Image courtesy of Abilene Denal
Getting older can be a positive experience that opens doors to exciting new possibilities. Midlife and beyond is not the time to start doubting yourself. Instead, it is time to reflect on all that you have learned and how to put your acquired experience and insight into meaningful practice in the years ahead.
Physical Changes
As we age, our bodies start to experience natural changes. Fat deposits may begin to melt, eliminating rounded curves and cushioned organs. Some people accumulate even more visceral fat, congesting the heart and lungs as well as the body’s circulation. Hair often thins and may become more flyaway or brittle. Reproductive activities cease, although sexual capabilities remain. Similar to puberty and adolescence, aging can catch us off-guard, making us feel vulnerable and uncertain about our appearance and abilities.
Fortunately, many seniors are enjoying the best health of their lives, thanks to a number of programs and initiatives that promote good health and well being at any age. Some dental and medical services are sometimes available at discounted rates for people with low incomes. Senior exercise groups meet at local gyms to work out together, using weights, bands, and dance steps. Accepting change as a normal process in the life cycle is the first step toward embracing what we have already achieved and anticipating what is yet to come.
As physical changes occur naturally or through exercise and proper nutrition, many seniors update their image accordingly. You may want to change your style to match your new looks by trying new hairstyles, fashion decisions, and different colors than you are used to wearing. SVHairRegeneres.com reminds us that “your hair gives you the power to express yourself. The color, the cut… these are part of how you define who you are.” There’s no reason age has to have a detrimental impact on that. A new hairstyle can enhance your overall image and build confidence, too.
Social Connections
In adjusting to a new physical state of being along with a unique personal style, it is likely you will be able to make new social connections. This doesn’t mean you have to give up old friends; instead, you can add new friends to your circle of acquaintances and cluster of people with you can socialize for various activities. You might want to walk around the neighborhood for exercise with a neighbor friend. Then you could head out to lunch with someone in your hobby group. Organize a family outing to the zoo or local park. The more you socialize and have fun with others, the better your overall outlook will likely be.
In addition to getting together for recreational purposes, you might want to volunteer at a community service program where you can feel good about helping others. You will also meet new people and perhaps make additional new friends. If you have particular interests, like children or older people, you could assist in a preschool program or at a nursing home or convalescence center. If you can play an instrument, you might want to perform during a lunch period in a hospital café or at a homeless shelter. You could teach informal lessons in your hobby or pastime, such as crocheting or singing. Whatever your interest or ability, using it to benefit others will help you to feel better about yourself.
Learn New Skills
After taking inventory of all the beautiful things you already know, choose another skill to master. One advantage is that learning additional skills will enhance your self-confidence and provide you with more ways to assist others and feel good about yourself. For example, if you study a foreign language, you might be able to serve as a translator or interpreter for a local company or community organization. Translators are needed by schools and hospitals sometimes, too. You might earn a chaplain’s certification, which would designate you as a spiritual leader to encourage and pray with those who request it in nursing homes, hospice, hospitals, etc.
But you can also learn a new hobby or craft of interest. For example, you could take a sewing or cooking class, or join a book club. Whatever your passion, you can learn more about it, such as art history or tennis, often cheaply or free, while expanding your mind and influence to help others with your expanded knowledge base. Building extended cognitive connections by learning something new instills confidence and allows you to become a more well-rounded person who can contribute to the well being of others. Maybe you will be the only person in your neighborhood who speaks Mandarin or who can cook Southwest cuisine specialties.
Be Creative
The golden years provide the opportunity to explore life more richly than ever before. For retirees or those who reduce their workload, additional time in their daily schedules allows you to tackle your bucket list and do things you have always wanted to try. Skydiving, mountain climbing, and travel are just a few possibilities. Imagine how great it will feel to finally have time to do something you have always dreamed of but lacked an opportunity to do until now.
If your children are grown, or you have no family responsibilities, take the time you deserve to be creative. Enroll in an art class or practice photography, or study any other topic of interest. Teach a class locally if you have skills that may attract others, even if it’s a practical skill like a cosmetic application or downsizing from home ownership to a condo or an apartment. Plumbing, wiring, or business mentoring are skills that are greatly in demand. Write a book about your life or create a work of fiction. As long as you enjoy good health and have the means to get around, try something different to expand your range of experiences.
Arriving at the mature years is something to be proud of. Most seniors have developed profound wisdom over many aspects of life, and others are eager to share in that bounty of riches. This is the time of life to feel proud of all that you have survived and accomplished. It is a time to display confidence in who you are and what you do. Take stock of your achievements to date and make plans for tomorrow and the days that follow.
