Aging with the right mindset
“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.”
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee
While growing up we could not wait to get old enough to do certain things, like driving a car or moving out of our parents house. We wanted to be independent and free to make our own choices as we became adults. Now we have more freedom to go out and do whatever it is we please. On the flipside of that, we also potentially outgrow some of the things we took for granted in our youth. Our bodies accumulate wear and tear, while our mental acuity and memory start getting fuzzy as the years go by.
I sometimes hear older people say to younger people, “Don’t get old.” They are usually referring to their bodies not being able to do simple things they once did with ease, like getting out of bed in the morning or picking up a toddler. I get it. However, I also believe the “Don’t get old,” crowd typically resigns to the fact they are getting old without taking the measures to age more gracefully, both physically and mentally. They have convinced themselves they are too old to try new things or still accomplish things they used to do so effortlessly.
Then I look at people like Fauja Singh, the “Sikh Superman” who is 108 and has completed nine marathons since he was 89. Sure, he may be an outlier, but he is also an inspiration to seniors around the…
