If you are like so many seniors, the continual aging process may be difficult to come to terms with. The fear of growing old is both a legitimate and a common concern that people all over the world struggle to accept and cope with as they age—but there are ways to move forward and continue to live each day to the fullest.
Finding beauty in your situation
As humans, none of us can escape the process of growing old. From the moment we are born until the moment we die, our bodies and minds are aging every single day. There is no fountain of youth or magic anti-aging potion, and spending your days dreaming of your younger self won’t turn back the clock. Instead, it is best to accept yourself and the stage you are at in life.
The aging process is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of—each year you have spent on this earth is a year you have spent making memories, forming relationships, and learning from your mistakes. In a society so obsessed with outward appearance and looking your absolute youngest, it can be difficult to appreciate the beauty of growing older.
You, along with all the people around you, are meant to change and age—and understanding this concept allows you to embrace the value of your life at any age.
Do You Feel Invisible?
As a senior citizen, it can be tempting to feel “obsolete” or “out of touch.” In reality, however, nothing is further from the truth! You live in a world filled with opportunity and chances for learning, no matter the year listed on your birth certificate. There has never been a better time to be alive and to be growing old—and our society today provides you with endless chances to participate and get involved in almost any way you choose.
Americans today live in the least-hierarchical society that our country has ever known, and you are given nearly all the same opportunities as your twenty-year-old coworkers, voters, customers, and fellow students. While it can be difficult to accept physical and/or mental limitations that may accompany the aging process, your afflictions do not have to define you.
With access to the online world from the comfort of your couch, church, office, or classroom, you can choose each day to sharpen your mind and to learn something new.
Looking to the future
If you are still struggling to cope with your aging self, think of this slump as an opportunity to make things better and to plan for the future. If you are unhappy with your life as it is now or as it used to be, ask yourself what you can be doing differently.
Use the experience and hindsight you have gained to make your later years your best years yet—and refuse to settle for less. Set goals and focus on what is most important to you, making time for the people, places, and activities that will bring you the most joy and enrich your life as much as possible.
Growing old does not have to mean growing tired, growing bored, or growing lonely. Actively work to strengthen relationships with your loved ones; reach out and make new friends; travel to the places you’ve never been but have always wanted to see; go back to school and learn new skills; retire to a different part of the country . . . the possibilities are endless!
Do not let the fear of life ending keep you from living your life—you may just find that your senior years become your best ones yet.
