Aging Fabulously

A few years ago I read an article that shifted how I viewed aging. The author interviewed 70 and 80 year olds who were actively involved in extreme sports/activities: everything from climbing the world's highest mountains to skiing to jumping out of airplanes.

They all shared their experiences of what helped them get out of bed each morning and continue to live their passions, despite the changes in their bodies.

One 85-year old man's advice was simple: "Cultivate your enthusiasm now. You are going to need it when you are my age."

Gracefully aging doesn't happen spontaneously; it is something we cultivate day by day, beginning at whatever age we are now. You don't have to be "old" to lay the foundation to age fabulously.

Here are some tips on aging fabulously, or just plain living fabulously:

Read inspirational stories and watch inspirational movies about aging, illness, and death. Don't avoid making friends with again, illness, and death, they are not your enemies, but reminders of the fragility and preciousness of life. They can teach you much that will bring you fully alive.

Set goals for yourself at 60, 70, 80, and 90. Who would you like to be? Let go of believing that you will remain 39 forever; and let yourself dream without limits of what you want to have accomplished or do at different markers in your life. Celebrate each birthday as another blessing. One woman I met did something outrageous for each birthday after she turned 70; at 75 she did a firewalk; the year before she had gotten a tattoo with her daughter. How might you celebrate getting older?

Cover all your mirrors for a week and bring your focus to feeling yourself from your core rather than through your eyes. Get to know your unique vibration as a sensation, rather than defining yourself by what you look like.

If your body hurts or tweaks, smile and breath into the area. Ask that area what it needs or what would support it. Bring more oxygen and awareness to the tight, painful, or difficult areas in your body.

Change your languaging.  Be curious and open about getting older rather than whining about it. It's going to happen no matter what; why not enjoy it? How you speak to yourself and others makes a huge difference.

Below are two inspirations I received via email from my mama (thanks, mom!); feel free to share others as you find them!

BANK ACCOUNT

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'

'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.

Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day

and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in..

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank

account of memories!

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

from MARION P. DOWNS, DHS, DSc (Hon.)

Author of Shut up and Live!

How do some people, as they grow older, continue to lead happy, vigorous, event-filled lives, while others don’t? Meet Dr. Marion Downs. In her 94 years, she has...

Participated in a mini-triathlon (running, swimming and biking) at age 89.

Won Senior Olympics gold medals in tennis.

Achieved mandated hearing tests for more than 90% of US newborns when she was an audiologist in her 50s.

Retired -- often.

Here’s what she has to say...

It’s fun to be old. I can do almost anything I want to do. Nobody cares! But one thing I know -- to continue, I must take care of myself physically and mentally.

My “old age” got off to a great start. The day I turned 51, I stood at the top of a hill wearing ski gear that my kids had left in a closet, scared to barrel down that first slope. I turned to the instructor and said, “I can’t do this! It’s too steep. What should I do?” He said, “Shut up and ski! You know how.” I did? Yes, even though it was my first time, somehow I did. So I went.

Now, whenever life gets strange and I don’t know what to do next, I tell myself, “Shut up and live! You know how.”

Most of us are living longer than our parents did, with no guidelines to see us through those critical years. “Girls” in their 80s and younger claim I’m their role model and ask for my longevity secrets.

A few years ago, I noticed that youngsters in their 50s and 60s dared to write books about how to live to a ripe old age. Why not me? I know how! So I wrote a book, too.

MY PRIORITIES

My three children, 11 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren are 38 great reasons to stick around. But only I can take care of myself. And I do.

I believe in taking full responsibility for one’s own life. Stop blaming Grandpa. According to a report on aging from Harvard, our genes account for only about 25% to 35% of our longevity and 30% of our physiological changes. My parents died at 72. Not me.

Maintaining a vigorous old age requires determination. My number one priority: Daily exercise.

Every morning I stretch for 15 to 20 minutes. Back stretches keep me free of pain from a serious back problem decades ago. Neck and shoulder stretches keep my head high, shoulders back. Daily leg stretches prevent the old folks’ shuffle, caused by short, weak leg muscles. Striding is better.

At home, I do an hour of strengthening exercises (with weights, stretchy exercise bands, on a large balance ball and with a soccer ball) three times a week and one to two hours of aerobics (mostly running, but I love my three-wheel bicycle, too) four times a week. My trainer, whom I call the Marquis de Sade, protects me from harm but keeps me hopping. I see him periodically for consultations about increasing the number of repetitions of an exercise, trying a new exercise regimen or device and general advice and help.

Exercise is play, too. Tennis has been my game since I retired from full-time work at 68. I prefer it over golf because it involves more activity. I play two hours three times a week in a league with changing partners.

MY SO-CALLED DIET

I’m no dietitian. But I look pretty good for a nonagenarian, and people ask for my nutritional secrets.

What I eat: Foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Lots of fruit and as many veggies as I can swallow.

That regimen keeps me lean, clean, healthy and strong.

Another essential food group: Each morning I put a milk chocolate turtle on the kitchen counter. I admire it all day and eat it at night.

MY KIND OF FUN

When I turned 90, I decided to try skydiving. My family tried to stop me. Ha! Strapped to an instructor, I did a 3,000-foot free fall at 120 miles per hour. The landing was nice. We glided in. I sat down on a sand pile. For my 95th, next January, I’m doing it again.

My bridge games, doing crosswords in pen -- who knows if they help my brain stay healthy? I keep active and hope for the best.