Recent events have gotten me thinking about aging. Perhaps because what we thought the future would be is changing so rapidly. People I know have expressed concerns about their experiences of aging in the face of new uncertainties. 

Experiences and uncertainties that are filled with loss.  

For some, living conditions have changed or are changing – moving to a more manageable space, moving to be near family, or making changes to make a current space more livable with age. 

There are some with new diagnoses. Others who continue to manage the ongoing issues of their age and health. There are some striving to maintain fitness they had while others are finding it necessary to accept the new normal. 

Caregiving roles, assuming responsibilities you’ve not had before – like managing the budget – something your partner did for years. Suddenly, making all the decisions alone. Carrying the weight of someone else’s health or having to make personal decisions on your own. All of these can feel overwhelming and awash in the losses of change. 

Any one of these things or a multiplicity of them can leave one struggling to sleep, finding it challenging to eat alone, having trouble with concentration, and struggling to make decisions. Add to these concerns over rising costs, a loss of sense of safet,y and the incredible challenges of climate circumstances. Embedded in all of this can also be an enormous sense of loneliness. 

If any of this resonates with you, perhaps there are some things you could be doing to support yourself amid aging and life changes. 

Tap into your support system. 

Who are your best sources of support? Consider carefully who you might rely on when you need support. Sometimes those we think are our biggest supporters turn out to be hard to be around.

 Support comes in all shapes and sizes, and some people are better for certain situations than others. 

It’s okay if you find you only have one or two people who really offer encouragement, serve as a nonjudgmental sounding board or are simply able to show up. Not everyone in your pool of friends will be able to support your needs at this time. This is a time to choose carefully. 

Trusting your own judgement can lead you to other good information about your needs. For instance, you may discover that a counselor or life coach can provide support. Some people feel like they shouldn’t lean so heavily on friends. That after a time, friends will be bored by hearing the same concerns over and over again. Others simply don’t want to be a burden. 

If that’s you, then you can expand your support system by including a therapist, counselor, clergy person, or life coach. 

People a little further from our own experiences are better able to reflect insight and offer nonjudgmental listening. 

While you mourn the losses you are experiencing, take time to take good care of yourself. Invest in yourself through collaborating with professional resources – you may find your way to new ideas, openness, and healing. 

As you navigate the transitions of your life, you may find comfort, insight, and further healing by working with a coach. As a grief coach, I work with people navigating the spaces of different kinds of loss. Curiosity and openness are essential navigational tools for finding your way.  

If you are coaching curious or simply needing a way to explore the questions of the moment, I invite you to sign up for the 45-minute Live the Questions offering. 

This is an effective way to learn about the co-collaborative process of coaching, as well as gaining insight about your own grief needs and how coaching might support them.