Do you want to still like yourself as you get older?
Many older people look in the mirror and don’t like what they see. Others reflect on their behavior and feel shame about what they’ve become, wondering what their younger selves would think. If you want to feel good about yourself as you age, try doing these things.
1. Remain physically active within your changing abilities.
This goes beyond the “use it or lose it” adage and includes your self-esteem too. If you’re looking in the mirror at age 40 and cringing at what you see, how are you going to feel at 60? Work on keeping your body strong, functionally fit, agile, and healthy, while adjusting your efforts to reflect your changing physical capabilities.
2. Place a high priority on consuming a good diet.
You are what you eat, so make healthy, high-quality food a major priority. Determine which foods suit your body best, avoid the items that may cause you inflammation (consult allergists and nutritionists if needed), and invest in ingredients that will build up your health from the foundation upwards.
3. Remain well hydrated.
Every aspect of your health and overall wellbeing can be improved with proper hydration. This includes joint flexibility as well as mental sharpness and mood elevation. Make sure that you drink plenty of water, keep your electrolytes up with salt and minerals, consume healthy fats, and moisturize your skin with non-toxic creams and oils.
4. Get as much sleep as you can.
Lack of sleep is a huge contributing factor to premature aging and wreaks havoc on your mental and emotional wellbeing. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself as a person, and have better relationships with those around you, if you get a solid 8-10 hours a night, plus naps as needed.
5. Never stop learning and challenging your mind.
If you want to remain mentally fit and maintain mental clarity as you get older, ensure that you’re always learning something new. This prevents you from mental stagnation, while simultaneously forming new brain pathways to keep you alert and aware. You’ll like yourself a lot more if you remain mentally capable.
6. Learn from mistakes so you don’t repeat them.
Everyone makes mistakes, but luckily, we have the opportunity to learn from our missteps. For example, if your relationship with your parents was strained because they treated you poorly, don’t treat your own kids the same way. This will avoid generational stress and trauma, and will result in happier, healthier family dynamics.
7. Think about the long-term effects of your actions and choices.
Each of our actions has consequences, and the choices we make today will affect us several years down the road. Consider the reality of how behaviors such as drinking heavily or alienating your friends and neighbors may affect you 10, 20, or 50 years from now, and adjust your actions accordingly.
8. Know that your real enemies in life are unguarded thoughts and emotions.
When you feel fear or anger and you act thoughtlessly, this can set up a chain of events that may haunt you forever. By being in control of yourself, and recognizing emotions as they appear, you can respond appropriately, rather than reacting…and regretting your actions for the rest of your life.
9. Develop skills in hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy.
Find a passion or two that you can dedicate real time and effort to doing, and you’ll keep on learning new techniques and honing your skills over time. Then, when you’re in your 70s, 80s, or beyond, you can be proud of the fact that you’ve become a master of your craft.
10. Do the things that scare you.
People on their deathbeds often express a great deal of regret for all the things they wanted to do but felt too scared to do. If you don’t want to look at yourself with shame and disappointment when you get old, be brave enough to make your dreams a reality.
11. Develop some type of spirituality.
People who have some type of spiritual leaning tend to be much happier and more grounded in their senior years than those who don’t. Devote some time to learning about the many faiths and philosophies from around the world, and delve into them to see which resonates with you best.
12. Embrace the aging process with grace, rather than fighting against it.
There are few things as unbecoming as a person who refuses to accept the fact that they’re aging. No amount of hair dye, cosmetic surgery, or juvenile behavior is going to refill your hourglass. Learn to embrace the aging process and make the most of each day you have left, with grace and dignity.