Why I Am Looking Forward to My 70s

My next birthday will be one of the big ones: 70! I am not anxious, but it will certainly be significant. Turning 70 feels like an important milestone—a time to look back with gratitude while also looking ahead with anticipation. I feel fortunate that most of my ancestors lived fairly long lives, which gives me encouragement to look forward to more learning, new experiences, and the opportunity to continue being the Curious George that I am.

Is 70 the new 50? Well, maybe not, but surely it is the new 65. I am discovering that getting older does not necessarily mean becoming less interested in life. In many ways, it can mean having more freedom to decide what is truly important. There are fewer reasons to worry about impressing others and more opportunities to spend time doing what brings meaning and enjoyment.

Research on happiness suggests that people often become happier and more satisfied with life as they grow older. After a dip that commonly occurs during middle age, well-being often rises again later in life. Why? Researchers point to greater emotional wisdom, more acceptance of ourselves and others, and a shift in focus toward relationships, health, hobbies, and experiences that truly matter.

I have seen this in my counseling work as well. Clients often struggle after retirement with the question, “What am I supposed to do now?” For decades, life had revolved around work, family, and meeting other people’s needs. Over time, that question became, “What do I want to do now?” One client facing this dilemma reconnected with an old friend, became involved in the community, and returned to a long-neglected hobby. Months later, he client told me, “I thought getting older was going to make my world smaller. In some ways, it has made it bigger.”

That idea has stayed with me.

I find the idea of emotional wisdom particularly appealing. At 70, perhaps I will be less likely to sweat the small stuff. Decades of experience teach us that not every disagreement needs to be won, not every mistake needs to be regretted, and not every disappointment needs to define us.

One of the strongest lessons about aging comes from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has followed people for more than 85 years. Its most important finding is remarkably simple: close relationships are strongly connected to our health and happiness. It is not necessarily about having dozens of friends. A few meaningful relationships can make an enormous difference.

That is an encouraging message as I enter my 70s. Investing time in family and friends may be one of the most valuable things I can do. A lunch with a friend, a phone call to a family member, or an afternoon spent laughing and sharing stories can matter more than we realize.

I also look forward to continuing to learn. Curiosity does not have an expiration date. There are books I have not read, places I have not visited, subjects I know little about, and questions I have not yet thought to ask.

Of course, aging brings challenges, and I do not want to pretend otherwise. There may be changes in health, energy, or circumstances that require adjustment. But every additional year is also an opportunity—to enjoy a good meal, laugh with friends, learn something new, and make memories with the people I love.

So rather than thinking of 70 as the beginning of a decline, I prefer to think of it as another chapter. I have accumulated seven decades of experiences, lessons, relationships, mistakes, successes, and memories. I cannot change the past, but I can decide how I want to spend the years ahead.

Seventy may not be the new 50, but it can be a wonderful new beginning. I intend to enter my 70s with curiosity, gratitude, humor, and an open mind. After all, there is still plenty to learn—and I am not finished being Curious George yet!