With so many folks sharing lists on Facebook and my birthday just marching by, I thought it would be fun to make up a list of how to stay young. I've pulled it off to some extent, even though many scoffers said it would wear off by now.
FYI: Many of these may be RESULTS of being young at heart, not CAUSES, but I believe most of them help out in some way or another. Also, I'm not an expert on anything mentioned here. Allison McCormick might know how the food part works, and Kayla Nye might understand the physical activities. Tons of my teacher friends will understand the general outlook on the life of an elementary kid.
Anyways, here we go:
1) Run around a lot. Not like a marathon, but because it's fun. Haven't you seen a 4 year old book it from room to room intent on whatever his little world is focused on? Whenever the volleyball is hit to 3 courts down I always try to go get it. It's not to show off, or be obnoxious (although both might happen as a result), it's just to run and run and run.
Eric Liddell sums up (in Chariots of Fire at least) what I feel every time I run for a loose ball or jump over some random object : "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."
2) Skip New Year. It may sound silly, but I began to skip New Year in the 2007 range in a hot tub with Evan Winer. It's not the physical act of skipping the ball dropping or not knowing the passing of Midnight, but it's the mental decision that this hyped up passing of 1 second from the clock isn't worth dictating my activity for the moment. Sure, I'll celebrate the New Year, but I'm not going to let some piece of some holiday (especially a secular one) decide what I'm doing.
I shoveled the driveway this year. Other years I've taken a lap around the house. Outdoor hot tub is still the favorite though.
3) Learn! At some point in the 20's we acknowledge that we thought we knew everything in our teens, but really we knew nothing and now that we know that we know everything. Read a book! Doesn't have to be a school text book. Read Ender's Game and consider the ethical dilemmas that run right along side of school yard dynamics. Or the Chronicles of Narnia! Each book will awaken the imagination (that the internet and modern media have put to sleep) and at the same time each book will teach Spiritual Truths in a form that is SO easy to digest.
Also you can learn through experiments, or art projects. Use creativity and imagination. Color! Even use the internet to come up with some random experiment that is probably free and fun. Our Youth Pastor is constantly coming up with new experiment that I'm often baffled and amazed by. Learning can be fun, and I think it'll keep you young!
4) Calories. While learning about things, look up calories. Never mind, here it is:
Calorie = "the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1 °C (now usually defined as 4.1868 joules)."
I think of these things different than most (and probably incorrectly in this case). Calories are like clutter in your house. If you don't clean it up, it'll find a spot to stick and you'll end up on hoarders. Well if you don't clean up your calories on a regular basis they'll stick to you in places you don't want it. So simply if I have a Swiss Roll pack then I just need to move, jump, run, and dive enough to change X grams of water through X degrees Celsius.
So long story short. Don't drive everywhere. Ride you're bike to church, or work, or whatever. Not to save gas (although that's nice) but because it's cool! Make it a goal to make it to one weekly activity on your bike. I try for Youth Group in the Summer, and then anytime I go to friends and I have 20 minutes extra I'll bust a ride there. It's fun and it's a good example to kiddos that are apt to follow us right into feeling like we need a car.
5) Work with kids. This is my favorite! Usually. Personally I teach a Learn to Swim class twice a week, then I go to two church activities with kids. Everyone has different interests and limits on how much kid they can deal with. Find your niche and go for it. Maybe helping one kid with homework is more to your limit. Be intentional about it!
You don't have to focus on needy kids either. Your friends will probably appreciate you helping their kids with homework so A) they get a break and B) someone (that may or may not be "cool") reinforces the worldview they've been striving to lead their kids into. Some parents need some prodding, but next thing you know you'll be coloring and running around with a light saber.
6) Get decent sleep when you can... but never give up friends for sleep. Well not never. I think it's important to get a good night of sleep on a regular schedule, but I also think it's important to stay up til 3am star tipping (if you don't know what that is it'll also help you stay young unless you're a victim of getting dizzy as you get older), playing taboo, or talking with folks you haven't seen for a while. I'm an early bird, but every once and a while an all nighter can liven things up.
7) Don't worry. This is straight up Biblical. The lilies of the field don't worry, so trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understand, and don't worry about tomorrow cause He's got it under control. Pretty much enough said. Don't let life cripple you. When finals are coming up study for 2 hours then go throw a Frisbee for a bit. If you're unsure then pray about it.
8) Fresh air can rejuvenate you. This goes along with some of the others as well. Study breaks outside help renew your mind 4.7 times better than study breaks watching tv or napping. It's science. It's not science. But you see the point. Something about pumping blood through your system will help you focus. This is something our kids need to do more as well.
9) Don't drink (pop, coffee, alcohol, energy drinks) or smoke (or do drugs). One more situation where I'm an oddball. I wouldn't condemn folks for these things, but I would condemn myself for it. Our bodies are a time bomb and all of those things seem to take time off of the clock. I know you can even out some of those things by working out maybe, but in order to keep life simple I avoid them. Less junk in, less junk out.
Energy drinks are the new ones on this list. I personally have never had on but they terrify me. There are physical laws, like the conservation of energy. I think we're overlooking something when we drink a Monster or 5 hour energy and figure our day is good to go. Our body has to process that stuff and I am betting we'll pay for it later (with exploding hearts).
10) Keep life simple: Eat PB&J every day. It's the perfect storm. A nutritionist could tell me why, but I just figure there is some protein, fruit and bread mixed together. I love PB&J. I look forward to lunch every day because of it. Yogurt too for that matter. Some things need mixing up here and there, but PB&J with a Dannon (or some live culture yogurt of some sort) keep me going all year.
So scoff again if you want, maybe my heart will explode tomorrow. But until then I'll keep eating Little Debbie's like it's my job and running down errant foul balls (even if I have to push other kids out of the way to do it. JK. But seriously.... jk.)
