Our society is quick to focus on the negatives of aging. Buy this skin cream to combat those wrinkles, drive that sporty car to reclaim your youth, frantically fight the advance of aging however you can!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The barrage of negativity against aging is relentless. I believe that while there are some grains of truth in the negativity, there is a bigger more positive outlook to embrace. So I\u2019ve been thinking about some UP sides to aging that are not often mentioned. There have been various studies done that do verify these pluses, by the way, so there is some data to back me up. Here\u2019s a list of a few positives of age:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better Social Skills\u2026 Check!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, it has been found that subjects in their 60\u2019s were better than younger people at imagining different points of view, thinking of different multiple resolutions, or suggesting compromises. Remember back about your reactions with some stressful situation\/persons in your life when you were 22. Maybe you argued all the time with your infuriatingly opinionated dad. Even though you loved each other, you didn\u2019t say it much. Now he\u2019s gone, and you would give anything to have a single day back just to talk, yes, even to argue with him. Except now, you would not care so much about being right in those arguments anymore. You understand your dad\u2019s point of view more now, even if you’d still sometimes disagree with it. But maturity has given you a much different perspective, and better people skills. Does our world today need better social skills? Absolutely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happier\u2026Check!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/strong>Seniors have been found to have better coping mechanisms than their younger counterparts. This can lend to an overall happier outlook than those of younger or middle age. Negative circumstances and setbacks do not impact seniors like those younger groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, remember younger you? There were things back then that caused you unhappiness and so much angst. I remember greatly worrying about what other people thought, especially as a teen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now I wish I had chosen more happiness and not wasted time with things that do not matter in the bigger picture. (Except when you are young, everything is immediate, and there is no bigger picture!) How many can remember, maybe as a pre-teen, thinking, or even dramatically wailing to your parents, \u201cYou\u2019ve RUINED my life…\u201d? This might have been a drama about being dropped off at school in the horribly uncool family station wagon, in front of everyone<\/em>\u2026with the family dog hanging out of the car window no less! Or some other now-forgotten drama that you would not even think twice about now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully over the years, seniors have gotten away from the angst, and learned to choose happy<\/em>. We deal better, having perspective that even bad things do not last forever (and they are learning opportunities anyway). Plus seniors are more comfortable with being themselves, a lesson that younger people are still learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More Time for Loved Ones\u2026 Check!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/strong>Seniors often have more control with how they use their time. Being retired opens up time to spend with family and friends. That previous full-time career was all-encompassing, and left you scarce social time. So a slowed-down retirement with more time can be very fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also a big social source of senior joy is having grandchildren. While I do not have any myself, I can see friends that do, and they thoroughly enjoy it. They tell me the best part is spoiling the grandchildren and then giving them back to their parents. There\u2019s none of the parental duties and pressures of discipline, sleepless nights, or endless school activities. Grandchildren can simply be enjoyed and doted on. Research shows that the grandparent\/grandchild relationship is vitally important to a child\u2019s development. Additionally, it is a two-way street that enriches the grandparent also.<\/p>\n\n\n\n