Stop Acting Your Age

How old do you feel? I am 36 years old. Not old, but also an age where “I’m not as young as I once was.” That said, when I look in the mirror, I don’t see a 36-year-old man. What I do see is simply somebody who looks pretty good, is active and healthy, and still has some serious fire under them. Sure there are days when I feel further from my youth than ever before, but I’ve always done my best to live in the moment instead of worrying about staring down the barrel of getting older. I’ve decided not to act my age.

How exactly do you do that? Well, I’ll tell you.

Find Something You Love And Do It Everyday

Having some passion in your life is way more effective than any “youth serum” product you are going to find on the market. Discover something that brings you joy and do it as often as you can with energy and enthusiasm. Two of my biggest passions are working out and listening to rock music. I do both of them on a daily basis. For you, it could be anything: cooking, parenting, working, dancing, doing volunteer work, playing hockey. Find something, anything, that gets you excited to wake up in the morning and make sure it’s a part of your day!

Be Lighthearted

A smile can take years off your face. Take a minute here and there to stop being so damn serious about everything. Ourselves, our work, our lives. Be a little goofy sometimes. Make a point to have fun and laugh every day. Think of something that makes you feel happy and light and add it to your daily routine. For me, it’s rocking out and being easily distracted by pretty much everything. I’m still an explorer and a wanderer, what can I say. Be the light in every room you enter.

Be Flexible

If you have something in your life that stops working for you, change it. It really is that easy, regardless of what you think. If you keep doing something over and over that is not working, whether it’s a job, a relationship, a habit, or some other life circumstance….then stop doing it. Try something else. Staying stuck in old patterns is one of the biggest factors that age people in a negative way. It takes a lot of practice to stay flexible, but anybody can do it. I promise.

Take Risks

I didn’t used to be much of a risk taker, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to enjoy it. Taking risks keeps life exciting. It prevents things from getting stagnant. It also opens you up to opportunities to change and grow. When you take a risk and it actually works out, it is especially gratifying. If it doesn’t work out, well all that means is that it’s a chance for you to learn and grow wiser.

Take the Lessons, Leave the Baggage

You’re going to have blips, speed bumps, and struggles that life hands you. It’s inevitable. The most important thing is that you learn from them. Take what’s positive and leave the rest behind. Don’t stay caught up worrying about experiences and events that were negative and damaging. I’ve learned a hell of a lot more in my life from the challenges thrown at me than from anything that came easily. Use them as a tool to make things better going forward.

Don’t Give Up on Feeling Good

Looking good and feeling good are a mindset. It has to actually be something that you want to put effort into. When I put in effort to work on myself it gives me an entirely different energy level. My appearance doesn’t define me, just as it shouldn’t define you, but it absolutely can make me feel more confident. And a higher confidence level does wonders for helping at work and in social situations. That’s why I spend time working out and doing things of that nature on a daily basis. Even simple cosmetic things can boost your confidence. Keep yourself well kept and looking great. Wear something you like. Show yourself off! You look good. You know you do!

Don’t Focus On the Number

I didn’t really start working out and taking care of myself on the regular again until I hit age 30. The question doesn’t come up as often anymore, but whenever somebody is asked to pinpoint my age they nearly always guess me younger than I am. I know it’s a compliment, but since I rarely think about my chronological age in relation to what I do and how I live, sometimes I have to remind myself to be gracious. It’s just a number. It shouldn’t have any bearing on the decisions you make about your life.

Defy Expectations

Don’t automatically do what people expect from you at a particular age just because you’ve reached that age. Again, it’s just a number. Do what feels right for you and makes you feel good, whatever stage of life you’re in. Your true supporters should only want you to be happy.

Seriously, Act Like A Kid

We tend to collect more and more responsibilities as we grow older. As people begin to take us more seriously we tend to start taking ourselves more seriously in conjunction. But taking some time to discover that your inner child still exists will serve to always keep you young in spirit. Run around, jump, go outside and play, be as carefree as possible. Ditch the worries for awhile. Expressing childlike joy is completely freeing. Try it!

Connect Mind, Body, and Spirit

I truly believe nurturing the connection between mind, body, and spirit gives us the best foundation for a healthy and fulfilling life. Keep educating yourself, about anything and everything. Be open to learning new things. Feed your body with exercise, sleep and eating well (at least most of the time). Feed your spirit by being a positive member of society, giving back to your community, setting a good example, and surrounding yourself with positive people who bring happiness, life, and encouragement to everything you do.

I said it before, but I’ll repeat it. Age is just a number. They only thing it determines is how many candles get put on your birthday cake. It’s not who you are. It’s not what defines you. How we treat the passage of years is up to us. I’ve learned to appreciate the time I’ve been given so far and the experiences that have come with it. I keep my focus on growing rather than aging. You dig?

Do you act your age? What would be your best advice on staying young at heart? Comments and shares are welcome!

God bless.

A.B.