Is Your Mom Getting Nervous About Turning 50? Try These Subtle Tips To Help Her Age Gracefully
The Baby Boomer generation has once again taken center stage as more of their group moves into retirement. While this is an exciting time for older adults who look forward to spending more time on themselves, it also leaves them wide open to anxiety about what it means to age. Your mother's generation has benefit from advances in medicine and technology that make it possible for them to live longer, more active lives than ever before. Yet, they are also burdened by common insecurities that arise with every new life stage. When your mom is nervous about getting older, you can use these tips to help her gracefully transition into her golden years.
Teach Her the Art of Mindfulness
Younger generations have hopped on to the mindfulness trend. However, your mom may still be caught up in the belief that she needs to be multitasking to make the most out of every minute that was drilled into her generation. Try sharing a few tips that you have learned about mindfulness, or offer to take a class that incorporates the concept with meditation. You could also read her an excerpt from the Baby Boomer guide book for mindful aging. As your mom learns how to quiet her mind and focus on only the essential information or tasks that she is engaged in at the time, her anxieties will slowly fade away. She'll also find that her memory retention improves and her skills are sharpened so that she feels fewer of the effects of aging.
Gift Her With Guidance
From teaching you basic self-care strategies to walking you through the changes that occurred during puberty, your mother has passed down quite a few lessons to you over the years. While you might not know exactly what to tell her about aging gracefully, you can find resources to pass her way. For instance, the Baby Boomer Guide to Aging Book is full of lessons that are applicable to your mother's generation. Consider gifting her with a copy and let her know that you are always up for a discussion of the lessons that she gleans during her reading.
Help Her Redefine Life's Meaning
Each stage in life brings new understandings, and it is possible that your mother is unsure of what she can do to be meaningful in her golden years. Help your mom see the beauty of this stage in life by encouraging her to explore new hobbies, spend time with family, and reignite dreams that she has long forgotten.
A little age-related anxiety is normal when a birthday rolls around. However, you don't want to watch your mom worry herself silly about getting older. By showing her support and offering a few actionable strategies, you can help her ease into the new decade with the same grace she's always demonstrated in life.
