While science searches for the fountain of youth in laboratories, a growing number of septuagenarians have already discovered it in their daily habits from morning kitchen dance sessions to learning Italian on smartphone apps at 66.
Last week at the farmer's market, I overheard a conversation that made me smile.
A vendor was chatting with one of my hiking buddies, guessing she was "what, maybe 62?"
She laughed and told him she'd just celebrated her 74th birthday.
The look on his face was priceless, and it got me thinking about all the vibrant people I know in their seventies who consistently leave younger folks stunned when they reveal their actual age.
What is it about these individuals that makes them seem a full decade younger?
After years of observing my peers who've mastered this particular art, I've noticed some common threads: It's about the choices we make every single day that keep us engaged, curious, and genuinely alive.
1) They move their bodies with intention every day
The difference between those who seem younger and those who don't often comes down to movement.
I'm not talking about running marathons here.
When I started practicing yoga at 58, I could barely touch my toes.
Now, over a decade later, I credit that practice with keeping me mobile and, frankly, sane through all of life's transitions.
The people who fool everyone about their age understand that bodies in motion stay in motion.
They take the stairs when they can, garden, and dance in their kitchens while making breakfast.
One friend in my hiking group does gentle stretches while watching the evening news.
She says it's become as automatic as brushing her teeth, and at 73, she moves with the ease of someone twenty years younger.
2) They embrace technology without fear
Nothing ages us faster in the eyes of younger generations than being befuddled by technology.
The septuagenarians who seem younger have made peace with the digital world.
They video call their grandchildren, manage their own online banking, and yes, some even have Instagram accounts where they share their garden photos or travel adventures.
This means approaching new technology with curiosity rather than dread.
When I decided to learn Italian at 66 to prepare for a trip I'd always dreamed of taking, I downloaded language apps on my phone.
Was it frustrating at first? Absolutely, but that willingness to engage with the tools of today's world made all the difference, both in my learning and in how I connect with people of all ages.
3) They maintain genuine friendships across generations
Have you noticed how some older people only socialize with others their exact age? The ones who seem younger break this pattern completely.
They have coffee with the 35-year-old neighbor, join book clubs with mixed age groups, and genuinely listen to what younger people have to say.
This is about remaining open and interested in perspectives different from our own.
When younger people sense that genuine interest, age becomes irrelevant.
The conversations flow naturally, and suddenly nobody's thinking about the number on your driver's license.
4) They keep learning new skills
The brain that stops learning starts aging faster than any other part of us.
At 67, I decided to learn piano.
Could I have started earlier? Sure, but the point wasn't to become a concert pianist.
It was to prove to myself that new skills have no age limit, and to keep those neural pathways firing in fresh directions.
The youthful septuagenarians I know are always picking up something new.
One friend started watercolor painting at 71, while another joined a community theater group at 72, despite never having acted before.
These are declarations that we're still growing, still becoming.
That energy of constant evolution? It's magnetic at any age.
5) They dress with style
Somewhere along the line, we got sold this idea that after 70, we should dress in beige and disappear into the background.
The people who seem younger ignore this completely.
They wear colors that make them happy, and choose clothes that fit well and make them feel confident, whether that's a sharp blazer or a comfortable pair of well-fitted jeans.
This is about maintaining a sense of personal style and taking pride in appearance without obsessing over it.
When you feel good in what you're wearing, you carry yourself differently.
You stand taller, smile more readily, and that confidence reads as vitality, not age.
6) They stay curious about the world
"Tell me about your work" or "What's that book about?" or "How did you learn to do that?"
These are the questions that keep us young.
The septuagenarians who seem younger haven't lost their sense of wonder about the world.
They read widely, watch documentaries, ask questions, and genuinely want to understand how things work and why people think the way they do.
Every evening, regardless of weather, I take a walk around my neighborhood.
Sometimes I discover a new flowering bush I've never noticed, sometimes I chat with a neighbor about their renovation project, and sometimes I just observe the changing seasons.
This simple practice keeps me connected to the world's constant evolution and reminds me there's always something new to discover, even on the most familiar street.
7) They laugh easily and often
Laughter might be the most underrated anti-aging treatment available.
The people who seem youngest at heart find humor in daily life, can laugh at themselves, and don't take every small frustration as a personal affront.
They watch comedy specials, share funny stories, and maintain that lightness of spirit that makes them delightful company.
As someone who wrote about finding joy after loss in a previous post, I know firsthand that maintaining humor through life's challenges isn't always easy.
However, those who manage it seem to carry fewer of life's weights on their shoulders.
Their faces reflect joy more than worry, and that emotional lightness translates directly into how others perceive their age.
8) They focus on purpose
The word "retirement" can be a trap if it means retiring from life itself.
The most vital people over 70 have simply shifted their purpose.
They volunteer, mentor, create, contribute.
Additionally, they wake up with something to do that matters, even if that something has changed from their working years.
After 32 years of teaching, I thought retirement might feel empty.
Instead, I found new purpose in writing, in sharing what I've learned, in connecting with readers who are navigating their own life transitions.
This sense of continued contribution, of still having something to offer, keeps us engaged with life rather than simply observing it pass by.
Final thoughts
The secret to seeming younger is about refusing to act old, refusing to accept limitations that aren't real, and refusing to stop growing just because we've reached a certain number.
The friends I know who consistently surprise people with their age have simply decided that chronological age is just one small fact about them.
In that decision lies all the difference!
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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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