One morning, you know how to make a coffee and the next, the buttons on the machine aren’t making sense to you. Only yesterday you definitely had black hair, so the grey streaks that you saw this morning must not belong to you. You go to work on Monday morning to find your granddaughter’s classmate is the new intern. Suddenly it dawns on you that yes, you are growing old.
It’s nothing to worry about, be ashamed of or hide. Wear old age with pride! You may not be able to do the things you once did but that doesn’t mean life is different. It just has a few changes along the way, so embrace them with joy.
To enjoy your sunset years, keep the following areas of your life in mind and you’ll never feel too old!

1. Reality

The first step is acceptance. Accept and embrace your years. Don’t dress like a twenty year old when you are in your fifties or start hanging out with the bachelors at work. It doesn’t reduce your years but makes them more obvious. Don’t ignore the trip to the doctor’s or fight getting a wheel chair if you need one. These things only serve to enhance your living and make things easier for you.
Look at yourself in the mirror and accept that you are growing old. You have a good life; you have seen the years and are endowed with wisdom.

2. The Food

Take good care of your body and it will serve you well. It’s time you gave up the bottle and the puffing. Your doctor will recommend the foods suited for your body, but do generally keep the fruits and vegetables. Drink lots of water to keep your body well hydrated. Water makes you feel less tired and enables your body to keep the right amount of body fluids. You can indulge in the sweet, the fatty and the meaty but do so in moderation. Have them once in a while and don’t eat them on their own, but include them in your meal. They’ll raise your blood sugar on their own and get your heart racing. With everything in moderation, you can enjoy eating to the full.
A great idea to ensure you meet your nutritional needs is having your own garden. Nothing tastes better than freshly grown vegetables and tending to the garden is nourishment for the soul.

3. The Attitude

You are likely to experience emotional changes in old age. One day you wake up feeling happy and loving life but the next, you are highly irritable. To counter these emotional changes make it a matter of mind over body. It always works. Tell yourself positive things such as today is a good day, I love my kids and so forth. When you fill your mind with good thoughts, you will focus on the good and not the bad.
Avoid thinking about opportunities you’ve missed in life or bad choices you’ve made. That is in the past so leave it there, enjoy the moment that you’re in.
There will of course be times when you slip into a bad mood or a temper. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Record it and note what set you off. When you are aware, you are less likely to repeat the same thing.

4. The Lifestyle

A change of lifestyle is necessary but not for the worse. Ensure you find ways to enjoy life that do not exert you. Take the time to go to the movies, to travel and see old friends and relatives. Visit your children, your workmates, nieces and grandchildren. Socializing does well for you and keeps you in touch with the world.
Do not close yourself off. Get a new hobby and resume old ones. Have fun.

5. Your Body

Your body may not be as strong as it used to be, but it can still handle some subtle exercises. The more you exercise the better your body will function. Do not neglect it, help it out with a few stretches and the morning run. You might just get to see your hundredth year!

Author's Bio: 

Becky Young works at Country Court Care and has over 15 years’ experience in caring for older people. She’s an Alzheimer’s and dementia specialist who hopes that as a society we can move to a place where we treat older people with the respect they deserve.