Getting old is inevitable.
Many people are afraid of getting old because of their negative perspective to getting old which includes other losses attributed to their age status, but this article has provided you with important tips which will help you overcome the fear of getting old and understand that life seems more enjoyable at old age.
What Does Fear of Getting Old Mean?
The fear of getting old is called Gerascophobia and basically means that the person in question is afraid of being old or ageing.
Is It Possible Not To Get Old?
Getting old is natural, and we can’t work against nature. This means that it is impossible to avoid getting old but looking younger as we age is based on us entirely as we can achieve that through healthy dieting and suitable exercises.
Here are 13 tips for beating your own fears of getting old:
1. Eat Healthily
First, you need to start protecting your health now by eating healthy food. Remember the saying – We are what we eat.
So your diets should be complemented with more of fruits and vegetables which provides the body with lots of with nutritional benefits and can help prevent certain diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and make you younger than your age as well.
Just maintain the diet, which is all you need to do, then await the enjoyment that follows your old age.
2. Exercise
Do not think that since you are growing older that your strength is diminishing, and therefore you need more rest than any other thing.
This is not true; you have to observe exercises at regular intervals in other to keep the bone healthy, make the whole body vibrant, extend lifespan and maintain overall body fitness.
In fact, regular exercises aid to physical and mental well-being, especially in aged people.
So many persons who looked longer than their age all have two things in common, healthy diet and exercise, except those who have good genes.
3. Stay Active and Independent
It is very important to stay active and independent at an old age to enjoy some of the activities you did when you were young.
An older adult can as well stay healthy and energetic by doing some things he or she enjoys better, and most times do not rely on people around so that when they are not available you would have been accustomed to what you do as you may need no or little help.
If you don’t do this, it will be difficult to enjoy some things you ever loved, and it will make you feel so lonely and depressed even when you are in the midst of those who love you.
4. Change Your Perspective
If your thoughts are what brings on the fear of getting old in your life – change it.
Mark Twain said; Getting old is a mind issue - it doesn’t matter, only if you don’t mind.
So when you mind your getting old coupled with the negative perspectives you may have, like you don’t have much time to live, being sick is one of the things associated with getting old etc., then you are more likely to miss the enjoyment that awaits your getting old.
Getting old is not bad, it is what most people wished to have lived for, and you should be glad you have it, you witnessed it, so enjoy it to the fullest by thinking positively, don’t allow the cultural values or circumstances weigh you down.
You are just old, not stupid or silly, and which is a blessing itself.
5. Deal With Your Loss
Most old people may cope with so many things associated with getting old, but one of the most crucial parts is having their children leave home.
This makes most of them feel that as they have entirely lost faith in life, and especially when their children live in very far places from them.
Most times, it is not always easy but always for the best. You can deal with this by staying close to other family members and friends, as it will make you feel not so lonely. Hang out with them most times, have a picnic, dinner, sports and get-together, as this will lift your spirit.
6. Embrace Your Fears
Approaching retirement status, most people are likely to slow down, either from choice or necessity. For many, this slowing down creates a space where habitual fears can come up more strongly. If you want to grow old happily, my advice is to face these fears of ageing sooner, not later. This doesn’t mean going into battle with them: invite them to tea and start a dialogue.
7. Treat Problems as an Adventure
It’s easy to get downcast and feel like a victim when you have problems with health or in other parts of your life. Choose to believe that there is a gift, an upside in most problems, if you can find it. Treat these difficulties the same way you’d prepare for an adventure holiday: gather maps and other information, look for a good guide, and treat the new learning you need as an interesting challenge. Look out for any new openings that may arise.
8. Explore Elder hood
Our modern society gives us few useful guidelines about growing old positively. We have to figure this out for ourselves. I’m using the term elder hood to invite you to connect to the mature wisdom in yourself, and in our ancestors. The old tribal cultures, such as the Celts and Native Americans, saw the elders as playing vital roles in the tribe. It was the elders’ role to guide the tribe in a crisis, to dream dreams, uphold values, mentor the young and speak truths as they saw it. Clearly we live in a different kind of society, but the role of the elders is something we can learn from and update.
9. Stay Close to Family
There is a pleasure derived from staying close to your family while becoming aged. Stay close to family and friends who will always lift your spirit in so many ways by sharing stories and happy moments.
This will make you feel happy always and increase your dopamine which serves as a neurotransmitter bringing you so much happiness.
For those whose family members are far, you can always have a get together once in a while maybe during Easter, Christmas and other festive periods, and try as much as possible to enjoy yourself to the fullest so that the memories will linger till your next time together.
This will make you not feel abandoned, and knowing that your family still care will make you feel younger instead of thinking about your age status.
10. Complement Your Diet With Supplement
Dietary supplements may keep older people from getting sick and sustain them to live longer as well.
Most of these health supplement capsules and pills contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients that help in overall body improvement mainly in aged people.
Though this depends on our diet, where we live depends on what kind of food that is accessible, so if you can get hold of various fruits and vegetables, a supplement may not be an option unless suggested by your doctor in some special cases.
But for some, it might be necessary to take supplements because the food they eat may not be able to supply them with adequate minerals and vitamins.
It is advisable to keep a good selection of these varieties of health supplement that add value to life.
11. Study New Things
Try to give yourself a challenge on a regular basis by putting your mind to studying new things daily.
Even if it is something you find difficult, try to lay focus on it and study it harder to an extent until you feel tired and then rest your brain thereafter. This will help to keep your cognitive skill and your mind active at all times.
You can practice also many DIY tips which ranges from bakery to cooking new meals, little home improvement, knitting, starting a small poultry farm, gardening and much more, or enjoying new hobbies like biking, picnicking, golfing and others.
These practices will make your every day new and refreshing as you have things that occupy your mind rather than staying idle most of the time, which will keep reminding you of how old you have got.
12. Connects with Nature
Getting old is natural, and probably one of the ways you can overcome this fear is by relating to nature itself.
This involves engaging yourself in activities that will give you a sense of belonging like going to nature parks, having a soothing bath in a spring, relaxing at a seashore, having a picnic in a love garden and so on.
All this will make you understand nature, and that getting old can be sweet and beautiful as well.
13. Get Routine Health Check-Ups
Your health becomes more important as you get older. Keep an eye on your health by getting a better health channel for routine health check-ups.
Do not wait till you fell sick, rather make it a point of duty to visit your doctor at least once or twice in a month as most sicknesses or disease-causing illnesses present in the body may not show any underlying signs or symptoms and becomes far worse or deadly when they are pronounced.
Getting old is not getting sick, a routine checkup is just a sure way of staying safe.
Conclusion
The truth is that there are some natural ageing processes associated with mental and physical decline, which everyone has to experience in old age.
That doesn’t mean that getting old is the worst thing that can happen to you; all you have to do is to apply the above tips, let go your youthful age and embrace the old age, treat yourself well, take good care of yourself then enjoy the moment while you live.
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