How do you deal with aging?

Meditation can be useful. Helps me remember not to get attached to my thoughts. Thought are mostly stories that we tell ourselves. Meditation helps me stay in the present.
Check out mindfulness meditation.
I am not my thoughts!

Thanks so much for this reminder! I actually took an entire course of mindfulness meditation a few years ago, but have gotten completely away from the practice. Your suggestion is great. 🙂

Nodine4: I don't think you're alone in feeling the way you do ... a lot depends on our circumstances. Some "older" people have more resources, e.g. an escape hatch from wintery weather in northern climes, a life partner to share it all with, lovely kids who never forget to call(!), overall good health (for our age...), good role models, jolly genes, etc. Personally, I do feel pretty upbeat many days, and grateful for what I do have ...but it varies with the changing scene...(NYTimes daily, PBS Newshour... ugh...) so I try to keep that minimal. Therapists can only do so much to help us reframe with CBT, empathic talk therapy, "prescriptions" for exercise, (and/or antidepressants), meditation, communing with nature if possible and with other people too... but can't really change the circumstances in which we live, just help us with our attitude toward them, and lend strength while we do it. Also, since most of them are younger than most of us, they often have a rosier belief system about old age .. just wait 'til they get here! For me, it's easier to be equanimous when I can accept that sometimes moods will darken (and it's normal) ... in spite of our best efforts. I'm old too, and diagnosed with Long Covid, so some days are harder than others, but as Elaine Stritch sang "I'm Still Here!" ... until she died, of course...
Good luck to you; I find these discussions helpful and supportive and hope you do too.

You are not alone. For me it is a lot to take in and try to deal with as I face the physical, emotional, functional and social changes. I have had lots of experience with loss and was also was a hospice social worker. Doesn't mean that I am taking in stride. I have my own struggles. Do you have friends with whom you can meet and discuss aging and dying.

I have engaged in professional therapy several times in my life. I had to discover that I refused to face an early childhood trauma. Once I did, my life slowly began to turn. I'm not at all suggesting that is your problem. I'm in my late 70's. Since 2000 my life has been full of medical issues. Parathyroid disease, osteoporosis, Breast cancer, a renal aneurysm, and now something going on with my liver (I see a specialist later this month.) I cannot even count the numerous tests and surgeries!
I'm not a particularly brave or courageous person, yet I am happy much of the time. I have a young grandson (8) whom I spend time with and makes me laugh. I work hard at being social and busy. I voluneer to help others and exercise daily.
I don't know what I would be feeling if I didn't have so many good things in my life. I've worked hard to find the good and encourage myself to keep seeking out more. I hope that your therapy will help you discover your joys and embrace them.

A very long time ago, when I was as about 7 or 8 years old, I found myself learning to play cribbage from my Great Uncle Tom. He was newly widowed, and I learned years later that he had Parkinsons, diabetes, cataracts- but he never said a word about any of it.
He sat me down and taught me to play, and to shuffle a deck of cards with my little hands. After a couple weeks, a two other uncles would join us sometimes. I was addressed as "Sister", the custom for young unmarried girls amongst our extended family- not even sure they knew my first name. But, they cut me no slack because they were 9 or 10 times my age! After 3 games we would have coffee and cookies - it must have been quite a sight.
The only complaint I ever heard from uncle was 5 years later, when I was peeling a banana for him in the nursing home and my Dad was giving him a shave, he said "Sister, getting old is not for the weak."

I compared him to the old ladies including aunties) at church who moaned endlessly about their aches, and criticized my every effort while we were baking or cleaning.
You can imagine where I would rather be as a kid.

Now I am as old as the uncles. I live part time in a senior community.

I have a few close friends and family that know my long un-health history, but otherwise I try to avoid mentioning it.

I strive to be like the uncles.
Sue

Stay busy, and don’t dwell on your age. Worrying is not productive.
I have friends who worry about age, and they accomplish nothing.

Great advice ...! I actually stay extremely busy, working fulltime and volunteering for a number of organizations. Plus, I have a wonderful family with whom I'm very involved. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that my "aging" issues are simply something I'm going to have to work on more. You are 100% correct -- worrying is NOT productive! 😉

Sue, I love your response! The stories about your uncles are absolutely wonderful and remind
me of something one of my aunts once said, "Old age isn't for sissies!" I thought that was such a creative, original saying on her part until I was in an attorney's office one time and lo and behold, there was a little book titled, "Old age isn't for sissies!!" 🙂
Thank you for sharing your wonderfully positive attitude!

I think people who are religious and have rituals do best around aging and death in general. Aging gives us an experience of losses. Our own loss of various abilities and the loss of people we know. Be with it. Be with your feelings about it. The sadness and fear and wonder of what it all means, if anything.
It’s a chance to feel present and learn about what life has meant to you. It’s hard but don’t miss it.