Graceful ageing with active mind, body

It is a universal truth that you age with time. Some of us may not be lucky eno-ugh to see ourselves getting old. In your 30s to 50s, you are behind career, money, achie-vement of goals, power, ability to direct individuals, families, teams, corporations, society and even nations.

You behave as though you were neither young, nor will age with time. Somehow you feel the clock will stop here and you will achieve what you had thought of and will continue to do so.

As you reach the 60s, you look back and you think you have lost some, gained some and overall it has evened out, and there comes a time where you have nothing to think of to do, or go after.

You have had your time in the sun, made most of the opportunity, and life hits you hard and staring at you for next 20-30 years, where you do not control anything, not even individuals in the family – for, children are caught up in their routine and there isn’t much time for anything else.

What is your immediate reaction to your situation? You do not know anything else but to go after the things that you were used to for the last 30 years and take control. Hence you, at the age of 60 or beyond and with a lot of money earned and saved, will try to mastermind, try to take control of things on behalf of individuals,  families etc. This is your second nature and must work perfectly.

However, you see, things do not seem to work the way it had worked when you did the same thing in your 30s. What has changed? Are you not capable now? Are you old and hence people are not listening to you? Are the people around you more intelligent and more capable than you are? Why are you not being heard?

So you will start analysing this over and over till you find the solution. While you are lost in your analysis, the people and society around you have moved on, and the gap looks even starker… Are you feeling you are on downward spiral?

Missed achievements
Here are a few takes on how to get out of this downward spiral: stop analysing, and start living whatever is left of you. Think of all the good things you did in your life (hope you have done a few good things), try to forget all the missed achievements. Children and family have a life of their own, try to help only if asked for, if not observe and enjoy every moment with them.

After all, you should not feel bad, as it is for this moment that you worked very hard in your 30s, 40s and 50s; so that your near and dear ones get the best of health, education, power and money, and be able to chart their own life, and not keep listening to people, not even you!

Look for friends and relatives of your age to connect with. There is a reason we hear that friends and relatives are important. They cannot be suddenly created if you have not kept in touch with them for the last 30 years.

Exercise as much as you can to keep your physical and mental health in shape, eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, get good sleep as less sleep will cause a host of mental and physical problems, rid your mind of all the things that you could not achieve, or people who tried to hurt you; take care of your health, for after all, what good is the money and savings you have.

Learn one new thing every day, it does not matter how big or small and this will help keep your mind active and alive. Get back to your hobby –like music, reading, writing etc – that got buried when you were running after things. Travel within the city or the country or the world, based on how much money you have while you are still fit.

Remember you are not alone, everyone goes through this stage of life, if you’re lucky enough to see your old age. People who were towering personalities in the field of politics, humanity, science and art have all succumbed. This is the reality and it cannot be avoided. What you can definitely do is to manage it, so that after seeing you, people will tell others that you are ageing gracefully!