You would think that we would be used to the idea that everyone grows old by now, but somehow that idea never sets well. I noticed that there are more visits to websites that include the words “anti-aging” than there are to the ones that suggest that you might want to do it well. I am upset that one of my favorite magazines, while professing to be a magazine for “mature people”, has become fixated (as are most other publications) on the idea of preserving and recapturing youth. The articles in the latest edition were about flatter bellies, thinner thighs, losing weight, identifying age defying foods, and featured a “defying your age challenge”. The ads had the words “repairing signs of aging”, “having 10 years disappear”, “instant treatments for face and neck”, “fighting the signs of aging”, and “midlife makeovers”. Granted, the magazine still had some informative and interesting articles, healthy recipes, and a super exercise section, so I guess I will forgive them, until the next time. What I wonder is where are the self help articles about aging gracefully, taking care of yourself, and loving who you are right now?
I want to see inspirational how-to articles about being in control and about aging gracefully. Norman Vincent Peal was good about telling people how to live in the moment, but precious little advice has been given about that since. It is easy to marvel at the people who move into retirement with the single minded purpose of living creatively, engaging in new activities, reveling in fresh accomplishments, and maintaining a zest for living. It is a mind game at best. Senior years can be an exciting adventure or a boring monotony. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
The self help gurus will tell you to think positively. Only you can stop the mindset that labels you as “over the hill,” “out of the loop,” or “out to pasture.” You can make yourself think positively. Remember “The Power of Positive Thinking?” When you were younger you perceived yourself as terribly busy and nothing moved quickly enough. Now that you are older the opposite happens. You start to feel like you are “running out of time.” Both perceptions are counterproductive. The experts tell you to live one day at a time. It is a good theory. If you can make the most of each day, you might be surprised at how much good you can do. They all seem to agree that helping others is the best way to reinvent yourself, because it takes your focus off from your own problems and your own issues. Helping others is easier than you might expect. There is much to be done. The hardest part is choosing what to do and how to get started. All of the creams and potions in the world will not help you age gracefully. Aging gracefully is much more involved. I would love to hear from people who have truly found themselves.
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