Women share 10 eye-opening self-care advice for the younger generation to follow

The power of sisterhood.

Being a woman constitutes many things. It is emotional, complicated, fulfilling, painful and at the end of the day, worthwhile. No matter how the mainstream media portrays female friendships, women go through life having a shared camaraderie with each other. This world is not a level playing field for women and they know it. Therefore, when they are out there, the community always looks out for each other. It was quite evident in the answers to the question posed by u/secretid89, "Older women: What are some underrated ways to take care of ourselves now, to make things easier when we get older?" The thread became viral, with women showing up in huge numbers to share the pearls of wisdom they have acquired throughout their lives. The tips covered everything from physical to mental well-being. Here are 10 tips older women shared for the generation after them to live a fulfilling life.

1. Prioritize friendship

Keep making friends and fostering friendships. My former boss (retired now, in her 60s) has a group of girlfriends. They vacation together, go golfing, shopping, dining, etc. I commended her on this and she explained that her husband is a lot older than her and she was aware that he would likely pass away before her and she didn't want to be alone. Most of her friends are married, but they have prioritized their friendship for decades. u/salsasandwich

2. Moisturization is a step you cannot miss

Lol. Moisturize every day head to toe, no matter how yucky it feels. Your old hormoneless skin will reward you! u/_Monk_3288. I'm only 29, but I usually have to give myself time to dry off after the shower and after I apply lotion. I'll moisturize everything, put on a light robe and finish getting ready. The lotion is soaked in by the time I've brushed my teeth and fixed my hair. If it helps, I use Palmer's cocoa butter for daily use. u/boringish

3. Look after your finances

Financial stability is so important. Make sure you are putting something away now for the future. u/FridaMercury. Please, please, please, save for retirement. I worked in financial advising, the saddest calls were the elderly who got their social security (USA) in the amount of $1000 a month and a pension of $500 per month from their employer. $1500 a month. That is it. They would be sobbing if that check was a day late. My heart broke every single time. u/katerineia

4. Look after your body

Definitely this. Sometimes, I don't want to go to the gym, but I know I should for my health. So, on the days when I really don't want to go, I tell myself to just at least go for 20 minutes because some is better than none. Posted from a comment I made a couple of months ago: The "some is better than none" concept has really resonated with me because I used to be a perfectionist who had high expectations, which led to me having performance anxiety about doing things because of all the steps it would take before things were done to my satisfaction. I think we're really harsh on ourselves and set high expectations (sometimes too high) from the get-go and it's why these things don't become a habit (e.g., "I'm going to go to the gym 6 days a week for 1 hour"). When we start with baby steps ("I'll clean for 5 minutes every day" or "I'll go to the gym 2-3 days a week for 20 minutes"), it's a good way to ease into it and easier to stick with it. I've found it's also an easier way to get things done and to want to get things done by giving ourselves bite-sized, super-achievable goals without feeling defeated beforehand. Yes, the short-term result may not be perfect or I may not have achieved as much as I wanted. But at least I did something and I kept a promise to myself that I would spend a little time working on progressing this one goal. So to me, that is me succeeding in the long term and is worth more than having done nothing at all. More often than not, the 20-minute bike ride turns into a longer workout because I start feeling better and my blood gets moving and I feel good enough for a long workout. But, if I did 20 minutes on the bike and can't get the energy to keep going, well, some is still better than none and it's good for my health and I can try again the next time. u/panda_burrr. This! Even just 10 minutes a day of light stretching can greatly improve your overall health and mobility as you age. Super good for you. u/MissBerry91

5. Sunscreen should be your companion

Sun protection, not only to look more youthful but as skin cancer prevention. A wide-brimmed summer hat, sunglasses and a full-sleeve rashguard are my go-to when I'm at the beach. I might look a little nerdy, but it beats getting sunburnt and having a dozen new moles pop up on my back. u/brbgottagofast. We went to the beach last year and someone commented on my lack of tan when I got back. I said, "Yeah, I stayed under the umbrella 95% of the time and wore SPF 50." I'm pale Irish/German descent. I have had several suspicious moles removed at 34. Sun protection is a must. u/strothsloth

6. Make homes that suit you at all ages

Look around your house, especially if you are a homeowner. I have a ten-year plan to make my home handicap friendly before I retire. I want even floors friendly to wheelchairs and showers without a lip to trip over. My water heater is in the spider dungeon. I plan to move it upstairs. The siding needs to be repaired and the roof replaced before I am on a fixed income. Correct the drains, so I don't have to blow them out every 6 months and put in sprinklers so I don't have to move hoses. And the big one, a wish list more than a to-do list, get solar panels. u/Ember357. My boyfriend and I are only in our 40s, but when we bought our house together 3 years ago, the very first thing on our “not a dealbreaker but literally everything else would have to be perfect” list was a master bedroom on the main floor. Even at our age, it’s so nice not to have to climb the stairs multiple times a day. u/Penny_girl

7. Love your body. It's the best

You know who thinks you look great? You, ten years from now. Embrace and enjoy the body you have right here, right now. Focus on all the things it can do and all the parts that work well and don't hurt. This body you're maybe way too critical of now will likely be a body you will think of fondly in the future, so you may as well treat it fondly now. u/TigerLily98226. Yes! I look at my hot 20-year-old self and wonder why I spent so much time trying to hide my body and felt it wasn't good enough. What an absolute waste of my attention and energy. u/Agreeable_Fennel2283

8. Step away from alcohol

Drink less alcohol and coffee and drink more water. u/leopardsatemycomment. Thanks for mentioning coffee with this recommendation. I think caffeine is more normalized than alcohol nowadays, much to our detriment. u/katsumii

9. Annual screenings are a must

If you have the means to, especially if you live in a country with universal healthcare or have decent health insurance, schedule an annual physical and be up to date on your Pap smears. Even if you are in the US, most insurance companies will fully cover preventative services, which include annual physicals and Paps. Paps are awkward, but it's very important to catch things early. It's easier to treat things early than wait until it's almost too late. u/stygian_shores

10. Remove unwanted things

Edit your life. A couple of years ago, after being upset when two different friends posted yet another unsettling, untrue thing on Facebook regarding vaccines and social justice, I realized I just didn't want to be a fact-checker for my friends. I also quit Facebook. I used to challenge myself to have friends who didn't share all my political and social views, but the last six years have made that challenge way too challenging, the divide cannot be bridged. Also, edit old beliefs, like spiritual or religious, that cause unwarranted guilt or fear or encourage narrow-mindedness. Edit your possessions so you don't have to spend so much time on stuff and so your loved ones don't have so much stuff to deal with after you're no longer able to manage or are dead. Edit your money habits so that you have more stashed away and so things like online shopping or giving money to adult kids don't put a strain on your future by draining your current budget. Edit your wardrobe to keep only things you can comfortably wear and that you find appealing. While doing so, let go of judging others' appearances. You'll be surprised by how much energy it frees up and how much more accepting you'll be of your own appearance. u/TigerLily98226