Every day – every minute, in fact – we’re getting older. The older we get, the more we often feel we become ingrained in our ways. There’s research that backs this up. For example, our musical preferences become far more rigid after we turn a certain age, and we become less generally able to enjoy new music.
But does this mean that a person cannot change when they’re older?
The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, is no.
What Aging Does to Our Habits and Likes
We do tend to become more ingrained in our habits and preferences as we get older. This may be due to changes in our brain as we age, or that we’ve just had years of experiences that have shaped what we like, what we don’t like, and who we’ve chosen to become. Some people do have a lot of flexibility in their likes and behaviors, but a lot of older adults simply like what they like, don’t like what they don’t like, and feel like they know who they are.
This does make our habits more difficult to change. But that’s not because it’s impossible. It is because change – when you’ve spent years getting to know yourself and who you are – needs to have some type of motivation. Older adults need a why.
Once we’ve had that “why,” that’s when we’ve opened the door for being more humble, recognizing that there’s still change to be made, and being open to suggestion and new ways of thinking. Presumably, being older has also made us wiser, which in turn means that we know enough to understand when change is necessary.
Becoming Your Best Self at Any Age
Aging can be challenging for a variety of reasons. But the belief that we are stuck with who we are and how our lives feel does not have to be one of them. Anyone, at any age, can change, learn, and grow. The process may be different, and we may have to find some internal motivations to make that change, but your mind and body are always open to learning in the right circumstances.
Long Island Psychology offers therapy, support, coaching, and more for men and women of all ages. We can help seniors with transitions, couples counseling, or simply giving them the tools they need to address any of the issues going on in their lives. For more information about our services, or to get started, please contact Long Island Psychology today.
