The benefits of strong family ties can pay off later in life: A paper in the journal Psychology and Aging suggests that there is “strong evidence that having more close family members and friends is associated with less loneliness.”2 Less loneliness doesn’t just mean a longer life, but a more fulfilling one as you age.3,4
Set aside time to prioritize your personal goals.
Allen says she feels much more goal-oriented these days as she looks back at how she’s spent her life. “You have to make your time productive,” she says. “Because when you get to a certain age, sometimes you’ve been flying, flying, flying, and realize, ‘I wasn’t paying attention in my 20s.’ I had my child in my 30s and in my 40s, and so now I’m back to me.” So, she says, “think about what you want to do and always be moving towards that—something that you wanna pour yourself and give yourself to.”
Research indicates that having goals and specific plans to attain them—or simply writing them down—not only has a positive effect on your well-being, but can help you get through a difficult time. 5, 6, 7 Following through on those goals is also tied to more satisfaction throughout your life.8
Now, Allen says, “I’m a grandmother and so it’s like, Okay, what am I gonna do with the second half of my life now?’ I’ve got to take care of myself.” Research also shows that having purpose in life not only results in greater happiness and more life satisfaction, but even in better physical health—including a longer life.9, 10, 11
Be gentle with yourself as you embrace change.
While getting older is often portrayed as a process of becoming more certain in who you are and growing set in your ways, 64-year-old Kim Crawley, a certified caregiver in Baltimore, tells SELF, “You sometimes have to change. Some things you just have to let go. And some things you need to pick up that will help you. It’s going to be a struggle but you have to do it for your life.”
Being able to adapt to circumstances—in multiple areas, including your career, your personal life, and your health—is a trait that’s also tied to greater life satisfaction and well-being.12 “I won’t say things won’t try to knock at your door—your mental state, depression, even physical health,” Crawley says. But “you need to grow with grace, you know?”