Staying young; your mental attitude and interactions with others positively impact your later years. My Mum was a really great example of how to maintain an ageless attitude.
Most of us know the importance of keeping physically and mentally healthy, and there is no doubt that regular exercise of mind and body are incredibly important, increasingly so as we age.I want to share with you a different twist on keeping young; one I learned from my beautiful Mum.
Monica Alice Wild was born in 1910 and lived through two world wars, the Great Depression and the 50’s floods. Hers was a tough life but she maintained a wicked sense of humour and a great sense of fun. Those qualities in themselves were a recipe for staying youthful, for if we lose our sense of humour and our sense of fun, we are sure to turn inwards. But it was something else that I witnessed in my Mum’s life that I think kept her young.
She hung out with young people. No, she wasn’t a cougar or a youth counsellor!
In many ways Mum had no choice but to be around young folk, after all I was a little surprise package that arrived when she was 43 – can you imagine that after a gap of 8.5 years since her last child?
When I was 18 and finally left home, Mum was the age I am now – 61. I can barely think what that must have been like for her, but it seemed just normal to me at the time and I believe her attitude had a lot to do with it.
It didn’t end there though, once I moved away Mum then had 4 granddaughters board with her, as well as a couple of other young locals. So she really did always have young people around her and because she was fairly broad minded she was often treated like one of the gang. She would often be sharing a glass of wine and a game of cards with a gaggle of younger folk.
Mum just didn’t judge harshly and she always made the most of every opportunity for fun. She was also very elegant and one of my fondest memories of her combines that elegance with her sense of fun.
She was staying with me in Sydney on one occasion and came out to dinner with a big group of my friends. As the night wound up, a male friend of mine told me he would deliver Mum home. I gasped at the thought of Mum in her frock, her court shoes and her handbag over her arm, getting into a topless Mini Moke and being driven through the streets of Sydney – but off she went, against my better judgement, no doubt laughing all the way.
It was this ability to just be part of what was going on, to observe without judgement that I am sure kept her young. She picked up that youthfulness almost by osmosis.
So as I entered my 60s I realised that there are certain things I had lost touch with – fashion and music being the most notable. I have begun to address the fashion aspect with little touches of current trends (more on that in a future post) but I have a long way to go on the music front. I need to keep working on this so I don’t get old before my time and just become another matron – no thanks, that isn’t for me. My surname is Wild after all; I need to live up to that.
Don’t believe me? It’s not just me that thinks your mental attitude is an important factor in how you age.
So tell us, what do you find helps to keep you young or what ways do you feel you are getting out of touch?
(Image “Green Mini Moke At The 2007 All British Day Car Show In Adelaide Hills, Australia” by stephenliveshere is licenced under sa/2.0)
Christine | 27th July 2020 at 12:33 pm
Yes, how vitally important attitude is! Your Mum sounds like she was a lot of fun. My mum was (still is) almost the opposite and it’s very difficult to engage her in just about anything, so I’m determined I’m going to be very different – active, involved, busy, even up-to-date. Re music, I like to discover new artists to listen to and often do through my daughter. She was playing something last week I liked which I said sounded like Bob Seger. So then we played some of him, and we both discovered something new we liked. (I’ll have to check the name again) I find streaming can introduce you to new options: it allows you to enter some of your favourites and it selects new materials to listen to based on those preferences, rather than just sticking to your old same old same old – though I still love that too.
Jan Wild | 27th July 2020 at 1:04 pm
Attitude sure is vital, and one of the easiest things to get upside down.
Yes Mum was a lot of fun and I am very grateful for that. I am not sure I live up to her standard to be honest.
Good on you for choosing to be different to previous generations. I have found Spotify great for getting more up to date with music because from time to time I listen to “Your discover weekly” which gives me a mix of old favourites with some similar tracks from newer artists. Spending time with one of my great nieces helps too, it’s fun.
Vanessa Connor | 04th February 2017 at 11:47 am
I’ve always had more in common with my Mum’s taste in music and fashion, so I guess I’m a Nanna at heart. Your Mum sounds really cool, though.
Jan at Retiring Not Shy! | 04th February 2017 at 11:56 am
She was indeed 🙂
Vanessa @ Bloggers and Bacon | 03rd February 2017 at 6:45 pm
Well I’m in my early 30s and have no clue about todays music haha. I do tend to do my own thing and enjoy what I want though 😉
Jan at Retiring Not Shy! | 04th February 2017 at 10:17 am
Ha ha Vanessa, I almost feel better now. I bet you listen to more contemporary music than I do though! Thanks for dropping by.
Karin @ Calm to Conniption | 06th December 2015 at 10:49 am
What a lady! I love seeing and hearing about women like your mum. Thanks for linking up in The Ultimate Rabbit Hole.
Jan from RetiringNotShy | 06th December 2015 at 7:35 pm
Thanks Karin, she was remarkable. I love following some of the fabulous older women on Instagram; they inspire me (but so do the younger ones too). I think the trick is to stay connected to the world. Thank you for the linkup.
Angie@TheLittleMumma | 05th December 2015 at 9:13 pm
I think the main thing is that SHE is happy. I suppose if I compare her to others her age, she’s incredible – still vibrant and relevant and beloved by so many people. She has lots to do with people of all ages as she is still the musical director of her local theatre group.
The issue is purely mine and my discomfort at seeing her age. At the heart of it is fear, I suppose, because our time is finite.
Jan from RetiringNotShy | 05th December 2015 at 9:20 pm
☺❤ fear is so potent but it is diminished by acknowledgement as you have done. Happiness may well keep your Mum alive for a long time yet. Let that be my Christmas wish for you.
Angie@TheLittleMumma | 05th December 2015 at 10:01 am
I loved reading this! Your mum sounds amazing.
I must admit, since my own mother has retired, I have noticed a change. She has slowed down which I think she needed to do – and she is enjoying doing so. But I have noticed her gradually getting older – and by that, I suppose I mean less in touch, which makes me sad because she was always pretty cool.
In saying that, she is in her 70s and at some point, I need to remember that she actually IS getting older. It’s actually a tough thing to watch. xx
Flat bum mum | 07th September 2015 at 6:09 am
Your mum sounds utterly fabulous! I hope I can be like her as I grow older. Bron x
retiringnotshy | 07th September 2015 at 10:48 pm
Thanks Bron, she was. I probably didn’t realise it at the time but I do now. Inspirational really x
LydiaCLee | 04th September 2015 at 9:05 pm
A friend of mine who’s 20 years older than me, said pretty much that she found people her own age boring. I get it a little more now – but I just look like a weirdo to young people. The upside of age is I don’t care what they think anyway…Ha!
retiringnotshy | 04th September 2015 at 10:59 pm
Thanks for sharing LydiaCLee. I think it depends on the young people and the context, it doesn’t always work that’s for sure but when it does it can be brilliant. Somehow my Mum nailed it. Hopefully you will stay involved with this online community and not find us boring 🙂