Some
of us have reached our golden years, and some of us have not. But these
suggestions should be read by everyone. They have been collected from
many a senior, each with his or her own piece of advice. Some you may
know, some may surprise you, and some will remind you of what's
important. So read well, share with your loved ones, and have a great
day and a great life!
1. It's
time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don't just keep
it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get
it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or
daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard earned capital. Warning:
This is also a bad time for an investment, even if it seems wonderful or
fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries and this is a time for
you to enjoy some peace and quiet.
2. Stop
worrying about the financial situation of your children and
grandchildren, and don't feel bad spending your money on yourself.
You've taken care of them for many years, and you've taught them what
you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The
responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.
3. Keep a
healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like
walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It's easy to become
sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep
yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs.
Keep in touch with your doctor, get tested even when you're feeling
well. Stay informed.
4. Always
buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key
goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will
miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy
it together.
5. Don't
stress over the little things. You've already overcome so much in your
life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is
the present. Don't let the past drag you down and don't let the future
frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.
6.
Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life,
love your family, love your neighbor and remember: "A man is not old as
long as he has intelligence and affection."
7. Be
proud, both inside and out. Don't stop going to your hair salon or
barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep
your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on
the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.
8. Don't
lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of
style. There's nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the
current fashion among youngsters. You've developed your own sense of
what looks good on you - keep it and be proud of it. It's part of who
you are.
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9. ALWAYS
stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read
what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and
try to sign up to a couple of social networks. You'll be surprised which
old friends you may meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and
with the people you know, is important at any age.
10.
Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the
same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in
their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them of
yesterday's wisdom that still applies today.
11. Never
use the phrase: "In my time". Your time is now. As long as you're
alive, you are a part of this time. Have fun and enjoy life.
12. Some
people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and
surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your
time with positive, cheerful people, it'll rub off on you and your days
will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will
make you older and harder to be around.
13. Do
not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or
grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being
surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They
need theirs and you need yours. If you've lost your partner (our deepest
condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even
then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to
live alone.
14. Don't
abandon your hobbies. If you don't have any, make new ones. You can
travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a
garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint,
volunteer at an NGO or just collect certain items. Find something you
like and spend some real time having fun with it.
15. Even
if you don't feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms,
graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the
house, meet people you haven't seen in a while, experience something
new (or something old). But don't get upset when you're not invited.
Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted.
The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to
museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.
16. Be a
conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on
about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested.
That's a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen
first and answer questions, but don't go off into long stories unless
asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize
too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they
are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low
tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as
well.
17. Pain
and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on
them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we're all going
through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are,
they are something that life has added to you. If they become your
entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.
18. If
you've been offended by someone - forgive them. If you've offended
someone - apologize. Don't drag around resentment with you. It only
serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn't matter who was right.
Someone once said: "Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting
the other person to die." Don't take that poison. Forgive, forget and
move on with your life.
19. If
you have a strong belief, savor it. But don't waste your time trying to
convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you
tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and
set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.
20.
Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the
lucky ones. You've managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to
this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what's
not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.
21. Take
no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they
might be thinking. They'll do it anyway, and you should have pride in
yourself and what you've achieved. Let them talk and don't worry. They
have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you've lived
so far. There's still much to be written, so get busy writing and don't
waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to
be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!
AND REMEMBER: "Life is too short to drink bad wine."
Photos courtesy of Ambro, Stockimages / freedidigitalphotos.net
