Others hit that age, lace their shoes and get on with living.
Across Europe and the US, researchers are finding the same pattern: past 60, the gap between simply surviving and genuinely thriving often comes down to a handful of everyday habits. If you can still manage these seven things in your sixties or seventies, you’re not just “doing fine” – you’re quietly winning at life.
Age is just a number, but habits tell the story
We’ve been sold a tired script about ageing: slow down, shrink your ambitions, accept that everything hurts. The evidence paints a very different picture. Many people in their sixties run small businesses, raise grandchildren, learn new skills and start new relationships. Others feel old before their time, even though their health is technically “fine”.
Goodbye microwave as households switch to a faster cleaner device that transforms cooking habits
If you can move, learn, connect, decide, accept, aim and feel joy at 60 or 70, you’re doing far better than you think.
Here are seven concrete abilities that researchers and geriatric specialists see again and again in people who age well – physically, mentally and emotionally.
1. You’re still physically active
Remaining active at 60 or 70 is one of the clearest signs that your later years are on the right track. This doesn’t mean completing ultramarathons. It can be as modest as a brisk daily walk, regular gardening or chasing toddlers around the park.
Medical studies are blunt on this point: light movement beats no movement. Research on older adults shows that even gentle walking, done regularly, cuts the risk of early death and helps maintain independence.
The goal is not performance. The goal is to keep your body “in circulation” so joints, heart and brain stay in the game.
Simple activities that count as real wins at 60+ include:
- Walking 20–30 minutes most days
- Climbing stairs without needing a long rest
- Carrying shopping bags without sharp pain
- Doing light strength work, like chair squats or lifting small weights
- Stretching or yoga to stay flexible
Each of these helps balance, heart health and confidence. They also reduce the risk of falls, which are one of the main threats to independence in older age.
2. You keep learning new things
If you’re still curious at 60 or 70, you’re playing a long game with your brain. Learning a language, figuring out a new phone, taking a history course, trying pottery or finally picking up that guitar – all of these stimulate the mind in ways that protect memory and sharpness.
Research on “lifelong learning” shows that older adults who keep challenging their brain tend to have better cognitive function and a stronger sense of purpose. The subject doesn’t really matter. The act of stretching yourself does.
A curious 70‑year‑old often has a sharper mind than a bored 40‑year‑old scrolling the same feeds each day.
If you still feel that familiar mix of frustration and excitement when you learn something new, that’s the sound of your brain staying young.
3. You maintain real social connections
A strong social network at 60 or 70 is worth more than perfect cholesterol levels on a lab report. Not hundreds of contacts, but a handful of people you can call when things go wrong or right.
The long-running Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has followed people for more than eight decades, repeatedly finds the same thing: close, supportive relationships are one of the strongest predictors of both longevity and happiness.
Loneliness in older age isn’t just sad; it is as risky for health as smoking or obesity.
Signs your social life is still working for you:
- You have at least one person you feel safe being honest with
- You see or speak to friends or family most weeks
- You take part in some shared activity: a club, choir, walking group, faith community or volunteering
- You feel that someone would notice if you didn’t show up
If those boxes are ticked, your social life is quietly protecting your mental health, your immune system and even your memory.
4. You are financially independent enough to choose
Financial independence at 60 or 70 does not require six-figure pensions or luxury travel. It simply means you can cover your basic needs without being fully dependent on relatives or constant debt.
Older adults who manage at least a modest buffer – some savings, a paid-off home, or expenses that match their income – often report lower stress and better sleep. That mental breathing room changes how ageing feels.
Money in later life is less about status, more about freedom: the freedom to say “no” and the freedom to say “yes”.
Key aspects that signal you’re in a good place financially:
| Area | Sign you’re quietly winning |
|---|---|
| Everyday bills | You can pay them without constant panic or overdrafts |
| Debt | Any remaining debt is manageable and planned for |
| Savings | You have at least a small emergency fund |
| Choices | You can occasionally treat yourself without guilt |
This sort of steady, unflashy security supports confidence, health decisions and overall quality of life.
5. You feel comfortable in your own skin
One of the quieter gifts of later life is that many people finally stop fighting themselves. In their sixties or seventies, they feel less pressure to impress, less need to compete and more ease with their body as it is.
Psychologists note that self-esteem often rises through middle age and stays relatively high into the early senior years. Those who accept their changing bodies and past choices tend to show fewer signs of depression and anxiety.
Feeling at home in your own skin at 70 is not about looking younger. It’s about no longer apologising for existing.
Signs of this shift include wearing what feels good rather than what looks “age appropriate”, speaking your mind more calmly, and caring far less about other people’s silent judgments. That inner comfort makes relationships easier and daily life lighter.
6. You still set goals
Having something to aim for is a strong predictor of wellbeing at any age, but it matters especially after traditional milestones like career and child‑raising are behind you.
Goals at 60 or 70 might look different. They might be smaller, slower or more personal. But the act of choosing and pursuing them signals that you still see a future worth shaping.
A calendar with things you care about written in it is, in its own way, a health document.
Common goals that keep older adults energised include:
- Reading a set number of books in a year
- Learning to cook dishes from another country
- Visiting grandchildren regularly or planning a trip together
- Improving balance or strength to walk a certain distance
- Volunteering a certain number of hours each month
Research in gerontology shows that a sense of purpose is linked to lower risk of cognitive decline and better emotional health. Goals create that purpose, even when they’re humble.
7. You can honestly say you’re often happy
Happiness at 60 or 70 looks different from happiness at 20. It is usually quieter, more rooted in contentment than excitement. It can sit alongside bad knees, family worries and the occasional lonely evening.
What stands out in surveys is that many people actually report higher life satisfaction after 60. They tend to manage emotions more calmly, focus on what matters and let go of old grudges more easily.
If you can find moments of joy most days – a good cup of tea, a grandchild’s laugh, a walk in weak winter sun – you are succeeding at something many younger people struggle to reach.
Psychologists link this “late-life uplift” to better emotional regulation and a clearer sense of priorities. You may have less time ahead than behind, but that can sharpen appreciation rather than drain it.
How these seven signs work together
These abilities rarely appear in isolation. Regular movement boosts mood and balance, which makes it easier to get out and see people. Social contact encourages you to keep learning and trying new things. Feeling secure with money supports peace of mind. Comfort in your own skin makes friendships richer and goals more personal.
When two or three of these areas strengthen at once, their effects often multiply. For example, joining a walking group hits three markers in one go: activity, social life and purpose.
Small changes that shift the dial at 60 or 70
For anyone in their sixties or seventies who feels they’re falling short on one or two points, the good news is that these signs are not fixed traits. They shift with small, realistic choices:
- Ten minutes of walking after lunch can slowly become thirty
- A free online course can reactivate the habit of learning
- A weekly phone call can reopen a faded friendship
- Writing down one simple goal for the next month can restart a sense of direction
These are not dramatic reinventions. They’re tweaks that, over months and years, change how ageing feels from the inside.
Two ideas worth keeping in mind
First, “successful ageing” is a phrase some experts use to describe older adults who stay healthy, engaged and relatively independent. It doesn’t mean never getting ill or sad. It means keeping capacity and connection for as long as realistically possible.
Second, risk and benefit in later life often arrive as bundles. Being active reduces fall risk and improves mood. Strong relationships protect against loneliness and even against certain physical illnesses. Financial calm lowers stress hormones that, in high doses, damage the heart and brain. Each gain opens the door to another.
If, at 60 or 70, you recognise yourself in many of these seven signs, you are already doing something people half your age are still chasing: living a life that feels broadly right for you, right now.
