As a member of the Baby Boomer Generation, I find that I must keep things as simple as possible. Most of us have a lot on our plate. Folks make resolutions at New Years. This year I decided to just make a simple ABC list that I can refer to through out the years to come. So many times resolutions are broken. At times they can even be stressful if we think about them too much. Hopefully this list can be helpful to you as you continue your journey into your retirement years.
A. Avoid anxiety as much as possible. It causes stress and takes joy out of living. Beware of anger. It zaps healthy energy that you need to use on more important things. Feel it if you must, then let anger go.
B. Be thoughtful. You have the wisdom, so show it. Believe in yourself. You can do it. Show your inner beauty because that is what counts.
C. Have courage. It takes courage to live a good life today. Baby boomers have gone through many years of change. Create and keep your mind active. There are many activities at adult learning centers and Senior Citizens Centers that may interest you.
D. Remove doubt from your mind. Dream and work toward making your dream come true. Hang on to hope. If you are dreaming about small town retirement, start now to check out different towns. Most important, just make your dreams pleasant. Make believe that you are floating on a cloud or vacationing in a special place. De Stress!
E. Encourage others. Many folks need encouragement that are in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and even some may live next door to you. When you encourage others, joy will come into your own life. Exercise to stay fit. Exercise also helps one deal with depression, arthritis and many other things that are baby boomer health issues.
F. Have fun. There are many baby boomer entertainment and games that can be found on line. Enjoy a sun rise. Having fun can be done alone or in groups. It is up to you to find our what you truly enjoy.
G. Give! Baby boomers are giving to their grandchildren, children, and other relatives. Make sure that you take time to give to yourself. You have earned it. You deserve it. Treat yourself to something good when you need it. Keep your cup full as the old saying goes. Always be gentle and gracious.
H. Ask for help if you need it. Take care of your health. The healthier you are the happier you will be. Remember health is in four parts, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Keep a healthy balance. Balance can be achieved by striving to keep a positive attitude.
I. Act as If. There may be days when you feel like giving up. Those are days that you can act as if, so negative thinking does not take over your life. Remember that you are NOT inferior.
J. Jump for joy if you feel like it. Act silly. Let your enter child play. Join a group. Jog if you can. Just enjoy the journey. Reframe from jealousy. Be joyous!
K. Keep trying. Don’t quit. Practice kindness. Remember to be kind to yourself too.
L. Live, love, laugh and learn. These four L’s are free. Take advantage of them in your Baby Boomer retirement years. Even if you are still working, it is still possible to practice the four L’s. Practice to improve your listening skills. People enjoy being around a good listener.
M. For some boomers it might be a time to look for a mate. There are many single senior dating sites. Just get out and about when you can. Who knows when that special someone might enter your life. If you have a mate work on finding new ways to enjoy each other. March with a band if that is your desire.
N. Be nice. You are responsible for you, not others. It doesn’t take any more effort to be nice than it takes to have a nasty attitude. Let others be as they want to be. You deserve a good night of sleep. It is much easier to lay your head on your pillow at night after being nice. Find a new niche in life.
O. Keep and open mind. Narrow minded thinking gets a person no place.. Open your mind in order to grow in acceptance. Be open to new ideas. Share them! Openness leads to better communication with your family and friends.
P. Practice being Positive! You will be much happier and those around you will be happier too. Pace. Pacing is much healthier for your heart that rushing all the time.
Q.Learn to enjoy quietness. Quiet time can be a time for reflection and peace. Be so quiet that you can actually enjoy the sounds of nature. We baby boomers have been busy so it is time to enjoy our quiet time.
R. Relax! Enjoy your retirement age years. Listen to music, take a walk,sing a song, run naked in your house if you choose. Read a good book. Rest. The Baby Boomer generation has earned R & R. Now find the time to treat yourself and do it! Face reality. The time is now!
S. Be responsible with your money. Save when you can. It is okay to be a frugal Boomer. If does not mean that you are cheap, just smart. After all we boomers earned our wisdom, so let’s use it. Maybe you would like to do service work. There are many opportunities and places to volunteer. Practice safety.
T. Trust but know how far to go with it. If it does not feel comfortable, step back a bit. then try again. Learn to trust your own judgement. It is your life. Lead by example. It is a great way to teach others if they choose to notice.
U. Use common sense. Over thinking every issue or trying to control other’s is a waste of your valuable time. Be useful and understanding. Never under estimate the good things that you can bring to life.
V. Venture out into the unknown. Experience life. Think outside of the box. Do something that you have always wanted to do. It is time. Go for it! Visit that friend that you have not seen in years.
W. Write because it is healthy, fun, and a way to release many things from your mind. Writing is a way of sharing with others too.
X. OK, so this is a difficult letter. Challenge yourself. Look up Generation X and see what they are all about.
Y. Say yes to love and happiness every time that you get the chance. Your life is yours. Do not waste a single minute of it.
Z. Keep your zest for living! Keep it simple! Make the best of your Baby Boomer years!
There you have it. The ABC’s for living the baby boomer years. I bet that you can add many other things to each letter. Please share a letter and an idea with us. What do you have to contribute to the ABC’s for living the baby boomer years?
Originally posted 2013-12-15 17:43:06.
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I think A might be one of the hardest things to do for those in the Baby Boomer generation. I feel like anxiety is really rooted in many of the generation, and oftentimes is passed down to the children. Anxiety, much like stress, can kill. While some people are able to talk to others and control their anxiety, there are some where this isn’t really possible. Being resistant to go to counseling, or accept some sort of medication for anxiety is only going to make things harder for handling anxiety. (speaking from experience)
I love this. Thank you fellow baby boomer!
Wow thats some list, that must have taken you some thought
You have a great list of things to do. I hope many people could use this list as their guide to live a healthy and fruitful retirement years. Thanks for sharing!
Good common sense advice. I think having fun is definately one of the most important factors to living a long time.
Here it is 3 years later since I, alka Working Boomer wrote this. I am now almost 9 months into retirement and find this still works today. Working Boomer Alka Ann Hearn retired. 🙂
Healthy living is more than simple daily habits – it’s a lifestyle. Thanks for this very informative blog post. 🙂