Many people are imprisoned and don’t realize it. They walk around thinking they are free, but in reality they are trapped by myths and stereotypes about aging. These myths push them to buy products or undergo procedures in an effort to hide every sign of aging. They unconsciously buy into the belief that getting older is only about disease and disability. Negative idea by negative idea, a mental prison is built that needlessly restricts their lives.
Sometimes it’s as simple as no longer wearing sleeveless tops or shorts because you think that would expose ugly body parts in public. Sometimes it’s about no longer doing activities you once loved because you think you’d you look ridiculous to do those things at your age. Limitation by limitation, lives that are capable of so much more end up being shrunk to conform to some arbitrary standard. And all because you accept the message that getting older is a bad thing.
Who says wobbly arms or wrinkles are ugly? What law says that hiking or skating or dancing is only for the young? Where is it written that getting older means becoming somehow “less than?” The more we allow these lies to become our truths, the more we squeeze into a smaller version of ourselves.
The more we buy into the myth that aging is awful, the more we fight tooth and nail against our own natural progression through life. This negative perception keeps us focused on illness and loss while completely ignoring the full range of possibilities that lie ahead.
Just like any concrete prison, misconceptions about aging can cause us to be trapped in a constricted, limited life. But you can free yourself.
Learn the truth about aging. Arm yourself with knowledge about how to stay healthy and engaged. Push yourself to do more than you think you can. Dare to follow your heart. Take whatever steps are necessary to create the life you most desire and open your mind to greater possibilities.