Aging doesn’t have to surprise you…
The idea of proactively greeting the transitions of aging may seem counter-intuitive, or even a little disturbing at first blush.
But bear with me.
The reality is that the way you frame any change or transition is going to go a long way toward defining, not only your responses but also your outcomes.
So, embracing your aging might actually transform the entire experience for you.
Aging in the 21st century.
Ours is not a culture that welcomes the aging process.
We celebrate the energy and vitality of youth and seem bent upon doing what we can to stave off aging and deny its impact.
This is, at its core, a fear-based response to what is a natural and universal process. And the reality is that denial never helps. What it does, instead, is set you up to be surprised by changes that are actually gradual, predictable and fundamentally UNsurprising.
Aging needn’t be a surprise.
With each birthday you grow older. You know this in your head, but often your sense of yourself lags behind the unfolding years.
When your mind and body aren’t quite in sync, for example, you may experience an emotional jolt when the changes become undeniable. Maybe you ‘suddenly’ notice that an everyday task like doing the laundry is taking longer to complete.
It’s your noticing that is sudden. The change has actually been a gradual one, taking place over time. So it helps to recognize that you’ve set yourself up to experience this as a bolt out of the blue.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Staying current with the changes of aging is all about living in our moments and seeing ourselves clearly. And there are few things quite as rewarding as this.
Living mindfully in the present, no matter how old you are, means that you are fully with yourself. You are able to experience and accommodate whatever gifts and challenges the moment brings.
Reactivity never helps.
Being reactive, whether it’s to aging or to other life changes, keeps you from living your moments as fully as possible.
Denial contributes to reactivity because it sets you up to be surprised. How does that work?
Well, think about the situation where you begin to realize that it takes you longer to complete a task. If you choose to deny what you’re seeing, you may see this as a one-time occurrence. You’ll decide that if you focus and work harder, things will get back to ‘normal.’
This is a time trap and one that often leads to anger and frustration. Ultimately, you find yourself in a vicious cycle. Your frustration grows as your efficiency and effectiveness dwindle. As you see, these reactive responses severely limit your ability to make helpful time choices.
Your heart holds the key.
A much more fruitful and enriching path is to acknowledge the changes you observe. Then adapt and plan accordingly. This keeps you grounded and self-aware. You can move forward in a self-caring and effective way and feel good about what you accomplish.
So, greet your aging rather than denying it. You’ll bring new energy to the process and avoid the time traps that so often accompany it these days.
Is retirement on your agenda?
Retirement marks a profound shift in how you spend your time. Grounded in your own truth, you’ll make more satisfying plans and choices because they’ll be congruent with your values.
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