My birthday week is approaching where I celebrate from July 1st to no earlier than July 5th. I have in my past lied about my age, joked about my age and now, I CELEBRATE MY AGE. How do you view the aging process? Are you one that feels because you have hit a certain age, you are “old”? We are taught so many different things when we are growing up as to what is acceptable behavior, acceptable attire and acceptable forms of communication. Is there a specific criteria we are to follow in the aging process? I say, aging is a state of mind and I choose to think myself young. Certainly, you have seen people wearing what we might consider “age inappropriate” clothing or portraying “age inappropriate behavior” and of course you will always find someone demonstrating “age inappropriate communication” or is there such a thing?
Society judges everyone all the time. You cannot walk out the door without someone judging you on your appearance, clothing, behavior, speech, political views, race, religious creed and the list goes on. In the area of aging, many fall prey to such judgments and fall into place in what they deem to be the expectations of society based on their “age appropriate behavior”. I personally try not to wear things that make me portray myself as a sixteen year old. I will wear whatever I feel will portray the mood or look that I am trying to achieve. I believe you are what you feel and say. I am quite sure you will never hear me say the following phrases: “I am an old woman.”, “I am getting old.”, or “I feel old.”. Thus, I say, aging is a state of mind and you can and should think yourself young. You can take it a step further and thing yourself healthy, wealthy and wise.
I have discovered the Fountain of Youth is inside my mind. I believe that if you feel old, you will start to get old and look old. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting old. Wisdom comes with each passing year, and hopefully, while you have gracefully aged, your wisdom has increased. I see friends from my past or acquaintances that have not embraced the art of “Thinking Yourself Young” and in fact, clearly state on their social media sites how “old” they feel. Well, you get exactly what you put out via your thoughts and words.
I am not saying that while you are gracefully aging that your body is not going to rebel on you with arthritis or some other blessing that comes with aging. I am saying that at least you can enter the golden years with a smile on your face and the fact that you have gained knowledge. Embrace your youthful aging process. Be excited that you got to go around the big ball of earth another 365 days. If you live in the sun as a sun worshiper on a rock, smoke like a chimney and eat unhealthy foods, your true age may emerge. If you eat healthy, drink the adequate amount of water and get an adequate amount of sleep, you may help stave off the aging process a wee bit as well. My core belief is that if you “Think Yourself Young” you will feel young and look young.
I have never been accused of looking my age or certainly acting my age. I actually think that life begins at 50 and the older I become, the younger everyone else older than me becomes. Age is a matter of perspective (the eye of the beholder). People who hit the age of 40 often have miniature meltdowns. I think 40 came and went for me with ease. When I hit 50 I did not get the typical fan fare of black balloons and tombstones “over the hill” words or a celebration. It was a day I was grateful to have and I embraced the day quietly. I remain young at heart and hell bent on dancing my way into the nineties provided I can still care for myself. If not, I will quietly speak to God and the Universe and say, “time to go home”, “it’s been a great ride.”