Overcoming the barriers of eighty.

In Japan, a new book by Japanese psychologist Hideki Wada has recently been published under the title “Overcoming the Eighty Barriers”, and it has caused quite a stir. 

The moment the book reached the stores, sales surpassed 500,000 copies, and many predict it will become a global bestseller if it reaches the one-million mark in the coming months.

Dr. Wada (61) is a leading expert in the field of elderly health. He summarized his extensive experience into 24 rules that form the secret to a calmer and more fulfilling life after the age of 60—rules that appear simple, yet contain deep wisdom:

1. Take a walk every day.
2. Breathe deeply when you are angry.
3. Keep moving and don’t let the body stiffen.
4. Drink water in summer even when you are in an air-conditioned room.
5. Chew your food well… the mind moves together with the mouth.
6. Memory does not disappear with age, but due to lack of activity.
7. Do not overuse medications.
8. Do not try unnecessarily to lower blood pressure or blood sugar levels.
9. Being alone can be peaceful; it is not necessarily isolation.
10. Laziness is not shameful.
11. In old age, you do not have to have a driver’s license.
12. Do what you love, and let go of what you do not love.
13. Do not confine yourself only to the house.
14. Eat what makes you happy… a small weight gain will not harm you.
15. Do not spend time with people you are uncomfortable around.
16. Do not watch too much television.
17. Learn to live alongside illness, instead of constantly fighting it.
18. Optimism is medicine.
19. Fruit, sunshine, and fresh air—these are all sources of happiness.
20. Express what is in your heart.
21. Change your mind if necessary; it’s not a problem.
22. Stopping learning is the beginning of old age.
23. It is enough to simply be content… and a smile brings good luck.
24. And old age? It is not a burden… but a gift.

With these wise words, Dr. Wada reminds us that the years after sixty are not the end of the road, but rather the beginning of a stage of simplicity and serenity—a stage in which we look at life more clearly and come closer to ourselves with greater honesty.