It is common for retirees to lose their self-esteem after turning 60, often because of the perception that they look or perform worse than in their youth. However, below are some tips which will help you regain your self-confidence and dignity.
Change the Way You See Things
Elders often succumb to the negative stereotypes regarding age, but there is no reason to do so. Making it to the age of sixty and beyond demonstrates your wisdom as many people die in their youth due to engaging in foolish or risky activities. And although you may lack the physical strength or stamina of someone who is decades younger, you should have far more financial resources at your disposal due to decades of prudent saving and investment. This combined with your lifetime of wisdom makes you a valuable member of your family and community.
The key to overcoming low self-esteem is to learn to see aging as an advantage. The longer you live, the more opportunities you have to enjoy life and give back to others. You can also look at it from a competitive angle; you want to live longer than others of your generation. If the average lifespan is 80 you want to make it past 100 while retaining your cognitive and physical capacity.
Get In Shape and Eat Better
Many people over 60 resist the idea of getting into shape or changing their diet. They feel that since they will die eventually anyway, there is no point of putting in the time, energy and effort, but people that feel this way miss the point. Your goal should be to age as gracefully and painlessly as possible, but if you’re eating bad foods and not exercising, this guarantees that you will develop serious health problems that will not only cause you a lot of pain, discomfort and despair, but you’ll have to spend huge sums of money on treatment.
Given the fact that healthcare costs are a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States, do you really want to spend your golden years in the hospital, draining precious funds that should be used for your retirement and passed down to your forebears, or would you rather keep your body in good condition so you spend less time and money in the hospital? You have two choices, you can die in agony while in the hospital after wasting huge sums of money on useless medical treatment or you can go peacefully in your sleep and pass down most of your wealth to your forebears. Which option sounds more palatable to you?
Don’t Stop Learning and Mentally Challenging Yourself
Many retirees reach a point where they think they’ve got life figured out and have no reason to keep learning. When you succumb to this line of thinking, you’re setting yourself up for cognitive decline. Scientists now accept that the brain is like a muscle that must be constantly stimulated and challenged. If you’re not continuing to learn new skills or challenge your mind, your chances of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s are dramatically increased.
