Dear LPG,

I have always been a bit of an introvert I suppose, but when I was working, I learned to get on with my work colleagues although now that I have retired, I think that I am beginning to become a bit of a reclusive animal.  Like most of the people that visit this website, I am older, and I think that many of us get to the stage where we get a bit negative, even if we don’t realise it ourselves.  I suppose that the feeling of negativity can affect us regardless of age and as a result of a variety of things that happen in our lives.

I think it is something that you don’t even recognise when it starts to affect you, and it was one of my grandchildren that told me about all the ways I have changed over the past few years.  One day she visited and while we were having a bit of a chat, she asked me what was wrong.  I was taken aback a little and when I said nothing, she told me that in her estimation, my smile and sense of humour had been gradually disappearing for a while and asked what was depressing me.  It was a bit of a wakeup call and after our chat I realised that a few of my friends had been hinting at the same thing, although I had not actually paid them much attention.

What she said forced me to make a 2019 New Year’s resolution to get out more and do more, although I had no idea where to start.  I joined a day centre for elders, and I have to admit it was really hard at first, even though I went with a neighbour who had been trying to invite me for quite a while.

They did all the usual things there, but I most enjoyed the mobility exercise sessions where the music brought back memories of happier times and, even though I remember watching all the others rather than making the effort at first,  after a few weeks I did feel more positive.

They say that exercise is good for the body as well as the mind and I have to agree, even if you do more watching than doing at first, the aches and pains diminish and I feel somewhat more positive in myself; which my granddaughter also observed when she last visited.

EP, Downham

LPG found some information that supports EP’s theory

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