I recently had the pleasure and privilege of experiencing Shen Yun, translated as “The Beauty of Divine Beings Dancing.” It’s a world-class performing arts production that celebrates the long history, rich culture, and resilient spirit of Chinese people through dance, music, and storytelling.
As a middle-aged man who values fitness, health, and wellbeing, I didn’t just see a performance, I saw principles. (And no, there are no spoilers 🤗)
Here are six rock-solid, Shen Yun-inspired life rules that any one over 40 can apply to build a healthier, more grounded life, inside and outside the gym.
1. You Are Divine
Polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe famously said: “Before we can do something, we must be something.”
When we say human beings, it’s worth remembering that the atoms in our bodies were forged in ancient stars. You don’t need to understand quantum physics to appreciate this truth: we are in constant energetic exchange with the universe absorbing and emitting light, movement, and intention.
When you truly value who and what you are, you naturally take greater ownership of your choices, how you move, what you eat, how you recover, and how you live.
Self-respect is the foundation of health.
2. Design Your Life
Great performances don’t happen by accident. They are intentionally designed by individuals with a vision. Music producer Rick Rubin puts it perfectly: “Follow your excitement, not the audience.”
The same applies to your health. Your version of fitness doesn’t have to impress anyone else. If the gym isn’t your thing, don’t force it. If marathons and triathlons make your head hurt, choose something that excites you.
Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is often credited with the phrase: “God is in the details.” Small, intentional choices, done consistently, create a well-crafted life.
Design yours.
3. Dexterity Is Underrated
We often chase strength, size, or endurance while overlooking something far more fundamental: dexterity.
Think about the everyday movements you take for granted:
• Using chopsticks
• Cleaning a water bottle
• Tying shoelaces
• Cutting toenails
• Fastening a helmet
Each requires mobility, coordination, and fine motor control, until one day, it doesn’t come so easily. If we’re intentional about preserving these “basic” abilities, we naturally invest in staying capable and independent for as long as possible.
Longevity lives in the details.
4. Discipline Is Destiny
I recently watched a reality TV moment that stuck with me. Simon Cowell, casually eating breakfast, cut his crumpet in half and said: “I’ll have this now and save the rest for later.”
Here’s a man who can afford unlimited crumpets and yet he practiced restraint. That’s discipline. Delayed gratification is a superpower. Improving your health requires effort. Maintaining it requires restraint.
Discipline isn’t punishment. It’s protection.
5. Life Is a Dance
You are not a static object, you’re a dynamic process. We are made of atoms formed through the stellar nucleosynthesis of ancient stars, part of a story that began long before us and will continue long after.
Shakespeare captured this beautifully in As You Like It: “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players…”
Each phase of life has its own rhythm. The key isn’t to resist change, but to learn the tempo of the music that’s playing right now and dance with it.
6. Embrace Duality
The Erhu, a traditional two-stringed Chinese violin, produces a vast emotional range from just two strings. Its sound reflects the highs and lows of human experience.
Life works the same way. Strength and weakness. Winning and losing. Pain and progress. Injury, illness, and relationship challenges test us. Success, promotions and social status test us too, often in subtler ways. When we embrace both sides with awareness and humility, there’s almost always a lesson waiting to be learned.
Your Turn
Which of these life rules resonated with you the most and how can you apply it this year to improve your health, fitness, or wellbeing?
Let’s start the conversation.
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