There are benefits to aging.Its not all doom and gloom. Currently, Im dealing with a situation again that eight years ago made for a lot of angst in my life. Today, the second time around, its not exactly ho-hum, but I have the attitude of it is what it is. I slept through the night, no tossing and turning over possible outcomes. Sitting here this morning, relaxing with my mug of coffee and surrounded by three of my zen masters (read cats), the benefits of aging is on my mind.
Here are a few of my thoughts:
1. Im grateful for the ability to experience aging. We all had people in our lives who didnt make it this far. Disease or accident claimed their lives early. My oldest brother was killed in a car accident. He will be forever twenty. Old age is a gift.
2. I care a lot less about what I wear and how I look. Oh, I still take care of myself. But, my wardrobe consists mainly of t-shirts, jeans and comfy shoes or sandals. When I worked, along with business attire, I put on full makeup every day, styled my hair. Now, I throw on some mascara and blush if Im going out, pull my hair back into a ponytail and off I go. And, I let my hair go grey. Twenty years ago grey hair and wrinkles bothered me _ no more. Im free!
3. Along with the confidence to sport grey hair and wrinkles, aging has brought more confidence in general. I was always a decision maker. No sitting on the fence for me. But, with age I am more confident in my decisions as being the right ones for me. Im concerned with what my husband thinks and how my decisions affect him. Otherwise, I dont think about it much. No one knows whats best for me like me.
4. Speaking of decisions, there are fewer to make. Life is less complicated. I have fewer roles. Other roles have changed. My working self is gone along with concerns about the company, my employees, my manager, my time, my commitment, my dress and my decisions. While Im still a mother, my children are adults, on their own. Im a grandmother who can enjoy that role without most of the demands of parenting.
5. I no longer live for the weekend. Every day is Saturday. My favorite days are Monday through Friday. Those are the days of the week when I like to go places. I dont have to deal with crowds. I can avoid rush hour traffic. Rarely do I have to stand in a long line to check out at a store, get a good table at a nice restaurant or see a show. I can sleep late if I feel like it or get up early if I feel like it. I make my schedule based upon my preferences.
6. I want less stuff. I need very little. Ive figured out whats important in life and it isnt the accumulation of things. Relationships with my spouse, family and friends are important. My cats are important. Doing the activities I enjoy is important. Giving of my time and myself to someone else is important. All of this is more important than any material thing I could acquire.
As I sit here finishing my coffee, these are a few of the benefits to aging I thought of. What are the benefits you see in your life? Source - https://kathysretirementblog.com/
