by Stacy Bremner, MA, RP
The Quiet Courage to Try Something New
I took an unplanned month and a half off from writing this blog — not because I meant to, but because life swept me up. First, I had a milestone birthday and threw myself a party in my hometown. It was joyful, and exactly the kind of celebration that reminds you how many chapters you’ve lived with people you love.
And yet, with aging comes a few more health questions and a lot more research. So after I got home, I found myself deep‑diving into DNA, hormones, supplements, nutrition, and exercise routines in an even more intense way than usual. It’s fascinating and time‑consuming and, honestly I cannot help myself. There’s always something new to learn about this body I’ve lived in for decades.
So as I return to sharing with you weekly, here are a few things I’ve been thinking about.
Reflecting on the Generations
Lately I’ve been reflecting on how each generation defines “quality of life.” My dad’s parents loved gardening, grew their own vegetables, and stayed somewhat active with biking and walking, while my mom’s parents didn’t think much about exercise or nutrition at all. They liked parties, and for them food was fun — chips and dips, desserts, and treats were always the focus. My parents didn’t grow up with an exercise culture. My dad had active stretches — he rowed on a university team, and later played tennis, golf, and skied — but my mom was quite sedentary in adulthood. She had ridden horses when she was young, but nothing active after that. And while she stayed thin with all her treats, she was still largely inactive.
My sister and I wanted something different — we gravitated toward salads, and regular exercise, and we still prioritize our overall health and nutrition to this day. I became active in my twenties, doing workouts, taking regular walks, and eventually teaching fitness in my 30’s, and I brought my kids to the gym when they were old enough.
It was really my generation that popularized gyms, walking, psychotherapy, and meditation. And my kids’ generation takes it even further — movement and mental health practices are simply part of life for them, almost expected. I love that evolution.
My parents and grandparents didn’t have the knowledge we have now, or the access to information about prevention, lifestyle, and long‑term wellbeing.
And still, every person is different. Some clients arrive eager to try new things. Others resist anything that feels awkward or unfamiliar. Some accept diagnoses as fixed identities. Some are content with medication alone. As a therapist, I have the honour of meeting each person where they are, while also holding a wider map of what’s possible.
Part of why I care so much about quality of life is from watching the decline of the people I loved most — my grandparents and my parents — losing them to cancer and heart disease.
Like my ancestors, I also love a good party. Yet since my 65th birthday I’ve continued to bump up my self‑care and health efforts. As it stands now, I remain medication‑free and pain‑free — not because I have perfect or easy DNA (I just had that verified), but because of all those small efforts, day in and day out, that add up to a better quality of life over the long term. I know that’s not everyone’s goal, but it certainly is mine. And while I never want to push anything onto others, I also don’t want to withhold helpful information. It’s a balance.
What I’m Trying In My Own Life
As I’ve been thinking about all this, I’ve started taking some online health courses, learned about a different liver cleanse I’ll try this summer, bumped up my exercise with morning bike rides, and added kimchi and kefir into my nutrition efforts. There will be more — because staying open means continuing to learn what supports this body as it changes. I’m not doing any of it perfectly. I’m simply tweaking my efforts, noticing what helps, and letting myself evolve. But knowing my DNA gives me a clear path in a lot of ways.
The Quiet Courage of Trying Something New
What I’ve learned is this:
Change requires a willingness to be uncomfortable.
Not forever — just long enough to discover what helps.
We all resent certain healthy habits. I sometimes resent brushing my teeth when I’m tired, but I do it because I know it matters. Most growth is like that: small, unglamorous, repeated.
Staying Open to Possibility
When we stop defending our limitations, we create space for something new. The real message here?
Stay open.
When we’re open, solutions appear. Doors open. People share ideas. Life becomes collaborative instead of isolating. Wisdom comes from kids, friends, experts, strangers — anyone who crosses our path.
Quality of life isn’t about perfection.
It’s about willingness.
It’s about trying things, seeing what fits, and letting ourselves evolve.
Whether it’s body, mind, spirit, or relationships, everything can expand and improve when we stay open.
Where in your body, mind, spirit, or relationships are you feeling the pull to expand?
What small experiment have you been quietly considering but haven’t given yourself permission to try?