Reply to Do's and don'ts

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[quote=Anonymous]Do's:

- Exercise daily, and find low impact stuff you actually enjoy so you can keep doing that as long as possible (higher impact is also good, but you might have to stop at some point so make sure you also have some low impact stuff that is fun for you)

- Find an arts or cultural area to build interest/experience in -- take up photography, learn art history, buy season tickets to the opera or ballet, go to all the evening readings at your local bookstore, etc. These are all wonderful ways to feel more alive, have things to look forward to, and for life feel richer and more interesting as the things that used to fill your time (children, work) are no longer present every day.

- Volunteer or get involved in your community in some way.

- Some kind of mental health work, whether it's therapy, mindfulness, meditation, joining a support group, something. Some way to check in with and work on your mental state, deal with any past issues, and stay resilient. Don't be too proud -- everyone needs help with this at some point and even if you've been mentally healthy your entire life, creating support structures for your mental health will guard against some of the mental pitfalls of aging

- Work on your relationships with your family and closest friends, the people you've known the longest. Sometimes these can fall into negative patterns, or we neglect them because we are so used to having that person in our lives. Now that you have time, think about what you can do to improve these relationships, whether it's taking up a hobby with your spouse or doing a better job of staying in touch with your sister or being less critical of your son when he visits. Don't take these relationships, or these people, for granted.

Dont's

- Don't rely on your spouse, children, job, or home to provide you with meaning or drive in life. That has to come from you, and they have themselves to worry about.

- Don't fall into bad habits with drinking, drugs, television, and social media. These are all things peopel turn to for distraction and to numb themselves from emotion. When you are older and retired, they can be very dangerous because there is so much time to fill. Put limits around how much of any of these things you consume (and consider abstaining altogether if those limits are really hard to adhere to). If you fall into bad habits with these, get help. Please don't waste your golden years watching cable news, staring at Facebook, or drinking yourself to sleep every night. You deserve better than that.

- Don't put things off. Whether it's taking your dream vacation or going to the dentist. If you struggle with procrastination, look for tools to help you get better at it. You are at a time of life where putting something off might mean never doing it. Don't leave things until they are too late.[/quote]

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