Make the rest of your life the best of your life—from the inside out

Look younger. Live longer. That’s the promise hyped by countless sellers of products and procedures. But like Dorothy who visited the Land of Oz, you already hold the key—within. Each of us has the power to influence the way we age.

Rogena laughingOur attitude has greater impact on how well and how long we live than smoking, exercise, or genes. Research supports a long-established philosophy that as you change your thoughts, you change your life. Take charge of how you age by taking charge of how you think.

Stop conforming to arbitrary restrictions how_old_would_you_be because of your birth year. Release artificial limits and break the habit of identifying with a number.

The Spanish language suggests a way out. Instead of saying “I am sixty years old,” they say “Tengo sesenta años” which literally translates to “I have 60 years.” I have rather than I am—an important distinction.

Check out my blog below. See my new Thrive topics. If you’re ready to hold on to your self-confidence, sanity, and sense of humor while you continue to grow up, you’re just a click away!

Working Past 60

Last month, I did a radio show in which we discussed some reasons to work after the age of 60. I used my own experience starting a new career at 65 as an example and then described some of the benefits from research. The gist was that staying active and engaged did more to help people age well than staying home …

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A New Lease on Life

I didn’t watch this year’s Super Bowl but heard that it was an unusually exciting one. I also missed my favorite part—watching the ads that debut during the big game. Instead, I found them on the Internet. A few of them were good, but one really grabbed my attention. It was called “This is Getting Old” and portrayed working as an …

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What’s In a Name?

Forbes posted an article last week that revisits the debate over what to call those of us who are of a certain age. Writer Howard Gleckman reviewed some of the euphemisms that have been used over the years. The point seemed to be about avoiding the stigma of negative aging stereotypes. Some terms—like senior citizens, seniors, the elderly, elders, and retirees—have …

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Advantage: Older Brains!

I loved the article “Keep Your Focus” in this month’s AARP Bulletin. We’ve been constantly told how younger minds have the advantage because they process information faster. But there’s good news for those of us who grew up before computers and smartphones became ubiquitous. By encountering that technology later, we’ve been able to preserve mental skills that younger people struggle to …

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Stop Anti-Aging

The September issue of Allure magazine featured a cover story on why we should stop using the term anti-aging. I learned about it from the New Old Age conference put on by The Atlantic earlier this year. The point is that anything we put after “anti” suggests something we want to kill or see as bad. Putting it in front of …

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Giving Thanks

It wasn’t the Thanksgiving any of us had planned. I’ve spent most years sharing the meal with my friend Carol and her family. Over the years, the cooking baton has passed on to her eldest daughter, CJ who, along with her husband, Kevin is a terrific cook. I prepared a side dish and packed a pie from the local bakery. Just …

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The Inner-Outer Journey

Life is a two-way trip. That becomes more apparent as I age. On the one hand, I notice skin getting looser and muscles getting softer. My brain has to work harder to remember things and I must take care of joints to avoid unnecessary pain. At the same time, there are inner changes that are transforming the way I experience life. …

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Under the Influence

I don’t know about you, but it seems every time I look up, there’s another ad on TV for some kind of drug. According to the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. is one of only two countries in the world that allow drug companies to advertise product claims directly to the public (New Zealand is the other). The growth in …

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Keeping Joy

Whether it’s due to limited retirement income or to a lifetime of accumulating stuff, many of us fall into a pattern of curtailed spending. That can be great, except when we restrict ourselves to the point that we miss the very things that bring us joy. That’s what I discovered last week. For years, I had done without a stereo system, …

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