Contentment with Life as We Age – Ep. 190

As we approach our golden years, it is a great time that we feel that contentment with life. No more worries, no more insecurities, and no more busy schedules in life. What you need to have is that freedom to do all the things you ought to do. The article, The Secret to Aging Well? Contentment dwell into the subject that in order for us to age gracefully, we need to have that contentment with life. Positive Aging We have always been on the lookout for information and ideas about positive aging. We have so much to learn from the people who have gone before us and are ahead of us and this article is a perfect example of it. There are plenty of messages from the media and the world that as you get older, you lose things and have to be taken care of. Kathy believes that there is still a lot of positive information out there, but it requires a little shift in mindset. We change, we are different as we age, so why not find out what that is, what that means and make the best of it. The Key for Contentment with Life One of Kathy’s favorite topics is rightsizing, and that’s creating a life that works for you, that makes you remember what’s important to you. Kathy thinks contentment is another way of looking at happiness that says, can you feel at peace and satisfied? Peaceful and satisfied with how your body is behaving. Can you still be at peace and satisfied to say “Yes I am still taking care of this body, I’m still taking care of my mind and I’m ok with my life the way it is.” Gratitude is also a key for contentment. If you’re not feeling grateful, no matter what, you will look for the downside. You will always look for that shoe to drop. Instead of saying, “You know it’s not so bad”, just like what the author said in the article. Blue Zones There are certain communities around the world that have been identified by a research team to have the people that live the longest of any age group overall, some in Japan, California, and a couple of areas around the world. They break down what makes these areas so unique and why people live so long and happy in these areas. One of the 9 things they all have in common is their “Se La Vie” attitude. Exercise There’s a huge pressure for the older age to take exercise to the max. Exercise is important, but it’s not everything, if we’re not equally adding to our mental well-being and our contentment then we will end up old and cranky even though we look healthy because we exercise, it's still not complete if nobody would want to be around us. Socialization is one of the Six Pillars The most important thing aside from having a good retirement is socialization. Many people though retired they kind of become reclusive. And even though you are into social media, that's doesn't help with your socialization. In fact, social media decreases the quality of face-to-face interactions. Most people are not having intimate conversations and interactions with each other anymore. 3 Things that keep Kathy from feeling contentment with life * Comparison – We compare ourselves to others and decide in a way that they have more and I should have more. Or life isn’t fair because this is not equally this. And she feels more healthy than I am. We make ourselves crazy and unhappy and then we spread that unhappiness around. Comparison is the thief of joy when you’re comparing yourself with others. * Worrying – We create these dramas and all these worrying going on in our heads and then we spread worry around. A worrier or Debbie Downer can make you feel miserable.