The math is getting impossible to ignore. I keep looking at the calendar and realizing that soon I'll be 60 years old, a number that used to sound like the edge of a cliff. When I was twenty, sixty was "ancient." It was the age of sensible shoes, retirement gold watches, and maybe fading into the background of a garden somewhere. But standing here now, it feels less like an ending and more like a bizarre, high-stakes software update.
Life doesn't feel like it’s slowing down; it feels like it’s getting more concentrated.
I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking about what this decade actually means. It isn’t just about the AARP cards or the sudden obsession with knee health. It is a massive psychological shift. You start to realize that you have more "yesterdays" than "tomorrows," and strangely, that doesn’t feel as depressing as I thought it would. It actually feels liberating. You stop caring about the small stuff because, frankly, there isn't enough room in the suitcase anymore for other people's opinions or social obligations that feel like chores.
The weird reality of the 60-year-old brain
There is this persistent myth that the brain just starts to rot once you hit the big six-zero. Science says otherwise. While our processing speed might take a slight hit—it takes me a second longer to remember where I put the spare car keys—our "crystallized intelligence" is actually peaking. This is the stuff that matters. It’s the ability to use learned knowledge and experience to solve problems.
Dr. Dilip Jeste, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist at UC San Diego, has done some fascinating work on "wisdom" in older age. His research suggests that as we age, our brains become better at emotional regulation. We don't get as rattled by the highs and lows. We’ve seen the movie before. We know how the plot ends.
So, while the world obsesses over the "young disruptor" in Silicon Valley, there is a quiet power in the 60-year-old who can look at a crisis and say, "We’ve been here in ’87 and ’08, here is how we fix it." It’s a different kind of mental fitness. It’s about pattern recognition.
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Why physical health is a game of maintenance, not miracles
Let's talk about the body. Honestly, it’s a bit of a project. If I don't stretch, I pay for it for three days. That’s just the tax of living. But the goal of being soon I'll be 60 years old isn't about running a marathon in record time (though some people do). It’s about "healthspan"—the period of life spent in good health, rather than just the total number of years lived.
According to data from the CDC, about 80% of adults 60 and older have at least one chronic condition. That sounds grim, but here’s the kicker: many of those conditions are manageable through lifestyle tweaks that we actually have control over. I’m talking about resistance training. Sarcopenia—the natural loss of muscle mass—is the real enemy here. You don't need to be a bodybuilder, but you do need to lift something heavy twice a week. It keeps the bones dense and the metabolism from completely stalling out.
Money, work, and the "Retirement" lie
The traditional idea of retirement is dying, and honestly? Good riddance. The "stop working at 65 and sit on a porch" model was designed for an era when people died at 70. If you’re healthy at 60, you might easily have 30 more years of active life. That is a whole second career.
I see more people my age starting "encore careers." They are consulting, mentoring, or finally opening that Etsy shop or consulting firm they dreamed about while they were climbing the corporate ladder. The financial aspect is tricky, though. Inflation in 2026 isn't what it was in the 90s. Social Security is a constant headline, and the "4% rule" for withdrawals is being debated by every financial planner from New York to London.
You have to be smart. You have to look at your portfolio not just as a pile of cash, but as a fuel tank for a very long journey.
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Friendships are the new currency
Loneliness is a literal killer. Research from Brigham Young University has famously shown that social isolation is as damaging to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. When you're soon I'll be 60 years old, your social circle starts to change. Kids move out. Parents pass away. Friends retire and move to different climates.
Maintaining a "social convoy"—a term coined by psychologist Toni Antonucci—is vital. These are the people who travel through time with you. But you also need to recruit new, younger friends. They keep you tethered to the current world, and you give them the perspective they’re desperately lacking. It’s a fair trade.
Dealing with the "Invisible" factor
There is this thing that happens to women, especially, but men too, as they approach 60. You start to feel invisible in public spaces. Retailers stop marketing to you. The tech world assumes you can’t use a QR code. It’s annoying. But there’s a flip side to being invisible: it’s a superpower. When you don't feel the need to perform for the "male gaze" or the "corporate gaze," you can finally just be yourself.
I’ve started saying "no" a lot more.
"No, I can't make that meeting."
"No, I don't want to go to that loud restaurant."
"No, I’m not interested in your unsolicited advice."
It’s wonderful.
The digital divide isn't what they think it is
By the way, the idea that 60-year-olds are tech-illiterate is a total fabrication. We grew up with the dawn of the personal computer. We saw the internet happen in real-time. We might not be making 15-second dance videos on whatever the latest app is, but we understand how the systems work. In 2026, the gap isn't about how to use the tool; it's about why we use it. We tend to be more intentional. We use tech to connect, not just to scroll mindlessly. Well, mostly.
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Actionable steps for the big transition
If you're staring down the barrel of 60, don't just let it happen to you. Take the wheel. This isn't a rehearsal.
- Get a full blood panel and a DEXA scan. You need to know your baseline. Knowing your bone density and your metabolic markers (like HbA1c) is way more important than knowing your weight on the scale.
- Audit your "Obligation List." Look at everything you do in a week. If it doesn't bring you joy, money, or deep meaning, cut it. You are officially too old to be bored by choice.
- Invest in "Grip Strength." It sounds weird, but grip strength is a massive predictor of longevity and overall vitality. Get some grippers or do some farmer's carries.
- Update your skills. If you’re still working, learn how to use the latest AI tools. Not because you want to be a coder, but because you need to know how the world is being reshaped so you aren't left out of the conversation.
- Reconnect with your "Why." Most of us spent our 30s and 40s doing things for other people—bosses, children, spouses. At 60, you get to ask what you actually want to do before the clock runs out.
The transition to 60 is a heavy one, but it's also the first time in life where you have the resources, the wisdom, and the "don't give a damn" attitude to actually enjoy yourself. It’s not the twilight; it’s the power hour.
Make sure your estate planning is actually done. Not just a will, but a living trust and healthcare proxies. It’s the ultimate gift to your family—and yourself—to have those decisions locked down so nobody has to guess during a crisis.
Finally, buy the shoes. Not the "sensible" ones the world expects, but the ones that make you want to walk five miles. Movement is the only real fountain of youth we've got left.