Aging doesn't have to be traumatic. It is a normal life stage and we can ease into it by fully embracing our personal power to choose how we think and what we feel, what we believe, and how we behave.
Aging is when the adventure of living changes from gaining to losing. We are still growing older and it is still an adventure if we are willing to see it as such. The adventure is still unusual, as we've not done it before; it can be exciting if we take on the new challenges boldly, it is hazardous as the risks become greater. And how we respond to all of this is determined by our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
When we experience the loss of our former roles, for instance when we retire, we have the opportunity to take on different roles. And often we have the choice to make big changes in the direction we've been going. We can choose to be in a bigger or smaller role. We may take on greater responsibility for aging parents for grandchildren or returning adult children. We may volunteer in a very different way than how we earned our living before. We may take a greater role in politics or in leadership in organizations.
And if our aging has diminished or physical abilities we may choose to take on the role of mentor, educator, or adviser to others. We may learn a new skill less physically demanding skill, like computers, handcrafting, tutoring. (I started this blog!)You may choose to market those new skills and/or teach them to others. You may take on the role of caring about others in new ways, like phone calls, cards, letters to folks who may be lonely or may think they have been forgotten. And at the very least you could choose to be someone's sunshine by giving them your smiles and amiability. Always ask yourself, "Well, if I can't do that, what CAN I do instead?"
You could choose to examine your thoughts and beliefs in ways you never took the time to do before. And this might lead to changing those thoughts and beliefs that do not serve you well. Our behavior choices are influenced by what we believe. And often those beliefs are no longer relevant. What we thought was true about ourselves may have changed in ways that open you to more confidence and willingness to try new things. You may find yourself changing the "I can't" to "I'll at least try." You may find yourself more willing to take risks that you had voided when you were responsible for raising and supporting your children, or when you feared certain behaviors might cost you your job and means of earning a living that supported more people than now.
You may discover you need fewer things and more people. You may begin to focus on developing more friendships and social connections. You may determine that your values have changed, that some things that were very important to you ten years ago are less important now. Identifying your values goes a long way in what you choose to do in this stage of life. There may have been things you would have done or supported in the past but didn't because you had concerns about what others would think about you - and now what others think may be less important to you.
One of the best things you can do for yourself at this stage is to take the time to explore your own thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Get to know the you that you are now. And then use your personal power to act in ways that help you to grow emotionally and spiritually. Open yourself to loving what you find in self-discovery and to love yourself enough to choose what thoughts, feelings, and beliefs benefit your personal growth most.
Just because you are aging doesn't mean you must stop growing. You aren't dead yet. That means there is still room to grow.
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