This post is written by guest author, Olivia Williams Jones. More information on Olivia can be found at the end of the post.
We use numbers as a point of reference in almost every situation – from our weight, age, height, to the number of points it takes to get into a university or win the lottery. Our entire lives can be summed up into numbers, and in addition to being useful, they have become an obsession.
That’s why we have predefined expectations that come with certain numbers. The twenties are reckless, the thirties are family oriented, but the fifties and above? Well, nowadays, the pressure of doing more as you age has accumulated to incredible levels. Now, you are almost expected to have and follow through with a bucket list the length of a Tolstoy novel and be superbly excited about it. But all of that aside, what is your reinvention all about?
1. Finding your own tempo
This ever-growing pressure of living your life to the fullest in accordance with some random definition often leaves people feeling as if they yet again have no time to do it all. Yes, we all hear about those brave ladies who celebrate their retirement by trekking the jungles of Cambodia, but unless you really crave the rush, where’s the fire?
Choices are perhaps our era’s greatest curse, as the more we have them, the more difficult it becomes to pick just one. And although the entire world is at your fingertips, and you seem to be constantly reminded of that fact, do your thing the way it feels right. Perhaps you will go to Cambodia in a few years’ time, but maybe now you just want to read a book, watch the sunrise and enjoy a glass of red.
2. Minding your meals
Healthy munchies are one of the main pillars of longevity, and despite those general health guidelines to steer clear of processed, sugary foods, there are as many eating styles as there are people. A family friend went vegan in her early fifties to improve digestion, and it helped tremendously, while her mum switched to keto and enjoys bacon and eggs almost daily. Both have superb health.
If there’s a health issue you need to tackle, or you simply feel your diet could use a once-over, there’s no harm in consulting a nutritionist, reading up on options and trying out what seems like the healthiest, most viable option for you. Even the smallest of steps in the right direction are more than enough to fuel your reinvention process. Why not do it one delicious, healthy bite at a time?
3. Falling in love
Major changes, such as losing a spouse or retiring can make your life seem completely meaningless. When my father passed away, my mum went through a period of severe insomnia, and I knew she was in need of a companion. But how could one possibly fall in love at such a time, one might wonder. Well, if you keep your mind and your heart open, love can happen at any age, and in any circumstance. And it doesn’t have to be as cliché as it sounds – why not fall in love with a dance or life itself?
My mum now has an adopted pooch that goes by the name Oscar, and she takes him everywhere with her, and her friends. Every weekend, she packs her beloved Go Travel inflatable foot rest, some treats for Oscar, and heads to the next unexplored retreat with her friends, somewhere in New South Wales. He is precisely the companion she needed.
4. Tending to your inner cavewoman
If there’s one thing doctors manage to agree upon, it’s that physical activity remains yet another pillar of reaching your golden years healthy. According to the esteemed neuropsychiatrist and Harvard professor John Ratey, if you want to keep your brain vital along with your body, stay active.
The concept of returning to our caveman roots in a sense that we should use our genetic predisposition towards activity to our benefit is an old one, but professor Ratey takes it to a new level. And it means going beyond your comfort zone and implementing challenging workouts such as HIIT, weightlifting and other exercise forms. Even when you’re fifty and above? Especially then!
5. Being in the moment
Whether you like to play chess, feed the swans, run a marathon or make cupcakes, soak in the present moment. The kids have flown the nest, or you’ve retired and ready to learn new skills, but your mind is often elsewhere, as it tends to be in this over saturated world. Practicing mindfulness goes beyond just your daily meditations. It’s a mindset that is created and nurtured our entire lives.
However, you choose to fill your time, immerse yourself in the beauty of the very moment you are experiencing right now. Is your seat comfortable? Is your face relaxed or do you feel tension between your eyebrows or your jaw? Are you, maybe, enjoying this article?
Whatever your tempo might be, time can never be wrong for the things that are inherently right and make you happy. Take a breather, listen to your own needs and ditch the numbers along with the modern-day expectations that come with them. Enjoy your journey pressure-free, it’s too precious to be spent anywhere else other than in this very moment – embrace it, celebrate it and make each one your best one yet.
Author Bio: Olivia Williams Jones, Editor, High Style Life. Olivia is a psychologist and entrepreneur from Brisbane. Mother of two beautiful children and proud owner of two silly boxer dogs, Teo and Mia. She is passionate about writing and always inspiring her readers to be clever in their lives. Her motto is “Be the change you want to see in the world”. You can also find Olivia here on Twitter.
Link up here at WOTM or with another of us in the Lovin’ Life Linky team:
Leanne of Deep Fried Fruit
Lyndall of Seize the Day Project
Kathy of 50 Shades of Age
Deborah of Debbish
and Jo of And Anyways
It doesn’t matter where you link up as it will magically appear on all six blogs.
22 Comments
I love all of these – thanks Min and Olivia – but the first is actually the one that hits home the most because it’s become ‘the thing to do’ to focus on what we can achieve after 50 or 60. It’s less about slowing down now than it is about finding new challenges and – though I’m far from ready to sit back and think of myself as retired – reminding myself to balance ‘remaining’ time with a sense of the need for achievement is important for me.
I may have left the corporate world but I still have a very strong need to achieve. Sometimes it’s to the extreme, in that I don’t give myself permission to relax! I feel better about myself if I’m productive and hit goals each day. So you’re right, ‘balance’ does comes into it, balancing having that need to achieve and still allowing yourself time out to relax and enjoy life as well.
A great post and in my late 60s I know that the ways in which I am choosing to change and grow are suiting me more as I accept that I have freedom and choice within every day now that I do not have to answer to an employer or family member who might want me to help out with their kids.
Life is good as a fully retired person who continues to connect on-line thanks to my blog and keeps an interest in the world around me.
You’re doing some fabulous stuff in your retirement Denyse. I’m particularly impressed with your artwork! Hope you’re feeling a bit better today! xoxo
This is interesting, as I’ve got a background in qualitative research, so numbers have never meant much to me. I was talking to my dietitian last year and she asked if I had a goal weight and timeline. I said no, I need to lose some weight as I do weigh too much but it’s more about healthy choices and getting well enough to exercise again. Sustainable tweaks in food and lifestyle mean more to me.
I agree Vanessa. I’m not so focussed on reaching a certain weight or burning so many calories and all that stuff. It’s about feeling good and healthy choices and a healthy lifestyle is what helps me to feel good. 🙂
I think the message here is to be yourself and not try to live up to expectations of outside influences. Trying to live a perfect life is exhausting so we all need to take the pressure off ourselves and learn to accept who and where we are in life. Each of us is an individual with different desires and goals. Thanks Olivia and Min for this poignant post.
Yes you hit the nail on the head Kathy! I lived as others expected me to (including myself based on social expectations) for a long, long time. Now I am fortunate to be in a position (no more school fees helps!) where I can explore a better and more balanced way to live. We are all different and there is no one way that fits all.
Great post thanks Olivia and Min and I totally agree. I think the first point is the hardest for me ‘finding your own tempo’. A couple of years ago I tried to live by the word ‘Balance’ and bring more back into my life. That is still a work in progress but at 60 in less than two weeks I’ve decided that life is great and I’ll just keep on doing what makes me happy and if that is living in the fast lane so be it. Have a great week, ladies xx
Yes finding your own tempo can be tricky! Mine can differ week to week! I think you are doing life very well Sue and you are gonna sizzle into 60 fit as a fiddle, happy and in style! Yippee! 🙂 xo
I loved this Min – I get so tired of being told that I have to be “following my Passion” or travelling the world, or having wild monkey sex with my husband on the kitchen table, or learning a language, or running a marathon. I just want to be me, doing what makes me happy and changing it up as I go along – nice to know that it’s okay! BTW your mum got a cute dog, my mum got a cute younger lover – as they say “each to their own” – I think I ‘d take the dog 🙂
LOL oh you made me laugh with the wild monkey sex on the kitchen table comment Leanne! haha I know exactly what you mean though! Many of my friends travel the world extensively. Barely home from one trip and they are off on another. I would love to travel (and hope to) but I don’t think I could do it at the pace they do (even if I could afford it!). I also know that I will never run a marathon. I don’t have the build for it and I’ve never been sporty. I am active though and that’s the important thing. We are all different and need to do things in our own way, in our own time. Your mum got a cute younger lover? Good for her but I think a dog might be more relaxing! lol
I so needed to read this today! Thank you for lots of practical tips on how to stay on track with the personal reinvention journey.
SSG xxx
Glad you enjoyed the read SSG! xo
Such great info!! I love that falling in love can be with our fur babies!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Yes for sure – I love my fur baby! xo
Great article. Numbers are the bane of my life (probably next weeks post), so I like the idea of finding your own tempo. Passions are, like us, individual & if we were all doing the same thing, instagram would be very boring indeed.
Numbers are the bane of my life too (amongst other things lol). I’m not even sure if I have passions sometimes. I have interests and sometimes one is more of a ‘passion’ than another and they change about – for example my constant pull between writing and photography and finding it hard to find a happy medium or some semblance of balance. I love that we are all individuals and unique unto ourselves! 🙂
A great read, thanks Olivia and Min – although my shoulders and neck are tense and sore from working hard at the computer all day!!!!
Thanks Janet! My shoulders and neck and back get sore from sitting at the computer too. Need a masseuse on hand I do! 🙂
Brilliant post, and something I’m passionate about. Live the life you love and not one that others say you should.
You put that so well Jenni! Thank you 🙂