Pro-Aging Fitness Kuel Category Expert: Gail Gensler
Last year I was a 59-year-old woman who had an idea.
In actuality, it was more of a dream. I wanted to change the narrative about aging, specifically for people in midlife, to inspire younger generations, and to realize my personal dream of representing fitness brands for my demographic.
Although I knew my end goal, I truly had no idea of what I would do to get there besides growing my audience, nor did I realize how many inherent competencies I would utilize in completely new ways.
“Because having a purpose and leaving a legacy became paramount for me.”
Pro-Aging Mindset:
How would I accomplish this goal? By becoming a pro-aging fitness enthusiast and lifestyle influencer with a big enough following to create a positive change for people like me. That is, people who look at age as just a number, who refuse to be pigeonholed into a certain way of acting, dressing, exercising- those who embrace a pro-aging mindset like me!
I’m now 60. I have taken on this endeavor with my usual boundless energy, optimism, and excitement- eager to make progress each and every day. Why? Because you can’t be afraid of new ventures, no matter what your birth certificate says. Because having a purpose and leaving a legacy became paramount for me.
No Regrets:
I’m very fortunate to have the right mindset for this type of thing. Throughout my life, I’ve never been afraid to tackle new obstacles. No hesitation. I just go for it with everything I have. What’s the worst that can happen? I fail? SO? However, I know that not everyone is like this.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” is a Michael Jordan mantra that applies perfectly to this situation. You simply can’t be afraid of failure if you want to accomplish a goal, especially a daunting one. You know what eliminates that fear for me? The challenge. The excitement of testing myself. The vision of success!
“Failure is inevitable, but regret is not. Regret is what really eats away at you”
Apart from drastically increasing your chances of success, giving your maximum effort takes much of the sting out of failure. Failure is inevitable, but regret is not. Regret is what really eats away at you, because it implies you might have been successful had you tried a little harder.
Don’t leave anything on the table and there won’t be any room for regret. Pursue your adventure. You won’t be as afraid of possibly coming up short, which is something we all do from time to time!
Embrace The Journey And Adventure:
Another mantra that gets thrown around a lot is “It’s the journey, not the destination.” Essentially, we should be more focused on the present compared to the ultimate goal, whatever that may be. Whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or your 60s like I am, I can tell you that this quote is absolutely true.
You know what chemical is the most useful for accomplishing goals? Dopamine. You often hear of people who feel a sort of “high” during strenuous exercise. This happens to me at times when I’m boxing. That high happens when their brains release chemicals like dopamine, causing them to feel happy and enjoy their workout more.
This has helped me tremendously in the boxing gym, but this phenomenon is not only reserved for exercise. Dopamine is vital for people like me embarking on new adventures.
“when you focus on appreciating the process, you are training your brain to release dopamine during your journey.”
Appreciating The Process:
So, what’s my point? Well, when you focus on appreciating the process, you are training your brain to release dopamine during your journey. Those that disregard small victories and progress often do not enjoy the journey.
They are purely motivated by the end goal. Once it is reached, they get their well-deserved dopamine hit. They feel happy for having accomplished something. This might seem logical, but it makes it difficult to start anew.
Those that only focus on the destination in lieu of the adventure that precedes it experience short-term bliss. When a new goal comes along, however, it’s generally harder to produce the necessary motivation. How can they? Their brains know that the journey = struggle.
There is no joy there, for they were only ever in it for the ending. I’ve made it a point to appreciate the winding roads my new life as an influencer has taken me, focusing on living intentionally and appreciating all these moments. Without that mindset, the task might have seemed too daunting for me as a 59-year-old woman with no prior experience in this space. Learn to appreciate the journey. Open your mind to the POSSIBILITY! You’ll find it much easier to tackle new obstacles.
“No matter what dream you have in mind, I urge you to chase it.”
Your Mountain Is Waiting!
No matter what dream you have in mind, I urge you to chase it. That’s not to say you should be reckless; I still work in the automotive industry full time which has been a rewarding and lucrative career-and love that too! But carve out some time to climb a mountain you’ve always wanted to reach the top of.
My name is Gail Gensler. I’m a 60-year-old woman who likes fashion, dark chocolate, and the heavy bag at my boxing gym. I have no spectacular abilities that the average person does not have or cannot acquire. What I do have is the vision of changing the narrative about aging, specifically in midlife. That’s the adventure I’m currently on.
What’s your next adventure?
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