12 Comments
User's avatar
Janice Walton's avatar

In what ways are you learning to work with your body rather than against it?

Nancy's avatar

Exercise and listen to it.

Jane Dann's avatar

Walk instead of run, modified yoga. more sleep, epsom salt bath.....more self care since retiring.

Susan Kilgore's avatar

Mindful movement with taking time and not being in a rush

Lucy Keil's avatar

I’m learning to welcome help when needed. At the beach this week with family, I find that I cannot keep my balance when walking into the lake. But there is always someone there to offer their arm as a steadying post.

Holly M's avatar

Better sleep and rest seems more of a priority now

CJ's avatar

I've given up trying to fit in the clothes I wore 20 years ago and have given them to charity. I got rid of all my belts because the idea that I ever was able to fit them around my waist was too depressing.

Janice Walton's avatar

Hi CJ, Yes my clothes choices are certainly changing these days.

Johnny jump up's avatar

I'm 79, living in a 2 story townhouse. Friends tell me they can no longer navigate stairs. While I'm careful and use the handrail, I see these stairs as helping me remain flexible and mobile. I'm grateful for my independence, And I do ask for help at times.

Janice Walton's avatar

Hi, I walk four flights of stairs a couple times a day at my apartment complex for the same reason you do and I use the handrail, but it's a measure for me that I can still move.

jamesofventura's avatar

Janice, this came up today. I am working with a 92-year-old friend on his memoir — macular degeneration took his ability to read a few years back, and he could have treated that as loss and stopped there. Instead, he switched to audiobooks, learned to navigate them by voice command, and told me recently he's "learned more about flexibility and cooperation." That's it exactly — not fighting to be who he was, just working with what he has now. And he is enjoying himself — he has picked out three books recently to listen to, and they have become part of our conversations.

Janice Walton's avatar

James, that is very cool in every way.