Well you made it! Those potentially beautiful years with freedom to go and do as you please. Stay fit and prepare for these years and the world is yours. The best advice is to never retire from life.

Three areas to consider in preparation for the senior years are the mental, social and physical aspects of our lives.
To foster improved mental attitudes one must not shut down but keep an open mind to new ideas and methods. Be flexible and not selfish. How often do we find ourselves stuck in our ways and unyielding to the ideas of others? Would you want to associate with that type of person? Share your life especially with your friends, children and grandchildren. However, be conscious of not being a burden or being overbearing, else loneliness will soon be your life. Genuine concern focused on others, not yourself, will reward you with many pleasant experiences in later years.

Writing a journal is one of the greatest legacies you can leave for future generations. Your experience in life will live on with the ones you love.

Volunteering can be a most rewarding pastime, even for a few hours a week. Continuing to give of yourself imparts a true feeling of self-worth.

Social organizations are a good source of meeting others and sharing ideas. Even if you are single, getting out and not living in isolation gives further meaning to life. Widows and widowers should consider “dating” and talking to their friends, families and clergy concerning their feelings on this topic.

Other social areas to explore with committed listeners are places to live, financial planning, death and dying. Without sharing our thoughts on these important issues, seniors tend isolate themselves and often withdraw due to fears and inhibitions.

One of the best investments in youth is the investment are good health habits to preserve your body for the rest of your life. Overindulging in food, drink, smoking and a stressful lifestyle tends to lead to physical deterioration in later years in which there is little hope for recovery. Chronic disease is nothing to look forward to and will certainly compromise one’s lifespan in quality and quantity.

Attention to the body in early years pays handsome dividends later on. Good eating habits, moderate exercise and avoidance of drugs are necessary to allow for a more carefree existence as a senior person. A healthy attitude towards sex and love is very important, and the most well-adjusted people I know have a very active love life well into the fifth, sixth, and seventh decades of life
Other physical activity should include traveling, dancing and walking.