One of our residents, Marita Burger, wrote:

“The topic of aging is not my favourite theme to write about, but I dared to touch it once again in March 2024 in The Art of Living, being inspired by the following quote: ‘The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.

Meaningful retirement is a lifestyle art by itself, that is, if you choose to retire at all and if your health permits it! We regard the concept differently compared to the previous generation – we talk about lifespan and longevity and not any more about retirement age! We talk about wellness and fitness levels instead of concentrating on lack of energy. And about expectations instead of frustrations, being more focused on the opportunities for growth and enjoyment.

But being the best part? Indeed so, as this is the stage of our life where we have fewer responsibilities. This newfound freedom allows us to pursue interests and passions we may not have time for earlier in life:

• In most cases, age comes with a wealth of life experience that we can draw upon to manage situations and to make wise decisions.
• This can be a time of reflection where we can take pride in our life achievements.
• It can bring a heightened appreciation for the present moment and a greater focus on living in the here and now, taking pleasure in simple things, such as spending time with good friends, enjoying nature, listen to favourite music or the first sip of coffee in the morning.
• Many older adults continue to seek out new experiences, acquire new skills, learn a new language or challenge themselves intellectually. Learning doesn’t stop with age, and many older individuals embrace opportunities for personal development to actualize their full potential.
• Retirement offers the gift of time, to slow down and to find contentment in doing what you love.

Of course, everyone’s experience of the retirement phase is unique, and not everyone will view it as the best time of their life. But, by embracing the positives, this can be, even if not the best, a very rewarding time in our lives – it is a chance to redesign your life into something new and different.

Emotional well-being and happiness

It is so that currently, society in many ways ignores ageing. We will hear that being 50 is the new 30 and being 70 is the new 50 – referred to as Eternal Youth, a consumer product due to medical advancements, higher standards of living and a beauty culture (cosmetic) at its zenith encouraging people to be more vain in a youth worshipping society. So how do we cope with all these.

An important aspect of being happy and free of anxiety, is emotional well-being. In theory, emotional well-being is about how we think and feel. If we can cope with both positive and negative situations and stressors, it is a sign of good emotional well-being. Although it is an ongoing process of self-discovery and self-care that contributes to our overall happiness, ‘yes-responses’ in the following self-assessment should give an indication of whether you are building a life you love.

• Do you experience positive emotions such as happiness, joy, gratitude, contentment, and appreciate the present moment?
• Do you have the ability to bounce back from setbacks/ difficult situations – to quickly return to yourself?
• Do you understand you own strengths and weaknesses and values – your unique qualities?
• Do you accept yourself with all your flaws and vulnerabilities – having a positive self-image regardless of the approval of others?
• Do you learn from the past to contrast and support current and future views on aging?
• Are you able to form good relationships with family, friends, and community members?
• Do you have a sense of purpose in life – setting realistic goals and achieving them?
• Do you include small, daily moments of fun to stay resilient and energised?
• Do you feel you still have something to contribute?

Taking care of our mental well-being is as important as taking care of our physical health. To put it plainly, “taking care of your brain is essential for our overall health and well-being”.

Therefore, building a social network with people who encourage you to pursue your interests and skills, planning time for relaxing and doing things that you enjoy, not missing the inherent quality of everything, are all important to live contentedly.

Creating a happy retirement

A healthy lifestyle – how we live – and wide use of pharmacological agents have resulted in an increase in life span. In fact, life expectancy has increased from approximately 45 years in 1850 to almost 80 years today and will continue to do so. In popular media, genetics, lifestyle choices, luck and financial factors are listed as all playing a part in achieving longevity.

Living a longer life is a privilege, a blessing – having more time to create memories and strengthening bonds, more time to experience life’s events and doing what we love. But we have to use the relevant information and our own experiences to make good decisions on every aspect of our life.

To conclude, a happy retirement isn’t something that just happens, it’s something you create. Take the first step today. Reflect, plan, and embrace the freedom to live life your way. In doing so, we can lead a more meaningful time in our later years.

It can indeed be the best part of our life. ~Marita Burger“

To read Marita Burger’s ‘Procrastination is the thief of time’, click here.