While Hollywood types may disagree that an aged appearance is a badge of wisdom, there are truly objects in life that get better as they age. Of course, perhaps not the women that sit next to Matt Lauer on the Today Show couch. He gets older and more distinguished, yet his co-hosts seem to get continually younger and more artificially injected. But that is another story for another day.
Recently, I came across an article that pointed out certain attributes that become perfected as we age. The aging process is usually focused on physical features, but this detour, exploring the psychological and emotional benefits of aging. is refreshing. I have picked 10 attributes to feature today. Do you agree?
1. Life Stories
Adventures and life circumstances enrich our lives and make for interesting dinner table conversation with friends and family. Just make sure you don’t recycle the stories too much or your audience may lose interest.
2. Body Image
The older we get the more comfortable we become with who we are. Our battle scars, imperfections help us stand out in the crowd and make us unique. Age alleviates are insecurities.
3. Patience
I am on the fence about this one. As I have gotten older, I feel I have grown less patience about my position in life, the driving habits of others and the all-round ignorance in the world. Perhaps, I need to gain a few more years before I can understand the value in patience.
4. Acuity
Lesson learned guide us and make us keenly aware of the pitfalls of certain life choices (like giving in to impulse to buy a new car, but giving your two week notice. Not a great idea!). Basically, the older the get the better choices we make.
5. Humor
Dismiss those depictions of grouchy elderly men and cantankerous old women. As life ages us we tend to find the humor in the world to be infectious. At least, I am holding on firmly to this notion. Somedays just don’t seem that humourous to me.
6.Common Sense
This is an acquired skill that comes with learning from our failures. The lack of common sense really does seem to be a youthful trait that, thankfully, we overcome as the years mature us.
7. Emotional Stability
Studies have determined that people get less neurotic as they age. I really, really hope that is true. Enough said. Point made.
8. Confidence
I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think you have to be a senior plus individual to be more confident. I have seen this in my own life. You start to realize at a point in your life to let go of some (notice I said some) insecurities and quit worrying about what the public thinks about you.
9. Admiration
This is interesting. I suppose as we age we gain an appreciation for the way others around us have navigated their lives. We respect their achievements appropriately, we forgive their failures more readily.
10. Wisdom
I have to end with attribute that is most often attributed to aging. Acquiring the first nine traits that I mentioned stem from this one single absolute of aging. Aging brings wisdom.
So, today when you are tackling your daily tasks and maybe find you move a bit slower than you did last year. Or maybe another gray hair has sprouted, rendering you inconsolable because you feel as if you are on a downward spiral. Let those feelings go. You can dye your hair. You can become more mobile. You can’t stop aging and that’s okay. Because by the time you reach a ripe old age, you will be the most awesome person there ever was – YOU!