I’ve watched my parents navigate their seventies with a mix of grace, humor, and humility. My dad still gets up early to walk along the beach, binoculars in hand, scanning the treetops for birds. My mum still laughs loudly, cooks meals that could feed an army, and worries endlessly about whether everyone’s eaten enough.
But the thing that stands out most isn’t what they do—it’s what they’ve stopped doing.
Staying young, I’ve realized, isn’t about supplements or perfect diets. It’s about subtracting what no longer serves you. Here are eight habits my parents—and many other vibrant people in their seventies—have learned to let go of.
1. Clinging to outdated routines
When my dad retired, he kept trying to fill his days the same way he used to: rigid schedules, early starts, and endless to-do lists. But after a few months, he realized something profound—he wasn’t working anymore, but he was still living like he had a boss.
He eventually traded routine for rhythm. Some days he wakes up early, some days he doesn’t. Some mornings he walks, others he reads the paper slowly over coffee. It’s a flexibility that lets life breathe again.
If you want to stay young, you have to loosen your grip on the old patterns that once defined you. Growth in your seventies means embracing flow instead of control.
Mindfulness tip: Try to start one day each week without a plan. Let the morning unfold naturally. See how your energy shifts when you stop forcing structure.
2. Dwelling on the “good old days”
There’s a fine line between nostalgia and regret. My mum loves to talk about the past—raising us, traveling, the chaos of three boys running around the house—but she’s careful not to romanticize it.
She once said, “If I keep looking backward, I’ll trip over what’s in front of me.”
People who stay young in their seventies don’t get trapped in the rearview mirror. They reflect, but they don’t relive. They let the past nourish their present, not replace it.
Aging gracefully means learning to love your memories without trying to live inside them.
3. Saying “I’m too old for that”
This is the quiet death sentence of aging minds.
I’ve heard my parents say it before—when technology frustrates them or when someone suggests trying something new. But they’ve learned to catch themselves.
A few months ago, my mum started learning Vietnamese phrases for when she visits us in Saigon. My dad joined a local photography group and began editing his photos on an iPad—something he once swore he’d never touch.
The truth is, your brain doesn’t stop learning unless you stop feeding it. Youth isn’t measured in birthdays—it’s measured in curiosity.
Buddhist insight: In Zen, there’s a concept called “beginner’s mind.” It means approaching everything as if for the first time—with openness, eagerness, and humility. It’s one of the best anti-aging mindsets there is.
4. Neglecting friendships
One of the biggest threats to vitality in your seventies isn’t physical decline—it’s social isolation.
I’ve seen this happen to friends of my parents who slowly drifted into solitude. The calls stopped, the lunches disappeared, and suddenly their world shrank to the size of their living room.
My parents made a conscious decision not to let that happen. They host casual dinners with old friends, go on group walks, and still send handwritten birthday cards. They’ve learned that friendship isn’t a luxury—it’s medicine.
Research from Harvard’s decades-long study on adult development found that the quality of your relationships is the single biggest predictor of happiness and health as you age.
If you want to stay young, stay connected. Even a five-minute chat with a friend can reignite your sense of belonging.
5. Letting physical movement become optional
Aging well isn’t about perfection—it’s about motion. My dad often says, “The day you stop moving is the day you start getting old.”
He doesn’t run marathons or lift weights. But he moves every day—walks, stretches, gardens, and climbs the stairs instead of taking the lift. It’s a habit that keeps both his body and mind flexible.
Too many people in their seventies assume fatigue means they should rest more. But often, the opposite is true. The less you move, the less energy you have.
Practical advice: Aim for at least 30 minutes of gentle movement a day—walking, swimming, yoga, or even dancing in the living room. Movement is life’s quiet declaration that you’re still here.
6. Trying to control what can’t be controlled
This one hits close to home.
My mum used to worry about everything—our careers, our health, the economy, the neighbors. She’d lose sleep over things far beyond her control.
But somewhere along the way, she let it go. “I realized the world spins fine without me managing it,” she told me.
That surrender brought peace—and paradoxically, more energy. The weight of constant worry ages you faster than time ever could.
Letting go of control doesn’t mean giving up—it means accepting that peace begins where control ends.
Promote book: I wrote about this in my book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How to Live with Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego. One of the key teachings is that life’s richness doesn’t come from holding on tightly—it comes from loosening your grip. The moment you stop trying to control everything, life starts to unfold naturally.
7. Ignoring new technology
Staying young isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about staying engaged with the modern world.
My parents once resisted smartphones, social media, and streaming services. But when they started using technology to connect—with family, news, and even YouTube tutorials—they became more mentally alive.
My dad sends us bird photos through WhatsApp now. My mum video calls my wife every week for cooking tips. These little connections keep them mentally sharp and emotionally plugged into life.
You don’t have to understand every new app. Just stay curious enough to explore. Because every new skill learned is a small act of rebellion against aging.
8. Hiding behind comfort
There’s a strange trap that comes with age: the older we get, the more we try to protect ourselves from discomfort. We avoid change, challenge, and even mild inconvenience.
But comfort, over time, becomes confinement.
My parents could easily have stayed in their routines back in Australia—same house, same people, same grocery store. But they started traveling again in their seventies. They’ve visited us in Vietnam, explored Thailand, and even tried street food that would have terrified them ten years ago.
Growth doesn’t stop when you turn seventy. It just gets quieter—more internal, more intentional. The people who stay vibrant don’t chase adrenaline—they chase aliveness.
Reflection question: When was the last time you did something for the first time?
The deeper truth: aging isn’t the enemy
Watching my parents age has changed how I see time itself.
They laugh more now. They stress less. They’ve both lost friends, but they’ve gained perspective. They don’t try to prove anything anymore—they just are.
There’s a certain lightness that comes when you stop clinging to youth and start embracing vitality instead.
Youth is about how much life you have ahead of you. Vitality is about how fully you live the life you have now.
That’s what I see in my parents every day. Not a fight against age—but a dance with it.
Final thoughts
If you’re in your seventies—or getting there—remember this: the habits you let go of will shape you just as much as the ones you keep.
Say goodbye to rigidity, regret, and control. Say hello to curiosity, connection, and courage. Because staying young isn’t about looking young—it’s about keeping your heart awake.
And if you want to explore this more deeply, my book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How to Live with Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego dives into exactly that—how to live lightly, let go of ego, and discover the quiet strength that comes from within.
My parents remind me every day that aging is just another word for becoming more yourself.
So, stay curious. Stay kind. Stay in motion.
That’s how you stay young.
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