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SENIOR LIFE ODYSSEY: Year end review
To keep moving forward on this healthy aging path isn’t for the faint of heart. This year I have shared resources that I have found helpful to me and I hope that you have found some helpful also. These are the practices that have made it into my regular schedule.
1. Accept what is – I just watched a Facebook video that author Anne Lamott shared while writing essays for The Washington Post about aging. Her message was just this, making friends with what is, including death. People on their deathbeds talk about what matters, love, relationships, awesome experiences. We can’t avoid what life has for us, so we might as well make friends with it.
2. Gratitude journaling – I started this practice at the beginning of the year using a particular notebook and was relatively faithful until summer. But I have recently taken it back up because I can see the difference looking for the good makes in my attitude.
3. Time in Nature – My morning walk outside is a staple in my self care routine. About once a week I make it to the forest to hike on trails. Mother Nature doesn’t disappoint even if it its just on the small trail at TZ Intermediate School.
4. Tending my relationships – I have mentioned my twin granddaughters before. Spending time assisting in their care has changed my life for the better as well as deepened my relationships with my children. The research is overwhelming about the importance of relationships in healthy aging. Loneliness can contribute to our decline.
5. Thanks to Jeanna Anglin’s articles I am more conscious of what I am putting into my body. This is still an area of struggle, but I hope to share more of the battle in the new year.
When thinking about the new year and the pressure to make resolutions, why not think about starting a new habit instead? I am not a great expert on setting goals, but when I do I use the SMART process.
Specific – What do I want to accomplish?
Measurable – How will I know when I have accomplished it?
Achievable – How can the goal be accomplished?
Realistic – Does this seem worthwhile?
Time – When can I accomplish this goal?
This is my example: I want to increase my walking time and distance.
I will walk three miles five days per week, which equals 8,000-10,000 steps. I can track it on my phone.
Between my morning walk and my work schedule I can easily make this goal. Some days I can do more, especially on trail days. Walking fulfills my need for nature, exercise and is good for my chronic disease care.
We can’t change the fact that we are aging, but we can make our aging journey full of healthy habits and meaningful moments.
What is your heart’s intention for a healthier 2024?