Transitioning from the 50s to the 60s and 70s is one of the most beautiful and important time periods or our life. That’s because this is when we take the time to look within and discover what’s been lying there, undiscovered, for such a long time. Our hectic daily lives can distract us from understanding what truly matters, so we might not be able to enjoy ourselves, have alone, quiet time, or pursue our passion until this transition. While this is quite sad, most people would agree it’s true. Indeed, starting to do all the above from a young age should be something normal, but there are just so many duties and responsibilities we cannot escape that making time for our souls can be challenging.
As older adults, we can now focus on ourselves, our inner passions, our studies, and our own world-discovery pathways. Here are some facts about senior life; I hope you find our advice useful as well.
- This Is When You Make Time to Rediscover Yourself
As Seniors, we are tempted to rediscover ourselves and our inner balance, one way or the other. It’s funny how the life cycle unfolds – as children, we are taught to respect rules; as teenagers, we try to break those rules that we’ve just learned, while during adulthood, we reconnect to these constructs and learn how to play the life game. During the Senior years, however, we have time to rediscover our true selves and look within to find the real key to this puzzle called life. Thus, following the next criteria is important for anyone, but especially for those above 50, if you wish to ‘know thyself’ the right way:
- Enjoy the quietness – observing your feelings without identifying yourself with them is the first step towards living a better life. Ask yourself, who am I? What is my calling in life? Why am I here?
- Make sure you understand the difference between who you are and who you want to be. During our lifetime, we tend to be concerned with becoming more, and accepting less. Now it’s the time to say ‘stop’ and reevaluate your inherent self or being. Can you accept yourself?
- Do you know what you are good at, and what skills you could improve? And if so, do you want to take responsibility to evolve in those areas you are not positive that you’ve succeeded?
“Find the answers to these questions and start changing your life now. No matter how old you are right now, there will always be more time for positive change, especially when it comes from within,” writes resume writing services coordinator, Jo Ann Bowley.
- How Consistency and Determination Can Add Huge Value to Your Life
While many of us believe that reinventing ourselves after 60 means striving for huge goals, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. If you try too hard to reach a set objective, you might end up disappointed and sad, quite nervous about your Senior years, and definitely not happy. In the end, it’s all about the journey, not the destination. If you felt like your whole life was a continuous race for success, now it’s time to make peace with yourself.
Accepting yourself is the first step towards developing a healthier mindset; next, think about the small goals that, if achieved, would make your life much happier and livelier than it is. Find small actions that you can take to make this world a better place, and yourself a better person. See how this mindset will shape your character in the long term. Here’s an example: if your main focus is your health, set aside 10 minutes every day to stretch and just breathe. Make it a habit and see how you feel! Consistency and determination play a big role during this time of our life.
- Friends, Coffee, and Cards
Drinking tasty coffee and playing witty card games sounds like a small piece of Paradise to some; for others, taking long walks and watching the sunset might be more uplifting. Regardless of what your favorite activities are, you need friends alongside! While rediscovering yourself is a lonely road, enjoying daily routines should not be – in the end, everything feels better when you have (a) dear person/people by your side. Your partners in crime will support you, encourage you, and help you become a better… you! And you will do the same for them. Friendship is beautiful and magic!
If you cannot think of anyone who’d share life stories with you, that’s alright – just think of people who share the same passions and start making new connections!
- Starting a New Life Towards Enlightenment
The first step you should take towards discovering the world is discovering the self, as I mentioned before. Thus, start with decluttering and rearranging your room the way you like it. Don’t be conventional, think outside the box! If you want a hammock in your room, buy one! If you need a huge armchair to rest in, get one! Don’t think twice – you must be comfortable in your daily setting. Here are some things you should also consider:
- Start meditating. Studies have shown that meditation helps with senior health – it not only enhances memory and sharpens focus, but it also improves the digestive system and melts away the stress! Besides that, you will enjoy it a whole lot!
- Start practicing daily asanas to keep your health strong and yourself going. I know it sounds like a lot, but I promise – once you start to get into it, your life will dramatically change (for the better). Here are just a few of the asanas that could help you a lot: Tadasana or the Mountain Pose, Baddha Konasana or the Butterfly Pose, Balasana or Child’s Pose, Trikonasana or the Triangle Pose, Shavasana or the Corpse Pose.
- Next, take an inventory of people you’d like to apologize to, or simply discuss issues. Make sure you reach out and become at peace with yourself and themselves. When we are reaching towards Enlightenment, it’s important to become forgiving and loving towards the others.
- Discover Your World and Your Passions
During our lifetime, we might make decisions we don’t want to make and take the wrong actions towards our real goals – this might be the influence of other people, the influence of the society, our parents, or maybe our own false selves. Take this time of your life to discover your true passions and come to see the world through your own eyes. One of the best ways to do so is by overcoming fears of the past or challenges you’d never thought you’d be able to face. Traveling could be one of them.
According to studies supported by the National Institutes of Health, men who engage in annual vacations are 32% less likely to die from heart disease. At the same time, women who take vacations twice a year are less likely to become prone to depression or anxiety. So, discover the world, travel, engage, stay active!
- Study What Matters to You
Now that you’ve arrived at this point in your life – where responsibilities start to decline, and you can finally experience freedom – take time to study what really matters to you. If you’ve always been interested in Psychology but never had time to read articles, papers, or even books, get started on that! If, on the other hand, you’ve never made time to study Economics, sign up for a Finance newspaper and start reading! The great thing is that now you have time to do what you please, without worrying about money, kids, or other household duties.
Conclusion
While teenage and adult years are beautifully shaped for personal, successful evolution on the societal scale, older adult years are meant for self-discovery, finding inner peace, and accepting ourselves as we truly are. Be loved, be peaceful, be liberated!