Are you on the verge of celebrating your 70th birthday and feel somewhat bogged down by the growing age and lesser responsibilities? If yes, it’s time to take stock of your present and brush aside any sadness, pangs of isolation etc because feeling down and morose will make you miss out on many important things that you can enjoy in your golden years. Well, retiring from your job is surely a bit traumatic, especially if you were a workaholic and your life revolved around your workplace, as all of a sudden, you will feel less important to people around you; but then, it is when you get to enjoy those things in life which you have always dreamt off, but could ever get the time for. Starting from nurturing little plants in your garden, and getting enrolled into that French speaking course, to learning how to cook Mediterranean dishes, and buying tickets to visit your dream destination for a relaxing holiday – you can do all that and more. After all, post-retirement is the phase when you need to focus on the next phase of your life, and make the most of it. Remember – the first step towards becoming a happy senior citizen begins in the mind, though you need to be physically strong and active too, to help your brain function properly.
Staying healthy is all the more important when you are in your old age. Even though having a sound health is good for your entire life, it becomes a necessity as you age. Even if you have not been a regular jogger or have not exercised ever, now is the time to start. Again, you might have been fond of spicy and junk foods but now is the time to exercise some caution and put on some restrictions on your diet. So, here are some steps that will make you stay active and happy even when you hit the 70s:
- Exercise every day – Of course we won’t tell you to join the gym or run a marathon! Walking, bowling, jogging, swimming, biking, playing tennis are all good forms of exercise, and there are many other options to choose from. Instead of treating it like an exercise, consider it to be a form of relaxation. Convince some of your friends to join in as well. If you think you will be bored with any one of the activities, try them out alternatively – walk in the morning with your group of friends, swim once a week, go bowling another day, and bike throughout the block every evening after having your supper. By blending all these activities, you will find them to be fun, and even give some precious exercise to your joints and muscles to ensure that they are active and healthy.
- Be active – Make sure you don’t spend all your day watching television or doing really nothing. Join a community center, go to the church regularly, or get involved in activities where you have the chance to make new friends. Arrange some seminars or group meetings of like-minded people, and sometimes, offer to host them at your home. If you are fond of music, attend different concerts, and play music with your friends. You can also consider volunteering for different causes, or simply for some activities you love – like in a grade school or at a soup kitchen. Make sure you are busy throughout the day by doing whatever you love to do. Staying mentally happy is the main key of being cheerful in your senior years.
- Eat healthy – While suggesting you to eat healthy, we are not telling you to cut out all those favorite foods or to follow a crash diet. Rather, we suggest that you either consult your dietician or search online to do some research and find out what are the foods that are/aren’t good for your health. For example, if you are diabetic, you need to replace white rice with brown rice, and give up those croissants and pastries in favor of a bran muffin. Making such little changes will help you save a lot on medical bills and ensure that you stay healthy and happy.
So, stay active – both physically and mentally, for a smooth transition into a happy and healthy life even when you are in your 70s.
