If you want your 60s and 70s to be some of the best years of your life, say goodbye to these 6 behaviors

I’ll be upfront: I’m not in my 60s or 70s.

However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed patterns in the people around me. Some seem to thrive as they hit these decades, while others shrink back, letting their world get smaller.

The writer in me couldn’t resist exploring this. What I found is fascinating—and surprisingly actionable. 

Here are six behaviors worth saying goodbye to if you want your later years to be full of energy, connection, and meaning.

1. Holding onto loneliness instead of nurturing connections

Loneliness can creep up quietly. Maybe your circle shrinks after retirement, or you don’t put as much effort into friendships.

But here’s the thing: the science is brutal on this one.

Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad’s research found that chronic loneliness and social isolation can be twice as damaging as obesity—or as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That’s how much relationships matter.

It’s not about having hundreds of friends. It’s about cultivating meaningful bonds.

Grab coffee with an old friend. Join a walking group. Call your kids, even if it’s just for five minutes. Those small actions can add up to something life-sustaining.

2. Believing aging is only decline

Some people start treating their age like a countdown clock. Every new ache or wrinkle reinforces the idea that “it’s all downhill from here.”

But studies show your mindset about aging can literally add years to your life.

Yes, you read that right.

Yale psychologist Becca Levy found that older adults with positive attitudes toward aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those with negative ones. That’s almost a decade—just from changing how you see yourself.

Aging brings challenges, sure. But it also brings wisdom, freedom, and perspective. If you want to thrive, ditch the “decline only” narrative and start seeing aging as another stage of growth.

3. Avoiding movement

 “Exercise is the closest thing we’ve found to a magic pill for combating the effects of aging.” – Linda P. Fried, dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health

Here’s one I’ve seen often: people slow down in their 60s and 70s, not just because of their bodies, but because they convince themselves it’s “normal” to do less.

It doesn’t mean you need to start training for a marathon. It means finding movement you enjoy—yoga, swimming, long walks, even gardening. The trick is consistency. Motion keeps the body alive, and the mind sharp right along with it.

4. Thinking you’re “too old” to learn

I’ve seen this mindset shut people down more than anything else. Someone retires and says, “I’m done learning.” But the brain doesn’t work like that. It thrives on novelty.

Harvard experts note that learning new things pays off in big ways. For example, people who speak two or more languages—even if they learned the second one as adults—can slow down age-related mental decline.

So, take up painting. Learn a new language. Pick up the guitar. The point isn’t mastery—it’s stimulation. A curious mind is a resilient mind.

5. Clinging to resentment

By the time you hit your 60s and 70s, you’ve been hurt, disappointed, maybe even betrayed. That’s part of being human.

But holding on to resentment? That’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to suffer.

Eastern philosophy often talks about the art of letting go—not as a moral duty, but as a practical survival tool. Carrying grudges weighs you down. Forgiveness, or at least acceptance, lightens the load.

Think of it this way: every ounce of energy you spend replaying old wounds is energy you’re not spending living fully now.

6. Settling into comfort zones

Last but not least, one of the easiest traps later in life (and perhaps at any stage in life) is to let your world shrink. Same routines, same foods, same hobbies, same four walls. Comfort isn’t bad—but too much of it turns into stagnation.

I’ve talked about this before, but growth doesn’t have an age limit. It’s the opposite: people who keep challenging themselves—whether through travel, volunteering, or trying new skills—tend to stay sharper and happier.

Your 60s and 70s can be adventurous decades if you keep stepping outside the bubble. It doesn’t have to be extreme—sometimes, it’s as small as joining a new class or making a new friend.

Final words

Your 60s and 70s don’t have to be a slow fade into the background. They can be rich, full, and some of the best years you’ve ever lived.

But that means letting go of behaviors that quietly eat away at your vitality—loneliness, negativity, physical stagnation, neglected relationships, mental passivity, resentment, and over-comfort.

The people I’ve seen thrive at that stage aren’t the ones who avoided aging. They’re the ones who embraced it—leaning into movement, curiosity, connection, and perspective.

So, maybe the real question is this: what’s one behavior you could start letting go of today to create a stronger, fuller tomorrow?