Healthysport

How To Enjoy Life as we Mature and Retire

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Reflection: Living Within Means

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LOL. I have nothing to research today, which feels strange because researching has been a habit of mine since the internet first became part of daily life. Still, I learned a new word: Lagum, which means having—and enjoying—what is enough in life.

Out of habit, especially back when I was still earning good money, I would automatically search online for answers to my questions or easily subscribe to apps and websites to satisfy my curiosity about new skills or areas of learning. Sometimes, I mindlessly browsed online stores for the most trivial things that crossed my mind. The result was accumulation—things I never truly needed. The knowledge I hoped to gain sat unopened in books I bought but never read. I had apps that charged me for years without ever being opened. Cameras, gadgets, laptops, and PCs were acquired on impulse, driven by the idea that I might someday use them to learn a new skill or technique. In the end, nothing came of them.

Lately, especially now that I live on a fixed income, I still find myself habitually searching for new ideas, tasks, or desires—dental fixes, toothpaste, and mouthwash being my most recent fascinations. Then there are plants and gardening: grow lights, clear propagation boxes, starter plants—some of them expensive even at a discount. Yet this hobby feels different. It gives me something to look forward to each day. I wake up excited to see a new leaf, a new bud, or a flower. My interest has expanded beyond indoor plants to propagating ornamentals and experimenting with soil mixes, watering schedules, humidity levels, plant groupings, and light exposure. There is always a reason to step into my growing room and patiently watch for new shoots or roots.

I understand my own nature better now. My personality has always been like lighter fluid—sudden ignition, a large and dramatic flame, followed by quick burnout. Having extra resources in the past only intensified that tendency. With fewer resources now, I pause more. I take time, linger, double-check, and assess the true value of whatever captures my attention. It reminds me of old-fashioned window shopping—people who linger without buying because they cannot afford to indulge. I have seen how unchecked desire can spiral: young people going into debt over credit cards, coworkers sued for unpaid bills, salaries garnished. While I usually stayed within my means, even that restraint can become its own burden.

At times, I wonder if I am shortchanging myself. I still have some resources, yet I fear I may be living too far below my means—sacrificing joy and happiness in the name of frugality, penny-counting, and excessive restraint.

But perhaps the better question is not whether I deny myself too much, but whether what I enjoy daily is exactly what I am meant to enjoy. There can be a disconnect between what feels like “enough” to my authentic self and what the world—both virtual and real—defines as enough.

This is where the presence of the Holy Spirit becomes invaluable. It shapes my mindset, clarifies what is right and wrong, and draws a clear line between what is enough and what is too much. What truly fulfills me is simple: meditation, exercise, reading good books, gardening, and revisiting skills I once learned but abandoned. These are the things that genuinely make me happy.

Still, I sometimes wake up thinking about things that could potentially add happiness—gadgets, apps, subscriptions, jewelry, watches, computers. The list is endless, and it is easy to see how covetousness and greed are fueled by internet marketing. This realization partly explains my desire to step away from the online world.

There is, however, an escape from these temptations. Just as a young woman who once spent freely learns restraint when she marries and starts a family, or an adventurous young man settles into a stable job, life changes shape behavior. Responsibility reorders priorities.

The same is true for me. Retirement and limited resources have forced me to value what truly matters. Aging imposes boundaries—things I can and cannot do. Online shopping must stop because desire no longer aligns with reality. Travel and adventure are uncertain due to medical and physical limitations. Career ambitions and business ventures are no longer viable. Even social media must be kept minimal; frequent posting feeds my people-pleasing tendencies and disturbs my peace. I learned this the hard way when constant checking of likes and views cost me sleep and serenity. These are daily lessons the Holy Spirit places before me. This mindset is not a one-time transformation but an ongoing process of self-discovery, habit adjustment, and meaning-making.

That is why I cherish meditation—it is my way of discovering myself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Today is Monday, and Jim has finally returned to work after weeks of uncertainty. The house he works in changed ownership, and the new owner drastically cut services, which reduced his hours. Fortunately, his boss has offered him additional hours at another facility—enough to cover his needs. Situations like this are difficult, especially after fifty. I know this well. I spent years navigating job transitions, new bosses, coworkers, and endless paperwork in healthcare—a field that constantly restructures to reduce costs. I am grateful I retired when I did.

Jim had been homebound for weeks, waiting until his finances became strained. I didn’t mind covering his share of expenses, but I worried about him having no money at all. While he has a small retirement fund and a promised inheritance from his mother, neither is accessible. With his mother nearing eighty and his sister living out of state, I may be his only real support in a crisis. Thankfully, he worked things out. Jim is not lazy; he is independent and always repays what he borrows.

What unsettles me is the feeling of being alone in the house while he works—even for just a few hours. I feel like a child with a sweet tooth left alone in a candy store. Ironically, my routine doesn’t change whether it’s a weekday or weekend, or whether Jim is home or not. Yet being alone triggers the illusion of newfound freedom, even though I already have complete freedom. This contradiction reveals something amiss within me.

Distractions are another challenge, especially those fueled by old habits. Posting on social media amplifies them. Still, I am less vulnerable now. I treat social media as self-expression without expectations. Excess attention destabilizes me; I am too socially conscious to handle it well.

What truly draws me to the digital world is writing. I love crafting blogs, articles, and stories, even if no one reads them. I still create reels—some good, some average—but I now understand that algorithms and monetization are not meant for everyone. I am grateful I did not become trapped by that pursuit.

These days, I am content with the few people who read and view what I share. That is enough.

Ramon and Diabetes

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Ramon feels a quiet satisfaction in noticing that he is slowly drifting away from his old habits of heavy internet use—especially the endless loop of Facebook reels and videos. Many of them are amusing, even clever, but most offer little that truly nourishes him. He knows he is not completely free of them yet, but he senses a shift. He is becoming more deliberate about where his time goes and how his energy is spent.

The previous day unfolded in a familiar, grounding rhythm. He began with meditation, then headed out for his morning walk. This time, he chose the old JPP park and logged more than 9,000 steps—nearly five miles. By the time he finished, it was close to 11:30 a.m. He stopped at Publix for bread and eggs, then returned home to reheat leftover nilaga from the day before. As he sat down and began browsing online, Juan knocked on the door. The timing felt just right. It had been seven days since Ramon’s tooth extraction, and he finally felt well enough to welcome visitors without worry.

With the extraction behind him and recovery going smoothly, Ramon’s thoughts had turned back to dental health. Living with diabetes, he knows he carries a higher risk for gum disease and tooth decay. A bad experience with a dentist nine years earlier still lingered in his memory, as did the consequences of years of poor blood sugar control. Even so, he feels his motivation returning. For him, dental care is not optional—it is essential. The same is true for eye health, skin integrity, and nerve protection. Diabetes, when poorly managed, is relentless: it damages nerves and blood vessels, raises blood pressure, and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. For now, his focus is on his teeth. Over the past few days, he has immersed himself in research, comparing toothpaste and mouthwash options. Three products kept rising to the top: Crest Pro-Health Advanced, Colgate Total, and Sensodyne Pronamel.

At its core, Ramon knows this all comes down to discipline—maintaining good blood sugar control, eating mindfully, and committing to proper oral hygiene with the best tools available. Yesterday, that focus bordered on obsession, and he hopes to loosen his grip on it today.

Because of that fixation, he missed a few activities he had planned. He spent time reading a blog purely out of interest, yet afterward felt strangely incomplete. He did read, but not as many pages as he had intended. The hours he lost to researching toothpaste and mouthwash surprised him. Still, he reminds himself that progress does not have to be perfect. He walked in the park, and that counts. He also takes quiet satisfaction in how well his plants are doing.

Ramon is equally content with his decision to reduce Facebook posting to once every four days or so—just enough to reassure concerned family members that he is alive, active, and doing well. There is an unspoken pressure these days to maintain a constant digital presence, but for him, there is an important caveat. He is stepping back from social media so he can focus more seriously on writing and publishing on his anonymously authored fiction website. He wants readers to engage with his ideas, not his face. That desire has been simmering in him for a long time.

His interest lies in expressing thought through words, not in constant visibility or performance. That territory belongs to actors, influencers, and those who thrive on self-promotion—and he bears them no ill will. Everyone has the right to choose their medium. His concern is distraction, especially when it comes at the expense of personal growth and quiet accomplishment.

He is also relieved that some sources of distraction are slowly fading. He does not want an exaggerated online presence, particularly when engagement becomes an end in itself—or worse, when digital interaction replaces genuine human connection. While Ramon is not drawn to constant socializing, he is deeply curious about human behavior. He finds the richest observations in stories, spoken and written, which is why he feels an increasing pull toward books.

Since yesterday emphasized cardiovascular exercise, today is reserved for resistance training with a few leg stretches. Ramon follows standard health recommendations: at least 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity per week and strength training at least twice weekly. He sees this as one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce cardiovascular risk and slow age-related muscle loss. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing all count. For people who have been sedentary, are recovering from illness, or are managing chronic conditions, these guidelines provide a realistic and achievable baseline.

Those who are already active may easily exceed them. Fitness levels vary, and routines should progress accordingly. For Ramon, the message is straightforward: cardio alone is not enough. Strength training matters just as much.

Exercise settings, he believes, are deeply personal. He enjoys working outdoors, though he keeps a gym membership for days when weather makes that impractical. Some people thrive on the energy of shared spaces; others, like Ramon, prefer solitude and self-paced movement.

That is why his small yard feels like a gift. At dawn, he stepped outside and did his resistance band exercises beneath the dark canopy of bamboo and mango trees. Moonlight and stars offered just enough illumination. Everything was still—even the leaves seemed to pause. He often prefers exercising in darkness and quiet. Low light adds another layer of challenge, forcing him to rely on balance and proprioception as he moves across uneven ground, scattered rocks, and clumps of weeds. Navigating the terrain sharpens his reflexes and body awareness. He does not worry about how he looks, though he suspects the sight would amuse an observer.

He spent about forty-five minutes on the routine, including what he hesitates to call dancing—the polka. To Ramon, it feels more like a rhythmic jog set to a one-two-three count: one long step followed by two shorter ones. Depending on the tempo, it can be slow and controlled or fast enough to feel aerobic, almost like jogging. One of these days, he might even turn it into a short reel—on his own terms.

  1. Self-Graded, Individualized Exercise: A Practical and Evidence-Based Approach for Aging Bodies
  2. Exercise Progression for Adults
  3. Cortisol: A Senior’s Trusted Helper—and a Hormone to Handle With Care
  4. ANY MOVEMENT WILL DO: Rethinking Exercise, Aging, and Quality of Life
  5. Reflection Tuesday Morning
  6. The Gradual Shift
  7. Retirement: Disowning, Downsizing, Trimming
  8. Reflection on this Sunday Morning
  9. Advocacy
  10. The Mitigation

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