Getting Older Has Its Advantages
Youth is exalted in today’s media. Magazines show us young, attractive models. Newspaper ads tout plastic surgery. TV infomercials show us how to sculpt the perfect body. As a result, many people go on a frantic search for the “fountain of youth.” They want to turn back the clock and fight the aging process. When is the last time you saw aging portrayed in a positive light?
Ironically, teenagers and those in their 20s sometimes wish they were older. When you’re young, you’re often plagued by insecurity and wondering how you’ll fit into the world. While most people tend to concentrate on the downside of getting older, let’s focus for a moment on the upside. Below are some of the benefits of getting older.
1. You don’t care what other people think. As a teenager, you’re deeply concerned about what your friends think of you. You want to fit into the group. In your 20s, you still tend to be very concerned about how others perceive you. As the years pass, you care less and less about the opinions of others. It’s quite a refreshing change. You realize that the most important person to please is yourself – and when you accomplish that, you’re also in a better position to serve others.
2. You realize that you can remain healthy by following disciplined, moderate routines. You learn that moderate habits can produce excellent results over the long term. Thirty minutes of daily exercise such as walking or lifting moderate weights can keep you in very good shape. To remain fit, you don’t have to run 5 miles a day or follow fad diets that are extreme.
3. You appreciate your family more. Some people are fortunate to have a deep appreciation for their family in their teens, 20s and 30s. That’s not the case with many of us, however. After 30, and especially in your 40s, 50s and beyond, you come to appreciate your immediate and extended family. You enjoy getting together to reminisce about the “old days” as well as to catch up on what everyone is doing.
4. You don’t get caught up in the petty stuff. Remember when you thought that every potential client or every project at work had “life or death” consequences. You put yourself through enormous stress for no reason. As you get older, you still take your work seriously but you’ve gained perspective. The small stuff doesn’t throw you anymore. It’s a lot easier to live and work with that pressure off your back.
5. You realize that numerical age is not crucial. Granted, you may not heal as quickly or see as sharply as you did in your 20s or 30s. However, whether you’re 40, 50 or 70, it’s only a number. What matters is how you feel, mentally and physically. Many people feel healthier and stronger at 50 than they did at 25. If you have a lousy attitude and hate your work at age 30, you’ll feel older than a 70 year-old who has a great attitude and enjoys life.
6. You start to hit your stride in your career. In your 40s and beyond, you develop a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes. You’ve gained experience in your field (often by making mistakes) and know where your talents are best suited.
7. You no longer seek perfection. This relates both to your appearance and the way you perform your work or activities. The ads on TV urge you to get rock hard abs and to eliminate any trace of body fat. You no longer buy into this nonsense. You want to look and feel good but there’s no need to kill yourself trying to attain the perfect body. You also settle for excellence in your work, knowing that trying to make everything “perfect” is an unreasonable goal that causes stress. Sure, there are some exceptions to this rule — for instance, we want those performing laser surgery on us to be perfect in their aim!
8. It takes a lot more to get you angry. When you’re young and insecure, you take offense at even a minor slight. You’re defensive when criticized. As the years go by, you realize the futility of holding onto to anger. It does nothing but eat you up. When someone does get under your skin, you let it go quickly.
9. You let other people be who they are – and you appreciate their differences. You’re beginning to recognize and appreciate the incredible diversity in this world. You learn to tolerate the idiosyncrasies of other people; you even enjoy them. Life is a lot richer because not everyone thinks like you or acts like you. You learn from others and celebrate their unique talents and perspectives.
10. You’re a lot wiser…hopefully! As you years go by, you have a lot more experience and you’ve figured out how to deal with situations that arise in your life. It’s like any game that you’ve played for 20 or 30 years. You learn more as you go along.
Sure, you can find some things about getting older that you don’t like. But there’s plenty to enjoy as you journey through your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. Stop trying to turn back the clock; instead, appreciate the advantages of getting older!
– © Jeff Keller