Time flies when you’re having fun! Instead of dreading aging, you and I need to embrace it! I recently celebrated another birthday. Yes, celebrated it. Because the other option is not being here for it, and I plan to celebrate many more birthdays…and enjoy doing it! 

Everything gets worse as you age. Things decline, decrease, become more difficult, etc. Or so this is what we’ve been led to believe and seem to have accepted. But I’m not buying it! For sure, I’m not running as far and as fast as I used to. Is that age, or is that a shift in my training? I’m not sure. (I’m not losing sleep over it, either.) And yes, things do change over the years. We must embrace our age and stage of life. There are certainly seasons of change. Still, what I want you to know is that you can live well. You can feel well. If you give a little time and attention to your health, things don’t have to decline. (Certainly not a rapid rate!) You don’t have to settle for achy joints, fear of falling, losing interest in life, hiding behind the camera because you’re not confident in yourself, etc.

When we read that “studies show” balance decreases with age, it might simply be because we don’t practice it like we did when we were younger. Observe a child at play or simply on a walk. They spot a curb, and they’re trying to walk on it. They’re skipping over lines or turning around and walking backwards. They are naturally doing activities that have them practicing balance. If we want to age well, to continue to feel well, move about freely, etc., we just need to be more conscious about the activities we do. (Or, get back in touch with our inner child.)

Let me share some tips to aging well that you can incorporate in your daily life.

Practice balance. – Practice standing on one foot. Do tree pose. Have you ever noticed how you get dressed? If you’re like me, you put the same foot through your pant leg first every time. Try switching it up. Believe me, it’ll throw you off balance!

Work on flexibility. – Stretching and maintaining flexibility is important because it helps with balance and prevents injury. It decreases pain and allows us to stay active. Yoga is a great option for this. Or simply do a few stretches each day. Here’s a good list to check out.  

Strength train. – You don’t have to get a gym membership or venture into the weight room to strength train. You can pick up a handheld weight, grab a can of soup or jug of milk, or use your own body weight. Try a weighted vest. Strength-training is critical for overall health. We need it to preserve our bone structure. Strong bones and muscles will aid in metabolism and body composition. It improves posture. It has a positive impact on our mental health.

Get up from the floor. – I know it sounds simple, but it’s important. The floor is the best place to play with your grandchildren, stretch, exercise, play a game with a family member. What if you drop something and it rolls under the table. You’re going to need to get down there and get it! Practice sitting on the floor and getting up again. There are no rules. It doesn’t have to be graceful or hands free.

Do brain exercises. – It’s important to keep our brains sharp. Doing brain exercises will help memory, focus, and concentration. Put together a puzzle. Play cards. Do a crossword puzzle or word search. Read. Learn a new skill.

Loosen up. – Laugh. Play. Do something fun. Laughter is truly medicine. (see Proverbs 17:22.) Skip. Ride a bike. Read a joke book. Stop at the park and swing. Watch a cartoon.

Write. – Send a note to someone with some encouragement or a Bible verse that means a lot to you and could impact that person as well. Start a journal. This might become something you can share with your children or grandchildren. Consider making notes in your Bible. How special will it be for someone to pick up your Bible and read how God was speaking to you? I know that God has imparted His wisdom to you over the years, and now it’s time for you to share that with others.

Be in the pictures. – One of the results of embracing your age and stage of life is that you’ll no longer shy away from the camera. Show up confidently for the picture. Don’t always be the one taking the picture. Be in the picture! You deserve your spot there just like everyone else. Use that delay button and get everyone together and be in the group picture.

Eat the cake. – I believe everyone needs cake on their birthday. I don’t know if I ever skipped the cake, but I often exercised to compensate for it. Not anymore. I don’t exercise to eat. I don’t get the cool whip frosting to save calories. I eat the cake that I like (Actually, I eat the frosting with a little cake because frosting is my favorite!) 

Now it’s time for you to pick one of these simple actions and do it today. Your future self will thank you!

Happy Aging!

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