Getting Older and How to Embrace It
Another friend passed away a few weeks ago to the dreaded C word. When you are faced with old age, the alternative is not getting older, and I think it’s time to talk about some things we ignore.
We are not getting any younger…yes, that’s a fact, but the problem is many of us are going about this getting older thing all wrong. I know people who think their “glory days” are behind them and that is simply not true. So let’s take a look at how getting older can actually be embraced and, shockingly, we can learn to be okay with it.
8 years ago, I became certified to teach yoga. I had just turned 40. I started doing things that others felt might not be safe choices after you reach 40…you know like change your entire career. I have always been a writer. Since my very first Hello Kitty diary, I have written things. Some bad things, yes, some good, but I have always written down my thoughts.
Yoga was to heal, so naturally I started teaching others how to heal as well through my words, my e-books, and my online classes, both live in my closed group, and recorded.
One thing I noticed is a theme of “If I had known”. So I want to stop that and start now…no matter where you are in life, and just embrace this moment in time. I want us to move forward and not lose more sleep, more precious moments, to things we can never go back and change. Here are some ways I want all of us to embrace this getting older mantle that has been granted to us because I know others who wish they had this time.
- Start where you are. Take inventory of the things you want to change and really, honestly, look at what is working in your life (and what is not working), and begin with the smallest of actions towards what you want. It does not have to be some massive shift. Just small steps. Mine was I wanted to stop using excuses about walking daily. I read that we should walk every single day for optimal health, and definitely stop sitting as much. I changed my desk to a standing desk and got a portable walking treadmill. Unfortunately, I don’t seem able to focus quite yet on walking and typing. I will get there 🙂
- Eat well. Stop eating any food that makes you regret it. If you don’t eat all day long, like this lovely 50 something man I know and love, who is hardheaded and likely won’t read this, but then you come home and eat like you were on an episode of Survivor, not even sure that’s still a thing, but anyway, you eat like you have never seen food in your life, please don’t. The body does best with small meals. I know many people who fast, and that is fine as long as it’s not repeated day in and day out because you “forgot” to eat. So meal prep. Plan your food, and make eating a mindfulness exercise. I have actually started doing this and eating less meat, and more veggies. You do you, but as many of you know I am also gluten-free due to autoimmune so I really try to eat well.
- Get your parts checked out. I get it. Booty, boobs, nether regions whatever, we might be embarrassed. The last thing one of my friends advocated was please get a colonoscopy by 50 especially if something feels wrong and you aren’t sure if it’s a hemorrhoid or perhaps something more sinister. She wishes she had gone months earlier…and I know many people who just missed 1 year of a life-saving exam and then went the next year only to find out something was actually wrong. Listen to your gut please. Schedule the things. Get the moles checked. And if you are my age, you remember the “Wear Sunscreen” song/man talking and telling us what to do. So do those things because it actually was a cool list of advice.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. So such and such just went on some ridiculous cruise around the world, and you didn’t. You might have the grandkids and they might wish they had that in their life, or the land, or the animals or whatever the thing is you have that you don’t realize others don’t have. Trust me. Every single person, whether they realize it or not, has something others don’t have. Honestly, if you think about it, it is true. Gratitude increases abundance. If you find yourself scrolling through the feed and thoughts of envy arise, step away from the feed, and get outside. Make a list of the things in your life that you are so very thankful for. Right in this moment. Food, a roof over your head, the ability to read this…and much more.
- Talk with other people. This might be hard, but don’t assume people are going to reach out to you. They might be waiting for you to reach out to them. Forgive whatever past faults you might have had and reach out now while you can. Trust me. Can’t reach out? Send a card, letter or write it down in your journal that you are sending loving thoughts to such and such. Watch what happens. If the person is no longer here, send them loving thoughts anyway and just move forward. We are all doing the best we can with life.
- Love yourself. Wake up in the morning and high five yourself, say an affirmation, or write something on your bathroom mirror in dry erase that makes you smile. There’s tons of research around all of this, but Mel Robbins book is a great tool. I have been listening to books on Audible lately, so just decide if that might be a better use of your time then scrolling and you can get lots done. Work around the house or yard and put that on your list and listen while you get chores done.
More on self-esteem can be found here:
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