Why Aging Isn’t Old

If I say “aging”, why do you think “old?” They are not necessarily related. You are aging from birth: to a five year old, eleven is old. To the eleven year old, twenty-two is ancient, forty is near death. Age is relative, and is a continuum of life. If you feel healthy, move well, think clearly, and stay emotionally stable through stress, your age doesn’t matter.

We are all aging one day at a time. It’s just that some days seem a lot longer than other days. Some days we feel what we perceive to be old: we gained weight overnight, children tax our patience, the IRS called, and the car just blew a tire on the way to an important presentation. On those days, we feel old, useless, and frustrated. Why does it have to be so hard? It doesn’t. It’s perception of reality. Your reality is whatever you choose.

Instead of feeling old and inadequate, forgive yourself for gaining weight, distance yourself from your children’s endless drama, assume the IRS is calling to ask where to send your refund check, and call Uber to get to that meeting on time. It’s all perception. What you see in your head is what you get. Whether you see disaster or opportunity, you are right.

Some days, I don’t turn on my phone, look at email, or boot up my computer. It helps my sanity to not be so available to everyone and all distractions. I use the time to read, get outside, and think about what’s best for me. It’s very selfish. It’s also very rewarding to becoming who I perceive myself to be. Disconnecting from the distractions of life might seem scary at first, but it’s only because you have no history of practice. So practice more.

Taking time for yourself will slow your aging process, lower your stress, increase your focus, give your brain a rest from drama, and force you to do the things you said that you would do if you only had time. When you’re “old”, you will get around to it. Don’t wait. It will keep you from getting “old.”

That’s Aging Intelligently.