Brain

Do we now think ourselves into becoming old?

Is it caused by the repetitive phrases that are the killers?

• “A senior moment”
• “I can’t move as fast as I used to”
• “I can’t walk that far”
• “I won’t use a smartphone”
• “I don’t need a smartphone”

And then there is the competitive battle about who received the worst service, or the familiar phrase, “It was so much better, easier or faster in…”

Our first age was learning to think. Our second was to apply that thinking. Our third age is ours, with no children to worry about. So is the only thing left to think ourselves into dying because we are no longer useful, no longer needed, or because it becomes too difficult or boring to live?

In primitive societies, you died because you were severely injured or infected, and no one needed you to stay alive. Then you died.

So we have stopped most of the infections, but to keep going we need something interesting to do.

Gardening; looking after a loved one; collecting things; politics; specialised cooking; sport; keeping active; and demanding cognitive challenges.

In the absence of these, the brain and body know that they can stop.

So the ones surviving well are looking after their cognitive abilities, and because of that are able to optimise their physical abilities.

If that is the case, we have a tremendous opportunity.

If that is the case, maybe we can turn it around. Once you lose the “I can’t”, then you can. You just flip a switch and keep repeating the new arrangement until it becomes a habit.