Beyond Comfort
Embracing Challenge and Adventure !!
I still remember the times we would play in the summer afternoons out in the open grounds. Exhausted we would head to the nearest handpump for a drink of water and then wolf down some roadside pakodas (tele bhaja). There would be some wounds which would sometimes fester before some red mercurochrome would take care of it. Cut to today were everything is home delivered in 10 minutes and even haircuts can be scheduled at home. Becoming captives of our devices we are bringing up an indoor generation who have never really braved the elements or the vicissitudes of life.
In this we have created the Comfort Crisis. In the sanitized environments that we dwell in these days communicable or infectious diseases are rare and easily cured. When I was in Medica Hospitals we analysed data on how the disease patterns have shifted into lifestyle diseases or metabolic dysfunctions. Obesity is an epidemic, diabetes is a tsunami, hypertension has surged, food allergies which were unheard of a few decades ago have reared their heads. Mental health and loneliness are swimming under the surface but are really whales in their impact.
Our minds and bodies are used to dealing with the elements, grime and infections and challenges of daily life. Comfort does not seem to have comforted our existential condition.
Us midlifers have been witness to the transition and often bask in the pleasure of not having to stand in the queues for rations and the likes. The airconditioned comforts of the malls and the hypermarts have seduced us away from the simpler and more tough conditions we have grown up in.
So …. How do we get out of this addition of comfort? I have a few ways that I have been trying out myself:
1. Reconnect with Nature: I took up hiking a few months ago in the Aravalis around Gurgaon. The community and forest baths (not really the bathing you are imagining!! ;P) really invigorate me. To be honest sometimes it is a bit of a fight to get myself to the starting point but once one gets there te spirit turns out stronger than the pains in the limbs that inevitably follow. I believe that if we can reconnect to the adventure and uncertainty of the wild it will charge the mind and the body to combat the inertia that often creeps in with age. If you do not have any wilderness near you even a patch of green or a lake will do you wonders.
2. Nutritional Awakening: Food is a major weakness and it really shows on me!! I have always been averse to the dieting fads that keep floating around. I have been reading up about nutrition from diverse sources and have concluded that we need to somewhat design out food intake to account for both macro and micro nutrients. Just being aware of it is often enough to balance out things. Getting an expert opinion on the matter is also good, especially for those who have various conditions that I discussed above. Just make sure you choose a dietician who at least does not starve your soul. I have also been taking some supplements from time to time as our food and lifestyle does not give us some very critical micronutrients and vitamins such as Vitamin D 12. I will address this in a separate newsletter soon!! So watch out !!
3. Physical Reawakening: The risks of a sedentary lifestyle become more pronounced in midlife. Take up an activity, any activity that you feel happy doing. There is no age to learn a sport or pick up an interest. Often we fear judgement of people around us but the reality is all those who care will definitely support and admire you for your initiative.
4. Mental Expansion: Learning in school and college often felt imposed and stressful. As we move through life picking up learnings, interests, expertise and pursuits some of us have made learning a way of life. For the others just pick up a book, tune into an inspiring podcast and wake up those grey cells!!! Diversity of curiosity in a fast evolving world will supercharge your mind and zest for life.
5. Cultivating Connection: My last newsletter was about the magic of lifelong friendships. Friendships and bonds can be formed at any age and with any age group. I personally believe that having a diverse set of friends keeps our social lives exciting. Since I moved to Gurgaon I have had the pleasure of making friends with people several decades younger than me and yet the bonds and trust shine through. It is a misconception that friends are not made later in life. Even if you are not as outgoing do reach out to people who share your passions and form communities of shared knowledge or activities. It can make all the difference!!
The "Comfort Crisis" in midlife is not a sentence but a starting point for transformation. By consciously stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing the challenges that come our way, we can and we will unlock a more vibrant, fulfilling second act of life.
Tell me the one thing you have done in 2023 to get outside your Comfort Bubble !