I’ve had a month where my body feels older than I am.
A stubborn tennis elbow has been just annoying enough to interrupt my sleep and my mood, and pain has a way of shrinking your field of vision. It makes everything feel more dramatic than it probably is. Suddenly, you’re not just sore—you’re contemplating time, aging, and whether gravity is accelerating.
Meanwhile, in my ladies’ golf group, several of the women are in their late 80s and early 90’s, and they are my inspiration. They play golf multiple times a week, travel with friends, play board games, and maintain social lives that would exhaust people half their age. They are sharp, funny, opinionated, and fully engaged with their lives.
I also recently watched the Mel Brooks documentary on HBO—The 99-Year-Old Man. He’s still hilarious, still creating, still unmistakably himself. It brought back memories of my dad, who adored him, and it reinforced something I’ve been noticing everywhere lately: aging well seems to have far more to do with engagement than with avoiding discomfort.
One of the women I golf with, who has been playing for more than 50 years, has a line she offers whenever I get frustrated about my game. She’ll smile and say, “Focus on the good shots, and forget about the bad ones.”
It’s excellent golf advice.
It’s also good LIFE advice.
So if you have been struggling with something in your life, whether it is physical or emotional, here’s a small practice for this week: Pay Attention to What Is Working.
The things you handled well.
The moments that surprised you.
The effort you showed up with—even if the outcome wasn’t perfect.
Let the bad shots, the mistakes, and the failed attempts fall to the wayside.
Growth and improvement come from attention, practice, and perseverance.
Happy Wednesday,
Jackie
