Stay Active, Stay Sharp
I’ve been injured a few times. Nothing major, but serious enough to stop me in my tracks. And the truth is, it took me longer to recover than ever before. That was new for me.
Coach Vida on a different path, still moving (See below for a link to this hat)
During that downtime, I learned something important: I’m getting older. I’ve seen this before, I was a caretaker to an aging parent. I’ve also felt it in unexpected ways, like when my adult child offered me a hand to get up from a chair after a knee injury. That moment made me pause and ask myself: What kind of older parent, person, and body do I want to be?
Read More: If this resonates with you, you might also like my post Aging Strong: Why I Move for the Life I Want to Live. In that piece, I share insights on what a California Town Hall on Aging shared.
A fridge magnet I picked up at a recent event
Movement matters
Movement matters for long-term strength, independence, and the life you want to keep living. Staying active is one part of the answer. But the other part is just as important: staying sharp.
Staying Sharp Means Staying Present
Sharpness isn’t just about reaction time or memory, it’s about presence. Staying engaged in life. Noticing. Caring.
For me, staying sharp and mentally present is more than just a personal practice, it’s my plea to the universe. I believe presence is the real cure for narcissism. When we pay attention to others, to history, to community, and to the world around us, we break the cycle of self-absorption. We connect. We grow. We build.
When I visit structures like the LA River, Pan Pacific Park, the Holocaust Museum, or the Silver Lake Reservoir, I see proof of vision. Decades ago, someone dreamed, but they didn’t just dream, they built. And we’re still using those structures today. That’s a reminder: we’re here for the long run. We can build something that lasts. But that also means we can’t ignore time, or the way it compounds.
So part of my training is physical, but another part is mental. I make time to focus on focus. To practice memory skills. To play games that keep me quick, curious, and engaged.
Brain Training Tools
Nota importante / Quick Heads-Up: Algunos enlaces en este post son enlaces afiliados. Si compras a través de ellos, puedo ganar una pequeña comisión sin costo extra para ti. ¡Gracias por apoyar a Formafit Active y esta comunidad en movimiento! Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Formafit Active and this community in motion!
If you want to explore ways to keep your own mind sharp, here are some ideas you can try:
Memory and Focus Supplements Along with movement and brain games, sometimes we need a little extra support. Supplements that target memory, concentration, and overall brain health can help keep your mind clear and focused, especially when paired with an active lifestyle. Always check with a health professional before starting anything new, but if you’re curious, there are some well-researched options that may give your brain an extra boost.
Puzzle Games :Old-school doesn’t mean outdated. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and jigsaw puzzles are still some of the best ways to stretch your brain and spark creativity.
Find puzzle games and books hereCard Games & Strategy Games: Games that challenge you to plan ahead, track patterns, and anticipate moves keep your brain nimble while also being fun and social.
Check out strategy card and board games here
Final Thought
We can’t control the passing of time, but we can control how we prepare for it. Staying active keeps our bodies ready. Staying sharp keeps our minds present. And together, they give us the strength to not just move through life but to build a future worth living in.
And when we talk about building, it’s not just metaphor. We can look around and see what others built for us, the LA River, Pan Pacific Park, the Holocaust Museum, Silver Lake Reservoir. These were once visions, and now they’re structures that still serve us. That means what we imagine today, we can build for tomorrow.
When I started this blog, I was injured, barely able to move, and only writing about Sunday Stretch. Now, I’ve climbed higher, walked further, stacked more miles, and worn out my gear from use not from dust and cobwebs. That’s what’s possible when you Stay Active, Stay Sharp, and keep building, one step, one stretch, one choice at a time.
My favorite thing right now, my JBL speaker
More from FormaFit Active
El Diario Home: See El Diario’s home page to explore more
Some of my favorite stuff: Gear I Use
My Hat: It's not merch, it’s a mindset
Black Sun bucket hat in above picture
Fuel the Journal: Your support keeps us moving
#StayActive, #StaySharp, #MúeveteSinLímites ,
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