Getting Older? Here Are 4 Ways to Do It Right

Growing older can be somewhat daunting, especially if you watched friends or relatives have a tough time with aging. It's one of the biggest transitional periods in life and there will be plenty of bends in the road and bumps along the way. The following list is designed to help ensure you have more highs in comparison to lows.

Plan for End of Life

Ok so this one is a bit morbid to start with but it's so important to have a plan in place. Review a guide on end-of-life planning and make a checklist of the things that are relevant to your situation. Items on the checklist may include planning your funeral, making a will, ensuring that you have the right beneficiaries on your life insurance policy and ensuring that all your affairs will be looked after should the worst happen. You'll be amazed at the feelings of relief you'll have when you know everything is in order.

Do What You Want

Is there something that you always wanted to do but never took the leap? Now is the time to do it. Time waits for no-one so take life by the horns and follow your dreams. You might not be physically able to climb Everest or become a pro athlete but you can learn a new language or travel overseas to tick some items off your bucket list.

Wear Purple

There is an amazing poem called Warning by Jenny Joseph that talks about she's going to wear purple when she's an old woman. It is an ode to not giving a hoot about what other people think. It's why when you look at people getting married in their twenties versus people getting married in their fifties you tend to see a stark difference between the ceremonies.

A twenty-something couple will have the traditional white dress and hundreds of guests. A fifty-something couple will have exactly who they want there, not a person more or less, and they will wear outfits that they want to wear. It's their day and they choose to wear purple (maybe not physically.)

Make New Friends

Growing older can be an isolating time as everyone seems to be busy with their own lives. Your kids might be busy with their kids and some of the friends you have may have moved on to be closer to their families. Don't let loneliness creep in, as it can be a very difficult feeling to shake off. Self-care 101 means caring for your mental health just as much as your physical health. Try to attend social gatherings in your local area and be proactive in organizing coffee dates with the friends you do have.

There's also the option of taking up a new hobby such as golf or bridge. Also, don't forget to spend time with the people you love. Say yes to all dinner invitations and drop by with a freshly baked cake or tart every so often. Whatever your circumstances, it's so important to keep your relationships strong during this period in your life.