SIXTY SOMETHING? TIME TO ENJOY

 

People who reach the age of 60 feel a sense of uncertainty about their future. Life after 60 can also be the most rewarding and fulfilling time of all. Roles and responsibilities change with time, but this allows for a fresh canvas to be painted once again. Self restoration and restoration of partner become the most important factors in an empty nest. Japanese people living in Okinawa are blessed with amazing longevity, but it is their quality of life which is most inspiring. They follow ‘Ikigai’, the art of staying young while growing old and believe in the principle of ‘ichariba chode’ or treat everyone like a brother even if you have never met them before! Now isn’t this remarkable for a population which was ravaged by the Atom Bomb not very long ago?

So what is Ikigai? It is to search the purpose of your existence, your raison d'être. It is hidden deep inside us and finding it requires patience and time which we now have. What can be our best contribution to the world considering that we are so very unique, is a quest for which the time is now ripe! The diagram below explains it best:

Balancing our fears are our hopes for the future and after decades of looking after other people, there is a sense that, in our 60s, we are finally free. Without the limitations that others place on us, we can pursue our dreams, travel, enjoy our grandchildren, start second act careers and express ourselves in every aspect of our lives. The older we get, the more challenging it becomes to remain useful but that is no reason why we should stop trying. Age is just a state of mind, if we can manage to keep the body healthy. Here are ten ways to make the most of life after you turn 60:

 

1. Take Care of Your Body and Health

 Reaching the age of 60 has long been considered the start of a time of inevitably physical and mental decline, but that no longer has to be the case. Nowadays, people are living longer and have a better quality of life than they ever did. There’s no denying that the body changes after we reach that milestone age, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot keep up and even improve our fitness. Healthy diet, daily exercises like walking in the morning or evening and plenty of fluids usually keeps us fit. If we have been a smoker then it is a good idea to bid good bye to the habit. Moderation is the key word when it comes to alcohol. Speak to your doctor prior to starting a new exercise condition in order to ensure you’re doing exercise that’s suitable to your overall health condition and lifestyle.

 

2. Build a New Relationship with Money

Although reaching this milestone age should herald the start of a time in which we enjoy the fruits of our labor, there are many of us who are still worrying about how they’re going to pay the next bill. In the last three or four decades you have worked for money, now is the time for your money to work for you. If you’re in financial difficulty or feel like your money isn’t working for you, it’s time to consider making some changes. The obvious place to start is to look at your expenses to see what you can cut down on. You can also think about downsizing your home if you need to. Being 60 and over should definitely be a time to enjoy your money, but just make sure you have enough to last you, as you’re likely to live much longer than men and women of previous generations. You can also consider finding ways of making extra money by good investment plans.

 

3. Develop New Relationships

Many seniors over 60, even ones that are married, fear being left alone. For single men and women of this age and over, they wonder whether they’ll ever find love again. Society in India still is not open to the idea of single seniors finding new partners for a better second innings. This still comes with a sense of guilt and unfaithfulness towards their lost partner. Those who are with a partner fear being left alone after they pass away. So what do you do? This is where friends come in. If you haven’t been lucky enough to build a solid support system of friends throughout your life, now is the time to start doing it. This is because these people will be the ones to help keep you happy and healthy for the rest of your life. Explore your hobbies with like-minded people and make a point to do at least one social activity per day.

 

4. Understand and Accept Your Body Image

Society continues to propagate stereotypes of people who are in their 60s or older being invisible, unstylish or not interested in relationships. Even the anti-aging advertisements often have 30-year-old models posing as “older” women and they are all over our TV screens. Nevertheless, we gain wisdom with age, and also become more comfortable in our own skin. Being at peace with our appearance after 60 is a balancing act. On the one hand, there are few of us who don’t have a desire to keep looking great by wearing great clothes, taking care of our skin and keeping in good physical shape, but on the other hand, we must always remember to be kind to ourselves, and remember that beauty is both internal and external. Accepting your body image is one thing but being careless and sloppy is quite the opposite. We must try to remain smart and well dressed and fit into the current trend. This will encourage youngsters to approach us with newer ideas and keep us feeling young.

 

5. Find New Ways to Relate to Your Food

You should make a conscious effort toward finding new ways to relate to the food you eat. You can do so by considering the source of your food. Is there a farmer’s market close to where you live? Is it a possibility for you to grow organic vegetables in your own garden?  Or are you living in a flat and can you have a window-box that you can use to grow herbs in?  Retirement means a lot of free time in front of the television. Snacking while watching the TV can be addictive and dangerous. Avoid it. Be deliberate and thoughtful about every bite of food that’s on your plate. Shop with care and think about portion sizes, but remember to treat yourself every now and again. Consider eating as naturally and as organic as you possibly can to keep your immune system in tip-top shape. There is a common saying among Japanese seniors ‘Hara hachi bu’ which they often mention before or after eating and it means eating to fill up the stomach just about 80% rather than overeating and wearing down their bodies with long digestive process that accelerates cellular oxidation!

 

6. Make More Friends

This is easier said than done. I have in the past, dwelt on this topic of ‘why can’t adults make friends easily’. I invite you to read my blog:

https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2018/10/why-cant-adults-make-friends-easily.html

Feeling isolated doesn’t have to be a way of life just because you’re getting older. Be proactive about your social life, and reach out to those who share your interests. Nurture your circle of friends and become the group’s “event organizer” if needed. You could even consider hosting a regular dinner party, coffee circle, book club or outdoor activity group. Another interesting thing you can do is open up the doors to your home to backpackers and international visitors using sites like AirBnb. Last but not least, if you compliment people, stay positive and be grateful, the blessing of friendship will definitely come into your life.

 

7. Rediscover old acquaintances

Do you remember your friends from childhood? Do you still have a group of school friends? Are you still in touch with your old friends from college or service? If not then go to the social media and rediscover your acquaintances. Find them in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp and start a chat group. Those staying in your city or nearby can meet every month for a dinner and people from all over the world can come together once every year in a new destination every time to enjoy together and recharge your batteries.

 

8. Reach out to your local community

Your local community is a great resource for making new friends. All that is required is that you show up in Durga Puja pandals, regional fairs, iftar parties, concerts and other local gatherings. With that, you are bound to see some of the same faces, making it easy to connect. You may come across others who also have a painful knee just like you but is being helped by homeopathy! Still others may also be an avid gardener just like you or having the same taste for literature. You may get invited to a cuisine club or an excursion.

 

9. Offer your services to the society.

This is the time to pay back the society in any way you can. You can teach some poor children at home, start a charitable doctor’s clinic, help young adults to find jobs, assist your neighbour in mowing his lawn or cook midday meals for school kids in local school. Remember, we are not doing this for others; we are doing it for ourselves. This is the best form of satisfaction ‘swantha sukhaya’

 

10. Tick off your ‘to do’ list

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you have a lot on your plate. Between work responsibilities and personal obligations, life can get stressful, and it’s even more stressful when you forget something important. But not anymore! Now is the time to pull out the ‘to do’ list – books to read, places to see, relatives to visit, dresses to try, hobbies to pursue, just about anything under the sun! Time is precious and you cannot afford to waste it now. You will never regret if you fail but you will always regret if you never tried!

 

 

So, what is it being 60 something? We just don’t care anymore about the insignificant things that bothered us when we were younger. We don’t “sweat the small stuff.” Maybe you have been held back in the past by your body image. Or perhaps your fears of what others would think held you back from pursuing your passions. Now is the time to let go and learn to embrace life, find your purpose in life, your raison d'être, your Ikigai. This is the time to be confident and be you! Eat well, exercise, travel, and plant a garden, full of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Have real fun with your family and friends. So ask yourself these questions. What places do you want to explore? What adventures have always been on the back burner in your life? What skills do you want to learn? Who do you want to explore the world with? And once you decide, just do it!