Some would have us believe that the aging process comes with the absolute certainty of pain, immobility, decreased brain agility, depression, and general unease. 

As I reflect on my clinical experience over the last six decades, it is clear that much of the fear and suffering of aging might have been lessened if only we knew we had more influence on the quality of our aging experience than was initially thought. And there are volumes of information and research that now corroborate that statement.

Consider these questions:

• Are you afraid of the aging process (even a little bit)?

• Might you like to have a positive impact on your own aging process?

I am also acutely aware that our medical culture treats the aging process much like it treats chronic pain. That is with condescension, medication, and sometimes wrongly imposed limitations. It is also common for the aging individual to move around less because of pain and stiffness, poor balance, and fear of falling.  

Have you heard the expression “sitting is the new smoking’? Being sedentary will harm anyone at any age, and that is never truer than when you apply it to the aging population.

We can sit down and let the aging process have its way with us, or we can consciously and mindful decide if we want to age as a:

• Victim: Someone who has developed a negative view of life where they feel they don’t have any control over what happens to them.

or a…

• Spiritual warrior: Someone actively seeking growth and willing to step outside their comfort zone. Someone who demonstrates a mindset that embraces challenges as an opportunity for growth.

Following are some suggestions for honing your spiritual warrior practices:

• Stay informed about what is possible for you.

• Stay strong because research shows that anyone can get stronger and more fit at any age.

• Stay moving and moist because motion is the body’s lotion, which keeps our joints lubricated and our fascia slippery.

• Stay long and upright because a stooping posture will add years to your appearance and harm your overall health.

• Stay fall safe because fall prevention strategies as simple as grab bars and slip mats in your tub or shower can prevent disabling injury or death.

• Learn what your core is really about because a strong and stable core is like the fountain of youth.

• Pay loving attention to your feet because stiff and immobile feet will contribute to poor health and increase your fall risk.

• Stay health current because early intervention on health issues leads to prolonged wellness.

• Take medications responsibly because forgetting or mixing up your medication can lead to disaster.

• Stay positive and connected because isolation will shrink our world and age you more quickly.

• Cultivate relationships with people younger than yourself because downward multigenerational relationships bring unique health benefits to the aging population while increasing the individual’s self-efficacy and self-esteem.

In closing, let me give a “shout-out” to my book “Gathering Years...How to Grow Old Without Killing Yourself”, an excellent resource for aging people.                                                                                                   

If you are looking for more resources, I invite you to attend my online course “All About Falls” which takes a deep dive into the subject of falling. If you would like to contact me I do offer 15-minute complimentary telephone consultations and virtual care.