Aging

I would say that as I age, I am most looking forward to gaining new perspectives and becoming wiser about the world.

I was thinking about how in lecture we talked about optimization as apart of SOC Theory. Optimization, which is “The investment of time and energy into the acquisition of goal-relevant means.” (Slide 14, Procter.), holds a very essential, in my opinion, factor in growing older. I hope to be an active older person who still has a goal or a achievement in mind, which as the lecture states, assist in independence, optimism and therefore, more zest in later life. This can help in a number of ways in regards to staying coherent and staying in the minds of the community around me. I don’t think that last part means that I want to be remembered at all costs, more that I want to make sure that I’ve made a difference in my life once I die. I’d like to have a creative goal such as finishing a book or writing a play, or trying to continue to act in plays. I think that has always been something I’ve enjoyed, and will continue to as I grow in age.

I think what I can do towards these goals, as it was mentioned that people often start preparing for old age too late, and in a way life can tend to sneak up on you with slow acting diseases that can hurt your mental wellbeing. I want to practice mind activities and to do random acts of kindness for strangers around me, that way I can look at the world around me as less of a threat, and take more control of my emotions and furthermore, my body. I took Stress and Disease in the 21st century last semester, and it was a very enlightening class that talked a lot about how old age can deeply reflect the decisions we made in our youth, for example it’s said that it is better for your health to be under less stress, because stress shuts down the immune system which makes your body more vulnerable to certain diseases. Especially those that can be caught in old age.

Procter, 2020 What is Positive Psychology? What is Happiness? [PowerPoint presentation]. Retrieved from Moodle.