troubleshooter 1108

Some reports of this week's advice column were interesting. So I tried to translate them.

One of them is like that.

--advice seeker--

I always expect something in return

I’m in my 60’s. I have a full-time job, and I still have fun doing my work. I like cooking. Before the pandemic started, I used to hold home parties. But when I do something voluntarily I always expect something in return. Then when I notice that, I feel guilty. I hate myself for that.

I seem to live my life too fast. I want to live my life slowly, calmly, but I can’t. What should I do? I tell myself to be a good wife, a good mother and a good grandmother. On the other hand I also tell myself there is no need to become such person.

How do I spend my life calmly in the next 10 or 20 years?  I envy the elderly people who are in their 80’s and still lively. But I can’t imagine myself in my 80’s. 

Please give me some advice about how to live my senior life

--adviser--

You always give your 100 percent, aren’t you?  You go hard.  So you might feel anxious whether you can continue your power even in your 80’s. Probably you are pacing too fast, and running out of breath. So you need take a rest. Please imagine a full marathon. There are at least 8 water stations. Thinking of our long life, it is important to relax and treat ourselves to something as a reward, like going to hot springs, having tasty dishes and so on. In my case, I take Thai massage once a month to refresh myself.

And the wonderful point is you can look at yourself objectively and honestly saying “I always expect something in return”. 

Looking at people around me who are in their 70’s, 80’s or 90’s, some people are really lively. The common factor is they don’t seek anything in return. They simply become happy when they see people around them happy. The lively elderly people get lots of nutrition from others’ smile.

This era is known as the 100-year-old period. People who are in their 60’s are junior. So you make up your mind not to expect something in return, and live your life training your mind. Your senior life has just started.

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Actually, I'm also in my early 60's, so I'm still junior. So Should live my life training my mind.