Guest Blogger: Claudia Hufham – Claudiareinvented
I have now lived 6 decades, 720 months, 3,130 weeks, 21,915 Days, 525,960 hours, 31,557,600 minutes and 1,892,000,000 seconds and counting. Looking at it like that makes me feel exhausted! Wow, 60 trips around the sun. I am trying my hardest to appreciate how blessed I really am. Thinking of my friends and loved ones that didn’t make it this long.
The only other birthday I’ve had a hard time with was 22. Yes 22! As far as I was concerned, it was over. There was nothing left to look forward to. At 16 I got my drivers license, at 18 I could vote, at 21 I could get a drink. 22…now what. That is so funny to think about now. Heck I hadn’t even really gotten started at 22.
At 27 I got married, at 30 I had my first child, at 34 I had my second child and the list goes on and on of raising my wonderful kids and watching them turn into great adults. Those chapters in my life, all temporary, but most of them ended well. So here I am starting my 60th chapter! Being unhappy about being old seems fruitless. I am just going to have to suck it up and get used to it. I don’t feel 60, I don’t think, wouldn’t really know what 60 feels like since I’ve never been here, but I don’t feel any different than when I turned 40.
6 Ways To Rockin My 60’s
- No more wrinkle cream- they don’t work or otherwise you’d use it once, they’d be gone and boom no more wrinkle cream companies making millions. I will pick a moisturizer, use it everyday, and learn to appreciate my wrinkles knowing everyone of them was earned.
- I will try to not worry about tomorrow – I know it’s not promised. I can’t worry about tomorrow, it will have its own set of worries. I need to focus on today. Right now. Make the most of it. The Dalai Lama said “There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done; One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.” That will be my 6th decade mantra.
- No more procrastinating – (unless we are talking about vacuuming). Maybe what I should do is fill my days with things I WANT to do and then I wouldn’t put them off. Sounds easy, but if I take the time, everyday to do something that makes me happy, maybe the things I’m postponing (i.e.vacuuming) wouldn’t seem so bad. Maybe this shouldn’t say stop procrastinating, but rather do more stuff I like to do!
- Pay attention and nurture relationships. This year my Mom is 90, I am 60 and my daughter is 30. How cool is that? We are going to celebrate all year! Having the relationships with my Mom, sisters, Susan and Libba, my daughter Kaylan and my son Keegan, their significant others Taylor and Amanda and of course my brother-in law Jim, my friends, the ones I’ve had since I was a child and those new friends I’ve had for just a few years, all of these relationships are just the best thing in the world. When we are together I am going to be in the moment, enjoy each of them and not worry if the chicken is dry or the beans aren’t cooked correctly. Who cares? We have chicken and beans! Life is good.
- Wisdom now rules – I can honestly say that living sixty years has made me wiser! Thank goodness. Not that I don’t have a long way to go in that department, but I have tried to learn from my mistakes. What I need to work on is NOT comparing myself to thirty year olds! Wow, first, that’s a waste of my sweet precious time and second I will never win that comparison game! This decade I am going to learn to live in my own skin, confidently. I have nothing to prove to anyone, so this is me. Love me as I am or watch me as I go.
- Health is a treasured possession – A few weeks ago, I went to my doctor for my annual checkup which, of course, included blood work. I never worry about any of this really, but this year I felt a pit in my stomach. Now that I’m 60 is it all going to go down hill? Well, the results were all good with one exception. For the first time ever, my bad cholesterol was high. I hadn’t done anything different. Why now? Surely not because I was about to turn 60! So I have studied up on it and doing things to lower my cholesterol naturally so that I don’t have to take medication. That was a slight thump on the head. So bumping up the workouts, eating better and have made a less and more list.
Less soda and more water
Less sugar and more fruits
Less driving and more walking
Less worry and more sleep
Less words and more action
Less couch potato and more exercise
Chin Up Buttercup
So here’s to moving into 60 as if I was always meant to be here! I’m not going to be sad or ashamed or trying to look like I’m 40! I even thought about letting my hair go …whatever color it might truly be, but when I told my hair dresser she said “not on my watch!”. I guess I’ll stay blonde for a bit longer. I am going to make more wrinkles by laughing more, mostly at myself probably, but hey, that’s ok as long as someone is laughing with me. I hope to cherish each day and when I start to feel melancholy about being 60, I will just read this again and again.
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About the Author
Claudia Hufham is a blogger, mom to two grown kids and a Boxer/American Bulldog, who found herself looking for a new career at age 59. In her quest to reinvent herself and save her sanity, she started a blog. Her humor and down to earth story telling of her life lessons have led her to be featured on sites like Feedspot.com. You can read more from Claudia at Claudiareinvented. You can follow Claudia on her Instagram and FaceBook Page as well.
Claudiareinvented is featured on Feedspot as one of the Top 10 Women Over 50 Blogs
