Let me tell you what I do, how I feel and how I handle it.
First, what I do. I take better care of my skin, but realize that I am older than I was yesterday. I get as much rest and sleep as I can, knowing that my body needs to regenerate more often. I exercise, knowing that if I keep moving, I will be able to keep moving. I read my Bible, learning about God and how he has used older people in times past. I read books that help me learn more about nutrition, my body, keeping my mind young, and my body agile. I also read just for enjoyment as a mini-vacation. This is just a sampling of what I do.
Secondly, how I feel. I feel that if I wake up in the morning, I have done more than a lot of others who don't. I feel that if I am able to walk on my own, feed myself, and tend to my own needs unassisted, I am doing better than a lot of others who can't. I feel that if I do all I can to help myself stay healthy, both mentally and physically, then I am doing all I can. The rest is up to God. He is in control of my life, I only make decisions and act based on the limited knowledge I have.
Thirdly, how do I handle it. Poorly at times, perfectly at times. I am only human.
Sometimes I am strong and that aching knee doesn't matter. At other times, that aching knee makes me want to give up.
Yes, I have those feelings, too. The difference is, now I realize that if I dwell on those negative aspects of my life, they will get worse, I will feel worse, and my life will reflect how I feel - bad.
So, I have learned to train myself to feel those feelings, but don't dwell on them. If I need to, I find someone to talk about them with. If I can find an outlet some other way, such as keeping a journal or writing, then that's what I do. Exercise helps tremendously. Getting out of the house to walk can sometimes reset my mind to positive faster than anything else.
Everyone, even me - the one who encourages others, has a bad day or a bad moment when they ask themselves 'who am I kidding'. But it doesn't last long with me, I won't allow it. If you are serious about staying healthy and active for as long as you can, too, then you won't allow it either. You will fight back against those negative feelings, emotions, and thoughts.
Dwelling on the negatives will age you fast. If you push on and fill your head with more positive thoughts on aging, you actually slow it down. It's not easy. I am definitely not saying that. But the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
When you feel old, tired, or unloved...get out of the house and go for a walk, write your feelings down in a journal, read a book on some aspect of improving aging, just do something positive,
DO NOT DWELL ON THE NEGATIVE!
Do you fight the negative feelings of aging or do you find yourself dwelling on them? If you have a method of escaping them, will you share it with us? How do you handle the conflict between your mirror, your birth certificate, and how you feel?
XOXO