So I just celebrated the end of my first year in my 60’s and it’s been great, but interesting. There are things I’ve paid particular attention to over the last year, that fall under three categories: health and wellness, beauty and style, and most importantly perspective, or mindset, which all play into aging well. So let’s get started, shall we?
Health & Wellness: 60's Edition
Through my forties and fifties I’ve been so grateful that I’ve been in good health and never had to face any serious medical issue. In all my 61 years, I’ve not had a single health issue. Hallelujah, Praise God!!! I’m in no way complaining, but oddly, almost as soon as I turned 60, while nothing anywhere near serious, I began to notice all sorts of little issues accelerate, though nothing that requires medication, thank God. Things like changes in how my muscles and joints reacted to normal, everyday functionality. My knees have given me extra pain points at times due to how active I was in my younger years with ballet, baton twirling and marching band activities, but it’s definitely increased. No more springing up off the sofa to go grab that snack, or jumping out of bed when the alarm goes off. I remember a time when I could get right up out the bed. Now, I slowly rise up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, and I sit there a moment or two before slowly rising to get the day started. All of a sudden, my well-toned arms have lost definition despite strategic workouts done for decades. The same goes for my stomach area. Since I was 28 I’ve done crunches to avoid that mid-section barrel look, and I still do 1,000 a day, all seemingly to no avail. It’s part hereditary, as all the women in my family, on both sides, after a certain age, have gotten a moderately rotund in middle, haha! And it’s part, ‘that’s just what happens with some women of a certain age’. I eat pretty healthy and take vitamins and probiotics, but some things are just inevitable. I’m learning to let those sort of things go and keep it moving. And speaking of foods… after becoming lactose intolerant in my 40’s, and soy intolerant in my 50’s, in my 60’s it seems only non-sweetened almond and coconut milk agree with my stomach now, and I’m sugar and carbs intolerant after 6pm… geesh! Then there’s the post-menopausal stuff that I’ll spare you the details of, because honestly, that could be an entire blog post by itself. I also find that I get tired a little quicker and earlier than before and I’ve fallen back in love with taking naps! I love to dance, but I’m beginning to relegate myself to chair dancing simply because my knees can’t handle it, and I don’t want to have to invest in Icyhot just yet. So, I’ve adapted to these new health and wellness focuses, and I’m okay with all of it 🙂
Beauty & Style: 60's Edition
Last year I did a 3-part video series on style, two of which focused on fashion and hair & makeup, and you can watch it HERE and HERE. Older posts on Signature Style HERE, and Classic Style HERE, all speak to ‘style’ as saying who you are without saying anything. With the changes to my body shape that I’ve always known was coming, and my scoliosis, what’s been my “signature style” for so many years, is almost unattainable now. I can’t wear anything belted or short anymore, and certainly nothing “bodycon” of bodycon-ish even. I’m faced with having to take a look at how I want to look and “show up” with my new 60’s body and be as comfortable and confident with it as much as I have in my former years. I’ve purged my closet down to the bare bones to make way for new style pieces. I thought this part would be fun, but it’s not. Trying on 20-30 dresses/outfits only to find none of them work is exhausting. I already hated shopping, so this isn’t helping at all! And I quickly learned, that just wearing loose or “tent” dresses doesn’t work either. I saw a photo of myself in one and to me, I looked like Shamoo’s 1st cousin, and I was deflated! But I knew I’d get here one day if I lived long enough. The replacement part is just proving to be more challenging than I’d like. But this is also alright. I’m still a Diahann Carroll, Jackie-O classic kind of girl, but I’m gonna have to work a little harder to tweak it. And about the hair… I’ve always said I was going to switch it up dramatically when I turned 60, but no, that didn’t happen. Partly because of the pandemic, but also because what I thought I wanted, after trying it out, I didn’t like it so much. I know I want to go shorter, and I’ll probably always have a lighter brown base with some blonde highlights, but I’ll be taking my time with that, because between me loosing hair in spots (yes that’s hereditary for me too), and having a bit of alopecia, (YIKES!!!), that’s also going to be a bit more challenging than I anticipated, but I’m here for it!
Mindset: 60's Edition
I remember my younger self, hating whenever I heard people complaining about getting old. I never wanted to be that way. Does everything really go downhill after a certain age? Are my best years really behind me? I don’t think so at all. But at the first sign of “aging”, having to start wearing readers at age 45 after having 20/20 vision all my life, I decided I would embrace it all. Some things are just going to happen. Speaking primarily in the case of women… Everyone’s skin will eventually and gradually loose elasticity, and you’ll develop fat over your knees and elbows. Those high cheekbones are going to start falling. You’ll retain weight around your belly a lot quicker and easier and then succumb to you first Spanx purchase. Your balance and equilibrium will start to shift. You’ll forget a point you were making mid-sentence more times than you’d like. Some of us will have hairlines that will begin to recede. Many of us will notice that lump that has formed right on top of the back of our hips and begins to collect fat over time. And you will begin to shrink…. like, literally shrink in height. All of my adult life I’ve been 5′ 4″ and 3/4, but now I’m 5′ 4″ and 1/4… for real… no, for real for real, lol! I was ‘coming of a certain age’ just as social media was becoming a huge influence in our lives, and I’ve learned, though difficult, to never compare myself to all those images of people with incredible bodies at significantly older ages. I’m sure some are anomalies, but most aren’t. As my Dad used to say: “People don’t tell you everything.” What I’ve resolved myself to feel about the mindset of aging, is that it’s all about preparation. When you take heed to these things in advance and simply log them away until time to reference them, your mindset towards getting older remains positive, hopeful and actually, exciting. Now when I experience these little “reminders” in real time, I think, “oh yeah, this is supposed to start happening about this time.” And then I just pivot/re-adjust to whatever is going on. It doesn’t bring me down because I was expecting it. And if I learned anything during the pandemic/shut down, is that you have to always be on the ready to pivot. I think if you aren’t aware of all these changes, and your self-esteem, self-worth and identity are wrapped up in what you used to look like, what you used to be able to do, or what you used to be able to wear, that’s when you have a problem with this natural progression of life called aging. I never wanted to be that woman that didn’t know when to “let it go.” I think you know what I mean here, (wink, wink), lol!!!
Let's Wrap Up
With all this said, the thing I know for sure, is that with all the changes that come with health and wellness, beauty and style and mindset as a result of aging, as long as you do your homework and are aware of these things before they come upon you, and then learn to just roll with it and make the most of it, you’ll be just fine. That’s how I define aging well and growing old gracefully; Never mourning my younger self, but re-inventing and outdoing the last level of fabulousness, and then just having fun :)xo
So. when I found your blog and read about you – I’m not kidding when i say this – I thought you were in your 20’s , MAYBE early 30’s. I found you because I’m searching….just searching for myself. My 50’s were so wonderful. I wrote 2 novels – one became a Lifetime Movie, the other was a top 10 Screencraft Finalist. On social media I participated in ‘Outfit of the Day’. But at 60 I seemed to have just mysteriously lost my way. So, when I just read that you are the same age as I am (61) I almost fell out of my chair. Nothing is a coincidence! I’m so glad that God lead me here. I need a hero.
Hi Kathie, thank you for the sweet compliment! Congrats on 2 novels, one becoming a Lifetime Movie, and the other a Screencraft finalist. That’s HUGE! Yes, I know what you mean. I soared in my 50’s tagging the phrase: “this is not your mother’s 50’s”, but then a year into my 60’s, things started to fall apart. I’m so glad you were able to find some hope and inspiration in my post. That’s what it’s all about for me; here on the blog, and on my Instagram page. I’m so glad we connected!