Live and Let Live: Making Your Own Rules

I recently played volleyball competitively for the first time in six years, and it was a lot of fun. I would have missed out on that opportunity if I had let my fears or what people thought I should or shouldn't do get in the way.

How many times do you want to do something and you don't? Why not? As I get older I realize how much what others think or what our culture believes dictates what moves I make in my day-to-day life. Blah!

How do you shake it? I guess you have to just get so tired of living by all the rules set up by everyone other than you to just say "forget that" and do your own thing. Maybe that's why so many young people think so many older people are crazy -- maybe a lot of them have just stopped being restrained by some manmade code that the rest of us live by.

Teenagers create their own code for what's cool or not cool. Young adults are always looking for the "in" thing or spot. Other moms will create rules for how you should raise your baby. At the office you'll see people swaying to the left or right depending on which side is more popular with the boss. I don't know about you, but I'm personally becoming rule and code overloaded.

One of my husband's best friends, a guy he trains with and travels all around the world going snowboarding with, is 74 years old. Listen, there aren't many 35-year-olds who can keep up with this guy. Weight-lifting, mountain-biking, surfing, you name it, this man is doing it. He is always willing to try new things and never allows age to be a reason he can't. In fact he told me that if he looks back he was really at his all-around best in his 50s! How many people do you know who say, "Oh, I can't do that, I'm getting too old." They are buying into an idea of how they are supposed to be feeling or living.

This is your life. Define it how you want. Being healthy and taking care of yourself gives you more strength to do that. So forget about getting down to a size 4 because you want to look cute. How about eat well and keep moving so you can get the most out of your life and yourself?

If you have "friends" around you who bring you down or hold you back, get rid of them. Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth, but who support you and yell "Charge!" as you lead the way.

Each day is a new chance and it's never too late. If you want to go ahead and make that change in yourself or your life, you can do it. Going against the grain? Great, enjoy it and have fun your way all the way.

from yahoo health