Image Source: BBC
Whatever we do and say about aging gracefully, there are some aspects of life that will always be inevitable. You can however choose to take control of your future by cultivating a more positive and youthful attitude one day at a time.
Resurrect youthful behaviours. We’ve probably all had interests and hobbies that we enjoyed when we were younger but had to put aside when the demands of work and family took over. After we retire, most of us actually have the time to enjoy them again or to try new things. Many older people are starting to participate in singing and acting like they did at school. Others pursue photography, art, writing, crafts and sporting activities.
If you’re able to, choose to make time in your life for a low-impact sport such as golf, cycling, swimming or bowling. Why not try to take a 30-minute walk several days a week? Join clubs and go on outings that will give you the opportunity to interact with other people and experience new things. We don’t need people in our lives who make us feel depressed or bad about ourselves. During a career, we sometimes have had to endure the company of co-workers we wouldn’t otherwise choose to be around. Now as we grow older, we have more time in our lives and more choice in who we spend time with. Find people who are interesting and fun to be around!
Make friends with people of different ages. You might be surprised at how many younger people enjoy the company of older people. To many people, age is just a number. They are more concerned with your personality, attitude and common interests. Younger people can bring vitality and fresh perspectives to your life. You may serve as a role model or a source of wisdom and stability for them without even realising it.
Keep up with modern technology. Become more computer-savvy if you need to. Knowing your way around the internet will enable you to research medical issues, plan trips away and explore almost any topic that interests you. Most personal business can be transacted online, and you can find information on almost anything using Google. For many people, electronic tools such as text messaging, Facebook and Instagram have replaced letters and telephone calls as the preferred modes of communication. Even email is declining in popularity. If you hope to stay in touch with younger friends and relatives, you’ll need to use the communication tools they use.
Stay connected with the world. Familiarise yourself with modern culture. While you may not care much for modern music and entertainment trends, you should still have a passing familiarity with what they are. Keep up with current events and get your news from a variety of sources in order to minimise bias and inaccuracies.
Don’t glorify the past. It’s easy to remember the good times from years past while forgetting about the difficult times you faced. Every decade had its share of corrupt politicians, social injustices, wars and problems. So, stop comparing things to when you were younger.
Avoid talking about your health problems. It’s all right to mention recent ailments or upcoming operations briefly, but don’t make them the focus of your entire conversation. Nothing makes you seem older than constantly dwelling on your aches, pains and maladies. People will enjoy conversations with you much more when you are able to talk about your plans for tomorrow rather than your issues of yesterday!
