If you’re under 65, you might find these questions somewhat unnecessary, and this 3-minute read a little premature. That’s okay, just skip it for now. I’m trying to find my audience of aging women who are struggling a bit to move into a stage of life they were hoping would just take its good ole’ time. But if you’re there, and if you want to stay relevant and purposeful, let’s support and learn from each other.

What kind of life do you want to live with the time you have left on planet earth?

What purpose do you want to fulfill while you still can do so?

What would your life look like if you believed you were being your best self?

What is holding you back from living your best life now?

Are we living now in processes that will be completed later in eternity?

How do I accept and participate in the concepts of physical aging and spiritual developing?

Since the future is uncertain at best, shouldn’t I show up as prepared as possible and live each day to its fullest with those two concepts in mind?

Turning 70 is going to be hard for me. I can already feel the heaviness of it. I know it is just an indication of how many Earth years I have on this body. I know my life is a gift and every day God gives me is truly undeserved. I know that although my exterior is fading away, my interior is being renewed day by day. (2 Cor. 4:16) This day-by-day renewal is the epiphany I have experienced recently that has led me to develop this new way of living in and through my aging body.

G.L.O.R.Y. is an acronym for 5 practices that I try to live out each day that are aimed at the goal of living joyful and lined up with achieving my God-given purpose in my later years.

                G – Gratitude (first thing every day)

                L – Learning (reading, attempting or mastering something new)

                O – Open Heart (prayer, meditation, serving others)

                R – Reflection (review, journal)

                Y – You (nutrition, exercise, envision)

I believe that doing certain practices repeatedly will yield results that eventually lead us to achieve our dreams or goals that, in turn, bring us joy.  A byproduct of joy is strength that we need to be able to pour into relationships and the communities we are a part of. The cliché that “You can’t pour out of an empty cup” is so true. By practicing the G.L.O.R.Y. way each day you will have the tools that help you to be at your best as you show up for your life, your loved ones, your work and your community.

I will dive deeper into these practices later, but right now I would like to share that my intention in this is to give women tools to help them remain vibrant and relevant, living into their God-given purpose throughout every season of their lives. Me included.

These practices can be done at any time during your day, but I highly recommend that they happen within the first hour of your day. How we start our day greatly influences how the day turns out; so why not give yourself the best chance for a successful day whenever you can? Maybe set an alarm an hour earlier than when you need to be up and about for other tasks.

I am a follower of Jesus Christ, as my Savior and Lord, He is my Reason to live a life that brings Him glory. Even if you are not a person of faith, these practices can bring about positive outcomes. All people are made in the image of God, and each practice has been tested, tried and true for generations. Just because I have put together these daily disciplines in an easy to remember catch word does not mean this is some new or unique process. I only know that I am convicted and compelled to share with others what God has entrusted to me.

My prayer is that this helps you on your journey into that sometimes-scary pathway to the version of yourself that may be a little bit hard to accept at times. “Aging gracefully” does not happen by accident. Purpose is another word for intention, and we will not live into our purpose without intentionally living day by day in a way that is directed toward being the best version of ourselves that we can be. Let’s go on this journey together!

Please drop a comment if this resonates with you. God Bless!

Vickie