How To Grow Old Gracefully

Ageing is something that people fear – it brings with it the natural decay of the human form and mind, wrinkles, physical ailments, weakening bones, deteriorating brains and, finally death. It is easier said than done to adhere to the ‘why-afraid-of-death-when-it-is-certain’ saying but it is best not to think about it. If you are still alive and do not have any major life-threatening ailment, you should take care of your body and mind. Defying age is not as much about the body as it is about the attitude and the outlook towards life. In any case, studies say that if you have the will to live, you will live. Many of us waste our lives – especially by treating our bodies badly – and end up fearing each day because we know that we have played havoc with ourselves. However, there are ways by which we can age gracefully, inspite of all the problems that we face. Here are some tips on ageing gracefully. 

 

Tips On Ageing Gracefully 

Here’s what you can do to age gracefully:

 

Sulking or complaining about what you do not have will never let you come out of the past and will prevent you from being happy and your true self. You may have all the valid reasons to sulk and complain but you must remember that people like to be around happy and cheerful people and not around wet dishrags who constantly complain that life is being unfair to them. Also, people have so many problems of their own and need not carry the burden of your problems too. If you are suffering from physical ailments, which are often the cause of your complaints with life, they should be told to your doctor or physician and not to anybody among your friend circle.

 

You must have always had a hobby or interest that you used as a stress buster or to unwind and rejuvenate. Since you have fewer responsibilities now, this is the right time for you to pursue them once again. It will give a purpose to your life and also take away the bitterness that you feel. Of course, at 60 you cannot hope to go mountaineering, especially if you haven’t kept in excellent health with regular exercise. However, you could develop a new interest that could keep you busy and happy. If your mobility is limited, there is very little that can stop you from either listening to music or reading or watching your favourite films on DVDs. Women can also take the liberty of knitting, making crochet, or writing, especially if it is not too hard on your eyesight. You could teach your grandchildren to sew, cook, or teach them a few home remedies.

 

Learning something new will bring back the life that you think you were losing. It will also serve to bring back a purpose into your life. Learn anything new, from operating the CD player so that you can watch movies or play music CDs. You could also learn to use the computer and keep in touch with family members – grandchildren or even other family members who live abroad and you cannot contact them ever so often over the phone.

 

Make friends who share the same interests rather than those who share the same ailments! If latter is the case, you, and your friends will only end up spending your quality time complaining rather than being happy. Friends should pull you out of your complaining spell instead of only feeding into it. You need to laugh together, share experiences together and inspire each other to come out of the sulking modes. People of your age may also tell you how best to deal with your problems – physical or otherwise.