People fall crazy in love with characters in books, often because they embody an ideal which they fundamentally identify with. When these characters express something particularly moving or thought-provoking, we keep their words in our hearts, and repeat them whenever we get the chance.

Actions speak louder than words, but quotes are without a doubt more repeatable. They’re easily shareable, whether it’s vocally, on a shirt, on your bedroom wall, or even on a quilt. We looked at classic books to find some of the most beloved characters and their thought-provoking quotes that will live forever in print and in our hearts.

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Disclaimer: All references to “bifocals” herein refer to readers having unmagnified lenses containing a “bifocal style” single powered reading glass insert located in the lower portion of the lenses.

This month’s Glass(es) Half Full post is written by Rhonda Caudell. Rhonda is a relationship and communication expert who helps families work through caregiving solutions. She believes developing long-term strategies and focusing on the positive of caregiving, rather than the negative, can tremendously help families confront what can often be an emotional time. For more information on Rhonda’s Endless Legacy coaching services, visit her website! Read on for her expert guidelines and advice on:

Rosalynn Carter once said: “There are only four kinds of people in the world, those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” If you are a caregiver or are just beginning to see signs that your aging parent is losing their ability to live independently in a safe manner, you are not alone. As the population ages and more people develop chronic illnesses, the number of adults who find themselves caring for a sick or elderly family member continues to increase.

Another common thread among these adults is that no matter your age, education, or life experiences, most people are at a loss when it comes to the “how-to” steps of caring for aging parents. If you still have one or both parents living and you choose to accept the fact that they may need your help as they continue to age, I offer you the following list of helpful strategies and tips. This methodology behind caregiving can positively affect both their future and yours!

Note: Perhaps you are already a parent caregiver and things aren’t going so well. If that’s the case, use these guidelines to help change your strategy as if you are starting all over.

1. Assess the conversations you currently have with your parent(s):

• Do you do most of the talking, or do they?

• What are they saying, or not saying, about their future?

• Are you truly using your best listening skills during conversations?

• Does what they say and what they do match?

• Is it difficult to get them to consider the possibility of needing help?

• Do they treat you as if you are still their child and not a responsible adult?

• Do you speak to them as if they are a child?

2. Adapt conversations and develop strategies that lead to a long-term care plan:

• Ask questions and listen in a way that will allow your parents to open up to you about how they want to live out their final years.

• Write down what they say even if it is not realistic. Your goal is to help them find a plan as close as possible to what they want, while keeping in mind what is realistic.

• Have a family meeting to set guidelines for the future.

• Reaffirm that all actions are from love and respect for the parents and will only be taken with their permission.

• Plan steps and actions that will allow them to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.

• Solicit anyone’s help who is willing and list what actions they can provide.

• Gather your team of professionals to help: legal, financial, in-home care providers, physicians, pharmacists, and social service providers (to name a few).

• Identify others to help: church members, neighbors, friends, or extended family.

3. Implement the plan and adapt as situations change:

• Create a communication system that allows everyone on the team to get regular updates and report the results of their actions.

• Have backup plans and crisis prevention where possible.

If you work through these guidelines and still, none of your efforts seem to be working, it might be time to seek the assistance of an objective party. Get in touch with someone of integrity and authority who your parents trust, a professional conflict mediator, or a skilled geriatric care professional to help work through tough issues.

Thank you Rhonda for these helpful tips on developing an effective and thoughtful caregiving strategy! For more guidance from Rhonda, head on over to her coaching site Endless Legacy. 

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to do something else for the day? Whether it’s choosing a different career path or stepping out of your comfort zone, this series dives into the crazy-interesting lives of those we’ve always admired. From pilots and chefs to charities making a difference, go ahead and read a page in their life.

Today’s post is all about Dr. Melissa West, a yoga instructor who also has her Ph.D. in communications and cultural studies. Melissa is the creator and instructor of Namaste Yoga TV, a YouTube channel which features a weekly yoga class designed for all skill levels and ages. Read our interview with Melissa below for helpful tips and advice (plus some easy-to-do instructional videos!) for anyone who is curious about yoga!

To start, tell us a little about yourself and how you started teaching yoga.

Melissa: I started teaching yoga when I was in graduate school. At that time, I realized that becoming a professor, or teaching in the traditional sense, was not going to work for me. I was already teaching fitness classes, and I showed a lot of strength with the mind + body approach. The rest is history!

How has yoga impacted your life?

Melissa: There is probably not one corner of my life that yoga has not impacted. From the food I eat, to the way I live, to my relationships, it has affected all that I do. We recently moved our family across the country from Toronto to Victoria, British Columbia, and I would say that yoga and coming to know my true self more intimately definitely impacted that decision to live on the West Coast as well.

What has kept you motivated to do yoga daily? Do you have any tips or tricks for beginners on how to stay motivated?

Melissa: Yoga helps me deal with the everyday stressors that we all experience. Without it, I don’t know how people stay grounded and free from anxiety. Yoga helps me stay healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. For beginners, what worked for me was to start small and set your goal to practice every day for 20 minutes. When you start to reap the benefits of your daily practice, you won’t want to give it up.

Why would you recommend yoga to men and women in their midlife?

Melissa: For men, as they come into midlife, they may start to deal with issues such as high blood pressure, obesity, lack of flexibility, stressful jobs, and sciatica from sitting for long periods of time at work. The list goes on and on, and yoga can help them with all of these things.

Women are dealing with many of the same issues as men as they come to midlife, yet for them they have the unique issues of peri-menopause and menopause. Yoga can help to ease the hormonal transitions through this challenging time.

As a 41-year-old woman yourself, would you say yoga has kept you healthy?

Melissa: Yes, yoga has kept me healthy. I know that when I have my vitals taken at my medical doctors he looks at my charts with disbelief and wishes that he could get other people my age to look as healthy as I do on paper.

What poses would you recommend to those suffering with knee pain? Back pain? Neck pain? Hip pain?

Melissa: Whenever you are dealing with pain, it is always important to get it checked with a medical doctor first, to find out what you are really dealing with.

Ask your doctor:

• What exercises will make my condition better?
• What exercises will make my condition worse?
• Are there more details about my medical condition that are important for me to know if I am going to start exercising?

Once you have the go-ahead from your doctor, here is a video of mine that can show you how to help ease your knee pain:

Back pain can have many root causes, so here it is particularly important to work with a medical professional to know the root cause of your back pain so that you can treat it correctly. For example, if you’re suffering from sciatica, this video might be helpful:

For neck pain, there are some great neck release techniques demonstrated in this video:

And for hips, this video is great, too:

What advice would you give someone who may be interested in starting yoga, but might not be sure if they’re physically or mentally up for the challenge?

Melissa: My advice for someone starting yoga is to look for a teacher who resonates with you. We love new students! We have created 17 free beginner classes to get our beginners started on the right foot.

The video below goes through some of our most common beginner FAQs:

We hear every day from beginners about how these videos have allowed them to get into yoga in a way that no other videos or classes have allowed them to in the past. Our motto is “real yoga for real people” and it seems that this intention creates a safe and welcoming environment for all people. But if it doesn’t work for you, keep looking — there are so many yoga teachers and different styles of yoga out there. You will definitely find one that works for you.

What would be a good pose for a beginner to work on? Do you have any favorites?

Melissa: I think the best pose for beginner’s to work on is savasana, or corpse pose. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing at all. Letting go, resting, and allowing your body to be nourished and restored is vital in our fast-paced culture.

One of my favorite postures is Goddess Victory Squat. I love the feminine quality and strength in this pose, and who doesn’t love feeling like a goddess?

Thank you so much to Melissa for all of the knowledge, advice, and videos on yoga! We can’t wait to try some of these poses ourselves.

Have you ever tried yoga? What’s your favorite pose? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

1. You and your family loaded up for road trips in the station wagon.

2. … In which wearing a seat belt wasn’t even an option.

3. To make a phone call, you had to wait until the neighbors got off the party line.

4. You have a vivid memory of watching Neil Armstrong take the first steps on the moon.

5. All the cool kids in town rode Schwinn Sting Ray Bikes.

6. Breakfast wasn’t complete without a refreshing glass of Tang.

7. You and the neighborhood kids played games late into the night … in the street.

8. Accepting homemade candy while trick-or-treating was totally acceptable!

9. You planned on driving a Volkswagen “slug-bug” the second you turned 16.

10. Your collection of 99 cent vinyl records and your 45 record player were your most prized possessions.

1. To change the channel on your family’s black and white TV, you had to get off the couch and turn the dial.

2. You played outside with your neighbors from sun up to sun down (and rode bikes everywhere!).

3. Everywhere you went, people were smoking — hospitals, airplanes, and especially restaurants.

4. Piling into the car to grab milkshakes and burgers (that only cost 5 cents) was a typical Sunday family outing.

5. Elvis Presley was always on your parent’s record player.

6. You got in trouble for getting your Silly Putty stuck in the carpet.

7. Your first date was at the drive-in.

8. Your parents had weekly bridge parties.

9. You looked forward to the nights your mom didn’t cook so you could enjoy a TV Dinner.

10. The best Christmas gift you ever received was a Radio Flyer snow sled.

Midlife can and should be the best years of our lives, but they can often fall short if we let life get in the way. To ensure they are the best, Readers.com asked topic experts to share special advice on everything from healthy living to planning for retirement. Our experts’ uplifting stories will inspire you to approach every situation with a Glass(es) Half Full mentality, so check back each month for more in this series and like us on Facebook for additional tips! 

Andy Gilchrist is a style expert from Southern California, author of the book The Encyclopedia of Men’s Clothes, and owner and editor of the high-trafficking men’s fashion site Ask Andy About Clothes. After working in men’s retail, Andy realized there was a need for a comfortable space in which men could ask their questions about style and fashion without feeling embarrassed. As a solution, Andy created his website! Ask Andy About Clothes continues to grow as more men take to the forums with their fashion conundrums. We asked Andy to share his style knowledge with us by dishing out some expert advice of his own. Read on for Andy’s fashion tips for men over 40!

Andy’s Style Tips for Men Over 40

1.  Always look your best

Think clothes don’t matter? Every time you leave the house or answer the door bell, dress  as if you are headed for a potential job interview. This of course can be casual dress (but nice casual), since we’re talking about going to the grocery store and running errands. You just never know who you might meet when you’re out in public!

2.  Say no to “Dad Jeans”

The ubiquitous jeans do not look good on most people. Have you heard of “Mom Jeans?” Well, “Dad Jeans” look bad, too. Replace them with khakis for casual outfits and dress trousers for more formal occasions.

3. Embrace your natural hair

Are you balding? Do you have grays? Bald looks best bald — just say no to combovers or wigs. Being bald is very masculine and actually has an appeal for the ladies. Gray also looks great and is much better than fake dark hair dye.

4.  Stylish socks

When you’re wearing business attire or dressing up for formal events, make sure your socks match the color of your trousers.

5.  Hat rules

Always remove your hat or cap when you enter a building, when the National Anthem is playing, and especially when you’re inside eating.

6.  Match your accessories

Belts and shoes should always match in color and fabric. For example, wear brown leather shoes with a brown leather belt.

7. Button up, not down

Never button the bottom button of your suit, sport jacket, vest, or cardigan sweater.

8.  Fit trumps all

When you’re picking out clothes, make sure what you wear is appropriate for the occasion and fits you well! Fit is the most important part of clothing. Inexpensive clothing, like a suit or jacket, can look just as great as its expensive counterpart if it’s been tailored to fit you perfectly.

9.  Become a color and pattern expert

Different colors and patterns flatter and accentuate your body in different ways. Vertical stripes play up height and slenderize. Simple patterns or solids in dark colors also look slimming. On the other hand, bold patterns expand anything they wrap.

10. Be careful with your billfold

Sitting on a bulky billfold can cause nerve and muscle damage that can lead to back pain. Clean out your billfold often. Carry two thin wallets in each of your front trouser pockets. You can even sort the important stuff like your driver’s license, credit cards, and cash from the insignificant — and hand over the insignificant wallet if you ever get mugged!

Thank you to Andy for sharing his advice. You’ve inspired us to always look our best!

Now that you’ve learned how to set realistic resolutions, it’s time to start planning yours for 2014! Find out which resolutions Shelley of Forest City Fashionista, Crystal of Dressed Her Days Vintage, Judi of A Baby Boomer Woman’s Life After 50, and Anne-Marie of The Succulent Wife have in mind for the coming year, and grab a few ideas for 2014, too!

Is there anything you make a conscious effort to do year after year (resolution or not)?

Shelley: Each year, I try to be more conscious of how I spend my money — especially when it comes to my wardrobe — and to not use my credit card for clothing purchases. I have also made a personal resolution to do more things that make me happy, such as visit my friends in other cities more often, wear outfits that I love (regardless of whether anyone else does), and go to the gym at least two or three times each week. None of these things require enormous effort, but they are things that I have to keep reminding myself to do.

Crystal: There’s something about simplicity that always calls to me. I think it’s a symptom of how cluttered my life is.

Judi: I always say I am going to get more sleep. It’s a hard thing to achieve when there is so much on my bucket list for the second half of my life, and the years seem to speed by faster and faster.

Anne-Marie: I have made no resolutions in the last five years or so. Getting rid of the extra holiday weight is always a “project” in the new year, but I have stopped making it a resolution. Things like organizing my photo albums (all 20 years of them now), stop eating carbs, or exercising six days a week are the types of resolutions certain to cause defeat.

What’s your biggest resolution for 2014 and why? Is this a life change, small change, year-long, or short-term achievement?

Shelley: I had no plans to make any new resolutions for 2014, but I just keep trying to be mindful of the ones that are ongoing. Things like trying to eat less sugar and fat have been on my mind more in the last couple of years, as are ones related to physical fitness. I also moved to a smaller apartment two years ago, so I am constantly aware of the need to reduce the amount of stuff I own and reduce the clutter that seems to cover most of the flat surfaces.

Crystal: My big objective in 2014 is to sort out what’s most important to me. I’ve always been a Renaissance girl with lots of interests. But I’m starting to see how I’ve sacrificed mastery in some areas because my efforts are so scattered, and I’m trying to do too much. I can’t change the makeup of my personality, but I would like to slowly make an effort to become more focused and prioritize what things I give the most time.

Judi: As I mentioned, I plan to set intentions for 2014. My intentions are to practice gratitude, to be happy and thankful for my family and friends, for my comfortable home, and for my physical health. I only have one body, so I want to keep it moving.

Anne-Marie: My wish for 2014 is to continue leading a healthy lifestyle practice which would include continued yoga practice several times a week, eating clean foods, spending more time with loved ones, and drinking just a wee bit less wine!

Thank you to our panel for dishing on their 2014 resolutions! Do you have any you set year after year or that you’re really focusing on next year? Let us know on Facebook!