Aging Well Whatcom

Aging Well Whatcom is working to make Whatcom County a place for everyone to age well.

We’re guided by a community Blueprint -- a local, shared vision for creating the culture, physical infrastructure, social supports, and services for all of us to age well. The Blueprint is less about specific programs and services for the elderly, and more about designing and fostering a community that meets the diverse needs of people of all ages.

It includes six focus areas: Cultural Shift, Information & Navigation, Housing, Intergenerational Community, Transportation, and Wellness & Healthcare.

With Aging Well Whatcom, we….

Connect people, programs, and organizations to foster collaboration that advances the well-being of older adults and Blueprint implementation.

Convene people to share information and perspectives, build shared commitment, and generate action to improve the well-being of older adults.

Learn from listening to older adults, reviewing data, and researching best practices; we share learnings to catalyze and support efforts that align with the Blueprint.

Advocate for the inclusion of older adults in community decision-making, and for programs and policies that enhance the well-being of older adults throughout Whatcom County.

Link community projects aligned with the Blueprint to funding resources, and funders to projects, in both urban and rural Whatcom County.

Celebrate and recognize the people, programs and organizations that are working to elevate the voices of older adults, improve well-being, and implement the Blueprint.

Learn more at www.AgingWellWhatcom.org!

I have an exercise for you. Take 5-10 minutes, sit down, and follow along. I want you to think of the very best version of yourself. You feel amazing, you have great energy, you go out of your way to be in relationships, whether with perfect strangers, your neighbor, or a friend you haven’t seen in a while. You shop with confidence, whether at the grocery store or the clothing store. You love it when someone puts their arm around you, and you don’t have a second thought about insecurities. Have you had a moment like this in your life? If the answer is no, stay will me. Can you hope for a moment like this? Name this version of yourself.

What do you wear? What do you eat? What do you do with your free time? What thoughts do you say about yourself? How do you feel about yourself and others? Does this person follow through or give up easily? What do relationships look like? What does your home look like?

Are you with me? Have you clearly envisioned this person, named them, and can see them in your mind? Good!!

Now for the reverse, set this amazing you aside for just a moment and think of the version of you that you like the least. The version that doesn’t feel good, hides, feels tired and hopeless, feels discouraged and downcast, who compares themselves to everyone else and doesn’t believe they measure up. Do you know who I am talking about? Name this version of yourself.

What do you wear? What do you eat? What do you do with your free time? What thoughts do you say about yourself? How do you feel about yourself and others? Does this person follow through or give up easily? What do relationships look like? What does your home look like? Are you with me? Have you clearly envisioned this person, named them, and can see them in your mind?

Good or not so good?! Maybe downright depressing.

I hope you are still doing this brief exercise with me. I have a question now, for you, you in this moment.

You have all the tools in front of you to become the very best version of yourself, but yes, change is hard. Believing you can lose weight and keep it off for good is a daily commitment and often means short-term sacrifice for a long-term lifestyle change.

Here at Aspire Wellness, we know what you are capable of. Day in and day out, we have the privilege to help people achieve their life possible. Our clients have often said, “it’s the easiest thing I have ever done” or “it’s a safe place to land” or “I haven’t felt this free since…” or “I have my life back.” All from weight loss? Well… sort of. We believe weight loss isn’t about the number on the scale but the life you gain. We work hard to put the focus on how losing and maintaining, creating a new lifestyle around your healthy weight changes your life.

We aren’t in the business of quick fixes, although many people feel better quickly. We believe you must address the food and nutrition you put in your body to address your weight. The gym alone, a pill alone or a surgery alone will not get it done. This is why we put so much emphasis on our weight maintenance protocol. This is where we help you establish your own personal Macro Code that helps you eat a healthy balanced diet that manages hunger and cravings and furthermore, we work with you on the situations that may trigger you to return to old habits, long past losing the weight.

Don’t diet. Learn a new lifestyle. Don’t lose weight just to feel good, do it for good. Our offices are in Burlington and Lynden, and we also offer a fantastic virtual program. www.aspirewellnesswa.com