Sound Advice to Those That Age - Putting Yourself First in Retirement!

retiredinsamar (56)in #living • 6 years ago (edited)

Information Meant to be Shared!

The following article was taken from the WataugaDemocrat.com and is a reprint by author and retired professor Richard D. Howe (Appalachian State University, No. Carolina) who shares these ideas about aging. Although the original author of this writing is unknown, Proffessor Howe shares it forward, as I do, as it was intended to be guidance to the good life for the the aging. Personally, as I approach this "aging" crowd, I have already been putting much of this sage advice into practice. I believe it can go a long way towards retirement happiness for both the middle aged and those who will retire soon. There is also some good simple ideas about living life that everyone could benefit from. He starts out:

"An old friend recently sent me the following information. He did not remember from where he got it but it is certainly worth sharing." ~ Richard D. Howe

Between 65 and death

Many of us are between 65 and death. The following list for aging should be of interest to many of you.

It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember, there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.
Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education food, shelter and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.
Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.
Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner; one day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then. Enjoy it together.
Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.
Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”
Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.
Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you— keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.
Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.
Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.
Some people embrace their golden years, while other become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.
Don’t surrender the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone. (Some cultures will differ with family living).
Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.
Finally, even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experiences something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

End of article.

As the next generation (the Gen X'ers) and future generations look towards retirement, they should be setting specific goals. The clearer one's retirement vision, the easier it will be to develop an overall plan and in setting specific retirement goals. There are plenty of resources available online to help in this area so I will not inundate this post with links and suggestions. There are just too many to list.