At 87, Here’s What I Vow to Do In 2026.

Before we lived together, I had suggested to Phil that he, too, use a cane. He resisted. But now that he sees that I can move more steadily, he plans to use one as well. (We just purchased a matching one in blue.)

Although we both know there is much we can do to keep ourselves agile and strong, we often feel too lazy to do anything. We’d rather relax on the terrace, reading a trashy novel or rewinding an old Netflix movie we’ve already watched.

“Some days I spend too much time playing Solitaire on the Internet,’’ he said. “I know all that sitting is not good for me, but, heck, at my age, it feels good to be lazy.” He then reached for another one of the tiny canapés we enjoyed with our champagne.

For most of our adult lives, Phil and I agreed, there was little time to care for ourselves. We were raising children, keeping a home and earning an income. “Even with all our free time now, we’re not so sure how to get back into the groove of caring for our basic health needs,’’ he said.

To avoid frustration, “shrink the goal,” suggested Artie Lynnworth, a time management and fitness pro. At our advanced age, he said the process of change is most successful when you begin with a few minutes of movement a day, and then proceed slowly.

Phil and I were most encouraged when Lynnworth recommended “teamwork" and that "we pursue our goals together."

Our health-boosting resolution for the New Year is to walk together three mornings a week. The night before our scheduled walks, we promised to lay out our gym clothes and sneakers, a reminder to really get out there and do it!

To add fun to our 2026 goals for good health, we plan to count our steps, using an app on our cell phones. To begin with, we plan to walk a few thousand or so steps daily. Then we hope to aim for twice that amount or more by springtime.

Since we will schedule the dates and times of our walks on our calendars, Phil and I will be more apt to stick to the game plan. “You don’t forget a dinner date with a friend or a doctor’s visit when it’s marked in your calendar,” Lynnworth reminded us.

Can our fitness plan increase our longevity? No one knows for sure. However, whatever time we have left, we hope our efforts can help us preserve our strength and give us more time to enjoy our later years safely.

And there are many pleasures to consider. Because our balance no longer allows us to swim in the Florida Ocean or even walk along the sandy beaches, we can still breathe in the ocean air while sitting on a boardwalk bench.

Phil and I had been avid theatergoers, but traveling to the theater and sitting for longer than we feel comfortable is now out of the question. Instead, we can still enjoy watching streaming reruns or new shows on our devices back home.

Socializing is crucial, longevity experts remind us. To that end, Phil and I plan to spend time with our friends. Forget the fancy dinner plans, we agreed. Instead, we plan to entertain friends with a cup of coffee and store-bought cookies. The goal is to spend quality time together that is both meaningful and enjoyable.

And as we plot out our goals for 2026, it’s now less about wishful thinking, but more about taking care of ourselves, each other, and most of all, doing it together.

It can’t get more romantic than that!

What do YOU vow to do in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.