Growing Old is Beautiful

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While most of us are yearning to stay forever in our 20s, and constantly trying to perfect our Instagram images in this era of digital media, there’s no denying that we will get old.

It’s easy to get caught up with the hype of the latest potion and treatment that promises to erase lines, wrinkles and years but if we were to stop and ask ourselves, what is it about getting old that scares us? Why are we constantly trying to prolong the inevitable? If we can’t change it, can we perhaps try to embrace it?

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It turns out that there’s much to look forward to even as you go grey and waistlines are burgeoning.

#1 You are likely to be happier

If you think grumpy old grouches manifest only when they turn old, you’d be wrong. Grumpy old people were simply grumpy young people, and aging doesn’t magically transform a cheerful person into a grouch.

Research has shown that, as we get older, we become more emotionally stable and content versus our early adulthood, where we were always plagued with what-ifs: Am I going to find a soul mate? Should I have a child? Will I have a rewarding career? After which you spend the next few decades working towards achieving those goals. But when you’re older, the what-ifs would have been resolved. You are at a stage where you can finally relax and enjoy life.

#2 Your mind may become sharper

As opposed to the common notion that we lose a significant number of brain cells as we age, it has been found that we actually hit our cognitive peak between the ages of 40 and 68.

Through the years of experience accumulated, our brains build up connections and recognize patterns—meaning we’re better problem-solvers and can more quickly get the gist of an argument.

#3 You are your own fashion police

Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. No longer do you have to subject your body to painful high heels or boring corporate attire. You make your own judgement call on goes into your wardrobe.

Back to point #2, experience would have also taught you what pieces and styles work best for you and what doesn’t – your own sense of fashion now empowers you and you no longer subject yourself to trends and fads.

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#4 Your marriage is stronger

Studies have shown that marriages do get better in old age, with one reason citing that couples who have been together for a long time learn how to express more affection towards each other. Another reason is that when a couple have gone through the stresses of marriage in middle age together, that helps to bring a couple closer as years went by.

#5 You’ll know who you are

As one gets older, it’s almost natural for a sense of urgency to take over. With all the years past and with time on your hands, there’s now time to do all the things you’ve never done before. Travel, become a yoga instructor, learn to swim – the world is your oyster and it’s yours to make your mark.

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