As we start our aging journey, we will always come to a point in our lives when we feel lonely.
It is a fact that some kinds of loneliness in life are inevitable such as when one retires, when becoming an empty nester or when one is bereaved. An occasional feeling of loneliness is normal and will not affect your health drastically, because it is expected that one will experience loneliness at a point in life. But if it is left unaddressed it can become a problem,
Loneliness often starts from a sense of detachment from the world. Without the routine of working, going to lunch or dinner with colleagues and the other structures related to their careers, women over 60 years might find out that some of their relationships have come to an end.
[bctt tweet=”Loneliness is part of aging. You will experience loneliness at some point in life, but if it is left unaddressed it can become a problem.”]
The good news is that we can reinvent our lives instead of accepting a lonely life. You can live a lovely life by:
- Networking with people. This comes from the quality of our relationships. It reduces the risk of dementia and improves our general health. You can always keep learning and keep making new friends.
- Refire and not retire. It is never too late to start over and present a fresh vision of yourself. When you are open to change, you will find yourself attracting and inviting new people and new experiences into your life.
- Have a sense of purpose. Just because you are retired doesn’t mean that your life has come to an end. Spend some time thinking about what you want to do with the next phase of your life. Do you want to start a new business, learn a language, write a book or travel? Whatever it is, clarify your purpose and pursue it.
Be willing to reach out to other people regardless of their age, race, political viewpoints or other factors. Reach out to your family, co-workers, old school mates and friends.
Human beings are created to depend on each other to the glory of God.
