By: Ann Pietrangelo / Source: Care 2
It’s true. Our society values youth more than age. By the time you hit your mid-30s, the anti-aging marketers are hot on your trail, playing on your fears of growing older.
Not that there’s anything wrong with youth. But there’s nothing wrong with being over 50, either. It’s kind of nice up here.
50 is not as old as you once thought it was
When you’re in your 20s, someone in their 50s is old. Ask any 85 year old and they’ll tell you that 50 is young. It’s all a matter of perspective.
When you get there, you find out that 50 isn’t as old or as bad as you thought it would be, especially if you bought into all that anti-aging crap.
In many ways, 50 is freeing. Remember when you were a kid and summer went on forever? And the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas did, too?
That same amount of time now seems to pass in the blink of an eye. So you learn to respect time, to live mindfully and savor those precious moments that make up the stuff of life.
You’re older and wiser, but you still have a lot to learn
You’ve seen a lot and your life experiences have taught you much. You’re wiser than you were at 20 or 30 or 40, but not as wise as you’re going to be.
By now, you are aware of just how much you don’t know, and you’re eager to learn. You see your elders in a new light and try to soak in some of their wisdom.
You also know that young people bring a different perspective and can enlighten you on a few things. You can learn something from just about anyone.
Growing numbers of people over 50 are changing careers, starting new hobbies, and enrolling in classes. That goes for physical activities, too. The over 50 crowd is engaging in all sorts of fabulous activities, from bike riding to surfing and everything in between. Life is not over.
You have more aches and pains, but you also have perspective
Physical aches and pains tend to increase with age, but you can learn how to deal with it rather than let it beat you. By the time you’re 50, you’re grateful if you haven’t had any big health problems, but you probably know people your age who have.
You’ve probably mourned some who died way too young. You’re fortunate to be alive and well and you know it. So if those aches and pains are tolerable, tolerate them you will, because you’ve still got a lot of living to do.
Oh, and menopause isn’t always as awful as it sounds. It’s a natural part of life, not necessarily something that needs fixing. In fact, it can be quite liberating — for women and for the men in their lives.
It’s easier to eat healthier
Let’s face it. You just can’t get away with those bad eating habits anymore. Your body sends clear signals that you shouldn’t have had that particular food or that much food.
You’re going to pay the price. Heartburn, bloated stomach, and other ailments are your body’s way of telling you to cut it out. And it’s uncomfortable enough that you listen.
You opt for the salad instead of the deep fried mozzarella sticks and fruit instead of the chocolate mousse because you’ve experienced the cause and effect of food.
Good food helps you feel better and you don’t want to waste time feeling lousy if you don’t have to.
You realize that stuff is just stuff
You’ve been around long enough to know that accumulating stuff doesn’t bring fulfillment, but it often makes more busy work. That goes for fashion, too.
Yeah, we all want to look good and there’s nothing wrong with fashion, but there’s a limit. It’s a colossal time suck, not to mention a money suck, to follow all the latest trends and worry about falling hopelessly out of style.
Pfffttt. I know, I know. That’s why 20-somethings think we’re old. That’s okay.
Your time and money are better spent on things that really matter — like hanging with family, going out with friends, or taking that road trip you’ve been putting off. Experiences trump things. It’s that simple.
