Summer is coming to an end and we all know this by the signs in Target and Walmart for back to school, but still doesn’t mean it’s time to stop playing. I love seeing parents play with their kids in the summer and being active with them. Now, take a moment and go back to when you were a kid. Always running around, could eat anything, jump off anything and would go non-stop like the energizer bunny. Ask my parents, I was a handful let me tell you. Today, I still feel like I’m a child at heart and go non-stop. Most people today do not feed their youthfulness anymore like they did as a kid. We are told to mature and grow, but in that process we should maintain our childlike wonder. We should all strive to remain youthful, which will give us energy and spark. Another aspect that changes as we grew up is our mindset. We shift from being hopeful, dream pursing drive, and constant amazement as kids to hopelessness and strife as adults. Let’s go back to when we were kids and take notes. It is time to regain your youthfulness like a child again, which will unlock more energy and passion to your life. Below are practical tips and steps to regain your youth:
Physical Training
Kids are active all the time which is called “play.” You can watch them run and never seem to get tired. Now as we got older, we took “play” and labeled it as “exercise.” Most of us will run but then will be on the couch for the rest of the day. Start to modify your training to boost your youth.
When it comes to physical training there are components that will help maintain youthfulness as we grow. Lifting weights (depending on the intensity) is great but not sustainable over our whole life span. The fountain of youth physically is found in conditioning such as interval training and hypertrophy training. Perform intervals parameters like Tabata (20 seconds of work with 10 seconds off for a total of 4 min) will help you feel energize and alive. Perform high repetitions of body weight calisthenics in a circuit such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats, single leg glute thrusters, and TRX rows if you have a suspension trainer. Both these activities will increase your heart rate and build muscular endurance.
Recovery
Being youthful is not just physical activity but also how we rest and rejuvenate. I remember the best aspect of being a kid was nap time in class. This allows our brain to hit the reset button to recharge. Take a ten to fifteen-minute nap during the week as needed. Also consider going to bed an hour earlier or at least get into bed earlier than usual if naps never work for you. Other necessary components outside of sleep are hydration. Just drink as often as possible. These recovery components will help us stay rejuvenated.
Mindset
Mainly, the fountain of youth is found in our mindset and heart. We particularly think youth is about being young, which is correct but really it describes characteristics of who we are and what we can still be. We must find ways to maintain our youthful traits as we age. These traits include hopefulness, humility, belief, enthusiasm, and passion. Having a mental mindset of youthfulness will make you feel younger. We can have abundance of energy, enthusiasm, and adventure seeking thrill. I remember the most asked question as a kid “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I know all of us said something along the lines of “I want to be an astronaut or a ninja.” In my case it was to be a NASCAR driver and a US NAVY BLUE ANGEL pilot both which seek literal adventure. I remember mom freaking out. Go back to that same way of thinking and draw out your childhood dream. Randy Paucsh wrote an amazing book called “The Last Lecture” He points out we are to live out our childhood dreams or at least strive towards that direction of adventure and something we are enthusiastic about. This will reignite passion within you and give you that jolt of energy.
Child-Like Faith
Lastly and most importantly our youthfulness comes from our belief in God. Go back to when you were a child believing so strongly in holiday character representatives. We are to take that same foundation of faith and belief towards God. As we age, we lose sight of child-like faith and form personal and worldly perspectives. This stunts our youthfulness and ultimately our joy. It is joy that drives us to remain youthful. So, it is youthfulness that reignites joyfulness within us. We are called to be youthful and joyful in the Lord. This joyfulness becomes the true spring of life. Where do we find complete and sustainable joy? You will find the true fountain of youth is Jesus himself. In the bible a woman encountered Jesus at a well to symbolize how He is the fountain of youth.
A Samaritan woman had an encounter with our youthful source. She met Jesus at a well, and he explains who he is to her. Jesus explains that everlasting life comes from salvation and surrendering to Him! Accept Him and live for Him! The true fountain of youth comes from believing and trusting fully in the Lord. We won’t live forever on this earth, but God desires us to live forever with Him and never be apart from Him. We all can have eternal life through Christ Jesus by believing He is the eternal spring of life, which is the Good News! The source of our youth comes from above. This benefits our health physically, mentally, and spiritually. Learn to maintain your child-like nature which is the foundation of our playfulness and energy. Remember it is not the length of your life, but the depth of your life that matters most. This will help you maximize your life now and help you regain as well as remain youthful.
Take-a-ways:
• Interval Training such as Tabata
• Hypertrophy training: High reps low weight
• Proper Eating: Think density to increase your intensity
• Hydration: Often as possible
• Sleep/Naps: Go to bed an hour earlier and nap for 15 min once/twice per week
• Youthfulness: Continue to believe God has the best for your life
