Denton County Living Well Magazine May/June 2016 | Page 14

Aging with
Resolve

“A

By Georgia Smith, MA

ging.” Not a word we think about when we
are young.

Life should be enjoyable and fulfilling at any
age. Hold onto your goals, hopes, and dreams
with determination and resolve to fulfill those ideas to the
fullest. View life from a positive perspective, knowing that
each day is a blessing. As we age, there may be days
when our bodies cannot do as much as our minds would
hope to do, but determination to live a fulfilled and happy
life is still the resolve.
This article will also benefit younger individuals. Young
people can be a great inspiration and encouragement to
older people with a positive attitude, energy, and words of
affirmation.
The meaning of resolve is a “firm determination to do something, a decision, a commitment.” Aging with resolve involves a strong desire to age with a determination, goals,
objective, and attitude. Did you know that a vision for your
future provides the human soul with a sense of belonging
and accomplishment? It is true. Look at major corporations
and how or why they are successful. They have a vision
and goals set in motion. They keep this vision alive and
flourishing with a positive attitude. We need vision even in

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DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MAY/JUNE 2016

our older age to bring fulfillment and joy to our lives.
One of my favorite authors and theorist on the topic of
aging is Eric Erikson. He developed a psychosocial breakdown by age groups of mindsets at particular time frames
in life. Understanding two particular time frames of age
groups from middle adulthood (40 to 65), and older adulthood (65 and over) will help. Erikson calls middle adulthood “generativity vs. stagnation” and it is described as
a time when careers and relationships are established. Reflecting on this time period will either make one feel they
have given back to society and accomplished what they
have set out to accomplish or they feel stagnation and at
a standstill.
Generativity gives you a sense of fulfillment and positive
reflection, while stagnation brings feelings of regret. If there
is regret, the stagnation can be a motivator for changes in
your life. “Ego integrity vs. despair” is the older time frame
(65 and older) and is described as reflecting on our lives
with integrity if we see ourselves leading successful lives, or
with despair if we become dissatisfied with our accomplishments or lack thereof, which often leads to depression and
a sense of hopelessness. At the point of despair, it is important to establish a vision and a goal(s) for your life. The despair is the gage that says it is time to make a new plan. It