Laughter

My wife and I recently celebrated a major milestone birthday for her (a gentleman never tells) at a health and longevity retreat. The program consisted of a vegetarian diet not to exceed 850 calories per day for seven days. Add in daily workouts, medical testing, no caffeine or sugar, cryotherapy (full body freezing for three minutes), acupuncture, cold water therapy and did I mention 850 CALORIES PER DAY!!

At first, it felt more like a prison than a vacation but after a week of mentally and physically challenging conditions we would both say, most relaxing vacation we have ever taken. The fact that we not only survived the week but thrived under the mental and physical challenges gave us a newfound confidence about aging and what it could look like with some minor changes in our lifestyle.

Yet, the best part of the trip for me was the people we met during the meals and throughout the day. One night we sat at a table with a woman from Russia, a woman from Saudi Arabia, a woman from Abu Dhabi, a couple from London, a couple from India and a woman from Scotland. Our dinner conversation ranged from how cold the cryotherapy room was, how hungry we all were, to global politics. We shared very different opinions on how we as individuals see the world. I learned the struggles of a woman in the middle east and her limited (although improving) rights. I learned the fear of immigration and what it is doing to European countries. I learned about the business and religious beliefs of the Indian community. I was asked about my thoughts of American politics to which I answered, “too much anger towards diversity of thought,” and left it at that. We all shared and learned from each other. Although we have very different cultures and political beliefs, we had a great time creating new friendships. The commonality of the evening was the shared pain of freezing, contorting and starving our bodies to live a healthier and longer life. We laughed. We didn’t judge. We agreed to disagree.

I learned more about the world during the time we spent together than any news program or book could teach me. I learned that when put under very stressful conditions the body can adapt to almost anything as long as the mind doesn’t get in the way. Those dinners with my new friends showed me that although we are all very different, when sharing a common struggle, we can unite and try to find a way to laugh. Laughing will not fix any of the world’s problems, but it did give my wife and I a way to physically accomplish more than we thought we could. Find some time to laugh each day, then do something hard that you never thought you could. You will be amazed as to what you can accomplish. We at the High Net Worth Advisory Group believe in you!