active aging – Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie

February 16th – Day 46 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

On my blog yesterday, I noted that one of my more recent motivators is James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits.

This book offers a plethora of practical advice, so having read it, I followed an Atomic Habits Fan Facebook page and ultimately signed up for a weekly email newsletters.

In this past Thursday’s email, James clear passed along the following wisdom..

“The loser has more in common with the winner than the person sitting on the sidelines.

The winner and the loser each had the courage to try. Both risked embarrassment. Both were willing to face uncertainty. Both were stubborn enough to continue.

Success is endurance in disguise. It belongs to the person who can absorb the losses without absorbing the identity of “loser”. It’s the courage to start – and to stick with it – that is the real separator.

Results tend to find the person who stays in the game.

The sidelines are safe, but sterile. Nothing grows there.”

It is for such wisdom that I read and that I follow such authors.

It is four years since I began my Health and Fitness Journey. I have appreciated the successes, but I have also suffered my share of the setbacks.

Today, I am facing another setback…

A few days ago I saw my Respirologist. I went to pick up a couple of prescription renewals for inhalers that I use to help manage asthma, copd, and bronchiectasis symptoms. My Respirologist provided the prescriptions plus gave me a requision for a sputum culture sample as I had a wheeze in my lungs and an increase in coughing since my hernia surgery.

I submitted the sample and last night the results came up on my Sask Health Record. +4 pseudomonas aeruginosa. I won’t know the treatment plan or the prognosis until I see my Respirologist, but from what I have read so far it sounds like another setback to me!

I cannot say I am not frustrated – but I am grateful for my Respirologist, my friends, my family, and my professional team of ‘motivators’ who will help me push through another loss without becoming a hapless loser. I am not ready to be relegated to the sidelines!

Today is Monday ‘Family Day’ in Saskatchewan. As much as it is a holiday, for me it is a day for aerobics, weights, snd treadmill.

Tomorrow, I will undoubtably hear from my Respirologist. 🤞🤞🤞

Tha’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🤗💪

February 15th – Day 45 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Yesterday marked the forth anniversary of my Health and Fitness Journey.

This journey has taken me to places I could never have imagined.

Over the past four years:

1) I have… Done things I would never have attempted to do. (Balance has never been my friend!)

2) I have … Met my two BEST Forever Friends 💞💞💞 (two people who both live thousands of miles away from me, who are decade(s), younger than me, and who (on the surface) couldn’t possibly have anything in common with me. 🕺💃

3) I have… Traveled the narrow gravel backroads through the Black Hills of South Dakota with my daughter – going around curves with a five mile per hour speed limit 😳

4) I have … With my husband’s cautious approval, adopted a GIANT Molly dog!

5) I have… Attempted, and successfully completed, major challenges – like my 2025 Daily Food Diary.

6) I have… Lost 40 pounds and fit back into my favourite Size 6 jeans

**Seventy years old and they fit like they did when I was forty!** 👍

**Smoke break in my laundry room with my BIL Jerry same pants!** 🤣

7) I have… read books by authors I would never considered reading!

I have been reading motivational books for decades – spiritual, academic, or philisophical type books.

I read the likes of Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Norman Vincent Peale, Eckart Tolle, and Rhonda Byrne…

Over the past four years, I have expanded my reading to include authors such as James Clear (a former sports coach) and David Goggins (a former US Navy Seal, ultra marathon runner, and forest fire jumper) . Motivation through Physical Fitness authors.

Not only have I read their books – I continue to follow them on social media! In their pages and on their posts I have acquired wisdom and practical advice that I would never have been aware of if I had stayed within my typical reading gendre.

That is the thing about journeys that take us out of our comfort zone.. we learn, we grow, and we change! ☺️

**A couple of weeks ago, I attended an online Tony Robbins seminar. On the final day, my husband Dan went out and bought me this poster that now hangs on our kitchen wall.** I **am so fortunate that I have a husband who always has, and continues to, support my Health & Fitness Journey.**

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🤗

February 14th – Day 43 & 44 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

February 14, 2026February 14, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

Happy Valentine’s Day! Wishing everyone a day of Love, Peace, and Happiness. 💞

**Dan got me the roses, I got him the chocolates and the desk calendar. Molly has not been forgotten! Dan is off to Cowtown to pick up a treat for her and hopefully some collagen chews.**

I love the color of those roses! They are so pretty. Neither of us NEEDS the chocolates, but they are nice to have. 🙂

Hopefully the desk calendar will help Dan and I decide what to have for suppers, going forward. I know how fortunate we are to have such a decision to make – but somehow it is typically our most difficult decision of the day!

Today is also the FORTH ANNIVERSARY of the day I began my Health and Fitness Journey!

It has been a rough, winding, amazing journey so far.

During these past four years I have struggled through countless setbacks and celebrated even more unimaginable benefits.

The most unexpected SETBACK was getting knocked to the ground by our Pyrenees puppy and breaking my left arm. It was the first (and only) bone I have broken in seventy years and I may be the only sibling of the six of us who has broken a bone.

AND.. four years ago, who would have ever IMAGINED that we would lose our precious little Cavalier Kat – and welcome our amazing (slightly clutsy) Great Pyrenees Molly into our lives in the first place?

The most awesome BENEFIT that I have experienced so far has been realizing how much potential grows as we do! Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually I am so much stronger than I was four years ago. And, I possess so much more potential than I dreamed possible four years ago!

As far as I have come in the past four years, I cannot imagine what lies ahead for me!

That is it for today. Take care and have a great day! 🤗💞

February 12th – Day 38, 39, 40, 41 & 42 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

February 12, 2026February 14, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

It has been a few days, but I am back on track.. in real life if not on WordPress.

A bit of family news…

Last night, our granddaughter Prim went to her highschool openhouse. In September, she will take another leap towards adulthood. 😳

And.. Today is daughter Jennifer’s birthday. She is working the evening shift today but she has some day time off to enjoy herself. She has taken up building miniatures, so birthday shopping was relatively easy this year.

**The top one is one she just finished**. **Dan & I gave her the kit on the** **bottom left** **and her girls (Genie, Maddy, & Prim gave her the one on the bottom right.)**

The detail in these miniature kits is crazy. The total finished size is no more than 12″ x 12″ x 12″ for each and she assembles every piece of furniture and accessory.

My week has not been quite as much fun.

On Tuesday, I went for an appointment with my respirologist. All I went for was a prescription refill. I left with the prescription AND a requisition for a sputum test.

I can deal with the test, though who knows why it would take six years to decide to do one. But, these appointments are so freaking stressful. I get all pumped up, go in feeling GREAT and come out wondering how I have lived this long.

It is rediculous! I know that nothing I have is fatal. I know I am doing everything in my power to stay healthy – including taking my inhalers as prescribed. But according to Downer Dave, I have one foot in my grave and the other on a banana peal. 🤦‍♀️ Unless, I actually am sick – then I am fine.

Anyway, I got the test done. I got over it and I am back to my regular routine of meds, lung clearing, vitamins and supplements, fresh air, diet, sleep, and exercise – aerobics, light weights, and treadmill.

I am feeling great – at least until I have to go back to get the results from my test. 🙂

That’s it for today! Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

February 7th – Day 37 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

February 7, 2026February 7, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Another wonderful weather day in Saskatchewan! Any day that we reach above freezing point between November and March is a wonderful day in my mind.

I will be heading outside to battle ice on the walks shortly. It may be a short battle as it is still foggy out and my lungs still struggle with excess humidity.

**But I do have some permafrost patches to deal with.**

**And.. more ice, water, and a New Year’s Eve hat that flowed down the city sidewalk to our house last night.** 🎊

On Monday, I attended the bonus/final session of the 2026 Tony Robbins Rise Up Seminar. Much of this session dealt with finances and Private Equity Funds which I will not try to paraphrase but may be worth checking into.

The rest of this session was odds and ends of common sense and good advice..

1) Stop using ‘MY’ to claim ownership of the negative – my fear, my anxiety, my pain…

2) Searching for purpose is the cause of stress. Purpose varies depending on where you are, who you are with, what you are doing…Focus on what you want, progress, and results.

3) Perfection is the lowest standard of all. (My first in-laws were perfectionists. I won’t go into details, but I will say I cannot fathom how people who did everything so ‘perfectly’ could justify their cruelty and ignorance).

4) Actions over feelings. Stop feeling and start doing!

5) Stop carrying around your old story (and start creating your new story.)

6) Problems are not permanent.

That is it for Tony Robbins seminar – or the best of what I took out of it! I enjoyed it and it reignited my interest in such works.

That is it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🤗

January 27th – Day 24, 25th & 26th of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

January 27, 2026January 27, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Our frigid weather has finally started to ease off a bit! It is hard to believe we are already (finally) seeing the end of another January. By the weekend we are supposed to be seeing temperatures near the thawing point! 👏

I haven’t been doing anything too exciting for the past few days – my aerobics and yesterday I went outside with Molly for half an hour. The effort it takes to get dressed to go out is as bad as being outside in the weather we have been having.

**I did find a little ray of sunshine! It might be a few weeks until my plants start sprouting.**

These last few days have not been great. I have been super congested and coughing ALL of the time. I have been drinking a lot of water, tea, and broth to help clear it up. Yesterday, Dan went to our health food store to pick up some Mullein tea and tincture. I have only had a couple of doses so far, but it seems to be helping A LOT! 🤞

Last night, I made roast beef for supper. I forgot to make yorkshire pudding, but everything we had was amazing. The horseradish we have is The Keg brand. It is awesome! We are having leftover beef for tomorrow night, so I get another shot at making the yorkshire puddings.

That is about it for today. Take care and have a great day!💞🌞

**I came across this picture this morning. Molly was so little! I would be on the floor if she jumped up on me like that now. 😁**

January 20th – Day 18 & 19 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

January 20, 2026January 20, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Our temperature has climbed a few degrees and the wind has dropped considerably. And the sun is shining! This could be the day for an outting.

I am not talking any grand adventure to Walmart or Vic Square Mall. But, I am planning to bundle up, head outside, and breathe some fresh air. 🌞

Yesterday was another uneventful day as we were still in the deepfreeze. I did my aerobics and treadmill, as well as my regular respiratory care routine.

And I baked some Date Bran Muffins…

**They were a nice change from all the rich Christmas baking and decadent chocolates.**

I have been letting my crochet project slide for a few evenings now – but I have not abandoned it. I have just been busy enjoying the ability to lean back and relax in my recliner, wrapped in Dan’s big cozy Leaf’s blanket.

**Molly prefers to curl up like a giant kidney bean** **given the opportunity.**

The BIG thing for me is that I CAN lean back and BREATHE without struggling.

I have been on my Health & Wellness Journey for almost four years now, in an effort to get my health back on track.

My daily routine is one that I have created for myself – based on what works for me. It has been a hit and miss effort built on advice from medical professionals, family, and friends, books, articles, and You Tube videos.

It has a long, dull, frustrating, painful, and promising journey… but that I can feel significant improvement to my breathing – that I can comfortably recline and breathe easily is incredible.

Not only am I happy with what I have accomplished healthwise, I am excited about what I can and will do moving forward!

In these words, David Goggins was talking about ultra races – races longer than typical marathons, races from fifty to hundreds of miles long.

“These races aren’t about winning or losing or even finishing. It’s exploring oneself and the human potential that lies within all of us.” – David Goggins

As much as I have zero inclination to take up ultra marathon races, I can relate. For me, LIFE isn’t about winning or losing or living indefinitely. It is about exploring myself and the potential I possess.

But … when I do get a win, I appreciate it, I celebrate it, and sometimes I just lean back for a while and I enjoy it. 😁

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day!

January 10th – Day 9 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

January 10, 2026January 10, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

In 35 Days it will be FOUR YEARS since I began my Health & Fitness Journey. The benefits have been incalcuable, the setbacks frequent.

Starting out on this journey, I had no specific goal or path to follow. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I knew I had to build up my strength and stamina or die trying.

I focused on becoming physically active. At some point, I began working on the quality of my sleep and improving my diet.

I soon realized that physical health & fitness is not a stand alone journey. My focus expanded to include my mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Which brings me to where I am today…

After almost four full years into my Health & Fitness Journey, I find myself in an emotional struggle of sorts.

It is nothing serious. Frustration, annoyance, impatience and the like are perfectly normal human emotions and reactions. Today, thanks to the miracle of modern technology, I am experiencing all of the above.

And I am not loving the experience! I can’t say that I usually do, even when such feelings are totally justified. It feels like I am punishing myself (and anyone around me) for having an already bad eperience. 🤦‍♀️

To make matters worse – feeling poorly emotionally is affecting me physically and mentally. I am congested, coughing, and feeling mentally sluggish.

I’m not too sure how to turn this train wreck around. My plan is to clear my sinuses and my lungs, relax with a good meditation on You Tube, follow that up with 30 minutes on the treadmill, and finally a few minutes out and about in the fresh air.

By suppertime I should be a ray of sunshine. 🤞

That is it for today. Take care and have a great day! 🤗💞🌞

January 9th – Day 8 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

It is twenty-three days since I had my hernia repair repaired. Today I feel GOOD. I am still coughing – and coughing up some mucus, but the upper chest congestion that I have been struggling with since I entered the operating room has finally cleared!

The incision is fine. It has been fine from the beginning – zero signs of infection and just a little swelling the first couple of days. There was a bit of discomfort in those early days but definitely nothing that would warrant the use of OTC painkillers, much less the hydromorphone that I was prescribed. That will go back to the pharmacy for disposal, along with the anti inflammatory. 🤷‍♀️

It has been a rather frustrating recovery, but only in regards to my respiratory system. Thankfully that appears to be behind me.

Yesterday, my only workout was freelance dancing to some tunes from the 80’s. It felt good to move and the music was great for elevating my mood!

I straightened out a couple of more shelves in my closet and I packed away the Christmas wrapping paper, ribbons, etc. It feels every bit as good to pack everything away, as it did to take it out in the first place. 😁

I spent some time outside yesterday afternoon. I enjoyed the fresh air, cleared the ice and snow off of our front steps and landing, and basked in the Saskatchewan sunshine.

For supper, I made a chef salad with ham, eggs, and cheese on a bed of lettuce and fresh vegetables. That was my forth salad in the first eight days of 2026. I am happy with that!