What makes someone rare—the kind of soul you don’t forget—isn’t their age. It’s how they carry their age.
Not everyone gets better with age.
Some get cranky. Others get stuck. And a few—just a few—seem to become more alive, more awake, more them.
They’re not pretending to be young. They’re just fully here.
If you’re in your 70s and still doing these things, I don’t say this lightly: you’re a once-in-a-lifetime soul.
Let’s get into it.
1. You keep trying new things
Plenty of people tap out of novelty by their 50s.
But if you're still experimenting with new hobbies, new tech, or even just ordering something different on the menu—there's something different about you.
That’s how plastic your mind still is.
The willingness to stay open, curious, and flexible isn’t just rare—it’s inspiring.
2. You listen more than you speak
By 70, most people assume they’ve seen it all and don’t need to hear another opinion.
But if you still pause and genuinely listen—to a 25-year-old, to your grandchild, to someone with a different worldview—you’re operating on another frequency.
It shows you're not attached to being right.
It shows you know wisdom doesn’t always come with age.
3. You walk every day without needing a reason
I’m not talking about walking because your doctor told you to.
I’m talking about walking because you like it. Because it clears your mind. Because your body asks for it.
When I visited Kyoto a few years ago, I met a man in his 70s who’d been walking the same mountain trail every day for 30 years. Not to “exercise.” Just to move, breathe, and see the seasons change.
He wasn’t chasing longevity. He was just in rhythm with life.
That kind of presence? You don’t learn it from books.
4. You’re still emotionally available
Let’s be honest—emotional shutdown happens young for some people, and it doesn’t get better with time.
But if you’re still willing to say “I’m sorry,” still able to cry during a movie, still capable of deep joy, empathy, and real connection—you’ve kept your heart intact.
Still accessing that in your 70s? That’s a rare, powerful thing.
5. You can admit when you were wrong
This one hits different.
It’s easy to double down on your past. To protect the version of you that made different choices. Or to act like your worldview is the correct one because you’ve lived long enough to feel entitled to it.
But if you’re someone who can pause, reflect, and say, “You know what? I was wrong about that”—then you’ve evolved past ego.
That’s not just maturity. That’s mastery.
6. You mentor without preaching
The best people in their 70s don’t bark advice or drop cliches.
They ask questions. They tell stories. They let others find their own way without inserting themselves.
When I worked a short freelance gig mentoring teens on a creative writing program, the guy co-facilitating with me was in his early 70s. He said barely a word all week.
But the kids flocked to him.
Why? Because he listened. He didn’t make it about him. He made them feel capable.
That’s what real guidance looks like.
7. You maintain friendships that go both ways
Not just acquaintances. Not just “people you know.”
I’m talking about friendships where you show up for each other. Where you know what’s going on in their life. Where the emotional labor is shared.
Maintaining those in your 70s? It takes effort.
It means you didn’t become cynical or isolated. It means you still believe in people. That you stayed generous without becoming bitter.
One of my oldest friends, Steve, has an aunt in her 70s named Rita. Every few weeks, she calls him just to ask how he’s doing—and she listens. She also hosts game nights, drives 30 minutes to visit friends who can’t travel anymore, and sends handwritten letters to people she hasn’t seen in years.
I met her once at a dinner party and watched her quietly refill someone’s glass mid-conversation, laughing softly like she had all the time in the world. That kind of friendship doesn’t come from convenience. It comes from love. Real, intentional love.
8. You forgive your younger self
You can feel it in people—the ones still angry at their younger years. Still regretting that one decision. Still holding on to what should’ve been.
But if you’ve made peace with your past?
If you’ve learned to say, “I didn’t know better then, but I do now”—then you’re doing something most people never get around to.
Forgiving your younger self takes more than time. It takes depth. It takes real inner work.
And it sets you free.
9. You celebrate others without comparing
You know what’s beautiful? Being around someone in their 70s who can still cheer for others.
Who doesn’t need to be the center of attention. Who isn’t secretly measuring themselves against everyone else’s highlight reel.
That kind of clarity—that kind of contentment—is magnetic. And uncommon.
10. You still find awe in small things
This one gets me every time.
People in their 70s who notice the way light filters through the trees. Who still sit on a park bench just to feel the breeze. Who say things like, “Would you look at that moon tonight?”
They’re not naive.
They’ve just never stopped falling in love with life.
If that’s you—you’re not just aging well.
You’re living well.
Final thoughts
Aging doesn’t automatically make you wise.
What makes someone rare—the kind of soul you don’t forget—isn’t their age.
It’s how they carry their age.
It’s how they show up. How they move through the world. How they treat others. And how alive they stay.
If you’re still doing these things in your 70s?
You’re not just impressive.
You’re one of a kind.
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