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How do you deal with aging?
How do you emotionally handle aging and knowing that you only have a limited number of years left in your life? I'm turning 80 years old in 5 months, am in quite good health, work fulltime, and am incredibly grateful for the life I have. But, I find myself obsessed with the thought that I only have "x" amount of years left in my life. I've never figured out how to live one day at a time. Any suggestions from those of you around my age or older would be SO appreciated! (I'm "kind of" spiritual, but not really religious so that's not something that seems to help with my fear.)
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I'm 89 with a serious balance problem. I deal with aging by keeping very busy with marketing my book, collecting art, talking daily with my roommate, and entertaining my brother and son when they visit. I also take Zoloft to deal with depression, and it seems to work.
Steve
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5 ReactionsSteve, thanks so much for sharing. Your attitude is wonderful and I'm certain that is precisely what keeps you "young." Keeping busy certainly is the key to aging well and taking medication when needed is definitely the right thing to do!
I must share that yesterday AND this morning, completely out of the blue, I received messages from 2 different individuals who want my professional assistance. I haven't heard from either for years! I feel as if the "universe" is telling me that it is NOT time to retire -- something that makes me so happy!! 🙂
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3 ReactionsI am 81 years old with a same-sex parent (my Dad) who lived to age 98 years. Hence the odds are good that I can live a decade or more with some simply precautions. One was to lose weight; over the years my weight had risen to 202 pounds, too much for my 5 foot-7 inch frame. Over two years I dropped that to the low 150’s, where it remains today. For me the second important step was to adopt a dog. I had grown up with a German shepherd dog and knew they motivate exercise.
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10 Reactionsdogs are just the best! free dose of love, every day!
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3 ReactionsWell put!
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2 ReactionsI have mobility problems so I spend a lot of time at the computer. I've found that working on my family history (on Ancestry.com) as well as collecting, organizing and digitizing old photos keeps my mind active. Time goes flying by.
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6 Reactions@mnlakes4 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That's great that you have found something that is able to keep your interest! And, as a bonus, you may be finding out little known facts about your family history. Do you have family to share your finds with?
Ginger
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3 ReactionsYes, I've been doing family history for years and have many close and distant (even very distant) relatives who see my family tree on Ancestry.com.
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3 ReactionsJust make sure you do some exercises. Over two decades ago I spent too much time on a chair behind my computer and developed pre-diabetes with peripheral neuropathy. Just saying.
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1 ReactionI'm on the same page as far as counting the days down. I'm 73 with no children and wonder how I'm going to manage the time that's left. My health was wonderful for so many years...rarely if ever did l need medical attention. Then step by step the narrative changed and l find myself with doctor's appointments constantly.
If anyone can figure out a better way to manage aging l would love to know. My only solution is to stop going to docs and see what happens.