Attitude is everything! How you feel about yourself in regards to
your health, financial well-being, age, and achievements says a great deal
about how successful your retirement can be.
Being a senior does not mean
that you cannot continue to change and to grow.
Your body tells you that you are
getting older, but there is a fine distinction between being “old” and in being
older. On the inside (and this is the
part that matters) you are still the same person that you were at 26, 36, 56,
66 or beyond, and this means that change is still possible.
Whether your goal is losing
weight, exercising more, eating a healthier diet or learning how to handle
stress, you still have the capacity to learn and change every single day. You have learned from experience that making
changes is difficult but now is not the time to give up. Hopefully you grit your teeth every time you
hear someone use their age as an excuse not to bother (you know, the old
“what’s the use,” saga).
Accept setbacks and
recognize that your brain is resistant to change. Change is risky because it takes you out of
your comfort zone, which is what makes maintaining the status quo very
tempting. It is important to recognize that you can strive
to be better than ever before. Change
is a slow gradual process and the idea is to focus on how these changes will
help you. Reward yourself often. Revel in your successes and enjoy the sense
of control that you are taking over your life.
Learn how to deal with the
pain and fatigue that accompany chronic conditions associated with aging. Accept that you may not be able to work long
hours whether at your job or in the garden.
Paying attention to your needs does not mean that you can’t do things as
successfully as you used to, but it does mean that you may have to bend a
little. You may need to rest more, eat
better, and spend more time maintaining your body that you used to but that is
perfectly acceptable. The idea is to use
your mind more and your body less (we probably should have thought of this
earlier on). Focus on what you can do
instead of what you can’t do.
Everyone has the capacity
for making changes, no matter what age they are. Life continues to offer
choices if you care to take advantage of them. Challenge yourself mentally and
physically on a daily basis. Yes, you
can change and for the better.
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