by Last Updated on May 9, 2024 by Avia
As you move into your later years, you can find solace in the peacefulness of older age. Life’s events tend to slow down and you find yourself with more time to reflect on moments past. However, feeling a bit worried, down, or lost is also natural. After all, your life is starting to look drastically different. The good news is that you can embrace these changes with open arms, practicing gratitude and mindfulness during your daily routine. Use the following tips to move into later life with a strong presence and sense of purpose that will guide you through your golden years.
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Practicing Gratitude and Mindfulness
The best way to master a new task is to practice it regularly. Whether you’ve been practicing mindfulness and gratitude or it’s an entirely new concept to you, it’s always helpful to refine your techniques. Plus, your practice may change a bit once you are older. For example, you may have meditated during hot yoga in your younger years, but now you must adjust your physical activity. You could have written in a gratitude journal about how grateful you are for the home you may no longer live in and loved ones who may no longer be in your life.
Rather than abandoning your practice altogether, try to adapt how you go about it. Embrace the simplicity you may not be used to, and find joy in the present moment. That could be a warm cup of tea, a good book, or playing with grandchildren. Regardless of your situation in life, pause each day to appreciate what you have, reminding yourself that you are still full of life and even more wisdom. The more you train your brain to find the positive in everyday situations, the easier it will be to make those connections moving forward.
Nurture Your Spiritual Connection
It’s also quite possible to develop a different spiritual connection as you age. You could start feeling hopeless or discouraged that there is something greater than you at work in the grand scheme of life. Instead of ruminating on those feelings, find a new way to connect with your spiritual side. This can be through religion, astrology, or even nature. Dive deeper into whatever resonates with your soul and values. Spirituality in older people is linked to lower instances of depression and anxiety, helping you cope with aging and the uncertainties involved with the later stages of life.
Discover New Hobbies
Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” This is far from the truth. It’s a misconception that exercising an aging brain is futile. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to stay sharp and stave off cognition-related diseases. You can enhance your neuroplasticity, or the ability of your brain to forge new connections and complex neural networks. This is possible to do well into your later years and can foster healthy cognition and mental states.
One of the best ways to exercise your brain is to engage in hobbies. Even if you can’t partake in some of your established hobbies anymore, there are plenty out there to explore. Some hobbies for older adults include woodworking, volunteering, dancing, painting, and gardening. Choose a hobby that sounds interesting to you and that you may not have had time to do in your younger years.
Some hobbies can even offer moderate physical activity, keeping you limber and able to stay independent. Finding something you’re passionate about can also foster relationships with like-minded people who also take the same classes or do the same activities. Social support is crucial to your mental wellness as you age.
Get Out in Nature
There is an added benefit to any outdoorsy hobbies you take up. Spending quality time in nature can benefit your mental health, leaving you feeling less tired, more motivated, and more positive. You may be feeling down and fatigued if you aren’t getting enough vitamin D or simply aren’t experiencing the aesthetic wonders that nature has for you on a daily basis. Try taking leisurely walks or even sitting in your garden, appreciating what you have grown.
Engage in Physical Activity
Even if your hobbies don’t involve a lot of physical activity, it’s still important to incorporate some mindful movement into your routine. Make sure to consult a physician or your care team about what level of exercise is right for you. Whatever you choose to do, take the time to appreciate how you are actively taking care of your body. It has done so much for you and continues to do so. Just because you’re getting older, it doesn’t mean you can’t practice mindful movement. Try low-impact activities like swimming or stretching.
The more you move, the better you’ll feel and the more you’ll want to continue your exercise routine. Physical activity for older adults can thwart or prevent illness altogether. Shoot for roughly 2-3 hours of moderate exercise a week, plus two days of muscle-strengthening activity.
As you age, your balance may become a bit off. Practice balancing to keep yourself safe in all situations moving forward. Be grateful for any sort of movement your body can do for you, and meet it at the current stage it is in. Have patience with yourself, and you will build strength and endurance, mentally and physically, for years to come.
Define Your Purpose
If you’re finding yourself feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed on your journey into old age, you’re not alone. The shift from a career or family life can leave you searching for purpose. Luckily, you can find purpose while aging — oftentimes an even deeper purpose than you once had. Without the stressors of daily life and the pressure to uphold an image, you can explore the true meaning of your presence in this lifetime.
The Last Word on Strengthening Gratitude in Later Years
Whether you are called to enhance your spiritual connectedness, teach a music class, help others practice mindfulness, or tend to budding plants, you can find peace in the fact that you are connecting with your truest self. You haven’t lived all of these years for naught — your wisdom will take you into old age with grace and a grateful heart.
About the Author: Ainsley Lawrence is a writer who loves to talk about good health, balanced life, and better living through technology. She is frequently lost in a good book.
