The Secret of Aging Intelligently

When I took a survey of everyone I know past the age of 30, their concerns about loss due to aging included their knees giving out and stair climbing an issue, rising from the floor, loss of muscle strength, being winded without exertion, memory loss,  balance, and that they might look like their mother. Ok, that last one was mine. When I took the same survey of everyone I know past the age of 50, they verified what the 30 year olds said. I believe that there is  truth to it.

Three places that you can tell someone’s age are their neck, hands, and posture. No one gets botox on their neck, just the face. Go figure. Hands are always a giveaway for age, and the older people become, the more they stoop. That isn’t necessary. It’s just habit that we don’t stand up straight. Force yourself to always stand up tall, and a stooped posture won’t be a problem.

Aging is a choice we make every day. We choose to age by what we think, what we visualize, and what actions we take. Choose wisely.

According to the CIA, the life expectancy is the US is 78 years. Beating us big time is Monaco at 89 years, and Japan at 82 years. Also ahead of us are Australia, Italy, France, Canada, Spain, Israel, Ireland, Germany, and Great Britain. What’s our category? It’s Wallis & Futuna, Bosnia, and Portugal.

Wallis & Futuna is a French Protectorate in the South Pacific between Fiji and Samoa. Statistics on this country include a king, 15,000 people, 16 miles of paved road, and one AM radio station. In our country, the USA, we have good healthcare, reasonable income per capita, technology, and a personal trainer for any income or mindset. Yet our competition for life expectancy is Bosnia (really? really!) and Wallis & Futuna. Think how that sounds rolling off your tongue. Where are you from? Wallis & Futuna. What a great conversation starter. However, beside the point.

If you want to age better, move more. Aging is about taking responsibility for your life.

If you want to survive into old age intact, you are going to have to adapt. There is no standing still for those who age well. These are not people who sit down much. Information is not transformation. Knowing what to do is not the same as doing it. You are going to have to do something, move more, pay attention. Start now.

That’s Aging Intelligently.