The start of 2025 has brought its share of challenges—some good, some bad—but that’s all part of the process. A recurring theme over the past month has been education and expanding knowledge to stay up to date with current research. Right now, I’m reading Hold On to Your Muscle: Be Free of Disease and the quote above really stood out to me.

Age is often demonized as the inevitable cause of decline. But in reality, we are our own worst enemy—how we age is directly impacted by what we do each day. If we live a sedentary life with little excitement or purpose, we’re bound to slow down much faster than someone who stays active and engaged.

That said, there’s also a misconception that more is always better when it comes to longevity. Rest and recovery are just as important—arguably even more important—than the daily grind. We stimulate muscle growth in the gym, but true muscle protein synthesis doesn’t begin until we allow our bodies to rest and recover.

The goal isn’t to let age become an excuse for slowing down. Instead, we should embrace aging and all that comes with it—because, in reality, how we age is up to us.