Below is an excerpt From the book Growing Old Sucks, But It Doesn't Have To.

SERVET’S PERSPECTIVE:

From now until the 2030, approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers in the United States will hit retirement age every single day. That’s a lot of retirees. I’m a Baby Boomer and what I know is that we all thought we would live fast and die young. Well, we may still be living fast, but we’re certainly not dying young. We are growing older, and, yes, it sucks. But it doesn’t have to. Yeah, well, what the hell does that mean?

Perhaps, I can’t run as fast (I run like the winded), jump as high, or do the splits, but I can still bust a move if I want to. Granted, it does take me twice as long to get my act together in the morning, but the truth of the matter is, I can still do it in a relatively short time frame.

That said, I didn’t want this book to be about aging. The market is so oversaturated with health and wellness books on the subject. You can find plenty of references about how to age well. All your problems will boil down to the fact that you’re not eating right, exercising, taking the right supplements, or getting with their program, whatever that program may be. In fact, in my own life the more medically based these instructional books were, the less likely I was to find the answers I sought. What I did discover is that we are all going to age individually.

Some of us will go straight from middle-aged, to “You’re only as old as you feel.” Some of us will go skydiving, bungee jumping and marathon running well into our eighties. Personally, I don’t want to do any of those things now, or later. And, that’s okay. I get it. We live in a youth-obsessed, goal-oriented society, and so many of the stories of men and women accomplishing so much at such a late period in their lives are inspiring to say the least.

But, sometimes, for those who know they won’t be able to do any of those types of things, or don’t have a desire to do them, it can be discouraging and depressing. Some people don’t seem to understand that when I say I’m doing nothing it doesn’t mean I’m free. It means I’m doing nothing and please leave me alone.

Here’s the thing: There are still a ton of stories that may not be as sensational, but they are equally inspiring and transformative. Yay! Go, ye old fart!

We are all going to grow old. There’s only one way around that, and as a cancer survivor, I already had faced the alternative much sooner than expected.

In conclusion, I can say without a doubt that living causes aging. I just decided that since I was going to do this anyway (over my dead body, was I going to give up), I needed to figure out how to do that the same way I have faced every other challenge in my life. And, obviously, we all want to enjoy life, free from the ravages of aging and age-related diseases and issues. So, herein lies the key: Age with attitude. Yes, real attitude! Yay! Go, ye old fart!

Before I wrote this book, I had my patience tested. It was negative. Hmm...

So, I figured if you’re going to go eventually, well, then you might as well go out with as much spunk as you can muster. And, do it the way you want to do it. This book is about enjoying life to the fullest. With that in mind, my co-author and I (he will be giving you the male perspective, we think), felt it necessary to offer practical, holistic advice that would touch upon all aspects of aging that could work for anyone.

This is a primer on principles that are necessary for living not only a healthier life, but a more fulfilling one. It’s all about feeling comfortable with who we are, our own authentic selves as we saunter off into the sunset of our lives. We don’t need to become someone anymore, as much as we can just become more of who we are.

Is there a way to eat well, exercise and keep young and skinny and beautiful and mentally sane that doesn’t require surgery of some sort, or a total change of lifestyle? Absolutely. That’s why we came up with a multifaceted plan for attacking aging from the inside out. There are helpful tips and tricks, expert advice, and stories galore that will emphasize how you can come up with your own individualized plan to stay as young and healthy as you can for as long as you can, yet at the same time keep it uncomplicated and easy to manage. You will find in the end that the fountain of youth can only exist inside of you. This book is a roadmap to finding it.

For me, one of the keys to aging well is about nurturing an uplifting attitude toward our own aging. That’s different than thinking and feeling we are old. What is old anyway? When I was a teen, I thought it was anyone over forty. When I reached forty, I thought it was anyone over eighty. Now, it’s anyone that can get up without making sound effects.

Being comfortable with who and what you are, inside and out, at any age is the objective. This is what makes you young at heart no matter what number birthday you are celebrating. We have the power to make ourselves look and feel younger, simply by adjusting our attitudes.

I have a friend named Rose who refuses to tell me how old she is. I would venture to guess she is in her eighties. When I asked her, because I’m nosy that way, she stared at me pointedly and said, “My age is none of my business.” That explained why she looked and felt so good. I never asked her that question again.

That is the epitome of a booming boomer aging with attitude!

BIOS:

SERVET HASAN:

Servet Hasan is the award-winning author of Life in Transition, An Intuitive Path to New Beginnings, as well as The Intuitive Heart of Romance and Tune Him In, Turn Him On (all published by Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd). A student of the mystic masters of the Far East, Hasan is also a renowned motivational speaker who inspires others through her television and radio appearances, live seminars, and workshops. Born in Pakistan, she is also a citizen of England, Canada and the United States. She considers herself a spiritual ambassador of the world.

MARK ALYN:

Talking with people is what Mark Alyn is all about. He is super nosey, which has helped him become an award-winning talk show host and producer. With more than 30,000 interviews spanning at least 10 years, he has chatted with business leaders, health pros, politicians and people on the street. He has anchored local news, reported in the field and hosted a movie trivia program. As a former restaurant and food critic, he never gets invited to dinner.