How to Grow Old
Gracefully
March 9, 2009
It's a fact that we all grow
old. It's also a fact that we have little,
if any, control regarding the overall aging
process. Yet, what is positive is the fact
that we can control how we live while we age.
We control what we eat. We control how we
exercise. We control our sleep
habits. We control our social
lives. We control much more about our aging
than we care to think about. The fact that we
are all going to grow old should not stop us from
living a healthy, happy, and productive life.
When I was a young teenager, I
remember how mad I was that I had to ride my bike
everywhere because my father either refused to give me
rides or he was not available for that chore.
Now, I look forward to riding bikes to the beach or the
store with my ten year old daughter - just because
it's fun. Of course, my joints ache a bit
and if I did the bike riding thing too many days in
row, you would need to fill me with indomethacin to
reduce the inflammation in my joints. Still,
that part of growing old is worth the effort (and the
pain).
So it goes for all of
us who are in the midst of aging: from the 40 something
"has-been" athlete, to the 70
something "stroke victim."
We all have "a something" that
reminds us of how the aging process is affecting
us. Yet even with the inevitable weight gain,
the need for reading glasses, and the inability to
touch our toes, we can make living a positive outcome
even if aging may not be so positive.
Below are a few ideas that you, and your
care recipients, can practice in order to make living
through the aging process a positive and rewarding
experience:
Be
happy. Take things one step at a
time. Enjoy the little stuff and remember
everything is little stuff.
Plan your future. Even if you are 80 years
old, plan what the next year or two will bring for
you. Plan a trip to some distant
land. Plan to see your
grandchildren. Just keep thinking and
planning your future.
Work out
more. Plan out a regular and exciting
exercise program. Walking, going to the gym,
swimming, even dancing are ways that both keep the body
working at its best and can be fun.
Step up your social life. See
friends, or make new friends. Companionship is so important to keep the spirit up and soul
relaxed.
Volunteer your
time. Find that hobby that you have always
loved and begin to teach it to others. I've
been teaching sailing for nearly ten years - I love it,
and people are so grateful for me sharing my
experiences.
Laugh at
yourself. Many of us have had trouble
laughing at ourselves when we were young (we take
everything too seriously). Get over that as
soon as possible. We are all pretty funny
people, or at least we all do some funny
things. Enjoy those moments.
Sleep better. One of the keys
for more energy is to sleep better. Obtaining
the right amount of sleep every night can make the
world of difference in the energy that one has to
expend during the day. Check with a doctor if
sleeping is a consistent problem for you or your care
recipient.
To age better, we
must learn and practice the tricks listed above before
we hit the mainstream aging process. If you
can make those few simple suggestions habits before
retirement age, you have a good chance of taking the
aging process and making it into the golden years we
all have heard about for decades. Aging is
going to happen whether you like it or not.
Why not embrace life and enjoy the
ride?
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