Women of my age, in their sixties, often say to me that they feel a lot freer than when they were younger. I like to think of it as unravelling in our sixties and letting go of what we once thought we had to be.
Let’s face it, there was a time where we were overly busy homemakers, wives, mothers, and employees trying to juggle all of this at once. I remember coping with all of this, plus worrying constantly about how I looked, how good a mother I was, and what people thought of me. It used to do my head in!
Letting go of other peoples expectations is where the unfurling started for me. As a former people pleaser I no longer particularly care what people think of me and I run my own race. The opinion of others doesn’t impact my life like it used to. In fact, I feel that if you don’t like me, then that’s your loss!
The point is that in your sixties you no longer really have to compete with young attractive women. We are post-menopausal women with grey hair, expanding waistlines, wrinkly skin, waning libidos, and we’re not out there trying to entrap a man. We’re mostly content with our other halves, or equally, content being happily single. We’ve slipped into a comfortable existence.
It’s like the pressure to be “everything” to “everybody” has lifted and we now have time to get understand ourselves better. We learn to love ourselves again – warts, skin tags, cellulite, sun spots and all! We learn that being healthy and happy in our golden years is more important than how we appear. We learn that the more important things in life are our families and our long term friendships.
Take back control of your life, try new things and get out there and do the things you were never able to do. It’s your time to shine. It doesn’t matter if your husband or partner doesn’t want to try new things with you. Just do it alone or take a friend along. There are plenty of activities that you can do unaccompanied and there are various groups and travel companies that specialise in solo travel for women.
If you’ve found yourself suddenly single maybe it is time to try new beginnings. Give online dating a try or a dating coach such as EvanMarcKatz.com. A dating coach will help you discover the secrets to finding lasting love with an attractive, commitment-oriented man who takes care of you and always makes you feel safe, heard, and understood.
Since I turned sixty I’ve slowly started to unravel and not feel guilty about putting myself first. I’m learning to say no to things that no longer serve my needs. I’ve taken up several new interests and I don’t feel guilty about indulging myself from time to time.
During the last two years, I’ve travelled to Bali to attend a women’s only health and wellbeing retreat with like-minded soul sisters. I’ve taken up lawn bowls, found a yoga class with ladies of my own age, decided to do volunteer work and commenced watercolour painting.
I enjoy getting my hair done and experimenting with new styles and colours. I take myself off to get a massage when I’m feeling a little stiff and sore. I have also recently started freelance travel writing again in my spare time. All these interests keep me busy and make me feel good about myself.
I feel that sometimes women of my age allow their husbands or partners to dictate their lives and how much money they spend. I say stuff that! You shouldn’t be held back or controlled by anyone. If you want to try something new or spend some money on yourself once in a while, then go out there and do it without feeling guilty.
As we get older taking care of our health is paramount for enjoying a long and happy life. If we don’t have a good quality of life then there is no point in having a quantity of life. For me, this means taking care of myself on both a physical and mental level.
My tips for living a healthy life are:
Amid these Covid-19 pandemic times, it has made us all even more aware that life is too short and we need to make the most of every day. For a lot of us, it feels like we have lost a good part of two years of our lives. So now it is even more important to start ticking off some bucket list items.
As the international borders are slowly re-opening, now is the time to start planning some overseas trips. I realise that there are those amongst us that are still fearful about travelling overseas. Covid-19 cases are still present in most countries in the world. However, I personally feel that if we keep waiting for the world be safe then we will never go. I’m willing to take the chance.
If you’re worried about international travel start with taking shorter trips to countries like New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and Fiji. Or alternatively, start exploring Australia. I know many people who have not travelled to Western Australia, Northern Territory or Tasmania. It is time to dust off the passport and pack your bags before you get too much older!
If you keep putting off travel, particularly overseas travel, it may be too late. As we get older mobility may become an issue. Taking long haul flights, walking around cities and navigating our way around proves more difficult. So don’t wait until it’s too late.
Remember to make the rest of your life the best of your life!
