An Interview With My Dad At Age 76 & His Secrets To Creating Longevity & Purpose As You Age
My dad Paul, is 76 years old and currently maintains his health by engaging in a variety of exercises, such as riding his mules, hiking, taking long walks, gardening, and working on numerous outdoor projects. He does not take any medication and has recently adopted a whole-food diet that is both nutritious and satisfying. While he enjoys eating meat occasionally, the majority of his meals are primarily plant-based. He chooses not to drink alcohol and limits his caffeine intake to support his overall well-being. In his early career years, he worked in law enforcement, which was, at times, incredibly stressful and demanding. However, he has found that regular exercise and spending time outdoors have been instrumental in helping him cope with that stress over the years. I took a moment to ask him for his perspective on aging well and creating a sense of longevity and purpose as one grows older. He lives on 7 acres with my mom in beautiful rural Arizona, a place that offers him the freedom to hike and ride his mules while fully enjoying the wonders of nature that surround him.
When you ride your mules and are in nature, how does this make you feel?
Relaxed and joyful with no anxiety and a feeling of freedom to go wherever I want without the boundaries of private lands, highways, and fences. He said this makes him feel better than any medicine he could ever take.
Why do you think nature is so healing for you?
Being out in nature helps me understand where I came from and the bigger why of what we are all a part of. When I am in nature this reduces anxiety and provides stress relief and exercise, all combined into one.
What is the connection of caring for your mules/horses and gardening to reducing stress?
Caring for the mules and gardening is a form of exercise and a sense of accomplishment. Exercise as a result of something you do that is fun relieves stress and anxiety. It also provides a form of strength training while completing these activities. This gives me the ability to keep doing activities as I age.
How do you think the feeling of having purpose contributes to longevity? How did you find your sense of purpose as you shifted from going to work every day to scheduling your day?
Waking up in the morning with a purpose, a reason to get out of bed, takes away the feeling of not feeling valued or having worth as you age. When I was younger, going to work every day was a must, whether I liked it or not, and I had to do it so I could make money for my family. In retirement, it promotes longevity to create a purpose like volunteering, packing, riding mules, fishing, gardening, exploring, and plain old walking. Having this purpose creates longevity by keeping me physically and mentally active. Last year, I built my sixth house from the ground up. I learned construction at a young age and have always built our homes. Only a small percentage of people in this world know how to build a home from start to finish. Some people can do DIY projects on their homes, but building an entire home is different. By staying active, I was able to build our new family home at age 75 with my wife. Building the house promoted exercise and mental clarity as I reviewed the process. This has helped keep me feeling younger than I am and promoted aging well. This also gives me a strong sense of accomplishment and makes me proud.
How does volunteering help you create strong self-worth?
Volunteering creates so much enjoyment and it has fulfilled my dream of giving back. You hear people say “When in doubt, focus out” and this is what volunteering is all about for me. It takes the focus off of me and allows me to give back to others.
Anything else you would like to share?
Creating longevity and learning to age well does not have to be difficult. It should bring you joy and be something that can be incorporated into your daily life. When you combine your hobbies and passion into your daily life then aging well becomes easy. This is what keeps you going and getting up each morning.
