Looking for a birthday card to give my 75-year-old friend, I passed up almost every message featured in the card section of my local markets. You know the ones I’m talking about. Intended to be funny, their messages ridicule older people! After a failed search, I made a card for her, emphasizing my friend’s virtues. She loved it! A much better choice.
I’m in my 78th year, happily entrenched in the fourth quarter of life. All this time has brought me invaluable knowledge, experiences, wisdom, and memories. I won’t let those repulsive commercial birthday cards limit my concept of aging.
While aging is a part of life, becoming an old person is not. Rather, that’s an outdated mindset. Unfortunately, some folks have slipped into that mentality, just waiting for the Grim Reaper. Not me! Here’s how I embrace my age without giving in to negative preconceptions of growing old.
Keep Moving
Staying active as we age can help us feel younger. While it’s commendable for some to engage in extreme sports like mountain climbing or marathon running, that isn’t required. What matters most to me is keeping my body moving. I go on a brisk morning walk every day, and I work out at a local YMCA. I also joined a weekly strength training class and a yoga session there.
That enhances physical flexibility and balance, helping prevent falls. Because I have osteoporosis, I exercise to strengthen my muscles and bones. It also helps control blood pressure and prevent heart disease and stroke. Exercise boosts my mood. It makes me feel happy. Try cycling, dancing, swimming, or aerobics if you prefer those activities.
Continue to Learn and Create
I’ve made it a priority to do things that stimulate my mind. I author stories for several online publications, including Sixty & Me. I also draft poems as another way to challenge my brain. Learning and creating something new is a fantastic way to combat any sense of stagnation. Although I penned a few haiku poems decades ago, I didn’t write many assorted styles of poetry until my early 70s. It’s never too late to begin something new.
Here’s a poem I wrote last year, published in the 2024 edition of The Apple Tree by the Third Age Press of the Academy for Lifelong Learning. Several contributing authors were invited to read our work during a special luncheon. What a fun first for me to share my “Stage 4” poem with the group. That stimulated table conversations later, too.
After selling my financial planning business at age 67, I created a consulting firm that continued for several years. I trained professionals to work with widows and directed a research team focused on surviving spouses and money. Today, I enjoy writing, speaking, and mentoring. Did I mention I’m teaching a college graduate-level course this fall? Also, during the next school year, I’ll tutor third-grade children in the Lawyers for Literacy program.
As I wrote earlier this year, I’m “Not Wired to Retire.” This is part of my healthy aging routine.
Stay in Touch with Friends and Family
I believe the foundation of a fulfilling life is maintaining relationships with others. A growing number of research studies show the importance of staying connected for healthy aging. I work to maintain relationships with those closest to me and put effort into making new friends. That includes participating in group activities, attending local events, and volunteering with organizations I value. These contacts give me an enhanced sense of meaning and purpose.
I’m traveling to be with a group of girlfriends this fall. The rest of the year, we meet monthly on Zoom because our homes are thousands of miles apart. Every year, we pack our bags and hit the road, renting an Airbnb for a few days in a fresh, exciting city. One year, we went to Costa Rica. We gals cherish our friendships.
Embrace Technology
While technological advancements might be daunting, they also provide interesting and fun opportunities. I enjoy playing with AI. For example, I’ve created graphics using Microsoft Designer to accompany some of my poetry and stories.
Most Saturday evenings, I read picture books with my long-distance grandson thanks to Zoom and Kindle-formatted children’s books. Last summer, I helped him write and publish his first eBook, using various computer apps to produce it. You can read his debut effort here.
After I figured out how to use a new app on my Android, it was like solving a puzzle – quite satisfying.
Foster an Upbeat Perspective
When I write in my journal most mornings, I mention something I’m grateful for. Instead of dwelling on the natural decline that comes with becoming older, I prefer to think about all the good things that have happened to me. Every day, I give thanks for what I have. This positive mindset helps me start each day with hope and resilience.
Maintain a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
We all know our eating habits impact our rate of aging. You may have read many articles and research on this topic. Although I’ve always been careful about what I put into my body, I’ve made it a bigger priority as I’ve aged. I stay healthy and energized by eating a pescatarian, modified Mediterranean-style diet that works for me. It’s high in vegetables, fruits, fish, seafood, whole grains, eggs, and dairy. That’s been my dietary style for over 50 years, long before it became popular.
I quit drinking wine and all alcohol almost three years ago, knowing that as women age, we process those beverages differently, in ways not helpful. I intend to live a long life well into my 90s without carcinogenic beverages. Likewise, I’ve never smoked.
Get the Health Help You Need
I don’t avoid the doctor’s office. On the contrary, I take a preventative approach to my health, with annual exams, periodic screenings, blood tests, and addressing potential problems quickly. By educating myself and actively participating in my healthcare, I want to ensure I do the right things to help live a long and healthy life.
For example, last year, after my doctor’s advice, I started taking a low statin dosage to lower my “bad” cholesterol level. Although I was doing everything else right regarding exercise, eating well, ideal weight, and lifestyle, my numbers had stayed stubbornly high for years. Bingo! Four months after starting that tiny pill, my blood test confirmed I was now in the excellent range.
Accept Change and Adapt
I agree that my eight-year-old grandsons have far more energy than I do. I take a half-hour nap in the afternoons but am up with the birds by 6 AM. Through middle age, I packed many activities into most days, going at a fast pace. However, now I’m content doing less and at a slower speed. I build in buffer time, too – no need to rush in many situations. I don’t need to give myself artificial deadlines, either. I’m here to enjoy the ride.
Rather than growing old, I’m simply aging and growing. I want to be a flowing stream, not a frozen brook. I will continue enjoying life fully, loving sincerely, and never growing old.
Here’s a heads-up! September is National Healthy Aging Month, established by the U.S. Senate in 2021.
This might motivate you to consider making your life healthier as you age but not grow old.
Top image credit: Charlie Pickett.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Are you aging or growing old? How are you aging positively? What helpful advice have you given others about not growing old? Please join the conversation.
