“How many old people does it take to change a light bulb?”

“Change?!!!!!!”

Growing older is often associated with an unwillingness to change.

Sadly, it’s often true. You may have heard phrases like “I’m too old to think about that” or “I’m too set in my ways to change now.”

Accepting and Adapting to Inevitable Changes

From the womb to the tomb and beyond, our physical bodies constantly undergo change.

At the beginning of our lives, these changes are welcomed. We learn to talk, to walk, to run; we grow larger and stronger. But as we age, physical change means loss: of hearing, vision, smell, taste, and even touch. (Ohio Dept. of Aging)

Largely, these changes are beyond our control, so we’re forced to adapt. We turn up the sound on our TV’s; we purchase glasses.

Change by Choice

Beyond adapting to these inevitable changes, I maintain there are other changes we can choose to make: changes that can mean the difference between thriving and merely surviving.

Resisting Intellectual Changes: “I don’t want to.”

We can use aging as an excuse not to change our minds about anything, expressed in statements like:

1. I’ve always believed [fill in the blank]. I’m too old now to change. If you challenge me with any new ideas, you’re either a fool or an extremist.
2. Even though I may be bitter about things that have happened in the past, don’t make me examine myself or question my own integrity. (I’m afraid of what I might find.)
3. I can’t learn anything new; why try? You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

We need to make sure we don’t confuse steadfastness with stubbornness. Steadfastness means being true to a belief system we have chosen after careful consideration of the alternatives – not merely giving in to traditional beliefs or peer pressure.

To borrow from Jeff Foxworthy, you might be stubborn if you say – or think, “Don’t confuse me with the facts.”

Resisting Physical Changes: “It’s too hard.”

1. I’m overweight. At my age, there’s nothing I can do about it.
2. I have an age-related disease; there’s nothing I can do about it.

This is the talk of a victim who has given up. But we all know of people – of all ages – who overcome extraordinary physical challenges to achieve extraordinary accomplishments.

Maybe this is where stubbornness – or call it determination – is of value. Maybe that’s what we lose as we age. We accept too much, accept physical states as inevitable that are not, such as weight gain and chronic disease.

I recently met a woman in her 80’s who had lost about 30 pounds in the last couple of years. Was it more difficult for her to lose weight than for those in their 30’s or even 40’s? Of course! Was it worth it? Of course!

Making Hard Choices

It’s hard to admit you have been wrong all these years.

It’s hard to learn new things. It takes longer than it used to, and we don’t retain it all.

It’s hard to exercise, or build muscle, or sacrifice favorite TV programs to get out and move.

Laziness – or convincing ourselves we’re just too tired – may be key here. Sometimes we just don’t want to go to the trouble of changing anything.

But think of the consequences of changes we make by choice. An exciting, fresh outlook. An open mind. New discoveries. Renewed mental and physical energy. Greeting each day with gratitude and enthusiasm for the challenges it will bring.

Talk to me. Have you made some difficult changes in your outlook or lifestyle? What did you have to sacrifice? Was it worth it?