In this excerpt from the book Bettie Page: The Lost Years, Bettie wrote these words of wisdom to her sister Goldie for New Year’s 1999 – exactly 20 years ago!

In her letter to Goldie, Bettie wrote:

I’ve got a big sign up on my bedroom wall, among others, that I’m trying with all my might to do: “I must practice positive thinking at all times and eliminate negative thinking.” Do you know it makes all the difference in the world as to how you feel if you don’t moan and groan about all the bad things that have happened to you throughout your past life, if you put it all behind you and expect good things to come to you. Chances are they will just because you believe it.

As part of my studies on anti- aging and longevity (I’m trying to live to be 100+ in good health as much as possible), I’ve been reading a lot about the power of the mind to heal. You know there are two truisms: you are what you eat and you are what you think! Your mind influences every part of your body. You are only as old as you think.

Your mind affects your body’s ability to make itself sick or well. Your thoughts determine whether you become old as you age or stay young. How you think results in how you feel. Unhappy emotions and poor self- image can lead to disease.

I know from personal experience that this works, Goldie (oops, I mean Gloria). Maybe you should copy all of this in big letters and put it up on the wall where you can read it every day—like I do—and DO it!!! Believe me, that’s the best possible New Year’s resolution you could make.

♥ ♥ ♥