After catching herself shuffling through the grocery store at 70, muttering complaints about her aching back, one woman's encounter with a vibrant octogenarian sparked a year-long transformation that left her feeling more alive at 71 than she did at 65.
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When I turned 70 last year, I caught myself shuffling through the grocery store, shoulders hunched, muttering complaints about my aching back to anyone who would listen. Then I spotted a woman who must have been in her eighties, striding past me with a spring in her step and a radiant smile. The contrast hit me like cold water. That evening, I took a hard look at the habits that were aging me faster than the calendar ever could.
The truth is, staying young and vibrant in our seventies isn't about denying our age or chasing some fountain of youth. It's about letting go of the habits that weigh us down and embracing the ones that lift us up. After a year of conscious changes, I feel more alive now than I did at 65. Here are the habits I've learned we need to release if we want to truly thrive in this remarkable decade.
1. Saying "I'm too old for that"
How often do these words slip out before we even consider what we're dismissing? I used to say this about everything from trying new restaurants to learning new technology. But here's what I discovered: every time we declare ourselves too old, we build another bar in our own prison.
Last month, my granddaughter invited me to try paddleboarding. My first instinct was to decline with my usual excuse. Instead, I said yes. Did I fall in? Absolutely. Did I laugh harder than I had in months? You bet. The phrase "too old" is a thief that steals experiences before we even have them. Replace it with "let me think about that" or even better, "why not?"
2. Avoiding mirrors and photos
For years after my second knee replacement, I dodged cameras like a celebrity avoiding paparazzi. Mirrors became enemies showing me everything I thought was wrong. But avoiding our reflection means avoiding ourselves. When I finally joined that watercolor class at the community center, I had to look closely at my hands, my face, the way light played across my features. What I saw wasn't perfection, but it was beautiful in its own weathered, experienced way.
Now I make peace with mirrors daily and smile at photos, even the unflattering ones. They're proof I'm here, living, participating. Your face tells the story of your life. Why would you want to hide that masterpiece?
3. Treating doctor visits like social events
Do you know someone whose calendar revolves around medical appointments, who can recite their medication list faster than their grandchildren's names? I was becoming that person until I realized I was making my health problems the star of my life's show.
Yes, we need medical care, especially at our age. After my breast cancer scare at 52, I never skip important screenings. But there's a difference between being responsible and making illness your identity. Schedule your appointments, take your medications, then fill the rest of your calendar with life.
4. Eating the same meals on repeat
Tuesday is meatloaf, Thursday is chicken, Sunday is pot roast. Sound familiar? Routine can be comforting, but when our meals become as predictable as sunset, we're missing one of life's great pleasures. Our taste buds don't retire at 70, so why should our culinary adventures?
I recently tried Ethiopian food for the first time. Was it different? Incredibly so. Did I love everything? Not quite. But the experience made me feel adventurous and alive. Challenge yourself to try one new recipe or restaurant each month. Your palate and your spirit will thank you.
5. Staying in your comfort zone physically
When both my knees needed replacing in my sixties, I thought my active days were over. Physical therapy taught me otherwise. The body at 70 is capable of far more than we give it credit for, but only if we keep challenging it.
Starting yoga at 58 seemed crazy at the time. Now, at 71, I can touch my toes and hold a tree pose for a full minute. Not bad for someone with two artificial knees, right? You don't need to run marathons, but you do need to move beyond what feels easy. Dance in your kitchen, take the stairs when you can, join a tai chi class. Your body's limitations don't have to limit your spirit.
6. Living in the past
"Back in my day" might be the most aging phrase in the English language. While our memories are treasures, living in them is like trying to drive while only looking in the rearview mirror. You're bound to crash into something.
I love my memories of teaching high school for 32 years, but I don't want to be the person who only talks about how things used to be. The present moment is where life happens. The past already had its turn.
7. Neglecting new friendships
It's easy to stick with the friends we've had for decades, but what happens when those circles naturally shrink? Loneliness can age us faster than any birthday. Making new friends at 70 feels daunting, but it's also invigorating.
That watercolor class I mentioned? I met three women there who've become dear friends. We're all beginners, all imperfect, all laughing at our attempts to paint fruit that doesn't look like abstract art. New friendships bring fresh energy and perspectives into our lives.
8. Saying no to technology
Can we talk about the elephant in the room? Technology isn't going away, and refusing to engage with it only isolates us further. You don't need to become a tech wizard, but basic skills keep you connected to the world and to younger generations.
Learning to video call has let me read bedtime stories to grandchildren three states away. Using apps helps me track my yoga progress and find new hiking trails. Each small tech victory makes me feel capable and current.
9. Postponing joy
After my cancer scare at 52, I promised myself I'd stop waiting for the "right time" to be happy. Yet somehow, I still catch myself postponing joy, saving the good china, keeping that special dress for an occasion that never comes.
What are we waiting for? This is the occasion. Wear the nice jewelry to the grocery store. Use the guest towels. Open that bottle of wine on a Tuesday. Joy doesn't have an expiration date, but we do.
10. Believing your best years are behind you
Perhaps the most toxic habit is believing our peak has passed. Who decided that youth equals best? At 71, I have wisdom I didn't have at 31, patience I lacked at 51, and a self-acceptance that eluded me for decades.
In my recent post about finding purpose after retirement, I wrote about discovering that each decade brings its own gifts. Our seventies offer freedom from caring so much about others' opinions, time to pursue passions without guilt, and the experience to know what truly matters.
Final thoughts
Letting go of these habits isn't always easy. Some days I still catch myself slipping into old patterns, complaining about my knees or avoiding the mirror. But each time I choose curiosity over closure, movement over stagnation, or yes over no, I feel that spark of vitality return.
Our seventies can be a time of narrowing or expanding. The choice is ours, made fresh each morning when we decide how to greet the day. Will you shuffle through it, or will you stride? The woman I saw in the grocery store made her choice clear. Now I'm making mine. What about you?
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Marlene Martin
Marlene is a retired high school English teacher and longtime writer who draws on decades of lived experience to explore personal development, relationships, resilience, and finding purpose in life’s second act. When she’s not at her laptop, she’s usually in the garden at dawn, baking Sunday bread, taking watercolor classes, playing piano, or volunteering at a local women’s shelter teaching life skills.
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