DISCOVERING MY INTEREST IN JAZZ

I've been telling people that we all need to "rewire early and to rewire often." What I mean is that we constantly need to be looking at our life and adding and deleting activities, interests, even relationships. We need to learn how to discard and how to add. Many people across the country have told me that they don't have a hobby, or even an interest. They've become too family and work -oriented, or just tired, and they've lost their fun.

I don't remember how, where or why but a few years ago I developed a low level interest in jazz. I stress the word, low level, because I want everyone to realize that passions don't just happen...they build. I wasn't just listening to jazz, I found myself at Jazz At Lincoln Center ; I watched the Ken Burns video on JAZZ. I'm someone who needs to know the background on a topic..how did jazz get birthed? What makes jazz, jazz? Where does Miles or "Bird" or Dizzy fit in? Why were they considered great?

One of my personal drivers in life is to constantly be learning. To give me a jumpstart, Michael Bomwell, a New York-based jazz saxaphonist, lent me The Smithsonian Collection of Classical Jazz. It is great! I am really understanding Jazz, the Blues, Ragtime and Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton!

I'm also reading the VERY colorful autobiography of MILES DAVIS and can say that there appears to be a lot of regret, recovery and fulfillment in the world of jazz artists. As my interest has been growing, I have been doing more exploring, and just discovered that a colleague from my days at WORKING WOMAN magazine, Marc Myers, writes one of the web's most popular daily blogs, JazzWax.com. Marc's writing has also been exciting and his love and knowledge of jazz makes reading his blog a joy and an overall experience! So my rewiring has allowed me to reconnect with a friend and get great jazz insights on a daily basis!

Yes, life is still challenging; unemployment is up and the Dow is down (at least today it is!) but the erraticness of life seems to be a bit more managable now that I have a new interest to explore and "cool" jazz constanly playing in the background. So how about it... are you ready to rewire and find your new fun?

REWIRE ON THE JOB---and KEEP YOUR JOB!

These tough economic times know no boundaries! Canada, like the United States, is now going through its worst recession since the 1930's and many Canadians, are looking to refocus their careers and their lives.

I was flattered when the Toronto Sun picked my brains for ideas on how to use the rewiring process to help their readers refocus their life at work and play. I think that it's a greater challenge to enact change when you are living in the middle of change itself, but I totally believe it's possible to take back some control in our lives--- in fact I think it is actually highly desirable! You might be thinking --"no way"--but the truth is, we are in greater control of our lives than we realize.

I know that it's hard to imagine that, especially on days where we feel totally out of it but take the time to read the Toronto Sun article---the tips and new ideas I present work regardless of where you live, work or play!

DANCING WITH THE STARS CONTESTANTS ARE GREAT ROLE MODELS OF REWIRING!

Dancing with the Stars is a terrific metaphor for Rewiring™. The celebrities involved are almost always people who achieved a level of fame, but now the reason for that fame is fading, faded--or gone. But they still want to be visible and known for something.

The stars I’m talking about weren't trained as dancers. But like great dancers, these actors and athletes almost always are willing to make a sacrifice. Actors wait on tables and athletes strain almost daily at the gym. In the case of dancing, all of them had to learn a whole new set of skills. They are always drawing on strengths from their past, whether that's talent, discipline, courage, or simply the ability to make people want to root for them.

Significant is the fact that none of them rewire alone. They seek out encouragement and training from a variety of sources, from their primary dancing instructors to the parade of motivators that surface during their training and performances. By taking the risk of looking foolish, failing, or having people say they should have stayed retired or out of the limelight, they have opened themselves up to new opportunities. There is a lesson here for all of us.

WORKING OUT AND WALKING ARE GREAT ECONOMIC RECOVERY SPORTS

I've heard that during times of change and challenge that people take to working out more. I was curious to see if there was any data to support this notion, and discovered that the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association had some very interesting findings.

Since a lot of the work I do has to do with mature workers, remember that is any one over the age of 40, (I know many of you may be freaking!) I have a high interest in that group. I learned that the most popular athletic activities among people 55+ are fishing and golf followed by fitness walking, treadmill exercise, stretching, and the use of hand weights.

Since people are watching their money, I love the fact that walking, stretching, and lifting weights are free or inexpensive, and in this economy, that sounds pretty good. In fact The Wall Street Journal had a great editorial by Cameron Stracher called RUNNING FOR LEAN TIMES.

I live in New York City, and have run in the MORE mini- marathon, but more importantly for me, I walk alot. The health benefits of walking are huge. Walkers are a lot healthier than their sedentary friends. Walking reduces the chances for cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and if these aren't good enough reasons to put on your sneakers or comfortable shoes I don't know what are! Yes it means that you have to rewire your mindset and view walking as fun and as a positive move, and not as drudgery!

And by the way, when you walk you will want to stretch before and after. And that means you've participated in two positive sports!! So go for it. And start out slowly; don't overdue and don't try to prove that you're a jock if you're not!

YOGA CAN KEEP YOU YOUNG

I had been saying that I wanted to build yoga in to my life for awhile now. And like many of you, I live in the land of good intentions (it sounds better than saying the land of procrastination) and some things get done faster than others. But I'm pleased to say that practicing yoga and trying to live what I call a yoga life--- are now a part of my life. I always knew that yoga was good for my body, soul and spirit but I was even more thrilled when a friend sent me the article entitled: "YOGA'S GRANNY SWAMI"http://www.news.com.au/

Bette Calman is an 83 year old yoga instructor who has no problem doing a headstand and has taught the spirit of yoga for over 40 years. She is an inspiration on every level. As I travel the country giving people ideas on how they can rewire their life I now add ---and try yoga. Be aware that there are many different types of yoga and yogis so you may try a few different classes before you find one that feeds your spirit and soul.

If you want to do some homework, read YOGA JOURNAL or check out The Everything Yoga blog at http://www.itsallaboutyoga.com/.
Namaste

Suzanne Braun Levine Does It Again!

The whole "age thing" can rock people. Some people out there are denying their age; even denying to themselves that they're getting older. And then some people I know, not many, but some, say they are actually older than they really are so others will think they look terrific for their age! ( and can you imagine one time the culprit was my own little sister!) She got back into yoga and living right and quickly returned to her senses.

But it is the French philosophy that I love. They say "you have to feel good in your own skin." For all I know the French could be big fans of plastic surgery but regardless I still think it's a wonderful philosophy to live by.

And now Suzanne Braun Levine's new book, FIFTY Is the New Fifty, offers a great new philosophy that I think many of us have been waiting for! The book is honest, practical, inspiring even a little irreverant and everyone should read it and LIVE IT! And if you want to know more or subscribe to her newsletter visit http://www.suzannebraunlevine.com/.
You keep us in the present and honest Suzanne!

DOCTORS SAY- DON'T RETIRE! and LIVE TO 100!

It's one thing for me to say to people, don't retire, but it's a whole other thing when doctors and medical research supports my belief! Deborah Kotz of USNews, recently wrote an article, entitled: 10 Health Habits That Will Help You Live to 100. I've included a few pertinent paragraphs below.

The biggest factor that determines how well you age is not your genes but how well you live. Not convinced? A new study published in the British Medical Journal of 20,000 British folks shows that you can cut your risk of having a stroke in half by doing the following four things: being active for 30 minutes a day, eating five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, and avoiding cigarettes and excess alcohol.

While those are some of the obvious steps you can take to age well, researchers have discovered that centenarians tend to share certain traits in how they eat, move about, and deal with stress—the sorts of things we can emulate to improve our own aging process. Of course, getting to age 100 is enormously more likely if your parents did. Still, Thomas Perls, who studies the century-plus set at Boston University School of Medicine, believes that assuming you've sidestepped genes for truly fatal diseases like Huntington's, "there's nothing stopping you from living independently well into your 90s." Heck, if your parents and grandparents were heavy smokers, they might have died prematurely without ever reaching their true potential lifespan, so go ahead and shoot for those triple digits by following these 10 habits:

1. Don't retire. "Evidence shows that in societies where people stop working abruptly, the incidence of obesity and chronic disease skyrockets after retirement," says Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. The Chianti region of Italy, which has a high percentage of centenarians, has a different take on leisure time. "After people retire from their jobs, they spend most of the day working on their little farm, cultivating grapes or vegetables," he says. "They're never really inactive." Farming isn't for you? Volunteer as a docent at your local art museum or join the Experience Corps, a program offered in 19 cities that places senior volunteers in urban public elementary schools for about 15 hours a week.

Now do you belive me when I tell you take the time to read Don't Retire, REWIRE! You won't be sorry!