Don't Be Left Behind: Strategies for Staying Relevant and Engaged as We Age
Show Notes:
Summary:
In this episode of "Aging with Grace & Style," Valerie dives into the topic of ageism and how it affects individuals over 50. She explores the impact of ageism in the workplace, social circles, and communities, and offers insights and strategies to combat ageism and continue thriving as we age.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to the episode and topic of ageism
02:58 Insight #1: Lifelong learning is key
04:15 Insight #2: Showcase your skills and creativity
05:38 Insight #3: Stay involved and adapt to change
07:47 Insight #4: Defying stereotypes and making an impact
09:49 Insight #5: Taking responsibility for your own growth
Key Takeaways:
- Embrace lifelong learning to stay relevant and adaptable, regardless of age.
- Showcase your skills and experience in the workplace, and don't shy away from self-promotion.
- Stay involved and open to change, demonstrating your value and adaptability.
- Defy stereotypes of aging by staying energetic, engaged, and enthusiastic about life.
- Take responsibility for your growth and development to prevent being left behind.
Connect with Valerie:
* Facebook, Instagram, and Threads @iamvaleriehatcher.
* Email at hello@agingwithgraceandstyle.com
Join Us Next Time:
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Stay tuned for more inspiring chats, tips, and stories about the midlife journey.
See you soon! Let's continue to age with grace, style, and a touch of sass.
Transcript
You know, I have a whole series planned for February,
Speaker:but there's been a topic that's really been on my mind
Speaker:this week. And I thought
Speaker:we're gonna pivot a little. See, that's the beauty of doing this thing
Speaker:solo. Because if I decide I wanna do something different
Speaker:Or if I'm led to do something different, then I can. But
Speaker:lately, I've been thinking a lot about
Speaker:how Age can sometimes feel like a
Speaker:limiting factor. So whether it's in the workplace,
Speaker:social circles, or Even within our own communities,
Speaker:ageism can really rear its ugly head.
Speaker:I've also been thinking about how we, As
Speaker:individuals over 50 are perceived and
Speaker:how we perceive ourselves in this rapidly changing
Speaker:world. This topic impacts many of
Speaker:us as we get older, and the topic is
Speaker:ageism. Now ageism refers
Speaker:to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination
Speaker:toward individuals based solely on their age.
Speaker:And yes, it's true that ageism
Speaker:often comes from how others view us.
Speaker:But sometimes it's also about how we
Speaker:act, how we react, or how we resist
Speaker:change. We can be our own barriers, can't we?
Speaker:So let's dive into this together. My
Speaker:goal with this episode is to provide some thoughts and
Speaker:strategies to help combat ageism, to
Speaker:stay engaged and continue thriving as we age.
Speaker:So I have 5 key insights to explore
Speaker:today that will help us navigate this complex
Speaker:terrain. So how do we
Speaker:navigate this sometimes challenging landscape and continue
Speaker:to thrive regardless of the number on our driver's
Speaker:license. So let's unpack this together, shall
Speaker:we? Let's get started.
Speaker:Number 1. I'd say lifelong learning is
Speaker:key. First, I wanna emphasize the importance
Speaker:of continuous learning and adaptability.
Speaker:The world is constantly evolving and changing with new
Speaker:technologies and innovation, and so should
Speaker:we. It's crucial that we
Speaker:keep learning new skills and that we stay curious
Speaker:regardless of our age. Lifelong learning is
Speaker:essential for staying relevant and adaptable no
Speaker:matter your age. So This could evolve
Speaker:involve rather taking online courses,
Speaker:attending workshops, reading industry
Speaker:publications, or simply engaging in
Speaker:stimulating conversations with people from different
Speaker:generations. Whatever helps you keep
Speaker:your mind engaged and sharp. Now when we
Speaker:stop learning, we become stagnant.
Speaker:Number 2 is showcase your skills and your
Speaker:creativity. Now don't underestimate
Speaker:the power you hold. Take initiative to showcase your
Speaker:skills and your experience in the workplace.
Speaker:Actively seek Opportunities to contribute your
Speaker:ideas and your expertise. Volunteer
Speaker:for challenging projects or Share your knowledge
Speaker:maybe through mentorship, but don't be afraid to
Speaker:self promote your accomplishments. Collaborate
Speaker:effectively with younger team members and adapt to
Speaker:new systems. I think Sometimes we get in our own
Speaker:way, and we get frustrated because it
Speaker:seems like younger people on the team or younger people in the environment
Speaker:in which wherein they're starting to move more to the forefront
Speaker:and get the the light or be in the
Speaker:limelight rather, and we step back. Well, we step
Speaker:back because we wanna step back. So we can't be mad
Speaker:at them from moving forward when we are the ones who have
Speaker:stepped back with the attitude. Remember, you
Speaker:have a unique perspective and
Speaker:valuable insight to offer. So maybe
Speaker:consider obtaining maybe like a certificate or
Speaker:some training in new work related
Speaker:skills. Remember, our experience
Speaker:is our superpower. Number 3,
Speaker:I'd say, stay involved and adapt
Speaker:to change. So stay involved
Speaker:with organizations and communities that are important to you,
Speaker:Even as younger leaders emerge, change is
Speaker:inevitable and sometimes it can feel
Speaker:overwhelming, but It's also an opportunity,
Speaker:and I think sometimes that's how we have to look at it, not
Speaker:as a negative, but as an opportunity to continue to grow and
Speaker:to continue to learn. So instead of
Speaker:resisting it, try to embrace it. Be open
Speaker:to new ideas and technologies and
Speaker:actively participate in changes happening around
Speaker:you, whether it's taking on a leadership
Speaker:role, Volunteering in your community
Speaker:or simply learning a new skill, staying involved
Speaker:helps You adapt and remain
Speaker:relevant. It's important that
Speaker:we demonstrate our value. And don't just assume
Speaker:that people should know. They should know how good I am. They should know
Speaker:all I've done. You have to show
Speaker:people sometimes. Remember, growth often comes
Speaker:from stepping outside of your comfort zone.
Speaker:Number 4, defying stereotypes and making an
Speaker:impact. Now let's really talk about defying
Speaker:stereotypes of aging. We've all
Speaker:heard them. Right? So I'm gonna go through a few common
Speaker:stereotypes. Number 1, Older people can't keep up
Speaker:with technology. Well, this stereotype
Speaker:says that older individuals are that are
Speaker:unable to use modern technology.
Speaker:Or number 2, resistant to change. Older
Speaker:people are resistant to change. So there's this belief that
Speaker:people over 50 are set in their ways and resistant to new
Speaker:ideas or methods. Now that is sometimes true, but
Speaker:we can't generalize that for everybody over
Speaker:50. Next is older people are
Speaker:less energetic or productive. So
Speaker:a common misconception is that aging
Speaker:equates to a decrease in energy or productivity.
Speaker:Oh, here's another older people are out of touch with
Speaker:current trends. The idea that
Speaker:Older individuals can't understand or keep up with current
Speaker:trends, be it fashion, music, or pop culture.
Speaker:That's not true. And then lastly,
Speaker:older people have limited interest interest.
Speaker:Well, so that stereotype is that aging
Speaker:narrows a person's interest, especially toward
Speaker:more age appropriate activities. So
Speaker:you know what? It's time to flip the script and defy these
Speaker:stereotypes of aging by maintaining an
Speaker:active healthy lifestyle.
Speaker:Let's challenge the assumptions by staying
Speaker:energetic, engaged, and enthusiastic
Speaker:about life. Let's be the ones who
Speaker:redefine what it means to be over 50.
Speaker:So what stereotypes do you wanna break?
Speaker:Think about it. Now we
Speaker:have taking responsibility for your own growth to
Speaker:prevent being left behind. So our
Speaker:final insight for today is about taking
Speaker:responsibility for our own growth and our own development.
Speaker:We can't rely on others to provide opportunities.
Speaker:It's up to us to keep up with the times,
Speaker:to Stay curious and to
Speaker:stay engaged. Be proactive in finding ways to stay
Speaker:relevant. The world or anyone in
Speaker:the world doesn't owe us
Speaker:anything. We have to put in
Speaker:the effort. And again, we can't assume that
Speaker:people know what we're interested in, What we're good
Speaker:at, what we do, what we used to do. Again,
Speaker:the no one owes us anything. It's up to us
Speaker:To keep in the forefront of people's
Speaker:minds, but then to show that we're not saying it should be me. It should
Speaker:be me. It should Be me just because I've done it in the past. It
Speaker:should be me. It should be me. It should be me because I have the
Speaker:skills necessary to do it. So set goals,
Speaker:challenge yourself, and don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort
Speaker:zone. Remember, You're in control of your own
Speaker:journey regardless of your age. Ultimately,
Speaker:the power to thrive lies within you.
Speaker:And that's a wrap. Ageism It's a complex
Speaker:issue. The key is embracing
Speaker:change while valuing the experience that we
Speaker:offer. Stay hungry for knowledge,
Speaker:up to date on the world, and open to
Speaker:evolving. Maintain a youthful spirit
Speaker:of curiosity and growth. So
Speaker:what are you waiting for? With some concerted effort,
Speaker:we can combat ageism. Now I hope
Speaker:that these tips provide a helpful starting point.
Speaker:Let's keep this conversation going. I'd love to hear
Speaker:your thoughts and stories on this topic. Reach out on
Speaker:social or email, but don't forget to
Speaker:tune in to our next episode where we
Speaker:will be beginning our February series.
