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| Aging gracefully requires a good measure of courage |
We have all heard the old adage
about aging gracefully. It implies an
acceptance of the facts of aging and going gently with the flow of the passing
years. It means forgoing the struggling
to appear and behave unrealistically and ridiculously younger than one’s
age. There is a certain beauty about
aging gracefully. The ability to live life with poise, dignity and few regrets
is an amazing blessing. Yet a passive bow to the passing of time, as graceful
as that might be, is not enough. There
is also need for today’s elderly to face the future fearlessly.
Aging is not for sissies. It is fearful business watching oneself and
loved ones succumb to the ravages of time.
Weakness, fatigue and loss of abilities to cope with the little tasks of
life are often combined with the fear of becoming dependant and a burden on
family and friends. Illness and disability surround the elderly and the awful
specter of dementia lurks in the shadows of many elder’s worries. There are no
guarantees as we age, and as many older people will attest, life has a way of
dealing all of us some difficult blows.
It takes great courage to grow old. To be able to rise above the
uncertainties of life and face the future with boldness is fearless aging.
How do the elderly face the
future fearlessly? Those with courageous attitudes often know that age isn’t
just a number. Chronological age is
based on the number of years since birth and is what most people think of as
their age. Yet as a person ages their
focus on the numbers may not be helpful. Functional age is based on how the body
functions and can be a better measure of age if an elder is in good physical
condition. Subjective age is the best measure of all, because it can be
controlled. Subjective Age is all about
frame of mind and attitude and is the age the fearless focus on.
Looking at how the fearless
age, there are some common tips used by the most courageous elderly.
·
Age
with attitude – Abe Lincoln once said, “People are about as happy as they make
up their minds to be.” We cannot change
the past or control the future. We
cannot change others but we can choose our attitudes. Attitude plays a major
role in how people view their situation and how they feel psychologically and
physically. Choose to be happy and
content in today. A positive point of
view affects every aspect of life and empowers the aging with courage.
·
Take
care of business – There are a lot of decisions to be made about aging. Beyond health care and finances, there is the
business of settling estates and death to deal with. Take care of each decision
ahead of time and reduce the stress of growing older for yourself and your
family. Get all the business of aging
organized and let your family know your plans and where to find the paperwork.
·
Get
busy – Retired does not mean inactive.
There is a lot of work involved with remaining a healthy elder. Exercise of the mind and body should become
the new employment of the elderly and it needs to be taken as seriously as any
career move ever made. Being actively
employed with physical exercise and brain stimulation can make the all the
difference in the quality of life for the aging.
·
Invest
in the future – Pass on your wisdom and values to the next generation by
spending your time and energy with your children and grandchildren. The legacy of your principles is a gift you
pass on to the future which will affect generations to come.
Aging fearlessly takes a lot of
effort and positive mental outlook. Many
times it requires choosing thought patterns and behaviour quite the opposite of
how one feels. Elders who exhibit such
courage set the example for all of us and are truly heroic.
Sources:
“Aging
Gracefully” Retrieved from www.retirementonline.com
on 12/15/12.
“Four
Ways to Age Fearlessly” by Gay Edelman.
Retrieved from www.thirdage.com
on 12/15/12/
"12
Step Plan for Graceful Aging” Retrieved from www.aquidoo.com
on 12/15/12.
Quotes
by Abraham Lincoln. Retrieved from www.brainyquote.com
on 12/27/12.
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