Ageing Upwards

Berit Lewis is an experienced speaker and mindfulness teacher with degrees in Psychology, Communication, and Vitality and Ageing. After a career as a communication and PR specialist in Denmark and Australia – including 10 years at the Danish Defence – she founded Thriving Life, offering workshops, courses and retreats in mental well-being.

PROLOGUE

PREFACE: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS BOOK

AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY OF AGEING FROM WITHIN

MINDFULNESS .

HOW TO READ THE BOOK

INTRODUCTION

THE PARADOX OF AGEING

AGEING IS JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR LIVING

FACING THE MANY ISMS

PREPARING FOR THE -YEAR LIFE

AGEING AS A DANCE

I AM NOT YOUNG NOR OLD – I AM HERE

PART ; FROM STRIVING TO THRIVING

CHAPTER : AGEING; FROM A STATE OF BEING TO A PROCESS OF ADAPTATION

WHY DO WE AGE?

SUCCESSFUL AGEING – ONLY FOR THE ELITE OR LUCKY FEW?

MINDFULNESS CAN HELP US ADAPT

CHAPTER : FROM AVOIDANCE TO FLOW - AN INTRODUCTION TO THE A FRAMEWORK

NEW LIFE TO AN OLD KITCHEN KNIFE

NOTICE IT, KNOW IT, FLOW WITH IT!

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE – INVESTING IN A THRIVING (AGEING) LIFE

PART : NOTICE IT

CHAPTER ATTENTION – INVESTING YOUR MENTAL CURRENCY WISELY

PAY ATTENTION!

A WANDERING & NEGATIVE MIND KEEPS US SAFE

LET´S BE PATIENT REBELS!

SAVOURING THE PLEASANT

ATTENTION TRAINING

START PRACTICING

CHAPTER THE INTERPLAY OF ATTENTION AND AWARENESS

FROM MURKY TO CLEAR WATERS

A CERTAIN KIND OF ATTENTION

A NATURAL RESISTANCE

START PRACTICING

PART : KNOW IT

CHAPTER : AWARENESS OF WHAT DRIVES OUR THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS

OUR HUMAN BRAINS ARE CREATED TO MISLEAD US.

AWARENESS OF SELF-CREATED HABITS

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SUFFERING

START PRACTICING

CHAPTER : AWARENESS OF MYSELF

DO I HAVE A SELF AND IF SO, CAN I CHANGE IT?

CAN WE CHANGE OURSELVES INTO HAPPIER INDIVIDUALS?

PERSONALITY TRAITS AND WELLBEING

HOW TO GROW OLDER INSTEAD OF MERELY GETTING OLDER.

START PRACTICING

CHAPTER : AWARENESS OF MY PURPOSE AND MEANING

CONNECTING TO THE LIFE FORCE WITHIN

REPLACING AGEING WITH VITALITY

KNOWING OUR VALUES

THE BIG QUESTIONS

START PRACTICING

PART : FLOW WITH IT!

CHAPTER ATTITUDE – CHANGING PERSPECTIVE

THE WAY WE THINK MATTERS

STRESS AS AN EXAMPLE

RE-FRAMING AGEING

TURNING OLD ANTS INTO NEW PETS

START PRACTICING

CHAPTER AFFECTION – FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS

WE ARE SOCIAL BEINGS

CHOOSING BETWEEN THE FORCES WITHIN US

EXPANDING MY TRIBE

AFFECTION FOR OTHERS

AFFECTION FOR SELF

START PRACTICING

CHAPTER ACCOMMODATION; DROPPING THE BATTLES

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ACCOMMODATING?

STOP THE STRIVING AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE

OUR INTELLIGENCE WILL NOT SAVE US FROM SUFFERING

ACCEPTING THE IMPERMANENCE OF LIFE

BEING A BIGGER CONTAINER

ACCOMMODATING PAIN, ILLNESS AND DEATH

START PRACTICING

CHAPTER : ADAPTATION

STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTATION

SELECTION – MAKING MINDFUL CHOICES AND SETTING GOALS

Wise selections start with pauses

Flexible goal selection and attainment

OPTIMISATION – HOW CAN I IMPROVE THE ODDS OF ACHIEVING MY GOALS IN THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES?

The importance of having a sense of agency

COMPENSATION – ACCEPTING THAT I CANNOT DO WHAT I WANT TO

Finding Compensation in the present moment

EPILOGUE

END NOTES