I have borrowed this from a friend who borrowed it from a friend:
Many of us are between 65 and death, i.e. old. My friend
sent me this excellent list for aging . . . and I have to agree it's
good advice to follow.
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 investments, even if it seems wonderful or
fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. 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, do tests 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.
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 use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old
friends you’ll 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 that
yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.
11. Never use the phrase:
“In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part
of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now,
having fun and enjoying 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 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
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 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!
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