You're Only as Old as You Feel (?!)

Well, then I'm only 45 

Up until three weeks ago, this was my typical response. After all...

• I sleep well through the night.
• Watch what I eat.
• I'm on no medications and rarely take pain relievers.
• My mobility is good.
• My natural hair color is more salt-than-pepper, but at least I have hair (and LOTS of it) 😊

Yep, I'm in the prime of life: we have enough energy to travel, enough financial resources (although the stock market could stand to rally again...), and most importantly, we have our health.

But really, we're 62

However, this most recent move has revealed our shortcomings.

We simply do not have the stamina we once did. And if we try to push ourselves -- like climbing up and down the stairs of our split-level home at least 50 times to move boxes -- or lying down for hours on a gravel pad site to level the rig -- our bodies remind us of our actual age.

We both are type-A personalities. We create long to-do lists. And we chastise ourselves when we don't accomplish everything in the prescribed timeframe.

We are both competitive. And when it comes to exercise, I always try to improve over the previous day's activity. If I walked 3,000 steps, then I want to walk 3,500. If I walked the distance in 20 minutes, then I push to go faster.

But it occurs to me that we need to shift our paradigm (an axiom from Stephen Covey's best-seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). 

Creating a to-do list is fine. Adjusting the timeframe is necessary. We are retired for crying out loud! We have nothing but time. Why are we rushing?!

Exercise is good, but at this age, movement is necessary. I may not be able to walk as long or as fast or as far as I once did (long gone are the days I walked a 5k every morning)... But I can and should walk. 

Currently, I'm trying a new tactic (at least until my sciatic nerve is fully functional): walk for 15-20 minutes in the morning and then again in the evening. I'm not setting any records, but at least I'm moving. And I'm getting more steps in per day than I would otherwise.

Accepting our Limitations

While some say 60 is the new 40, it does come with limitations. And that's okay.

We are learning to listen to our bodies. Sure, we can push through ... but at what cost? We may check an item off the to-do list, but will become incapable of working for the next three days. Jane Fonda's "no pain, no gain" is no longer applicable.

We are learning to schedule breaks throughout the day. The morning cup of coffee lasts a little longer, we linger over lunch, and quitting time is around 4:00 p.m. And you know what? What wasn't accomplished one day can easily be moved to tomorrow's list.

And we are now reminding one another to take our meds 😆

While this phase of life is an adjustment, we are grateful.

We have our health. We have financial means. And we have each other.

So yes... we are 62 ... we feel 62 ... and that's okay.