Mind | Silver Magazine

Mind

Embracing Setbacks: A Path to Lifelong Growth

Discover how embracing setbacks as stepping stones for growth illuminates the journey toward success, revealing the joys found within imperfection and the invaluable wisdom gained through life’s trials. The fear of failure often acts as a significant obstacle on the road to success, particularly for those in their mid-50s and beyond. This fear can cast a paralyzing shadow, impacting various aspects of life. Beyond hindering career advancements, it might also deter individuals from fully relishing life’s adventures, risks, and the pursuit of new experiences—essential components of a fulfilled existence. Failure isn’t exclusive; it’s a universal teacher. Consider the historical trailblazers, the innovators of their time—they encountered failures more frequently than triumphs. Even the most skilled athletes faced numerous defeats, especially during their formative years. As Ellen DeGeneres wisely put it, “Taking risks teaches us the balance between success and failure, both equally pivotal in life’s journey.” When was the last

Ashley Pellerin December 29, 2023

Health

Memory Boosters: Cognitive Health Strategies

Unlocking Your Brain’s Full Potential Memory is a precious asset that allows us to recall cherished moments, learn new skills, and navigate daily life. As we age, concerns about memory loss and cognitive decline become more prevalent. However, the good news is that there are various strategies and lifestyle choices that can help boost and maintain cognitive health. In this article, we will explore effective memory boosters that seniors can incorporate into their lives to enhance cognitive function, promote brain health, and enjoy a fulfilling and vibrant lifestyle. Engage in Regular Physical Exercise: Physical exercise isn’t just beneficial for the body; it also has a profound impact on cognitive health. Regular aerobic exercises, such as walking, swimming, or cycling, increase blood flow to the brain, delivering essential oxygen and nutrients. Exercise also stimulates the release of growth factors that promote the growth of new brain cells and improve memory and

Staff October 27, 2023

Longevity

Your partner can’t be your everything

It’s impossible for one person to meet all of your needs and you shouldn’t expect them to. “If someone loves you completely and unconditionally, you don’t need anyone else’s love and support.” This is a lie. There are many different kinds of love—parental and familial love, romantic love, platonic love, self-love, and more—and it’s impossible for one person to love you in all these ways you need to be loved. And you can’t love one person in all of these ways either. Some of our emotional needs can be met within ourselves, some only by an intimate partner, and some needs only friends or family can meet. You’re probably more likely to want a cuddle from your partner than from anyone else, and you’d probably prefer shopping or baking with someone who won’t complain the whole time. Maybe you have a friend specifically for gardening and sharing books, and another

Yasmin Missaghian June 28, 2023

Longevity

‘Not bad for an old shape’: Carla Furlong is ahead by a century

Now that she’s 101, Carla Furlong goes to bed early in her house in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where she lives with her stepson. This, for her, is around 11:00 PM. Until recently, she stayed up late doing crossword puzzles, playing solitaire, and reading historical novels. She never needed much sleep. If you ask Carla what she did on her latest birthday, in March of 2023, she replies that the phone rang off the hook. “I don’t think people think I’m going to last much longer,” she says with a laugh. Carla carved her own way as a musician and music teacher in an era when it was hard for a woman to sustain an independent career in any field, much less a creative one like music. Both parents encouraged her ambitions, but she knew it would not be an easy path. The evidence is everywhere: her living room contains a

David Holt March 27, 2023

Health

Amy Sky talks music and hope: ‘We like to be each other’s cheerleaders’

By Cece M. Scott Amy Sky has a knack for being where the action is. Her talent for singing and songwriting was recognized early and she has collaborated with some of music’s biggest names, including international artists such as Olivia Newton-John and Ann Wilson of Heart, and fellow Canadians Anne Murray and Ronnie Hawkins. She is also a dramatic actress with a flair for difficult roles. Amy Sky is also a humanitarian whose success has been matched by her fair share of tough times. She has experienced grief and depression and is a passionate advocate for mental health and continues to champion that cause in everyday lives. It’s a combination we can all learn from. “Music is the portal to spirituality for me,” she says. The next episode of Creative Aging Books & Ideas hosts Amy Sky on February 23, at 2 p.m. EST. During the show, Amy will discuss

Cece Scott February 22, 2023

Mind

Standing up to Nazis: the power of courage

Have you ever wondered what levels of courage you would be able to muster in times that require extraordinary bravery, times where your belief in the greater good of helping people far outweighs your own safety? The book The Paris Library, which recounts the story of library workers during the German occupation of Paris in the Second World War, tells such a tale. It was named The Best Book of 2021 by Amazon and Chapters Indigo. I spoke with the author, Janet Skeslien Charles. “When I heard this story I had to sit down and write it,” said Skeslien Charles. When I heard about this book, I had to sit down and read it. A native of Montana, Skeslien Charles grew up next door to Claudine, a war bride who captivated her little neighbour with stories of the appalling events that happened in Paris during the Second World War. Along

Cece Scott January 24, 2023

Mind

The big small world of folk artist Maud Lewis

From a distance, the paintings of rural life in Nova Scotia by folk artist Maud Lewis are simple and unsophisticated. Her life followed a similar trajectory, with more than a hint of tragedy. She left school at age 14 after years of being mocked for her small frame and obvious deformities. She lived most of her adult life in poverty in a tiny house beside a rural highway outside Yarmouth, on the province’s southern shore. In her later years she received some recognition, but in her lifetime she never received more than $10 for a painting. Lewis’s difficulties began, in fact, before she was born in 1903. “She suffered from a series of birth defects that left her fingers painfully deformed, her shoulders hunched, and her chin pressed into her chest,” related a 1997 article in Maclean’s magazine. “She spent most of her adult life as a virtual recluse in

David Holt January 9, 2023

Mind

Our sketchy sister Sam

My twin brother Clem had a club foot but could climb like you wouldn’t believe. He’d swoop up trees like we were on the moon and if a ball went on the roof, any roof, he’d bound up the side of the building like a soccer field and next thing you know an entire galaxy of balls, one or two of them the superball kind, and he’d holler scrambles! which I was already doing like a cartoon. We were born before we were done if you know what I mean. I was the opposite of Clem and could fold myself into nothing and get completely flattened by gravity like I had a double helping and sideways bones. Clem would unfurl me sometimes and take me with him and off we’d go decades before parkour and about the same time as the Superman comics our sister Sketchy Sam collected let’s just say, although

Sherry Cassells January 7, 2023

Mind

The secret of creativity

We love to contemplate the fruits of creativity, whether it’s the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, or the latest iPhone with its advanced microelectronics and labyrinthine software. Even lesser art forms like the pop music of Taylor Swift and the teenage plotlines of the Marvel Universe are powerful creations. If you look at the geniuses of history, whether operating mostly in isolation or as part of a team, one stark fact emerges. Whether we’re talking about Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, or Steve Jobs, creating new things is a multi-layered process. It involves a lot of investigating of what had come before, punctuated by occasional moments of inspiration, some of which never pan out. In a phrase — trial and error. Yet there is one truth that rises above all the others. It is tedious, commonplace, and the opposite of inspired, but this is where a

David Holt December 29, 2022