When you lived in the desert in the 1800s, there were no dams to store and provide water when there was no rain for years on end. That was a huge challenge. Our environment still offers us challenges. I want to address more personal challenges in this post.
Life is full of challenges and decisions. As I reach the latter end of my life, it is less about making decisions about the challenges, and more about getting through them. Some challenges can be avoided in life by making good decisions early on.
- healthy lungs – don’t smoke
- healthy brain – don’t drink to excess, DO read, study, play mind games
- healthy joints especially knees and hips – keep your weight under control
- healthy heart – keep physically active rather than being sedentary
- have income in your retirement – train for and keep a job, pick your employer well, do the work, be on time, get along with your peers and bosses, be true to yourself if asked to do something illegal and find a different job.
- choose a spouse that meets your criteria and hopefully that your family likes.
- learn to get along with your siblings
Assuming that you make good choices when you are young, you will have fewer challenges as you age. However, throughout life things will crop up over which you have little or no control. These are some of the challenges I have faced in my life.
- cancer – mine was breast cancer – no one in my family had breast cancer
- death of a spouse – I lost my first husband the day before I turned 43.
- family fights – My brother turned against me when it was time to take care of Mom instead of the other way around. He eventually realized he was wrong and apologized but we had several tough years and I had to hire a lawyer to protect my interests so I could take care of my mom.
- mental illness or other mental problems – My brother had brain damage at birth.
- physical birth defects – I was born with a double cleft lip and alveolar cleft (between two front teeth)
- divorce – My parents divorced when I was 15 and my brother was 13.
- moving – We moved several times when I was a child and that always meant changing schools. Moving is always stressful, but also interrupts a child’s education.
- injury – I injured my knee playing pickleball last year and because of it developed deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms and pneumonia which were life-threatening.
- pandemic – Even though I haven’t had COVID that I know of in the last two years, that has been a challenge for everyone worldwide. I was very sick from August through November of last year so I can identify with those who had the disease and did not know if they would survive or not.
Challenges happen to the young and old, rich and poor, sick and well. We all have a choice to do the right things and have good attitudes which go a long way in helping us overcome and survive our challenges.
I don’t wish you a life without challenges, but I wish you help in solving and coping with your challenges and living a fulfilling life in spite or because of them. God bless you always.
#Bloganuary #blogprompt
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
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