Advice From A 60-year-old Woman To Age Happily

Her name is  Margaret Manning, a woman who, when she turned 60, told herself that it was time to do something enriching, something that, in turn, could help others. It was then that she decided to quit her job to start a well-known project called “Sixty and me”, an association for women over 60 years old. Purpose? Reflect on the art of aging.

In this space, any woman who wants it can give testimony of what her life is like, what she has achieved, what she has learned … In turn, Margaret Manning pursues another interesting idea: helping the youngest to stop having fear of “the wrinkle”, the passage of time. In short, to get older.

As she herself explains, she is surprised by all those people, especially women, who once they turn 30 think they have already lost their youth. Hence, he has left us this series of tips for anyone who, after thirty, begins to suffer a small existential crisis.

If this is your case, if you are between 30 and 60, do not stop reading these instructive tips. They are sure to make you think.

Advice from a 60-year-old woman for the youngest: aging in an enriching way

How old you? The answer to this question is more complicated than we think. On the one hand there is our physical age, which undoubtedly reveals our birth certificate. Now, beyond the years that our bones carry, there is our mental and personal age, that which one attributes oneself according to their mood, motivation and positivism.

Moreover, studies such as the one carried out by Professor William Chopik, from the University of Michigan and published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology , points out something very interesting about it: our perception of age is highly skewed. So much so that when you think you are 30 you feel old. So much so that when you reach 70 you feel young, a young man in an old body.

We could therefore say that beyond the completed decades the most important thing is to give life to each completed year. What’s more, nothing is as recommendable as aging optimally, in a mature and optimistic way. This is what Margaret Manning points out to us in her work. Let’s see some of their tips.

Your attitude to the passage of time

Aging is not losing quality of life, it is gaining experience, it is polishing our fears to feel more free and sure of ourselves to achieve proposed goals.

Our attitude is key to accept physical changes, to accept our real age and understand that every day is good to continue nurturing dreams and achieving achievements.

• Always remember one thing: you only have one life, so do n’t waste it making yourself unhappy or worrying about things that don’t matter.
• Always look for the bright side of things. Be positive.
• Value your present, “the here and now.” It’s the only thing that matters.
• Live each day to the fullest, enjoy the little everyday things.
• Keep in mind that life can change in an instant. If you live in the moment, it will not matter if you are 30 or 60, the important thing is to do everything with passion and fullness.

• Enjoy nature, your free time. Don’t put excessive chains on your life.
• Find a job that you really like. If you can’t, find at least one hobby that makes you feel happy and fulfilled.
• Always be yourself, not what others expect. In this way, you will age with greater dignity.
• You must age positively. Do not avoid the passage of time or become obsessed with hiding that mark of expression, those wrinkles around the eyes. Do not be afraid. Be happy with every year that passes in your life.

Live in the here and now

We are sure that you have heard of practices like Mindfulness. Beyond a series of strategies to learn to meditate, there is his philosophy. Something that this ancient knowledge transmits to us is that we must learn to focus on the present moment. The here and now is the only thing that matters, there where your needs and also your opportunities are inscribed.

Furthermore, studies such as the one published in the journal   Translational Issues in Psychological Science and carried out by Natalie J. Shook, from West Virginia University, point us to something interesting. The practice of Mindfulness allows us to better accept the passage of time, accept ourselves and grow old in happiness.

• You are more than your age. You are more than 32 or 42. You are the woman who lives in the here and now.
• Always be honest with yourself. Aging is a slow process from which you learn a lot. However, it is a worthwhile adventure and, if you see it this way, you will always look attractive.
• Keep the good memories of your life and do not “anchor” yourself to bad experiences, because they will make you sick inside and it will show in your external beauty. Focus on the present.
• Virginia Woolf was right, but only half right. A woman needs a room to herself to feel independent and fulfilled, but also a salary.
• Put aside the stereotypes that society has about aging. Forget them completely.

• What’s the use of worrying about getting old? You better worry about boredom.
• You must be clear about one thing: time is going to pass, whether you want it or not, so, start living it, enjoy the present!
• Get inspired every day, travel, learn, cultivate, read, live in a simple but rewarding way.
• Don’t waste money on shoes; men don’t notice your feet.

Emotional intelligence to live better

Aging healthy means managing our emotions better. Likewise, it is essential that you take care of your self-esteem, that you make your self-concept shine, that you learn to take care of your relationships.

Knowing who contributes to our life and who limits it is essential to be happy and not be pressured by demands, fears or toxic relationships.

Do not hesitate to apply each of the strategies that are part of Emotional Intelligence. In this way, you will have greater control over yourself, over the reality you want for yourself, over those little things that you must polish daily to be happy.

• Do not fill your life with people who do not appreciate you and who only bring you problems.
• Always be yourself, shine, shine with happiness and be aware of every day of your life.
• Why obsess over wrinkles? They are the map of your life, carry them with dignity.
• Live with intensity and  enjoy love in all its senses.
• Offer unconditional love to those around you. And learn to receive it too.
• Have children when you want to have them: there is no key moment, nobody has to force you and do not pay attention to what society says. You rule your body and your mind.
• Develop your empathy.
• Learn to forgive. Do not store hatred and anger in your heart or you will age in the worst possible way.
• Build a good inner circle of friends.

• Try not to go to bed loaded with problems and anger.
• If you have established a bad relationship, get out of it as soon as possible.
• Smile every day, take care of your skin and your diet.
• Trust your hunches, your instincts.

• Don’t get obsessed with being the perfect mother. Simply, love your children and support them unconditionally.
• Always be a warrior, learn to be self-sufficient and develop your resources.
• Do not be dominated by fear.
• Never let someone tell you that you are too old for certain things. It’s a mistake!
• Be grateful every day that there is always something to learn, even from the most negative things. If you do it with courage, simplicity and fullness, the years will pass with greater integrity. And if you are good on the inside, it will show on the outside. You will continue to be a beautiful woman.

We are sure that many of these tips have made you think. So, do not forget to always keep them in mind to put them into practice. Do not be afraid of having a birthday, fear only that you will not have a truly happy life.