Alone Time is the New Power Mover

The Public Restroom Dilemma

December 26, 2024

Hello there fellow Ageless!

As the wrapping paper settles and the last echoes of holiday festivities fade, we're welcoming you to a different kind of "day after" celebration—one that's all about embracing what's next. Whether you're basking in the peaceful solitude of a quiet house (finally!), or plotting your financial strategy for 2025, this week's edition is your guide to starting the new year on your own terms. We're diving into the surprising science of alone time (spoiler: it's actually a superpower), debunking an age-old bathroom myth that's been keeping us on our toes (literally), and revealing how yesterday's workout could be the key to remembering where you put those gift receipts. Plus, we're taking a clear-eyed look at why your checkbook might be ready for retirement—even if you're not. Ready to wrap up 2024 with wisdom, wit, and a few unexpected truths? Let's turn this post-holiday pause into your power move!

🏋️‍♂️ Vibrant Living: Empowering Your Health and Wellness

The Joy of Solitude: Remember when having the house to yourself felt like winning the lottery? These days, everyone's acting like alone time after 50 is some kind of cosmic punishment—as if solitude automatically equals sitting in a rocking chair waiting for rescue. Let's talk about how they got that so wrong. While the world keeps pushing their "loneliness epidemic" headlines, many of us are secretly discovering what we knew all along: choosing your own company can be downright delicious. We're the generation that fought for independence—why stop now? Science backs us up too. Research shows that solitude actually sharpens your mind and lowers stress. A truth our worried children might appreciate: independence strengthens with practice.

Here's the thing about solitude that nobody tells you: it's like having a superpower that gets stronger with age. Think of it as hitting the reset button on your mental health without having to explain yourself to anyone. Recent studies show that people who embrace alone time become more creative, focused, and resilient—and ironically, more engaging when they do socialize. (Funny how they never mention those benefits in those "check on your elderly neighbor" campaigns, right?) Whether you're adjusting to an empty nest, reinventing yourself post-retirement, or just tired of explaining that yes you do know how to fill your free time, solitude offers the perfect space to process life's changes without the running commentary from the peanut gallery.

So how do we make friends with solitude? Start by treating it like the luxury it is. And remember—this isn't about isolating yourself in a remote cabin. Sometimes the sweetest solitude is found in simple moments: savoring your morning coffee at a bustling café or losing yourself in a book at the local library. "Me dates" with the same importance as your hair appointments—because you've earned this time, darling. Take yourself on an artist date to that gallery you've been curious about, or finally read that spicy novel without explaining the cover to anyone. Start that "someday" project without a single person asking when it'll be done. Create a personal sanctuary space where "do not disturb" actually means something. Remember those elaborate meals you used to cook? Try new recipes without worrying about anyone else's palate. Begin a wisdom journal, because after five decades on this earth, you've got some thoughts worth capturing. The beauty of intentional solitude is that it's all about choosing peace over noise, wisdom over worry, and self-discovery over self-doubt. And let's be honest—after years of being everybody else's everything, isn't it time we got comfortable being our own best company?

​​💰 Wealth Wisdom: Securing Your Financial Future

Are Checks Becoming a Thing of the Past? Remember writing your first check for that starter apartment—the careful way you filled in each line, making sure every letter was perfect? That tactile moment, pen on paper marking our entry into real adulthood, as significant as our first job or that initial credit card. We mastered the art of the checkbook register when calculators were luxury items and banking happened strictly between 9 and 3. Yet much like the Thursday nights we once reserved for Dallas and Dynasty, paper checks are becoming a relic of the past. While we've evolved from rotary phones to smartphones, checks have remained stubbornly unchanged—persisting by necessity in certain industries and as a trusted paper handshake in others—and that's precisely why they're fading away.

The decline of paper checks reflects a broader shift in how money moves in our digital world. According to the Federal Reserve, check payments have plummeted by over 50% in the last decade. Nearly half of Americans didn’t write a check last year, as more secure and efficient digital alternatives have taken their place. This isn't just about convenience—it's about security and sustainability too. Digital payments eliminate the risks of lost mail or stolen checks, while automated bill pay ensures we never miss a deadline (goodbye late fees!). Apps like Venmo and Zelle process transactions instantly, while traditional checks can take days to clear. Sure, there's a learning curve—that heart-stopping moment when you realize you've added an extra zero to your payment, or discovered there are three Jennifers in your contact list and you just sent your yoga instructor's fee to your neighbor's college-age daughter instead. But for those of us who grew up balancing checkbooks, these digital tools offer something remarkable: real-time tracking of every dollar, making money management clearer than ever.

Think of this transition as part of our ongoing reinvention story. Just as we've mastered smartphones, streaming services, and yes, even cryptocurrency (as we explored in last month's Bitcoin feature), we can embrace this financial evolution too. Digital banking isn't just about keeping up with the times—it's about taking control of our financial future with tools that make life easier and more secure. And while we might miss the satisfying swish of tearing out a check, the convenience of paying bills in our pajamas at midnight is hard to beat. We're the generation that's redefining what it means to age with confidence, and mastering modern money management is just another way we're leading the charge. The checkbook may be headed for retirement, but we're just getting started.

🧠 Lifelong Learning And Brain Boosts

Want a Better Memory Tomorrow? Ever notice how your friend who never sits still seems to remember every detail from book club, while you're still trying to recall the author's name? Or how about those days when you nail your grandkid's complicated soccer schedule, versus the moments when you can't remember where you parked at Target? Well, science is finally catching up to what some of us have suspected all along. A new study found that adults over 50 who squeeze in a moderate-to-vigorous workout showed improved memory performance the very next day. And no, we're not talking about training for a marathon—think brisk walking, swimming, or channeling your inner Dancing Queen to those ABBA tunes you still remember all the words to.

Here's the fascinating part: while we've known that exercise gives us an immediate mental boost, this research shows the benefits are like a gift that keeps on giving—right into the next day. The science behind it is actually pretty cool: moderate exercise increases blood flow to our brain and triggers the release of chemicals like norepinephrine and dopamine (think of them as your brain's personal trainers), enhancing both focus and memory. The study of adults aged 50-83 found that just 30 minutes of moderate activity improved both short-term and long-term memory the following day. But here's the kicker—being more sedentary than usual led to poorer memory the next day, and light exercise didn't cut it. You need to get that heart rate up! The silver lining? A good night's sleep (we're talking six hours minimum) helps lock in these benefits, and the mood boost can last up to 24 hours.

Now, before you add "vigorous exercise" to that ever-growing to-do list (the one you swear was just on the kitchen counter), remember this isn't about perfection. It's about finding 30 minutes of movement that brings you joy. Maybe it's swimming laps while debating the latest binge-worthy series with your pool pals, taking that dance class you've been eyeing (bonus points for learning new steps—a double memory workout!), or power walking around the neighborhood while finally finishing that audiobook. The irony of needing to remember to exercise to improve our memory isn't lost on us, but isn't it empowering to know we can support our brain health through something as simple as movement? Who knows—maybe tomorrow, after adding in your 30 minutes of activity, you'll even remember where you put those reading glasses you're wearing on top of your head.

To Squat or Not to Squat—That Is the Question: Ah, the public toilet—a place where women face yet another gender gap. For generations, we've dutifully passed down one sacred rule: "Don't sit!" Like a game of telephone through the decades, this wisdom has traveled from our great-aunts to our mothers to us, turning ordinary women into reluctant gymnasts. Whether learned from family lore or those questionable magazine articles we devoured in the '80s, the message was crystal clear—hover like an Olympic athlete, or risk...what, exactly? While squatting may have seemed like the only way to protect ourselves from germs, science tells a different story. Public toilet seats are surprisingly low-risk zones for infection. Those bacteria aren't staging an uprising anytime soon; they're more like lazy squatters who can't survive long on a toilet seat. So, while your thighs might feel the burn, your squat isn't exactly saving you from anything. Meanwhile, holding it in because you refuse to hover is a recipe for problems like bladder infections and weakened pelvic floor muscles—issues that women over 50 definitely don't need to add to their "fun with aging" bingo card.

Let's talk about what that heroic hover is really doing to us. Squatting instead of sitting prevents your pelvic floor from relaxing fully—imagine trying to pour out a watering can while someone's squeezing the middle. That's incomplete voiding in action, doctor-speak for leaving urine behind, which practically rolls out the welcome mat for UTIs. And here's the kicker: those pesky UTIs already love us more as we age, thanks to our shifting hormones. Add in the physical reality check of maintaining a perfect squat (because let's face it, our knees now come with their own weather forecasting ability), and suddenly this bathroom ballet seems less like protection and more like punishment.

So, what's a germ-conscious woman who's done with aerial acrobatics to do? Embrace the toilet seat cover—or, in a pinch, the classic toilet paper barrier for peace of mind. For the truly prepared (and isn't that all of us now?), pack those flushable wipes or a portable seat cover. And now that you have learned the importance of not holding it in, if you have plans for long car rides, keep a stock of TravelJanes in your car just in case! And while we're shattering long-held myths, here's the real truth: washing your hands thoroughly afterward matters far more than any Olympic-level hovering. It's time we lead the charge in changing this narrative—because honestly, haven't we earned the right to sit down in peace? The choice to squat or sit is yours, but science says you can take a seat, let your pelvic floor relax, and save those squats for your workout playlist. After all, the bathroom shouldn't be one more place where we fight gravity—we do enough of that already.

🔗 The Extras - Fun Stuff We Had to Share

🌿 Sage Reflections

“Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it.”

-Gilda Radner

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