I recently asked my newsletter subscribers “What kind of help do you need but
are not finding in your quest to Put Old on Hold”. One respondent replied, “How
to stay young forever.”
Facetious answer? Doesn’t matter. Let’s be honest. Every woman (and probably
every man) would like to stay young forever. While beauty is in the eye of the
beholder, most would agree that a dry, wrinkled, debilitated face and body is
not appealing.
But not to worry -- you can stay young forever.
First, let’s start with your face. You can buy beauty same as you buy a car – on
time. Cosmetic procedures of all kinds are becoming easier, safer and more
affordable. When you look as good on the outside as you are healthy on the
inside, nothing beats the “wow” effect of a successful cosmetic procedure. You
are back in the game.
Next, your body reveals what and how much you eat and if you exercise. If you
can’t control food intake and are not motivated to exercise, you can always find
a doctor who will suck fat out every inch of your body.
So much for physical beauty. It’s yours if you want it. You can look any way you
want to look for as along as you want. You can keep guys gasping in wanton
appreciation forever.
But you and I know that staying young forever is not all about looking like a
Barbi doll. There is something far more important.
It’s about being young inside. It’s being 40-50 with “insides” that function
like a 25 year old. And the only way you are going to achieve that is by
conscientious attention to how you treat your body day in and day out. There is
no magic pill. No doctor can do it for you.
Having “young insides” includes having a young attitude. If you can control what
goes on in your head, you have it made.
You have to work at having a young attitude because everything in our society
militates against it. Once past midlife, tradition dictates that you think, act,
dress, walk and talk in socially accepted ways. It’s like a straightjacket; the
older you get the tighter the straps on the straightjacket squeeze the young
attitude out of you.
You have to hold onto a young attitude while you still have one. After it’s lost
it’s tough to get it back.
Once you arrive at seniorhood, a young attitude is severely challenged. You
begin to do “senior” things: you go to the senior center with like-minded
friends, reminisce about the past, and trade stories about aches, pains and
doctors. You go to bingo and the casino and do other socially accepted but
stagnating things women your age are supposed to enjoy doing. (By the way –
nothing wrong with bingo and all the rest if that's what makes you happy.)
You accept the culturally imposed straightjacket as “this is the way it’s
supposed to be.” With each passing year, the straps on the straightjacket
continue to tighten. Your reflection in the mirror gradually becomes that of a
squeezed, drained, blank, little old lady.
Here’s the antidote: Don’t allow your young attitude to be hijacked by outdated
cultural norms.
One of the best ways to avoid an old mindset is to choose friends very
carefully. If you are 50 and associate primarily with other 50 year olds, you
are going to adopt an old attitude before you know it. We learn from each other.
We copy each other’s behaviors; we adopt each other’s thinking.
To stay young mentally, regular association with young people is a must. But
don’t wait for them to come to you. Young people hang with other young people.
They don’t have the maturity to pursue and value older friendships.
If you still work and meet younger people, you are in luck. If you are retired,
get a job that puts you in contact with young people. Go back to school or
volunteer to mentor young people.
I know from personal experience the value of being around young people. You
won’t always like what you see or hear; you may be dismayed by some of their
ideas and behaviors, but you will benefit from their energy, enthusiasm and
openness. It will force you to rethink some of the social straightjacket
thinking society foists on people as they continue to age past midlife.
A bonus: If you maintain a young attitude, and you are looking for a
significant other, your chances of catching a “live one” escalate
astronomically! Remember, youthfulness attracts youth; “oldness” attracts what
is old.
About the Author:
Barbara Morris,
http://R.Ph. is a pharmacist and youth
preservation strategist. She is author of Put Old on Hold. Sign up for her
newsletter at
http://www.PutOldonHold.com and receive bonus
ebook, "Diva Tested Tips for Fabulous Skin."