“The trick to aging gracefully is to enjoy it.” ~Unknown

Aging gracefully is a term used a lot that gets my attention.

A recent article I read about aging was, How to Age Gracefully; the author is an 80-year-old woman. This provided some inspiration. Now I’m reflecting on the common symbols of aging and deciding how to age gracefully from my perspective.

One of the things I’ve done is not color my hair anymore.  The last time it was done was prior to losing my hair from chemotherapy in 2014.  My hair stylist recommended that I not do it anymore, especially since the gray coming in was natural highlights mixed in with brown hair.

Gray hair is not something we should be ashamed of. I wrote a blog post back in March about that, Embrace the Gray. I’ve also noticed a lot of people stopped coloring their gray hair during the pandemic. They look just fine. 🙂

Another thing is that I’ve resisted the common temptation to cover up any cosmetic concerns. I rarely use makeup and my summer outfits still consist of shorts and t-shirts with clever slogans. Because I’m outside a lot, using mineral-based sunscreen is essential too based on my skin doctor’s recommendation.

The doctor check-ups include a bone density review on a regular basis after menopause (chemo helped initiate that). We’re told to be careful and don’t fall as we age. So my typical response is to go outside for a trail run. Hiking and running outside is still something I enjoy and grateful to be able to. I did splurge on a few pairs of colorful running shoes this year. $$$

It’s also recommended to declutter your surroundings on a regular basis. An amazing amount of unused stuff has been collected after living in our house for over 20 years. We’ve decided to  declutter in small steps. For example, our kitchen cabinets were recently updated, and with the doors off, we were able to see all the unnecessary crap on the shelves. Some items were thrown away and some were donated.

I do enjoy being around younger people too, like my sons and their friends. They can remind you to focus on important issues and have a youthful spirit. They also value the information and wisdom we can offer from our experiences. That sentence just makes me appreciate my mom even more since she’s the only parent alive between my husband and I. We can learn so much from her still.

The secret to successful aging is to recognize any issues and adapt accordingly. I’m learning what I can and can’t do and will ask for help when needed.

Bad grammar will continue to irritate me though. When I correct misuse of language, I will try to be graceful about it.

I am grateful as heck to still be here in my mid-50’s after the health issues throughout my 40’s. It feels good to be alive.

People have different opinions on aging gracefully. What does that mean to you?