Age is just a number

‘Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever’ – Walt Disney

Do you ever wish you were younger? Or older? It seems that wherever we are in life we’d quite like to be somewhere else!

In our teenage years we often wish we were older, maybe so we can get into that film we want to see or the club that is strictly over 21’s. Or it might be because we want the freedom to make our own decisions or to move into our own home and we can’t wait for adulthood. But then we become adults and suddenly we wish we didn’t have all the responsibilities it brings with it. Being young and carefree seems quite appealing.

We might think it would be good to return to those magical days when we were young but would it really be? Were those days as good as we remember? It’s easy to remember the good parts but no doubt there were difficult times too. Even if we were able to repeat a particular experience, such as a holiday, it could never be the same because we ourselves have changed. We have the wisdom and knowledge that comes with age, from living through all the experiences that have made us who we are.

If we are young, we need to go through life’s experiences to bring us to that place of wisdom and knowledge. If you took a 14 year old and put them in an adults body, they would have no concept of how to cope. We need to go through each decade of life, experiencing everything that life throws at us.

A huge industry has built up around anti-ageing. From facial and body moisturisers and hair dye to lip fillers and anti-wrinkle treatments, these anti-ageing ‘solutions’ are being marketed to a younger and younger audience. It’s as if natural ageing is completely unacceptable. But we can actually slow down the pace of ageing by simple lifestyle factors including regular exercise, eating a whole food diet including a wide range of plants, protecting our skin from the sun, not smoking, staying hydrated, having a positive attitude, sleeping well and keeping stress to a minimum.

Although we can’t change our age, one thing we can do is to fully embrace where we are on our journey. If you’re young, make the most of every day. Don’t try to rush through life because one day you’ll look back and wish you’d savoured every moment. Enjoy your youthfulness, your enthusiasm, your ability to learn new things quickly. Don’t put limits on things such as the age when you should have your dream job or your forever home – there are no rules. Life is a journey and we all go at our own pace. Or maybe there is something you want to learn or do, like knitting, reading a classic novel or scrapbooking, but you are putting it off until you’re older. If so, think about why that is and whether you could do it now.

If we are older, we can try to appreciate everything we have experienced which has brought us to the place we are now. Good or bad, all those experiences have shaped the person we have become. We need to fully embrace it and always remember that ‘growing older is a privilege denied to many’. I also love this quote ‘Age is simply the number of years the world has enjoyed you!’.

For all of us, however old we are, it’s important to remember that age is just a number. It doesn’t define us and it certainly shouldn’t hold us back. We can all bring more optimism, positivity and enthusiasm into our days and make the most of them. We can try new things at any age, what’s the worst that could happen? Learn to play an instrument, speak a new language, study for a degree, do a parachute jump! Seriously, whatever it is we wish we’d done, we can do it. Be adventurous, brave, excited, take chances and live in the moment. We all deserve happiness and age has got nothing to do with it!

So the tiny tweak this week is to try to live in the moment more. To be present in the here and now. To stop wishing your life away or living in the past. Each time you find yourself looking forwards or backwards, try gently bringing yourself back to the present moment. It’s all we have. The past is gone, the future hasn’t arrived yet, but this very moment is a gift and that’s why it’s called the present!

Until next time xx

If you enjoyed this post, please like it and let me know in the comments. Do you ever wish you were older? Younger? What could you do right now that you thought you were too old (or young) to do? As always, feel free to share the post with anyone you think might like it!