Funny how you look at one post about something, and then, thanks to the famous (infamous?) algorithm, your news feed is overrun with reels about bulldogs, crochet stitches, and rituals. Or aging. Where the heck did that come from? I am aging. I sure don’t need to read about it during my mindless daily scrolling.
Seven habits to transform your life as you age. Nine things to make you happier as you get older. How to age gracefully. You’re not getting older, you’re getting better. Yada yada yada.
I’ve blogged about aspects of aging many times. In fact, this whole blog idea is about aging. Well, it started out about retirement, but how long can you milk that topic? Aging it is. And it’s just something that people of a certain age talk about. I mean, when you’re a teenager, you talk about your weekend party plans. When you are a young adult, you talk about your future. Then comes talking about kids. Then work. Finally, you talk about retirement. And once you’re retired, you talk about…aging.
That talk centres mostly around aches and pains. Replacements and physio appointments. Memory loss. All those wonderful things that start to surface once you hit sixty-something.
If we put as much energy into positive thoughts as we do worrying about all the bad things about getting older, we would walk around with permanent smiles and rays of sunshine shooting out of our, uh, head.
Aging gracefully takes work, both physical and mental. They go hand in hand. Getting older is not the end, and we just keep going. As the experts say, embrace aging; don’t fight it.
So exactly how do you embrace aging? Change happens, and nowadays it seems like something changes every day. Technology is to thank for that. And perhaps we pay more attention to our changing bodies than we did decades ago. Back then, we went with the flow. Bought a different size. Played in a different league. We just did it. Now, we read, we watch videos, and we share. I think we are more aware of aging than any other life stage. So rather than lament about the not-so-great things (pains, mobility, brain fog), we need to focus on the wonderful things! You know, like having the time to do things that we want. Being able to do things and not question them. Be eccentric! We get to be creative and find ways to adapt.
Another important aspect of embracing change is practicing gratitude. Not just at Thanksgiving, but every day. Be thankful for what you have, not what you want. Be thankful for the abilities you have. Not what you used to do. Just be thankful to be alive! And don’t forget to celebrate the small things. You will notice that by being grateful for small things, such as a good cup of coffee or tea, a bird on the deck, or sunshine in November, you will feel better.
Of course it is important to stay physically active. Now that doesn’t mean running marathons or playing sports daily. It may be as simple as walking the dog once or twice a day. Parking further away from the grocery store. Window shopping at the mall. There’s really no excuse, especially with all the videos on YouTube. You can do indoor walking, yoga, chair Pilates, and many other things just by surfing a bit online. Your living room becomes your gym! It doesn’t matter how you move your body, just move it. If you don’t, you will stiffen up. Trust me, I know! My recent lack of exercise ended up with several trips to the physiotherapist before I could even stand up straight!
Don’t forget those important social connections. If you’re having a bad day, get out. Meet a friend for coffee. Take a class or one-time workshop. It is surprising how good it feels to be around others for just a short while. I know; that really depends on who you’re around, right? Choose wisely.
Whatever you do, do it with intention. Be mindful. Do what makes you feel good. And watch out for that algorithm!
Interesting Reads & Things
https://wanderingsart.ca/2022/06/15/ageing-and-loving-it/ (Jann Arden If I Knew Then book review)
https://wanderingsart.ca/2022/02/23/how-old-are-you/ (interview with Chris Bowes)
Wanderings Art 