By Beth Sobiloff

Even though I am the younger granny, and this isn’t exactly a milestone birthday, I still feel the need to pause and take stock of my life at an “advanced” age!

Having a January birthday means that this is the time of year that I also think about what I’ve accomplished over the past year, and what I look forward to accomplishing over the coming year.  So it works out well.

There’s no doubt that each year brings with it a little less ability to move swiftly and smoothly, and that’s a concern. I’ve been health-conscious for most of my adult life.  I eat organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, and only grass-fed, hormone-free and antibiotic-free meats. I’ve cut way back on the amount of dairy and gluten in my diet. And I believe that it has paid off. Now, if I could just kick my addiction to sugar!

But even more importantly, I realize that I need to move more. Having a profession where I sit in front of a computer most of the day is a problem.  So for Christmas, I asked my husband to get me a standing desk, which he did. I think that will be very helpful. I also bought a subscription to Essentrics, which is an exercise system that uses very gentle motions and stretches to help keep you flexible and improve your balance.  I’m really enjoying it, and my goal this year is to do some every day.  I might add that Marcia has been doing this for years, and she’s more flexible than I am, even though she’s a few years older! (Yes, I do keep rubbing it in, hehe.)

I know that just about everyone sets health goals for the coming year, so this is nothing special.  However, I do feel that it’s more and more important the older we get. So this coming year, we will be talking more about staying healthy in advanced years.  It’s hard to convince people that they should pursue their dreams at any age if they feel very limited in what they can do because of their health. And I’ll just say this.  I think we all need to be our own advocates for our health.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to accept “you’re getting older, things happen”. If I have a health issue, I want to fix it, in the least invasive way possible.  And I believe in fixing the problem, not just covering up the symptoms.  OK, best if I get off my soap box now.

Marcia and I have also been putting a lot more thought into planning our Two Grannies activities for the coming year.  We want to travel more. In order to do that, we need to think about ways to raise money.  Like it or not, gasoline, auto repairs, accommodations and food have a cost to them. We’re also putting a lot of time into producing and editing the shows, and frankly, I think we deserve to get a little something in return.  Don’t get me wrong, we do it because we love it, and we love the fact that people enjoy the show and want to visit the places where we’ve been.  We really do love sharing those hidden gems. We’re thrilled if the businesses that we visit get new customers because of the exposure that they get from our show and social media posts.  But, if we can raise some money, we can travel more and share more.  Everybody wins! So we’ve come up with some sponsorship opportunities for businesses, as well as membership opportunities for individuals on Patreon.  It’s not completely set up yet, but will be soon. We will be sharing content with members that no one else will get to see! Stay tuned!

No one knows how long their life will be, but I plan on being around for at least another 20 years, and I plan on those being happy, healthy years, full of travel, adventures, fun, and meeting lots of new people. You’re never too old to pursue your dreams!