Enjoying the Benefits of Aging
As we age, it’s sometimes easy to get caught up in talking about all of the “problems” related to aging … the aches and pains, doctors appointments, basically all the things that are going “wrong” with your body.
I am not quite 60 and many might say that I don’t know what it’s like to be older yet. That may very well be true and I certainly don’t feel old, but what is true is that every decade I have lived, life has gotten more amazing.
Maybe that will change at some point but I can’t imagine it. Many of my clients are currently in their 70’s and 80’s and they are still actively engaged in their lives.
Do they have to work a little bit harder at 80 to eliminate their aches and pains? Absolutely, but they have the wisdom and knowledge to do so if they choose to.
Wisdom and Knowledge … these are two of the golden keys of aging.
We learn so much in the first half of our lives and that knowledge can help make the second half so much more enjoyable.
If we’re lucky, we may have worked through insecurities, learned from a wide array of mistakes, and are allowing ourselves to experience the joys of vulnerability now that we’re not so concerned with what others think about us.
When we’re “young”, we think we know everything and we take much for granted. As we age gracefully, we often appreciate so much more, learn to live with presence and acceptance, and have the capacity to experience an amazing amount of joy.
Life has the potential to be so much more liberating as you age, but you do need to pay more attention to your physical and mental conditions for this to be true.
Focussing on the positive aspects of your life helps to create more of them, mostly because you’re likely to engage in healthier behaviors that allow you to age well.
For example:
When you take time to breathe deeply and notice the beauty that surrounds you, it’s often easy to feel joy because you are completely present
If you teach your taste buds to compromise some of the time and notice how your body feels when you eat healthier foods, you’ll be able to enjoy the extra energy you have from “fueling” your body well.
When you move often and in a variety of ways (e.g., strengthening, stretching, and improving your cardiovascular health) you can enjoy the ongoing strength and stamina to do what you want
There may still be some aches and pains or other issues occuring in your life that you have to address, and some of them may be very serious. I am not in any way minimizing any real pain you may be experiencing.
I am asking that you consider the good in your life and hold onto that as often as you can.
Action Steps:
Think about what’s going well in your life right now.
How is your life better today as a result of your accumulated knowledge and wisdom gained from living your life?
If today was your last day, would you have any regrets?
If you answered yes, what might you be able to do to change that now?
Embrace your power and live your life as fully as you can!
