“Alexa, play Forever Young by Alphaville.”

 In the age of Instagram and TikTok, getting “too old” has become a legitimate fear. We’re drowning ourselves in retinol and the mere thought of a single grey hair is life-threatening. It’s like the older we become, the fewer candles we want to see on the cake. Need we mention the anxiety we experience just by the thought of aging? Put on your party hats and cue the major birthday blues.

why, oh, why does this happen?

· We come from an ageist society – ageism is the way we think, feel and act towards others, or ourselves, based on age. Often, we implement negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination towards an age group, based on the societal standard of what is “age appropriate.”

For example, the notion that you should be eternally confined to a pantsuit the moment you turn 30, just because you’re no longer in your 20s. Goodbye Urban Outfitters, hello J. Crew.

But seriously, this awful habit fosters fear within ourselves because we inevitably start limiting ourselves to what we can or cannot do as we age.

· We feel pressured – aging forces us to narrow our achievements based on an imaginary timeline. This can induce anxiety if we begin to feel like we haven’t accomplished as many of our goals as we hoped.

In all reality, buying a house at 35 is just as much of an accomplishment as buying a house at 25. And no, you don’t have to hurry up and move to NYC while you’re young. Move whenever the hell you want to. Remember, Ms. Carrie Bradshaw was well into her 30s during Sex and the City.

· Social Media – media platforms are notorious for making us feel bad about ourselves. From the filters to the seemingly never-ending ads for beauty-enhancing products, social media promotes almost impossible beauty standards with a hyper fixation on being young. 

· Stereotypes – we experience psychological stress stemming from stereotypical beliefs about aging. As a result, we begin to feel like we start losing opportunities to experience things as we grow older.

beauty in aging

We’re here to tell you that the last thing you should do is succumb to shallow aging stresses. There is an abundance of beauty in aging, and a renewed perspective is all you need to feel gratitude for our growing years on this planet. 

Here’s what happens as we age:

– Our friendships grow stronger.

– We create more memories.

– We become wiser.

– We create families.

– Our bodies mature.

– We get the opportunity to share knowledge with others.

healthy aging

Aging is inevitable, so we might as well embrace it. Arguably the most important factor in easing into aging is employing healthy aging habits. Get in the practice of proper self-care. This includes regular exercise, sufficient sleep, a balanced diet, and a peaceful mind. Find the things that make you happy in life and pursue them.

Finally, carry with your age wisdom, intelligence, and experience. Remember, if anyone says the following, it’s your job to let them know it’s a myth:

“Old people are always sick.” – there are tons of healthy older adults. Practice a healthy lifestyle now, and you’ll have less to worry about as you age.

“I’ll get wrinkly and ugly.” – what defines beauty? We can tell you it has nothing to do with wrinkles. 

“The elderly are lonely and grumpy.” – many elderly people are some of the jolliest humans of all humans, and that’s a fact.

The sooner you dismiss the idea that aging is negative, the easier it becomes to accept the splendor of another birthday.

Congratulations, you made it another year. Celebrate.