There’s a big difference between getting older and getting smaller.

Some people shrink into their routines. Others expand into their wisdom. And if you ask me, thriving in your 70s doesn’t mean running marathons or backpacking across Europe—though more power to you if that’s your thing.

It means you still carry energy, purpose, and connection in how you live your days.

If you’re in your 70s—or even looking ahead—and you’re wondering what real vitality looks like, here are a few things I’ve noticed in people who aren’t just aging… but thriving.

1. You make time for real conversation

Not small talk. Not polite nods. Real conversation. The kind where you talk about memories, regrets, questions you’re still wrestling with.

People who thrive in their later years stay curious. They still ask others how they’re really doing. They still want to learn, listen, share.

I was at a birthday gathering last year and ended up chatting with a woman in her seventies about the difference between solitude and loneliness.

We sat for over an hour, and by the end of it I thought, “That right there is the kind of person still growing, not just coasting.”

2. You’re still walking—by choice, not necessity

Let’s face it: movement gets harder as we get older. But if you’re still walking regularly, especially just to move your body or enjoy the world around you, you’re doing more than maintaining mobility—you’re maintaining momentum.

I take a walk nearly every morning with my dog Lottie. Not power-walking. Not checking my step count. Just moving, breathing, looking at trees and rooftops. And on the days I skip it? I feel it. Not just in my joints, but in my mood.

Thriving isn’t about distance—it’s about showing up for your body with respect.

3. You still look forward to things

It doesn’t have to be a big trip or a huge event.

Maybe it’s your weekly coffee with a neighbor. A new book coming out. A grandson’s soccer game. Tuesday bingo. Sunday crossword.

The point is, people who are thriving still have something to anticipate. They don’t live only in memories. They have things on the horizon, even small ones.

Hope doesn’t retire. It just shifts shape.

4. You keep learning—formally or informally

One man I know in his seventies started studying jazz theory during lockdown. Not for a degree. Not to perform. Just because he wanted to understand it better.

Another friend joined a gardening club after his wife passed. He didn’t know much about plants—but he wanted to learn.

It’s that kind of attitude that keeps people vibrant. The moment you decide you’re “done learning” is the moment things start to dull around the edges.

I won’t pretend I’m tech-savvy, but I recently figured out how to video call my grandkids without asking for help—and let me tell you, I felt like I’d cracked the code to modern joy.

5. You still laugh easily—and often

I’m not talking about polite chuckles. I’m talking about real laughter. The kind that makes your eyes crinkle and your shoulders shake.

People who thrive don’t take themselves too seriously. They know how to find humor in their own stories, their past mistakes, even their current aches and limitations.

I was at a café when I overheard a woman tell her friend, “My knees sound like popcorn when I stand up—but at least they still work!” That kind of lightness? It’s fuel.

6. You keep showing up for others

Whether it’s family, friends, or the guy next door—you still offer your time, your presence, your care.

Thriving isn’t just about how you feel. It’s about what you give.

Maybe you check in on a widowed neighbor. Babysit a grandchild. Volunteer at the library. Offer advice when it’s asked for (and keep quiet when it’s not).

People who are thriving keep contributing. Not because they have to, but because it’s who they are.

7. You allow yourself moments of stillness

It might sound counterintuitive, but thriving isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes, it’s about resting well.

Sitting quietly with a book. Watching the birds. Letting yourself reflect on where you’ve been—not with regret, but with curiosity.

One of the biggest shifts I noticed after retiring was how uncomfortable stillness felt at first. I’d spent so long filling my days with work, I didn’t know how to just be. But now? Some of my richest moments come from simply sitting on a bench with Lottie, watching the world pass.

If you can enjoy your own company in quiet moments, that’s real peace.

8. You stay open to connection—even after loss

This one’s tender.

Many of us in our seventies have lost someone. A spouse, a sibling, a lifelong friend.

And it’s easy—tempting, even—to close the door a little. To guard your heart.

But thriving means you’re still willing to be known. To be loved. To make new friends, even if you fear losing them one day.

I once met a man at a community writing class. He had lost his wife the year before, and at first he said he came “just to pass the time.” But halfway through the session, he was sharing memories and laughing with strangers. At the end, he said, “I didn’t know I needed this.”

Connection doesn’t end with age. It just needs more courage.

9. You stay engaged with the world

You don’t need to watch the news every day (it’s exhausting, I know), but you stay curious about what’s happening beyond your front door.

People who are thriving ask questions. They stay informed—not just about politics or headlines, but about how their town is changing, what their grandchildren are learning, what technology is emerging.

They don’t grumble about “kids these days” without first trying to understand them.

They stay in conversation with the world, not just commentary.

10. You still dream—big or small

I’m still figuring things out myself, but I believe this: dreaming doesn’t end at 70. If anything, it gets clearer.

You’ve lived enough to know what matters. And if you’re still thinking about that road trip, that hobby you always meant to try, that story you’ve been carrying but haven’t told—then something inside you is still burning.

People who thrive in their later years are the ones who don’t close the book too early.

They keep writing new chapters.

Final thoughts

If you’re in your 70s and still doing even half of these things, you’re not just getting older. You’re thriving.

Thriving doesn’t mean perfect health or boundless energy. It means staying engaged—with yourself, with others, with life.

It means waking up with something to look forward to, something to give, and a bit of wonder left in your chest.

So the question isn’t “Am I still young?” It’s “Am I still reaching?”

Because as long as you are, the best parts of life might still be unfolding.