As we get older, some of the things we once loved can slowly disappear from our routines.

The garden becomes harder to maintain. Going out takes more planning. A favourite hobby becomes physically difficult. Without really deciding to, our world can sometimes become smaller.

But growing older may change how we do the things we love. It doesn’t mean we have to stop doing them.

Keeping movement, learning, creativity and connection in our lives matters. It’s not always easy, but continuing to make space for the things that make us feel like ourselves is important.

Choose Yourself

Sometimes, doing the things we enjoy takes a little more effort. We might move differently, need a helping hand, or find a new way of doing something we once took for granted.

We can’t pretend that nothing changes. It does, for all of us. But trying to maintain our ability to do what matters to us is essential.

Go for that walk. Meet a friend. Get back into the garden. Cook something you love. Learn something new. Pick up an old hobby again.

It might look different than it used to, and that’s okay. Making space for what brings you joy, in whatever way you can, is a way of choosing yourself.

Change How You Do It, Not Necessarily What You Do

Perhaps you can’t manage an entire garden anymore, but you can tend a few pots at a comfortable height.

Cooking may become tiring, but you could prepare a favourite dish with someone else, or teach a child or grandchild how to make a recipe you’ve known for years.

Sometimes the answer is simply finding another way. Occupational therapy can help adapt everyday activities when they become more difficult.

Keep trying new things too. Listen to unfamiliar music. Join a class. Take a different walk. Continuing to learn and challenge the mind can form part of a cognitively enriching lifestyle.

Ageing is a stage of life like any other, and one that deserves to be lived and cherished just as fully. Our abilities may change, but curiosity, purpose and enjoyment can remain part of who we are.

Growing older may mean finding new ways to do the things we love, rather than leaving them behind.

Five Things to Try This Week

• Keep one thing you already love in your routine, even if you need to adapt it.
• Try one unfamiliar activity. Sketch, read a new book, try a recipe, do a puzzle or learn something new on your phone.
• Add some movement to most days, at a level appropriate for you. If you’re unsure what is safe, speak to a physiotherapist or a healthcare professional.
• Make one social plan, whether it’s a coffee, phone call, walk or visit.
• When something becomes difficult, ask “How could I do this differently?”