Discovering and Peaking in My Sixties
I am disappointed that many of the most important things I learned or experienced did not happen until I reached my fifties and sixties.
But I comfort myself by realizing “better late than never.”
Here are many of those best things that did not enter my life until my fifties and sixties. Things that make me supremely grateful.
My physique, physical health, and mental health have never been better. I largely attribute this to my significant dietary change, which took me from 34 years as a vegan to my low-carb, high-fat carnivore diet—a way of eating with almost no vegetables, fruit, or sugar.
Likewise, it was not until my fifties and sixties that I started engaging in another highly beneficial way to be healthy: Intermittent fasting.
Due to my new way of eating in my sixties, I notice that more than at any time in the past, friends will regularly tell me how much better I look. And much more youthful and fit. I believe I have never looked so much younger than my actual age than I do in my sixties. The most common guess for my age is that I appear to be “40 years old.”
My love life is now better than ever, as I now know many things about how to best please my partner (and myself) in bed.
I have never had more financial security than I now have in my sixties.
I finally realized in my sixties that my shirt size is “Medium” rather than “Large.” My shirts now fit my physique much better.
Thanks to my new job as a pedicab bicycle taxi driver, I have discovered that sleeveless shirts are far cooler in the summer than conventional shirts and show off my arms much more impressively.
I finally woke up regarding my political beliefs. For most of my life, I am ashamed to admit that I was naively and counterproductively on the extreme political Left. I have discovered that being on the political Right is much more honorable, compassionate, and sensible.
I have learned that after 40 to 45 years of regularly riding a conventional bicycle, owning an electric bicycle is far more enjoyable and practical.
I finally met and entered into a close, loving relationship with the most attractive, intelligent, giving, problem-solving woman I’ve ever met.
I moved to Greenville South Carolina, which has the best main street and town center park transformations in the nation.
It did not happen until I was in my sixties, but I am, for the first time in my life, overjoyed and exceptionally relieved by the results of the 2024 presidential election. Nearly always, presidential election results in my adult life were horribly depressing and fear-inducing. In one or two cases, the results were mildly pleasing, but largely because “my” candidate was less of an evil than the candidate who lost. I feel grateful that I lived long enough to be sincerely and overwhelmingly joyous about a presidential election. And that finally happened in 2024. So this is what it is like to experience “morning in America.”
I am now engaging in “grooming” – largely the trimming or shaving of excess body hair – for the first time. In fact, the first time I ever shaved hair off of the top of my feet was at age 64. Oddly, I was never taught to “groom” my body hair. I believe in our society, while it is common for girls to be taught to groom, boys in our society tend not to be taught such a way to maintain body appearance. Boys tend to need to figure it out on their own.
I’ve never hosted more social gatherings — or enjoyed attending gatherings more — than I am in my sixties.
For the first time in my life, in my sixties, after getting aftershave as a birthday gift, I started using aftershave. My post-shave face has never been more soft and sweet-smelling than it is now.
I did not drink my first cup of coffee until I was nearly sixty years old. I regret all of the years in my life beforehand, when I remembered less, spoke less clearly, had less energy, had a much more insatiable appetite, and felt less happy than I do now. This was particularly unfortunate because I gave nearly 100 speeches throughout the nation in my life, and none of those speeches benefitted from my drinking coffee beforehand. I’m sorry I believed – like most Americans over the past century – the myth promoted by C.W. Post that caffeinated coffee was unhealthy (he was trying to compete with his new invention – “postum” – and spread lies about coffee). Turns out that recent studies have found that coffee-drinking reduces the chances of developing dementia. That alone is enough for me to start drinking coffee.
I did not know – until my sixties – that it is a terrible idea to dry shirts in a clothes dryer. Over the course of my life, I shrank nearly every shirt that I owned to a size too small for me to wear.
In my sixties, I’m now writing more prolifically than I ever have in the past, and am a better writer now than ever before.
I am now reading more books — and at the highest rate of profound, influential books at that — than I am in my sixties.
More so than earlier in my life, I am going on more enjoyably unforgettable recreational travel — particularly to Europe — than ever before.
Today, in my sixties, I find myself smiling more than ever in my life — particularly in photos.
In my sixties, I find that I am initiating handshakes more than ever in the past.
I am more polite and diplomatic than ever. I say and do more generous things in my sixties than ever before.
I’ve never been happier, more thankful, and more fortunate than I am in my sixties.
Indeed, I’m immensely grateful to report that now, in my sixties – whenever someone asks me “How are you, Dom?” I nearly always respond that “I’VE NEVER BEEN BETTER!!”
