If I hadn’t known, I would have guessed she was in her early 70’s. Perhaps a young looking 78, but certainly not 92. Come to think of it, I’ve met women in their 50’s who are considerably older! That may sound odd, but I believe there is a huge difference between growing older and growing old. Growing older is a blessing, for most of us, as the alternative isn’t very appealing. “Birthdays are good for you – they keep you alive.” Growing old, however, is optional.
I can see why, if you thought older automatically meant old, sick and infirm, you’d curse or at least be silent about another birthday, even though it was simply a sign you were still alive, and a simple reminder of the miracle of your birth. (Imagine for a moment if you hadn’t been born how very different your loved ones lives would have been, especially your now non-existent children! Your friends would have had to find someone else to care, and someone else would have had different impact on the places you worked. You have made more of a difference on this planet than you might realise.)
So how do we grow older without growing old? From conversations and observations over the years, I believe it really comes down to how you think about yourself and your options. You can program yourself either way by your self-talk, your beliefs and actions. You can choose to tell yourself you are ‘too old’ to do XYZ, whether it’s learning to use new technology, studying for a qualification, changing your unhealthy relationships, or playing Dress-Ups with a pre-schooler.
A sure sign you are getting old is when you start watching rather than doing. You watch the kids play rather than actively join in. You watch others run, swim, cycle, play and try new things. You always drive the same roads, shop in the same stores, socialise only with your (dwindling) set group and holiday in the same place each year. You stop pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and start fossilising.
Those who are growing older, but not old, obviously do the opposite. They take care of their bodies, and don’t accept the ‘inevitable middle age spread’ myth as an excuse to over-indulge. “What you don’t use, you lose” is so true. Exercising your body, your intellect, your imagination, social networks, humour and choices ensures you reach your 90s still enjoying your life, with a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step.
Take a moment now to think of your life in 20 – 30 years time, and how healthy, independent, active and loved you want to be. Now check in with how your life is now, and write down where you need to start making changes. You can’t expect your body to be more active at 80 than you are now at 40, for example, without putting it into gear now. The more excess weight you carry now, the more chance you have of heart and joint issues, and the less mobile you’ll be each year. You can’t expect to be surrounded by loved ones if you are currently neglecting your family relationships and ignoring your friends. What are you doing now, to keep your brain stimulated? How big is your Fun Factor? Where do you most need to change? Write down your list, and choose one, just one, to start with. Once it’s integrated into your life, choose another, and so on. If you try to change everything at once you’re simply self-sabotaging. Set yourself up for success instead, and take small steps that continue throughout the rest of your life.
Remember, if you need a Catalyst of Change or a Head Transition Coach to make your path smoother by clearing the head trash out of the way, call me: Sue Lester 0428128679 or email sue@growingcontent.com.au
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