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Where’s Your Owner’s Manual?

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Wouldn’t it be nice to have an owner’s manual for becoming a SuperAger? The chapters would be: installation, powering on, operating the controls, changing the settings, servicing the machine, ordering replacement parts, and of course, the handy troubleshooting section. Oh, and wouldn’t we love a warranty section?! The number of experts in the field who could write this manual is limited. When you’re 70 and want to learn how to make it successfully to 80, who do you talk to? Not a 25-year-old, right? We want the advice of a seasoned and successful Senior who has written his or her own manual. The problem with growing old is you may be forced into being your own expert.

One of my favorite authors, Brene’ Brown, talks about “how to human,” not “how to be a human.” We all qualify for being human the day we’re born. Being human means continuing to grow, develop, and mature. No matter our age there is progress to be made? Her standard advice is always, “Be brave and do it anyway.” No kidding, it takes a lot of courage and fortitude to grow old. The challenges are continuous and unique to each of us. If I were writing the owner’s manual troubleshooting section, I would create a list of questions. First of all, we need to agree that the machine is not ready to be discarded, so stop and ask yourself: Have I resigned myself to negative thinking? Do I have a purpose-filled reason to get up every day? Do I practice gratefulness? Do I spend time with positive, uplifting people? Am I nourishing my body with good food? Am I moving my body enough? Am I nurturing my spiritual and emotional life? Am I volunteering to help other people? I’m not quite old enough to compose the Owner’s Manual on my own, so join me on Facebook at Just Now Old Enough, and we’ll write it together!

Editor's note:  Connie Mason Michaelis is a lifestyle consultant at www.justnowoldenough.com.