”We often think about what we would say to the person we were in our 20s, from the height of our age and our current many, varied, painful, or fascinating experiences. Many texts have been written on this subject. But less thought is given to what advice we would give to the person we are in our later years.

Many of us live our lives as if we were eternal as if we would never grow old. We look at those older than us, parents, grandparents, colleagues, and managers, and we seem to dislike a lot about them, we test our patience with them. We find them outdated, slow, we treat them as if they have missing neurons and we find them wagging the gate, to use a more colourful expression that some of us used when we were young.

We forget that they also contributed to who and what we are now, that without parents or grandparents we don’t exist, that a manager gave us a chance, saw something good in us, at a time when we needed someone to recognise us, to validate us.

We all forget, more or less. Think about how you roll your eyes or sniffle when a parent or older colleague asks you to explain how Instagram, TikTok, Slack, or Reels work.

I suggest you think about your older peers and imagine yourself reaching that age. What annoys you now in them will exist in you, one way or another. How would you like to be? What do you propose to keep your mind agile?

Here’s what advice I’d give to my 70-year-old self:

  • Be curious, interested in many subjects, in the way the world is going;
  • Be gentle; many become bitter, resigned;
  • Keep learning to keep your mind young;
  • To be silent and not to give unguarded advice;
  • Exercise;
  • To have known yourself, to appreciate who and how you are; Not to cling to others, not to be like the hyena who clings to what she finds around;
  • Don’t play the victim – of whatever kind, for whatever reason, be it lack of money, loneliness, physical difficulties – no one likes the company of eternal complainers;
  • To read and re-read many books, so as to keep your mind well furnished;
  • Find projects to get involved in, even if you get paid a little; it’s important to be active, useful, to leave home with a purpose;
  • Take walks to keep fit and clear your mind, get a change of air;
  • If you choose to dye your hair further, don’t wait until your hair is two fingers white before going to the hairdresser. Choose: white or dyed! But take the choice. Otherwise, it’s disgraceful.
  • Try not to accumulate too many clothes and other knick-knacks that you “may need”; attachment to such items is a sign of old age. ????
  • Wear what suits you; you may think you look like 45, but you’re not, the mind may be quicker, the body has a different rhythm.
  • To enjoy every day, without thinking about what can happen negatively.

The benefit of such an exercise is that if we think about the future, we have a chance to build it the way we want. If we only think about advice for our younger version, we can certainly influence someone. But we can’t do much for ourselves.

So, what advice would you give yourself, the 70-year-old?”

via: Forbes

Georgeta Dendrino