Age is Just a Number
Throwback picture of me…
It’s my birthday this week and besides indulging in a giant piece of cake, I am reflecting on becoming another year older.
One thing that I have noticed is how often people complain about getting older and “being old.” There are many reasons that this particular sentiment is a pet peeve of mine, beyond it being just kind of insulting and a conversation ender.
If you start complaining about being old in your 30s or 20s, you (hopefully) have a lot of years in front of you, and do you want to be wasting that precious time complaining about something that is inevitable? After all, even if you are 30, you have already lived through 9/11, the proliferation of cell phones, the Patriots becoming a dynasty, the Great Recession, and a pandemic. Just imagine what’s to come…
In spite of our society’s obsession with youth, I really don’t feel like getting older is something to complain or worry about. Beyond the old adage that it beats the alternative; personally, I have found there to be a lot more freedom and fearlessness in getting older. While I loved my 20s, I would definitely take the person I am now over the person I was then. I am more confident and self-assured and care a lot less about what other people think or are doing with their lives. And I have noticed the same attitude in many of my friends. One great part of getting older is that all the lessons, wisdom, and (hopefully good) habits from your life stay with you and build up over time.
It has also helped that in the last year or so, I have especially dedicated myself to my health & wellness and have begun to feel even better physically and mentally. So yes, while I would like the ability of my 21-year-old self to eat a container of mac and cheese, drink tequila, and wake up at 6am the next day to run 5 miles, I am definitely a healthier person with better habits now.
If thoughts of “I am too old to do that” pop into my head, I think of all the amazing, older people I know who are living and have lived lives that people of any age would admire. There is my best friend’s grandmother, who lived well into her 90s, and who was taking yoga classes with people decades younger and who threw some of the best parties I have been to. Or a family friend who is nearly 70 going on 30, travels all around the world, and is my fashion icon. Or one of my mentors, who decided to leave a successful job and start a new business in his 40s. They have truly made the most of all their years.
So, the next time you find yourself complaining about being old, instead try to find all the positive aspects of your current age and look forward to everything that is to come. After all, age is just a number!
Another throwback picture… because I love them and it is my birthday blog :)
