfortable shoes so these days I select what I wear. And having crazy hangovers so I try to not drink much even though I love drinking.
Those few words you shared are amazing. And I promise to those that I found to resonate with me close to my heart. Thank you for sharing.
Happy birthday in advance. 🎉🎉
Aging is definitely an adventure but there's a lot to enjoy along the way. Thank you for your comment!
Happy birthday in advance great friend 🥳
Thank you Sir!
Those are some good tips. I don't think I have one off the top of my head. If I did, it would probably have something to do with Joy, but I am not sure what. Either that or spend some time in nature. That could be something. I don't think you need to worry about GenXplaning. Some of these people don't know what they don't know.
I appreciate it, my friend! Time in nature is a great one. Nature is an elixir that makes just about everything better, except for those pesky mosquitos.
Yeah, no use for mosquitoes at all!
Greetings, Eric, beautiful reflection, I share your opinion with the compound interest, it is something magical and I have been doing for 3 years with cryptocurrency, and I hope that in the future will bring good fruits, I love how you tell your stories a big hug blessings.
I'm so glad you've enjoyed it. These next few years in the crypto market should pay off big!
I hope so, God hear you, I will be waiting for your next publication to read you, what I like the most are your poems, a big hug
So much wisdom in your words that I could relate with. I started investing just about two years ago, with long-term goals in mind, I hope I started earlier but I'm glad I start when I did.
I wish you an amazing 50th birthday 🎉 In advance.
Thank you! You won't be sorry you started investing and it's never too late!
This is very good news, 52 years is an excellent age and there is a long way to go, the good thing about this is that you do it with more experienceHello dear friend @ericvancewalton good afternoon
You are quite right to say "Time, after all, is our most valuable resource and it is incredibly difficult to fully comprehend it until you are halfway through life."
Excellent tips that you share, thank you very much
have a beautiful evening
Thank you! I think we're around the same age, aren't we? I hope the road ahead is long for the both of us.
Pick your friends and the people you associate with wisely as attitudes, behaviors and patterns (both positive and negative) rub off on people who interact (hand out a lot) with each other. Great list, full of nuggets of wisdom!
Oh, that's a great one! That particular lesson has caused me a lot of hardship. Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
It is clear that a human loses energy and strength as the years pass by.
Happy Birthday in advance my friend!
But knowledge and wisdom more than makes up for the vitality we lose. Thanks!
Happy Birthday in advance to you.
Wishing you more life in good health of mind and body
Thank you very much!
Great quality of life wisdom and also advices on investing on the long haul in order to ensure financial stability in time. I agree with all the points and I'm finding myself doing most of them.
Awesome!
I really wonder what we will do when we will be alive and over other friends, family members would have died. I don't wanna live to the extent when there is no one left to talk and share my feelings. What is the meaning of life if we are alive at the age of 100 years and around us there are only younger people.
I'm not sure how old you are but aging can be a lonely road sometimes, even in your 50's.
I'm in my thirtees now.
That is a great decade of life!
Happy birthday in advance sir.
You have given very useful points here. I love gardening.
100% agree on it.
Thank you! I really miss gardening, we live in a condo now but I hope to have some land to garden soon.
I am 27 years old and I have learned a lot in life and have a lot to learn. The way you have shared the experience of your life with us, we have learned a lot from it. In my view, a wise person is the one who works hard day and night to succeed by looking at people's lives and then he will definitely get success. I myself have been in this market for two years and I made the same mistake that everyone makes, I put too much of my money into the bull market. Within these two years I have learned a lot from my life.
27 is a good age! Believe it or not, your thirties will be even better. A lot of things begin to make sense in your third decade. Studying the lives of those who are already where you want to be is incredibly valuable and will save you a whole lot of time. Making mistakes can be highly valuable too. There will be another massive bull market soon, use the lessons you've learned to your advantage.
Man learns from his mistakes and I have also learned that you should try not to repeat such a mistake in life. Thanks for this great and helpful rply.
Since there's no way to save posts on Hive, I screenshot-ed these. Hope that's alright, I just found a lot that resonated, and also a lot that I wish to keep more focus on as I grow.
I wrote down a quote that said "It's not all for nothing. It's all for everything."
Can't remember whence, but I thought of it when you said it's not all for nothing. :)
I love these. I'd think there's great value in learning from people who know something more than you, irrespective of age, so maybe it's not GenXsplaining, but imparting wisdom :) and thank you for that.
I'm glad you found them helpful! Someone said, "It's not all for nothing" in a podcast I was listening to the day I wrote this and I felt it just fit perfectly into that particular suggestion. It's weird how often those little synchronicities happen. : )
Isn't it? I've been noticing a lot of those, too. Though I reckon it's about where your mind's at in the moment, you know? Those words might've gone right past you, had you been in a different state of mind.
Oh, definitely. We tend to notice whatever is on our minds. This happens to me so often but it still makes me smile every time it happens.
Happy early Birthday to you!
I've got 10 years on you, and definitely relate to your list. As the years wander by, the main difference I notice isn't problems with the doing of things, but how long it takes before I no longer feel sore. 20 miles of hiking? No problem! Just don't ask me to do anything else for 2-3 days!
Thank you! At 50-something I would totally agree. There's not much I can't do but everything takes more forethought and recovery time. Lol.
They say that the 52 is the new 25! hahahaha . Thank you. You've given us some good recommendations, my friend. Many of those I practice. As time passes in us, we take care of what we consume, be it food, drink and thought. One of the things I have taken as a practice is to share with my loved ones, I also try not to take things so seriously (a moment of anger is a moment lost). I dance, listen to music, read a lot. I have also discovered the pleasure of walking barefoot, not only at home, but also on the sand at the beach and on the grass. For some years I have had the routine of drinking water with lemon and baking soda on an empty stomach (maybe that's why I never get sick). And the big secret is to love. To love what we do, our partner, our family. Loving rejuvenates. I'm not going to congratulate you now because I hope to do it in due time. I hope you will post that day and share the cake with us. hahaha. A hug
Lol, there's no way I'd want to be 25 again! You're welcome, Nancy. What great suggestions you give. Pretty much all of our physical maladies are rooted in our emotions, habits, and behaviors. I've heard lemon/soda water is very healthy and so is walking barefoot. I think it allows the Earth's subtle energies to be absorbed by your body, rubber soled shoes insulate you from that. I'll definitely post closer to my b-day! I think I'll celebrate the entire month of June. Oh wait, I'm too old for that much celebrating. : )
Hahahaha. There is a saying that goes, "If the young man knew and the old man could, there would be nothing that could not be done." In your 50's you have the experience and still have the youth to do many things, Eric. Besides, youth is a matter of spirit and attitude and you have plenty of that. A Venezuelan compliment: "As with good wines, time has improved you". Tomorrow begins the anniversary month. Cheers
#hive #posh
I think your life is very perfect now. You have a family that loves you and you have investments that continue to work for you. In this middle age you just need to enjoy your life. God bless you, Eric.
I am very grateful for and satisfied with where I'm at in life. I spent decades hoping, working, and dreaming of it...worrying that I'd never achieve my goals but then everything just fell into place. Thank you very much! Bless you too Eliana! Enjoy your week.
Don't worry. That only makes you worried.
Good one! : )
So much truth here. I'm on my way toward 40, and I've spent my 30s stripping away all the baloney that society seems to want all the "young folks" to believe.
I've become very conscious of waste and our disposable culture, and so the bit about investing in quality is definitely resonating with me. Stop buying 10 of something cheap, and take half that amount and go get something that will last you a veritable lifetime. Like you said, quality doesn't always equal expensive either.
Evolution is comprised of so much "unlearning", isn't it? I feel like that part took me decades. Much of what society teaches us is to control us or keep us in a certain role that's useful and advantageous to those who control society.
I started becoming conscious of the quality of things I was buying when I was about your age. It makes life so much easier and you really start to realize how the disposable culture negatively impacts your life. Life becomes much more vibrant when you own things that bring you joy.
HA! Yes, "unlearning" is a good way to put it. Unsubscribe to the controlled narrative and don't be afraid to be human. Surround yourself with things that spark joy, whether it be a collection, or an activity, at the end of the day, you never know how much time you've got on this planet, so dare to be happy in the moment. 👏
Excellent advice. Loved the one about confronting your fears. Takes a lot of courage to do that.
I also agree with the importance if decent footwear.. we've been walking a lot on this trip and I was just saying earlier how happy I am with my sneakers😀
Thanks! Good shoes are mucho importante! 😊
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STOPCheck out our last posts:
What many people are looking for is happiness.
Happiness is actually in yourself.
Grateful to have a wife, job and family, and that's when I get happiness and passion in living life.
Life from the time of the prophet Adam to Adam Smith has not changed much. But we must change to train ourselves to be better and do more good.
True, we can't find any sort of lasting happiness externally. It's almost as if we decide we're going to be happy then it comes to be.
In this world there is only a small outpouring of favors that are not even worth one wing of a mosquito. I believe that in the afterlife there will be great and lasting blessings.
It's good to pick up some valuable tips asking the road if life isn't it. I shall be nicking a few of these!
Hey my friend! I'm glad you found some of these useful. : )
Yeah, man. I love seeing other perspectives and tips. Its nice when you can nod along to some and think yep and then others you go oooo, good idea!
I like that too, I seek them out. The older I get the less I realize I know!
Writing is an art and you are an Artist ;) Happy advance birthday mate ;) May you have many more. There is too much to learn from your writings.
Thank you! I appreciate it!
Thank you for sharing these tips with us, I find them quite valuable since they can save us a lot of time and mistakes to learn them.
At my 25 years I have learned that there are no shortcuts, if something seems too good to be true, it must be a trap, we must trust our instincts and follow them.
You're welcome! The only shortcuts are to learn from someone who's already made some mistakes and learned some lessons.