An Adultitis Fighter is someone who rallies against rules that don’t exist and engages in ruthless, senseless acts of silliness that undermine Adultitis and its unadventurous version of adulthood. Once a month, we shine a light upon the most remarkable among us, holding them up as a dazzling example of what we should strive for in this epic battle against a formidable enemy.
Cara Tracy is a ray of sunshine, a light of joy in the world. She embodies whimsy, wonder, and wisdom as she intentionally surrounds herself with tools and practices that bring about peace and playfulness. All of this makes her a natural leader and encourager. It doesn’t take long to witness that Cara continually and happily breaks rules that don’t exist, leaving Adultitis in the dust every time. Undeniably, you will be touched by her joy. It’s contagious and a gift to all who have the privilege of connecting with her on their journey.
In recognition of their efforts, Adultitis Fighters of the Month receive a special mini-canvas hand-painted by Jason, along with a certificate of honor, a sweet patch, and other Adultitis-Fighting tools. We asked Cara some questions about how she fights the Big A and what advice she has for others…
What are some of your favorite ways to fight Adultitis?
The biggest way I fight Adultitis is by ignoring my age. In fact, when asked how old I am (which strangely happens every now and then,) I have to do the math to give an answer (and usually use my fingers to count!)
I wear things I want to wear. Women over 50 shouldn’t wear sparkly makeup? I say, the more sparkly the better (and that’s to run errands.) I name my cars (Joey Guacamole is my Alien Green Kia Soul) and bought a silly googly eye window shade that has mostly been purchased by parents with young kids. And I have a Corgi stuffed animal named Waffles who resides on our family room couch as a stand-in until we get a real dog.
On a more serious note, I meditate and practice yoga (primarily Kundalini Yoga). It literally has changed my life by helping me to control my stress (which used to be a huge part of my life) and find peace within myself and others.
Who or what has been the greatest influence in your own fight against Adultitis?
That would be my husband of 30 years, Paul. In my eyes, he’s the chief Adultitis fighter and definitely a kid at heart. It’s not rare in our house to receive deliveries of colored markers, fake snowballs, finger puppets, crayons—and we have no kids!! He’s always coming up with clever and fun ways to motivate and inspire others, whether it’s at the office or in his volunteer work.
He’s currently sharing a hilarious look into his first experience working from home through his daily posts on Facebook where he has shared everything from pictures of him sitting on the kitchen floor eating PB&J and coloring to him having coffee with the cactus on our front porch.
As recovering Adultitis sufferers, we sometimes have tendencies to start taking life a bit seriously. Luckily we have each other, and together Adultitis doesn’t stand a chance! After our first week of working from home during the Coronavirus, we did what any Adultitus Fighter couple would do. We built a blanket fort in the family room, watched a video and then made s’mores.
What is something you loved doing as a child that you still do in some form today?
Singing. As a kid, my friend Robyn and I would roller skate around our neighborhood singing our favorite songs with aspirations of making it onto the Mickey Mouse Club. As a teen, I loved belting out my favorite STYX and REO Speedwagon songs (still do, in fact!) Now, as a student and teacher of Kundalini Yoga, I love chanting mantra. It calms and centers me like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
What is your strategy for dealing with people who are obviously infected with Adultitis?
Sharing inspiration to help them see beyond what they are experiencing and to give them hope that things will get better. In helping others, it helps me too.
What advice do you have for someone who is feeling overwhelmed by Adultitis?
Practice gratitude. Find things that help relax you—and do them!—whether it is meditation, a nap, a bubble bath, all of the above. Consciously breathe. And know that you create your reality with your thoughts, so think good ones!
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thanks for asking. Since there wasn’t anywhere else to mention it (and it’s worth mentioning,) I love Mexican food.
Congrats to Cara Tracy, April 2020 Adultitis Fighter of the Month. Thank you for making the world more awesome!