Mindset, or The Power of Attention – Shaping the Experience of Growing Older 

If you really think about it, your life isn’t just made up of the years you’ve lived—it’s made up of the things you’ve paid attention to. 

What you notice, what you focus on, what you dwell on—these are the things that shape your experience, your memories, and ultimately, your sense of what it means to grow older. 

Attention is powerful. It’s why two people can go through the same event and remember it completely differently. It’s why some people look back on their lives and see mostly joy, while others see mostly loss. It’s not about what happens to us as much as what we choose to notice. 

So, what are you paying attention to? 

Are you noticing the aches, or the ways your body still carries you through the day? 

Are you focusing on what’s changed, or on the parts of yourself that remain steady and strong? 

Do you spend time thinking about what’s missing, or do you give your attention to what’s still abundant in your life—friendships, love, curiosity, purpose? 

The good news is attention isn’t set in stone. It’s something we can shift, just like turning a radio dial to a better station. There are so many things vying for our attention, trying to convince us that we should focus on them; that we will only be happy if certain circumstances exist. But we know, don’t we, that we can choose what deserves our full attention.  This is mindset.   

Try an experiment this month. Pay attention to: 

• The people who bring you joy and connection.
• The things—big or small—that go right in a day.
• The moments of beauty you might normally overlook: the way the morning light fills the room, the way laughter lingers in a conversation, the way your favorite chair welcomes you at the end of the day. 

And maybe most importantly, notice how shifting your attention shifts the way you feel about aging itself. 

Because aging isn’t just about getting older—it’s about what you choose to see along the way. 

Wishing you a February filled with the kind of attention that makes life richer, fuller, and more meaningful. 

Thanks, reader, so very much, for being on this journey with me.