I have been reading a good book titled “Older And Happier!” by Dag Sebastian Ahlander. He has 109 handy ideas for living life to the fullest. It’s about living the good retirement life from his perspective as a happy old man.
As a retired person and a student of retirement, I could relate to so many of Dag’s ideas. They are simple but effective. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Keep in mind that time is short but life is long
He reminds us that we have had a long life and seen so many changes and events. It is not that life is short, but the time remaining is short.
He reminds us to grab hold of life right now and make something great of what is left. The road doesn’t go on forever and we are on the homestretch.
2. First and foremost: be a happy old man!
The most important is to accept your age and enjoy it’s many opportunities. Greet each morning with smile. Everything depends on your attitude and health. Let your perspective expand. Accept life’s terms and make the best of them. Forget all the bad things that have happen in your life and just move on.
3. Don’t Downsize
This is an interesting one to me since I just bought a retirement home the same size as my current home, so I must agree. He says you will need a bigger space now, because you can finally enjoy it for guests, hobbies, computer room.
4. Don’t become a micromanagement guru
I like this one. He days don’t dwell on the small things like you did for years at work. Try to see the bigger picture. Throw out old papers and things that never gave you pleasure. Don’t hoard.
5. Live in the present
Nothing says old age like living in the past. Don’t fight the times. Everything didn’t used to be better.
6. Let go of former prestige.
Men especially have identified too heavily with our careers. Give it up. The hierarchies are gone, how liberating! Talk with each other on a level field and you will have a more active social life.
Wow, that is only 6 of the 109 ideas in Dag’s book about being happy in retirement. Of course he goes into more details about the above points and others in the book. Any baby boomer leading up to retirement should read his boomer book to pick up on some of his helpful ideas. Those of us who are already in retirement can nod in agreement and be reminded of what we have learned on our own and to BE HAPPY.
Originally posted 2015-01-07 16:39:02.