Body Kit.

One of the pleasures that I enjoyed in my late 40s was mjengo (construction). I consider myself a co-creator with Sir God. I have loved construction since I was 26 when I attempted my first build. My dad built his first house (and moved in with his family) while in his early 30s. We lived in the dark for a while before he connected stima. I remember my sister doing her KCPE exam revision under candlelight. I’m not sure the exams were as romantic as the revision. So I was competing with my dad in private. I hope my son will have similar private competitions with his father. May I set a good (and high) example for him to be proud of even in public.

Since 2021 I have been in a labor of love converting my old events warehouse into residential units. I have always loved rustic A-frame design cottages so this has been like building a dream into reality. I moved into Apps like Pinterest and Houzz, spending hours digging for ideas and designs that are rustic yet minimalist. My project is a product of curious creativity refined by those apps and a lot of research into the world of construction. And I like the outcome if I may say so myself hehe. It has been a journey of hard work but the fulfilment and enjoyment make it feel like a breeze. I now feel like a contractor who coaches on the side instead of the other way around. That’s what a portfolio life looks like folks. Doing more than one thing and you like all of them.

This year I felt the need to keep it simple. As I sat to journal on the first day I wondered what I should aim for. Last year I had an elaborate plan aided by those year planners. I reviewed it at the end of the year and found that I scored well on some targets and not so well on others. As I look back at the last decade, most of my heavy lifting has been internal. I have worked hard on my inner man to not just survive my midlife transition but to create and live a significant life. It’s been a long and hard fight clouded with uncertainty on one hand and possibility on the other. I think that’s what has qualified me to help other folks in transition.

I did my annual medical review on October 30^th last year. I have enjoyed good health throughout my life and for that I’m thankful. As a result, I feel I may have taken my health for granted. There is no better wealth than health yet we often push our bodies hard like the matatus in Nairobi that are only fixed when they break down and cause unnecessary traffic jams. The results were good apart from my high cholesterol, which is no surprise. I decided to do some extra tests now that I am 50 just to avoid any surprises. That led to a series of visits to the doctor and some lab tests in between. For the first time, I got concerned about my health. What if I find some terrible disease that prevents me from living my best life?

It reminded me of the feeling I got when I turned 40. Like I was vulnerable and could get a condition and not recover. The last few months have brought to the fore that I can’t continue being on autopilot as far as my physical health is concerned. That brings me to a boring reality I have to face and follow through. Going to the gym.

My inner man has been to the gym for most of the past decade. We have done some heavy lifting internally and my mental and spiritual guy is beginning to show some six-pack I believe. It’s now time to take care of the outer man. I love running, hiking and golfing. But that alone won’t do if I am to maximise my 50s. I was told that I now need to add strength training to my routine because from 50 our muscles start wasting away.

 I’m now deciding what gym to join after a few false attempts in the past. This time around I will have to stick to it and my body will thank me later I’m told. Doing something we don’t like is good for character development. That’s how I’m consoling myself hehe.

It’s funny how sometimes we can be so fixated on working on one part of our lives and neglecting another equally important part. It is now time for that switch. I love Subarus and even though our reputation is often tainted I remain a Subaru boy hehe. I have seen old Subarus cleaned up and upgraded into rally cars. They do that by adding body kits to the car for a newer and shiny look. The workmanship makes folks turn heads when one passes though sometimes it might be the loud noise that attracts attention.

Maybe folks my age should now start considering body kits for our bodies. Since we can’t go in for panel beating and spray painting, our best option would be to hit the gym and exercise in addition to some diet adjustments. That’s how best to kit our bodies. That’s my goal for this year. Maybe my word for the year should be fitness. I want to be fit and strong for many years to come because good health is a requirement for graduation in the university of our second half. May your 2025 be a fit one folks.