Since February is my Birthday Month, I thought I would write this blog about how I feel about stepping into my 78th year. Truthfully, I am excited. I’ve never been 78 before! Remember when you were in school and you started the year with fresh, blank tablets and notebooks just waiting to be filled with things yet unknown? That’s how I feel about becoming 78. I look forward to it with curiosity and excitement.

I’m assuming many of you are thinking, Why? Well, let me tell you. My outlook on aging is not a reflection of the picture of aging that has been painted by advertising, movies, and stories from our mothers’ and grandmothers’ generations. My attitude toward aging is based on the here and now, where people are living longer, achieving remarkable things at older ages, and living each day according to how they feel—not according to the stories of past generations.

Let’s debunk some of the myths associated with aging. For instance, if you listen to some of the media, you’d think that the majority of elderly people end up in nursing homes, when in truth, only about 5% of the population ends up in a nursing home. How about cognitive decline? In the first nationally representative study of cognitive impairment, Columbia University researchers found that only 10% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older have dementia. New research also shows that diet and lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the risk of cognitive decline. While some cognitive changes are normal with age—such as a slight slowing of processing speed—dementia is not an inevitable part of aging. Many older adults maintain sharp minds throughout their lives.

There are many things that I love about getting older. I have time now to take on and learn new things that I never had time for when I was working and raising a family. I have learned how to handle stress and anxiety much better than I did when I was younger. I am better at acceptance. I know and accept that there are some things I cannot do as well as I did when I was younger. I understand that this is natural, and every age lends itself to new things that I am more capable of now than I was before. I understand the importance of attitude. I now know that I am capable of changing any situation with my attitude, and therefore, I have fewer fears.

I am grateful that I am 78 years old. I am grateful that I am here with all of you, doing something that I love. I am grateful for every trial, every loss, and every mistake because they brought me to this point in my life, where I can step into my 78th year with excitement and curiosity.