My 84-year-old mother-in-law has a vibrant social life. Her 'secrets' to staying fulfilled are surprisingly simple.
I've learned a lot about feeling young and making connections from my mother-in-law.
Mar Yvette
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Health
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4 mins
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Business Insider
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Mar Yvette
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Even in her 80s, my mother-in-law has found ways to stay fulfilled, social, and happy while making friends and traveling. Here's what she's taught me.
- My 84-year-old mother-in-law has a rich social life that keeps her feeling young.
- She focuses on helping others and tries to lead her life with honor and compassion.
- She thrives by keeping an open mind, making younger friends, and always learning new things.
For as long as I've known her, my mother-in-law Elizabeth has reminded me of Auntie Mame, that wonderfully eccentric and eclectic character who was always embarking on new adventures and having fun with friends.
Even at 84, Elizabeth continues to thrive socially and hasn't let age or any physical setbacks diminish her zest for life.
Like the lovable Auntie Mame, she's an enduring example of how fun it can be to make new connections, keep an open mind, and stay curious at any age.
Over the years, I've learned a lot from my mother-in-law. Here are some of her guiding principles or "secrets" to thriving socially and enjoying a life well-lived.
Stay interested and you'll be interesting
It's always a pleasure spending time with my MIL.
Mar Yvette
Elizabeth loves to learn, especially so she always has something new and exciting to talk about with others.
I can typically find her reading a new book, listening to a podcast, or watching YouTube videos about natural health, ancient history, spirituality, art, travel, astronomy, time travel, extraterrestrials … the list goes on. She makes me laugh because nothing's off the table.
Over the years, she has also studied various religious and spiritual practices, and she prides herself on having friends with different cultural backgrounds and worldviews.
My mother-in-law has taught me a lot about connecting with others.
Mar Yvette
From Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism to Sufism, Hinduism, and diverse Native American spiritual traditions, she gleans wisdom from numerous perspectives and sees the connective tissue among them.
She's stayed open to meeting new people, too, and has told me its especially fun and invigorating to learn about what younger generations are into. These days, many of her friends are in their 50s and 60s.
"Life is too short to keep your mind closed," she'll tell me.
Be useful, honorable, and compassionate
My mother-in-law tries to be positive and helpful.
Mar Yvette
Elizabeth is big on quotes, and one of her favorites is often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, though its exact origin is unclear.
It's about how the purpose of a life is "to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
She's done this throughout her life, and continues to do so today. For example, in 2012, after many decades as a successful business owner and fundraiser for children's charities, she cofounded Child Safe Michigan, a non-profit for adoption, mentoring, and foster care.
As an adopted child herself, this was an incredibly personal endeavor and she's enjoyed helping others for many years. Even though my mother-in-law is retired now, she continues to support the organization and other causes she believes in.
She's always socializing, making new contacts, and spending time with others who have similar passions for helping others and making a positive difference in their communities.
Don't be afraid to socialize and travel, even if you don't move as easily as you used to
It's fun traveling to Michigan with my mother-in-law when we can.
Mar Yvette
Although my mom-in-law is still young at heart and in overall good health, hip issues and arthritis can be a pain. However, a natural extrovert, she doesn't let these things stop her from moving around and being social.
She still drives herself wherever she needs to be and stays busy going on breakfast, lunch, or dinner dates with friends; attending church functions; and checking out new museum exhibits.
If she's doing more extensive travel, she figures out whatever accommodations she may need to make her trip a success. For example, when spending the winter in Maui with her daughter, she made plans to have wheelchair assistance through the airport.
She also loves going on road trips and on boat rides, especially when we visit Northern Michigan together.
Ultimately, though, Elizabeth reminds me of how important it is to see the world and appreciate all that's around us — even if we're just in our own backyards.
The post My 84-year-old mother-in-law has a vibrant social life. Her 'secrets' to staying fulfilled are surprisingly simple. appeared first on Business Insider
