The golden years are one of the
last phases of life, if not the very last. To be in the golden years is having
passed the milestone of 65.
In this phase, many are
burdened with memory loss, physical impairment, and sexual inactivity. Nutritional
deficiency due to a dysfunctional body, a weakened heart and hardened arteries resulting in less blood being
pumped into the body organs and systems, compromised immunity response leading
to virus infections and diseases, a troublesome digestive and elimination
system causing constipation, toxin buildup, as well as bladder, kidney, and
liver problems—they all play a pivotal role in the gradual and steady decline
and deterioration in health and overall well-ness of the body, the mind, and
the spirit. In the end, what are left behind are aches and pains. In this
phase, many are also emotionally devastated by loss and bereavement of their
loved ones, haunted by their own regrets and frustrations in the past, and
plagued by fear and despair of the future.
The golden years may not be
“golden” for everyone. Aging, like death, is something that can be denied or
even ignored but, ultimately, cannot be avoided.
How do
you feel about your own aging? Are you happy about your golden years?
If you really think growing
old sucks, just look at Santa Claus
in his golden years. He is cheerful, robust, and energetic. He is enjoying
every minute in giving presents to children. He is having fun and a good time
while riding his sledge and going through chimneys. Just think about all his
new and exciting adventures!
How do you feel about your own aging? Are you happy about your golden years?
If you really think growing
old sucks, just look at Santa Claus in his golden years. He is cheerful,
robust, and energetic. He is enjoying every minute in giving presents to
children. He is having fun and a good time while riding his sledge and going
through chimneys. Just think about all his new and exciting adventures!
Subjective Perception
Feeling about old age is no
more than a subjective perception of self. It is always the “glass is half full
or half empty” attitude of looking at life. More specifically, it is how
you view your own life “in the eyes of the beholder” who is yourself.
“We are all in the gutter, but
some of us are looking at the stars.” Oscar Wilde
If you have strong
self-efficacy, which is your self-belief, you will retain control of your life
at any age; you will feel competent and capable to seek any opportunity to
better your life; you will develop empathy and compassion for all those around
you. Most importantly, you will overcome worry, which is self-disabling and
self-destructive pessimism, a common attribute of the elderly. According to a
study of the Harvard School of Public Health, Americans are pessimistic about
their health. To illustrate, according to the study, 40 percent of Americans
believed they would get breast
cancer at some point in their lives, but only 10 percent actually got the disease. A
case in point, actress Angelina Jolie had her breasts removed out of her
belief in the reality of becoming yet another breast cancer victim.
Negative Stereotypes
To change any negative
subjective perception of aging, you must first of all remove all negative
stereotypes associated with aging or the elderly. Aging is not a disease,
neither is it only despair and disability. You should not view aging as a
personality homogenizer, that is, at some point in time, like everybody else,
you will lose your individuality and fall into a common category known as the
elderly, or the senile and the decrepit.
Make your golden years really
“golden” and live your life as if everything is a miracle.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by
Stephen Lau
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