Originally published in https://sixtyandme.com/savoring-our-life/ Feb. 12, 2025
I recently attended a moving play that served as a reminder for viewers to make the most of this one life we get to live. The production highlighted both the joys of fully embracing what life has to offer and the reality of its eventual end. This is the journey each of us is navigating.
If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend Kimberly Akimbo, a Tony Award-winning play that left a deep impression on me. It tells the story of a teenage girl, Kimberly, who is living with Progeria â a rare condition that causes rapid aging â navigating the brief time she has left. Kimberlyâs determination to fulfill her dreams, from seeing the ocean to riding a roller coaster to visiting Disney World, was both heartwarming and inspiring.
In our youth, life feels like an endless adventure. Itâs a time of discovery, exploration, and growth.
...Who is the feisty you in 15-20 years? As we journey through life, itâs natural to reflect on our past and ponder the future. For those of us who are approaching or have surpassed 60, we sometimes overlook the extent of the number of years ahead of us. The next 20-25 years (or more!) offer a canvas brimming with possibilities and certainly marked by more than one live phase if we live it fully.
I sometimes hear women even younger than 60 describe themselves as âoldâ and that the most important part of life has been lived. In reality, 60 is considered by researchers to be the end of middle age. If we look at life as a three-part book, we have all the chapters of part 3 yet to write.
Instead of focusing on what we have done and who we were, what about relishing who we have become and what is ahead? Letâs take a look at the rich phases of life we lived during our âmiddle age,â in ord
...Are you wondering what mindset has to do with how you age? Isnât healthy aging more about eating well and getting exercise? Well yes, these are important. So is having a sense of purpose and enjoying good relationships/community.
Add your mindset to the list. Much of the recent research on healthy aging cites some aspect of mindset as a significant contributor to aging well. One study of optimism found over a 30-year period that persons with optimism decreased their risk of early death by about 20%.
Becca Levyâs book, Breaking the Age Code (2022), is all about how beliefs about aging influence health span and age span. As a reminder, Dr. Levy found that research participants with positive age beliefs lived on average 7.5 years longer than those with more negative beliefs.
Donât you think there is value in taking a moment to reflect on your mindset?
Have you ever considered doing something that sounded fun or interesting, but it just made you feel too anxious and full of fear?
This is part 3 of a three-article series about common ways we hold ourselves back from living the life we truly desire. The first article discussed how easy it is to find ways to talk ourselves out of making life changes that will move us toward fulfillment.
The second article explored the role of âbusynessâ in keeping us stuck when we truly desire something different.
Finally, we will normalize the fears that may arise when we decide to make a change in the comfortable status quo of our daily lives.
When we want to try something new or make a change in our life, it is perfectly normal to feel apprehension, fear, or nervousness. These are simply other words to describe feeling anxious. Look back on you
...Published in SixtyandMe on April 14, 2024 https://sixtyandme.com/busyness-or-embracing-life/
Have you ever ended the day having not done something you had told yourself you wanted to because you were âtoo busy?â This is part 2 of a three-article series about common ways we hold ourselves back from living the life we truly desire. The first article discussed how easy it is to find ways to talk ourselves out of making life changes that will move us toward fulfillment. Now, we will explore the role of âbusynessâ in keeping us stuck when we truly desire something different.
If there is any fear of change associated with the adjustments you want to make in your life, being busy is a natural response that alleviates the fear. Often, this busyness response can distract you from moving toward what you want. It is our version of the often-repeated tale of authors cleaning out closets instead of working on their...
For many of us, early January is a time of dreaming about the year ahead. I just love taking the time for this with a cup of cacao or tea wrapped in my aqua Afghan made by a friend. Find your special place to focus on your own desires.
Perhaps you dream of following an interest long ignored or deepening love in your life. Maybe, like me, you dream of some new adventures to keep the spark shining brightly. Some women desire to make more of an impact in the world or to slow down and live a simpler life. What are you dreaming of?
Then, what can you do to take your dreams out of the âdream worldâ and into the life you live?
Bringing to life our deepest desires requires faith and trust because usually it is not clear how we can make them reality. That is a good thing! If you know how to accomplish something, then it is a goal, rather than a dream. We deserve to dream, to expand, to grow. A dream
...We are continuing our exploration of the four vitality domains that influence your health span, now focusing on the area of meaning/purpose and creativity. Isnât it time to be your own heroine and be/do what has been waiting in the wings?
What brings you a sense of meaning? What gets you up in the morning looking forward to the day? Are you putting your unique talents/gifts to use somehow? Why let them lie dormant? Consider your own sense of meaning as you read!
A sense of meaning, however that manifests for you, is not only essential to quality of life but longevity as well. That is what we mean by âhealth spanâ â years lived + quality of life. Research suggests that a sense of meaning is associated with less risk of Alzheim
...This was first published in Sixty and Me atÂ
https://sixtyandme.com/work-hard-retire-hard/Â Â DECEMBER 06, 2022Â LIFESTYLEÂ
Remember, this is about embracing YOUR purpose and sense of satisfaction with life.Â
Many of us grew up in an era where the accepted approach to life was to work really hard to be successful at our chosen role and take care of responsibilities. Then, like magic, at 65 we get to stop and make up for all the âfunâ we put off and take the relaxation we deserve. My parents did that, but it really didnât turn out as they imagined. I thought that is what I was going to do. Not anymore.
Letâs unpack this.
In western cultures we are living longer and retiring earlier than in the past. If we stop working at 65, we are likely to have a reasonably healthy 20-30 years to go! That is why we call this the third phase of life⌠it literally can be 1/3 of your life.
Is kicking back with the purpose of taking it easy how you want to spend this phase of yo...
One of the blessings for many of us in our 60s and beyond is living a comfortable life. This does not imply riches. It means we have found a way to have âenoughâ. We have given our time to our work/profession and family. Now is our time to relax and enjoy life. We want to enjoy our comfort. We deserve to enjoy comfort.
Still, for many women there can be a yearning or dissatisfaction lurking just under the surface.
Now that I have married my love, I feel full. Recently, I have faced my own complacency because life is so comfor
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