How NOT to Become a Little Old Lady
When I was younger I kind of liked the idea of being a little old lady. Sitting by the fireside knitting with my cat snuggled on my lap, wearing my purple hat when out shopping with my rickety old-lady trolley. Having family pop round offering to do little chores or tasks. It all seemed quite blissful.
Only…
It wasn’t like that at all! Firstly, however hard I have tried, I can’t knit. Well, maybe in a straight line, but how many six foot scarves can you have? Secondly, as a person who loves to travel, I had to get my head around QR codes and digital passports.
Also, though I very much enjoyed popping in to my local bank to check my balance, it seems many of them are closing, so I have had to get to grips with online digital banking.
Starting with Something Small
The car I have owned for 10 years always has the wrong time when the clocks change. The thought of changing it made my brain hurt. Push this button, hold for 3 seconds, push the up/down button, hold for 3 seconds…
So for six months of the year I was on the wrong time.
But last week I said, “No more!” While waiting in a car park, I googled ‘how to change the time’. I followed the instructions, wrote them down for future reference, and changed the clock in seconds. I was jubilant!!
Paris
I recently heard that shopping trollies in Paris were the ‘must have’ accessories for everyone. Parisians love bottled water and, of course, wine, and it has become very chic to roll your trolley into a shop, fill it with bottles and trundle off. No heavy lifting, just a confident stroll through the Champs Elysees. :)
Well, if it’s good enough for 30-somethings in Paris, it’s good enough for me. So, I purchased a beautiful rose gold shopping trolley, and I love it! Cool, sophisticated, stylish (the trolley, not me!) and does the job perfectly. :)
Style
Of course, you should dress how you want at any age, but I definitely consider comfort more now that I am older. No more high heels killing my feet, or insufficient clothes that left me shivering. However, you don’t go to bed one night and wake up old, so why have an old lady wardrobe?
My clothes nowadays tend to be a mix of thrift shop, supermarket, high street, and the occasional splurge on something gorgeous! As I have saved money with reducing my overall clothing budget, I don’t feel guilty so just enjoy whatever I buy.
Comfort, ease of wearing, and texture, are highest on my list, so I tend to opt for natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, silk, and the occasional cashmere. My wardroom is quite basic and minimalistic, meaning anything I don’t wear is recycled at the local charity shop, allowing me more space for a little shopping. :)
Stay Curious
I love to stay curious. I find learning new things, or going to new places, so exciting. YouTube has become the replacement to my TV, and everyday, I am watching people trek around the world, restore chateaus, live on canal boats, safari in Africa, learn new skills…
The other evening, I popped into my local pub for a bite to eat on the way home. I was sitting on a sofa in front of the log fire, when a group of ladies came in and asked if I would mind them sharing the sofa. We sat there chatting for over an hour and these incredible women, all 70-plus, told me about their global travels, caravanning around Europe, their businesses, blogs, life stories… It was so inspiring! :)
Just Be Whoever You Want to Be
I think what I love most about being 60-plus is that it’s full of surprises. I can be whoever I want to be, reinvent myself, travel, study, become an entrepreneur, write a book. I can dress in any style I like – or change it every day.
My hair can be purple if I want, but I love the mix of grey and blonde I have. I eat what I want, when I want, and drink red wine with meals. I do get a little tired sometimes, but either see a show or have a meal in the afternoon, or have a little siesta before going out in the evening. Very European. :)
Pioneers
Us Baby Boomers were pioneers back in the 60s’ and 70s’, and we are still pioneers now. Leading the way for the next generation to explore boundaries, take risks, learn, grow, and make their life anything they want it to be!
An old lady? At 60 we are just getting started!
Join the Conversation:
What has surprised you about being over 60? Have you changed how you live? Are you still as curious?
Tags Inspiration
I have a disability (polio) and require an electric chair to get around or scooter, it has limited my joy of travel and as I age there are fewer people to travel with that can accommodate my limitations..I have always been a curious person, loving to travel to new places, experiencing new cultures. I would enjoy any stories of people over seventy with similar circumstances who have found ways around these obstacles. I should say I have been incredibly fortunate in the past to do the things I have. Love your writing.
Can you believe that as a gerontologist I never thought about this. I’m a born caregiver, I like helping. I am honestly in shock every time I have a physical issue and I have had a lot of them the past 8 yrs.
I’m focusing more now on how I feel and what I want to do about it.
Hi Janel, thank you for joining the conversation.Sometimes being a care giver, we may forget to take care of ourself. Now is your time. Lily x
Retired, still active, more travel in my life!
Hi Linda, thanks for joining the conversation. Sounds like a perfect recipe :) Lily x
I’m finding that I LOVE IT more than I thought I would. I let my hair go silver white, have it toned with pearl twice a year, wear it longish and love the compliments I get. I work part-time so I like the “dress-up days”of make-up and heels (on occasion) as a break from no make-up and outdoor clothes. I like being liked by my 30-something colleagues. I like that I have had so many bumps along the road of life that I see them as just that–small bumps, not catastrophes. I admit I don’t like the sagging upper thighs and rear end, and breasts that don’t sit where they once did (but only I see those in a mirror. With proper activity and foundation, clothed and out in the world, only I know and I don’t overly-scrutinize. I call myself seventy-one-derful. See,I have enjoyed Sixty-and-Me for quite some time. And YES, thanks for this article–instead of brushing off new technology with “Hey, give the Boomer a break,” I made an appointment with a tech-expert to teach me more about
my phone, laptop, apps, and so on.
Hi Catherine, Thank you for joining the conversation. I Love seventy-one-derful :) You certainly seem to be making life wonderful for yourself! Lily x
Catherine i also loved the “Seventy-one-ful” which is the same age ill be next week! When I think about it, we could create a new name for every bonus birthday eg “Seventy-Two- Shoes!”
Hi Tessa, thanks for joining the conversation. What a lovely idea! Lily
The freedom surprises me! Also the fact that I am actually over 60! The kids are grown and out of the house with their own children. My beloved husband passed away years ago. I only have to worry about myself, basically. It’s so nice not being responsible for others at this stage of my life. I am enjoy doing what I want to do when I want to do it. I haven’t changed how I live, still treating others as I would like to be treated and living an honest, hard working, faith-filled life. I find I have time to learn new activities and enjoy books. I’m focusing on my garden more and limiting the items I plan to quality as opposed to quantity. Getting more into fresh herbs and looking forward to trying more herbs this summer. I am happy to have U-Tube to refer to when I need to do something around the house. Always good to know what is involved. I’m really trying to learn more about USA history especially things that happened when I was a youth or early teen and wasn’t aware of what was going on in the world or even the town next door.
Hi Lauren, thank you for your comment. I couldn’t agree more! Sometimes I catch a glimpse of my face as I walk past a mirror and think ‘who’s that?’ Our bodies may have weathered a little but our minds have been embellished with magic :) Lily x