28/11/2025
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Ronald Fiedler
✨ A Beautiful Lesson in Positive Ageing – Shared by Gail Ruth Miller ✨
On this week’s episode of Age Care Explained, Gail Ruth Miller shared a story that stopped me in my tracks — a powerful reminder from a 90-year-old man who has lived through more than most of us can imagine.
Recently widowed, legally blind and due to his changing health, he had no choice but to move into care.
As he arrived, a carer gently guided him to his new room. She began describing it to him — where the bed was placed, how the windows let in the light, how everything was arranged with care.
Before she’d even finished, he smiled and said, “I love it.”
Surprised, she replied, “But you haven’t even seen it yet.”
And his answer was one of the most profound things Gail has ever heard: “How the room is arranged means nothing. Happiness is something you decide ahead of time. I’ve already decided to love it.”
This man, with all his challenges, still chooses gratitude. He told Gail that every morning he has a choice: “I can wake up thinking about the parts of my body that no longer work… or I can be grateful for the parts that still do.”
He believes old age is like a bank account — if you deposit happy memories throughout life, they will be there waiting for you when you need them most.
And when Gail asked him whether a positive mindset really changes outcomes, his answer was simple and wise:
“A positive mindset raises your vibrational energy — and that energy leads you towards the outcomes you want.”
Before she left, he shared with Gail what he calls his 5 Rules for a Happy Life, and here is some gentle advice to go with each one:
1. Free your heart from hatred
Advice: Holding onto anger only weighs you down. When resentment pops up, try to pause, breathe, and ask, “Is this worth carrying?” Choosing forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting — it means giving yourself permission to move forward.
2. Free your mind from worries
Advice: Worry thrives in silence. Speak your concerns aloud to someone you trust. Often, worries lose their power when shared. And for the worries you can’t control, gently remind yourself, “Not everything is mine to fix.”
3. Live simply
Advice: Simplifying doesn’t always mean owning less — it can mean expecting less of yourself, and being kinder with your own pace. Hold onto what matters, let go of what doesn’t, and make space for the small joys in everyday life.
4. Give more
Advice: Giving doesn’t need to be grand. A smile, a phone call, a kind word, or a small gesture can lift someone’s whole day. Generosity is often less about what we offer and more about the warmth behind it.
5. Expect less
Advice: When we release expectations of others, we avoid disappointment and create room for pleasant surprises. Appreciate what people can give, rather than focusing on what they can’t. It brings instant peace.
Such powerful wisdom from someone who has lived nearly a century. These are lessons we can all carry — no matter our age, our circumstances, or the season of life we’re in.
🌿 If stories like this touch your heart, you can hear more from Gail every fortnight on Age Care Explained, right here on the Podcast City Radio Business & Lifestyle Network.
Her compassion, experience, and humanity bring comfort and clarity to families navigating ageing, care, and everything that comes with it.
🎧 Listen live and be part of the conversation. You never know — one story may change the way you see everything.
