People are living longer today than they were in 1900: 30 years longer!
If you were given 30 years, how would you spend them?
The extra years we have don’t get tacked onto the end of our lives but instead are plopped into the middle. Or, maybe you have a choice of where you “live” those extra years. That’s a valuable concept right there.
What does “living” mean to you? Freedom? Relevance? Energy and mobility? Sitting on a beach or a boat, hiking the mountains, or playing golf?
There’s an advantage in knowing your extra years can be lived now, rather than tacked on to the end when you’re feeling old or worn out. That means you need to make lifestyle choices to make those extra 30 years count for something. The best part is, those choices make your elder years more vibrant, too.
It’s vital to plan for those extra years, and there’s no time to lose. We need to tend to our finances, health, and social connections. We want to make choices that will make those extra 30 years fun and worthwhile! All three areas are under your control.
Finances: save more and spend less. Obvious, but not common enough. At least in the US, people tend to live beyond their means. Spend less and save more so you aren’t in financial stress. Use your money in ways that will enrich your life.
Health: eat food, not food-like substances; move throughout each day; sleep 7-9 hours each night; hydrate; laugh; get sunshine and fresh air daily, even if your sunshine is hiding in the rain clouds.
Social connections: make friends in a wide range of age brackets and interact with them regularly. Interactions are of course best done in person, but are valuable through letters and electronic means, too. Get out and see people and do things.
If you adopt an attitude of a great life quality now, your later years will be better than you are probably expecting. These extra 30 years are a great gift! You have the opportunity to improve your life now so that it’s better all along the way and when you are an elder.
Make your 30 extra years a gift, not a life sentence.
If you need help making that happen, that’s what I do. Get in touch.