The Bright Side of Life While Aging

Brittany Denis, DPT wrote in The Ascent on January 15 about the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging:

“The two strongest predictors researchers found that correlated with healthy aging were attitudes toward aging and mobility during middle age. Meaning the more positive the participant’s attitudes toward aging while in their 40’s and 50’s the better they aged. And the better their walking speed and balance in their 40’s and 50’s the better they age as well.”

This struck me because, in the U.S., we have an epidemic of negative beliefs about aging. Beyond the healthcare system, much of this is due to the over-emphasis placed on our youth-obsessed culture. We value the young and literally devalue the old.

The focus on youth strips us of the most valuable part of our humanity, growing older, and its most generous gift: growth.

Living fully means embracing growth and change, because when growth is stunted, life is stunted.

Look at the diet, exercise, and cosmetics industries. All this focus and money spent on trying to stay young.

What if we redirected all those resources and efforts toward living our best lives every day no matter our age? What if we embraced change and growth, without ever looking back?

What would our culture look like? Is it even possible?

YES!

We can learn to love aging, but we must start with our brains.

One way we can start is by making a list of our beliefs and assumptions about aging and retirement, and another list of our beliefs and assumptions about youth and work. Then compare the two.

This exercise might bring up thoughts and beliefs we have held without really thinking about it. Why do we have these beliefs? Where did they come from? Which add value to our lives and which detract?

We tend to go through our lives never questioning beliefs that may be stopping us from truly living. We pick up ideas along the way and adopt them unconsciously.

For example: It’s better to be young, young people are more attractive, have more energy, learn faster, or are more creative.

While old people are in bad physical shape, their looks deteriorate, they can’t or don’t want to learn new things, or they are closed-minded.

What beliefs about aging and retirement are you holding on to? What if you could look at aging differently?

For example: older people gain character in their physical appearance, they never stop learning, or they gain perspective the young can never understand.

We can change our society by changing our beliefs. Maybe it’s time to let go of outdated ideas about aging that are holding us back and replace them with new ones that expand our lives.

Monty Python was right: Always look on the bright side of life! Aging is the brightest side of life if we take advantage of its gift of growth.