A Brief Primer on Growing Old Gracefully

At the age of seven our next door neighbor was an old man named Mac. His carefully manicured lawn stood at attention like his flat top hairdo. Crabbiness oozed from every pore of his body. If we kicked a ball into his yard he acted like we were three-headed demons attacking his little kingdom. It’s apparent he knew nothing about growing old gracefully.

There’s no doubt many factors tempt us to become sour and bitter as we age. Not everything has gone as planned. People have stomped on us. We never got that big promotion. The list is a mile long but you get the picture.

But I’m convinced that with some effort, growing old gracefully can be part of your life. These years can be the best part of the journey. There’s no need for you to turn into a negative cartoon image of those getting old.

Here’s 3 quick tips on growing old gracefully.

1. Growing old gracefully happens when we let go of the past.

I’ve written on this subject many times. It’s so vital to let it go. You cannot grab hold of the good in your life into you let go of the painful past. THIS ARTICLE says a lot more about how to do that.

2. Growing old gracefully happens when we embrace the present.

Living in the moment maximizes our life. As a kid I remember the constant desire for a certain day on the calendar to arrive. It’s impossible to enjoy the moment when your mind is somewhere else. Take time to savor the seconds. Plan to take a moment every day to kick back and appreciate the good things in your life.

3. Growing old gracefully happens when we plan for the future.

This is in fact the theme of this blog. Growing old gracefully means planning for the future. It’s the idea of doing meaningful work. It is the attitude of optimism which moves into the future with eyes wide open. You consider the options and make the best choices of the available options.

Is this 3 step process easy? Of course not! It’s difficult but not impossible. Let me encourage you to work at it. Embrace the old saying, “Progress not perfection.” You can do this. The alternative is to grow crabbier with each passing year. No thanks. Join me in growing old gracefully!