We all get older, at least, doing so is the natural order of things. But it’s also true that because our society will celebrate and highlight youth, we often think that getting older is something done to us, and not something we naturally experience. We may see the laugh lines and wrinkles growing on our face, feel a little slower and less athletic than we have been, or even experience a few aches and pains, and feel less appreciative of it.
If you’re not careful, getting older can feel like a source of anxiety, especially if the age seems a little too serious. But either way, there are measures you can take to help you soothe your anxieties around this topic. First, you have to stop feeling guilty for such anxieties, as getting older and its experiences have been a topic of human art, literature, creative thinking, and philosophy for thousands of years.
Some insights can help you, though:
Getting Older Is A Privilege
Not everyone gets the chance to reach later life, and that fact alone can be worth holding onto when the mirror isn’t being too kind or when a birthday rolls around that feels a little weightier than the last. It might not always feel like a privilege, of course. It doesn’t always come with endless energy or perfect health, as we well know, but it does come with perspective, and that’s no small thing. You know what you care about now, who matters, and how you’d rather spend your time. It’s also important to remember that the best thing you can do with aging is to live your current year well and with gratitude, remembering that not everyone has had the chance to.
The Discomforts Of Aging Can Be Managed
You’re not imagining it if things feel a little more brittle or if the morning walk now needs a coffee and a stretch first. Yet you’re not out of options just because things don’t feel the same, as most discomforts have a workaround. That might be the support of physical therapy, warming up before doing housework, or even getting devices like joint supports or mobility helpers. There’s no shame in needing a little help, or if you’re prescribed life assistants such as Bluetooth hearing aids that do help. If anything, it’s a wise thing to embrace, because it shows you’re not in denial, just adjusting and finding new ways to live well.
You’ll Feel More Sure Of Yourself
The best thing about age is that some things that used to get under your skin just don’t anymore, and you stop living to impress everyone, and that’s freeing in a way you can’t fake when you’re younger. You know how to speak up for yourself, when to walk away from something that doesn’t feel right, and how to recognize what matters. That kind of self-assurance might be quiet, but it’s solid, and it can help you live without pretense. There’s a real joy in that if you cultivate it.
With this advice, you’ll be sure to see that aging isn’t that bad after all!
Thank you for reading!
lyndsinreallife