Some people say birthday celebrations are for children. Others like to celebrate throughout their entire lives. Which are you?
Share why if you wish.
Birthday: Celebrate Or Not?
Category: Age
Are You Aging Well?
If there is one thing that is certain in life, it is that aging happens. You are going to age. But are you aging well?
We all age, every day, for years on end. This is true despite socioeconomic background, race, age, political party, or language spoken. We all get older, inexorably, a second at a time.
Given that simple fact, it is reasonable to evaluate that aging process. We all do it, but it is true that some people are going to do it better than others.
But what does “better” even mean, in this context? What does it mean to “age well”?
For some, it might mean doing everything you can to life a long life.After all, if aging means “getting old”, why not do everything possible to stay young for as long as possible? Eat healthy food, stay physically fit, don’t take any unnecessary risks, and in general do what you can to live as long as you can.
Listen to a podcast where Michael and Lee discuss a related question: ‘How do you define success?’ We also discuss a bonus question: ‘Is happiness the most important purpose in life?’
For others, it might mean taking advantage of every moment, even if that means the total time is reduced. Seize the day! What is life if it is not experienced fully? Taking risks can lead to thrilling, exciting moments of feeling truly alive.
Another definition might be having the greatest impact. If you spread you love, kindness, and generosity to as many people as possible, you will be remembered fondly by a large population. If people are happy you existed because of the way you improved their life, isn’t that “living well”?
Ultimately, the definition is yours alone. You decide what it means to live well, and you also get to evaluate if you manage to meet your own definition.
It also can be done at any age. Teenagers can decide if they are becoming a good (or useful) person. Middle-aged people can determine if they are better than they were years ago. Someone in their twilight years can decide if their body is holding up to the passage of time.
However you decide to define it, are you aging well? What criteria are you using?
Related questions: What is the best part about getting older? The worst? What makes you feel old? What is time?
What Would You Do If You Lost Part Of Yourself?
Sometimes, from an accident or even just from simple aging, you might have lost a skill or talent you previously possessed. How did you handle that?
As you grow and mature into an adult, there are naturally things that you are good at. Perhaps that comes from natural talent, or maybe you develop skills through endless practice. Regardless of how you did it, these things may be important to you, and perhaps even a foundation for how you think of yourself.
What happens if that is taken away?
Listen to a podcast where Michael and Lee discuss the related question: ‘What makes you you?’ We also discuss a bonus question: ‘What gives a person value?’
As you age, you will have events of one kind or another. You might have a medical scare, or be involved in an accident of some kind. You might find yourself, rather suddenly, to not be able to do something fundamental to your ego.
Then, of course, there is aging. After a certain age, our bodies begin to wear out. Our eyes don’t see as well as they used to, we don’t have the endurance we once had, and it becomes oh so easy to strain a muscle doing even the simplest task.
What happens when someone who a fast runner suddenly finds everyone is faster than they are? Or if someone with 20/20 vision needs to get glasses in order to read? A person with a prodigious memory might have trouble recalling names.
How can you cope with this eventuality? How do you redefine yourself as your skills and abilities, mental or physical, change for the worse? What would you do if you lost part of yourself?
Related questions: What makes you feel old? How have you changed? What makes change possible? What skills have you lost due to technology?
What Makes You Feel Old?
There are many things that might make one feel old: fading eyesight, say, or a bunch of nagging injuries adding up. Sometimes a picture of your childhood, or a comment from someone else will remind you of the passing of time. Is there something that makes you feel old?
Share why if you wish.
Children Or Adults?
Do you prefer the wide-eyed innocence of children? Or maybe the complexity of an adult? Which would you rather spend time with?
Share why if you wish.
Children Or Adults?