Why Should Dreams Matter After 65; We Are Going To Die Soon Anyway?

Don’t sit in the corner when the party is over, without ever having danced.

Photo by The Chaffins on Unsplash

Turning 65 is a privilege. Not everyone makes it past this mark. My father did not, he died suddenly at age 41 from a heart attack. It is nothing wrong about dying, we all will.

But to die with regret because we think we are too old to realize our dream after 65, is pretty sad. Having regrets about past choices, that messed things up, is common for most of us. This is part of the learning process that we call life. It is no cause for regret.

If you are over 65, with a secret dream, but think you are too old to aim for it, take note, because you are not. Open your mind to new possibilities.

Here are three excuses we often use to justify holding ourselves back.

1. We think we are too old to go for our dream.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
— C.S. Lewis.

Old age does not come alone. It comes with experience and wisdom. Decades of our lives are often spent working in a job that may not be our dream job. But we do it anyway because there are families to take care of and bills to pay. Many obligations ease up after 65. Now is your time.

• If you want to write your book, write it. Start today. I always wanted to write a book. Finally, I joined a writing group and started writing. Writing a book is like knitting a sweater; you work on it until it is done. When you are stuck, get help. I published a book at 65. Now I am working on another; about Total Hip Replacement. What experience did you survive that you can share to help others? This is a recipe for No regrets.
• If you want to start a business, do it. Start making a business plan today. For 50 years, I wanted to start a business, writing and helping others with what I know. Finally, at age 72 I did it. More than two years later, I still enjoy the work with No regrets.
• If you want to do a Triathlon, do it. Sprint Triathlon is something that is doable for anyone over age 65 with average health. Start swimming, walking, or biking today. I always thought doing a Tri was cool. At age 69, I finally did it. I came in almost last in the race, but it left me with No regrets.

Here are other examples of what you can accomplish after 65.

You can get into the best health of your life, surprise yourself and everyone else. Blow them out of the water.

You can still find your soulmate. There is someone out there, waiting for you. Life over 65 does not have to be lonely.

You can still start volunteering for a cause that is meaningful to you. Thousands of people in your community would love to have your attention and your company.

You can still go back to school and study what makes your heart jump for joy. I dropped out of High School at 17 but kept going back to study Nursing and classes that I loved. The last time was at 68; taking classes at the master’s level.

You can still set a goal to become who you want to be, do what you want to do, and have what you want to have. The hardest thing is to start. Do it today. Go for your dream. Better die trying, than not. The process is what matters most, it makes us happy.

Here are other examples of what you can accomplish after 65.

You can get into the best health of your life, and surprise yourself and everyone else. Blow them out of the water.

You can still find your soulmate. There is someone out there, waiting for you. Life over 65 does not have to be lonely.

You can still start volunteering for a cause that is meaningful to you. Thousands of people in your community would love to have your attention and your company.

You can still go back to school and study what makes your heart jump for joy. I dropped out of High School at 17 but kept going back to study Nursing and classes that I loved. The last time was at 68; taking classes at the master’s level.

You can still set a goal to become who you want to be, do what you want to do, and have what you want to have. The hardest thing is to start. Do it today. Go for your dream. Better die trying, than not. The process is what matters most, it makes us happy.

2. Fail to realize that we are on top of our game

“The time between 60 and 90 is as long as the time between 30 and 60.”
— Ingrid Strümke

It is strange to see how we fail to shake our own bells. When we feel that we are on top of the game, doing projects that we love, we fail to give ourselves recognition and credit. It is easier to support other people’s dream, rather than our own. I am guilty of that. It took some time, but no more.

We are all spectacular miracles. The chance of being born is 1: 400.000.000. 000.000. We are epic because we are all different.

Your knowledge and your wisdom are uniquely yours. Often, our abilities lie in what we enjoy doing. Embrace your age, your wisdom, and your fabulous future self-vision. You can do it. Your age is just right.

What you could not do between age 25 and 65, you can do now between the age of 65 and 105.

Gladys Taylor McGarey, MD lived to be 103. She is known to be the Mother of Holistic Medicine, and she wrote a book called The Well-Lived Life. Her book is about the integration of body, mind, and spirit.

Image taken by Annelie, from my own copy of the book, bought on Amazon.

I have plans to stick around until age 113, when my youngest grandchild turns 50. I sent an official request to the Universe. More people than ever, live past 100. But we cannot do it without a working body.

If the body collapses, we have nowhere to go

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
— Jim Rohn

The third mistake that we often make after 65 is failing to properly care for the body. We do not have to be gym rats, and we do not need to have muscles like Superman, but we do need to nourish our cells.

We are made from trillions of cells. Those cells are like our Mini me. Like us, cells need nutrients, water, and oxygen. They also need to eliminate toxins.

Give yourself enough nutrients; protein, carbohydrates, fat, fruit, and vegetables. The DASH eating plan covers the nutrients that your body needs. Besides, the Dash keeps you looking young and beautiful. Get enough sleep, drink enough water, and take a walk every day. The walk gives your heart a little speed, improves circulation, and brings oxygen to the cells.

Conclusion and take away

Age 65 and beyond, is not always easy. For some, the time between 65 and heaven is awful. Here is the thing; we could make it better. The years after 65 can be your best when you create the life of your dream, aiming for what matters to you. Your dream matters because you matter. The world is waiting to watch you dance. It is one in a 400 trillion opportunity, an opportunity of a lifetime.

Thank you.

. . .

🇳🇴Annelie Holmene Pelaez believes that everyone has an attribute to share with others. Promoting cardiovascular health and helping adults over age 65 is her contribution. When we don’t let age define us, but rather empower us to grow, we discover health and happiness are byproducts of who we are.

Annelie is the author of the book, Say Yes to A Better Life, available at Amazon.

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