My dental friends, as time has gone by, I find that I return to thoughts that just make sense to me, more and more, day by day. I’ll write something about whitening and straightening your teeth in a time to come. Things that make you feel good on the outside This makes me feel good on the inside.
These phrases are as relevant for my younger patients who now see a bald-headed DDS, as it is for so many of my patients who are (figuratively) “longer in the tooth”! Most of this wisdom that is plagiarized here refers to the latter, with application possibilities for the former.
Here goes:
- Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well, and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.
- Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your spouse or significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then. Enjoy it together.
- Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.
- Always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”
- Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to the hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist ? keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.
- Don’t lose sight of fashion trends, but keep your own sense of style. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.
- ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers (what are these?), watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying (mostly??). Make sure you have an active email account, dabbling in social media because you’ll be surprised at what past friends you’ll meet again.
- Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideas as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.
- Never use the phrase: “In my time”. Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time.
- Embrace your golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you feel older and harder to be around.
- Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, ride, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a kitchen garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf.
- Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while. Experience something new (or something old).
- Speak in courteous tones. Try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are.
- Pains and discomfort go hand in hand as days follow days. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of life.
- If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone-apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget, and move on with your life.
- Laugh. Laugh away your worries. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You’ve managed pretty well in this life. Many never get to your particular age, never get to experience a full life.
Enjoy peace and gratefulnesses at this point in your life …
Don’t worry… be happy.
Me: Easier said than done. At least for me, there is help above when assistance is needed.
Further reading
