Lately I’ve noticed that many of my friends in their 50’s and 60’s have fallen victim to the trap of seeing themselves and of describing themselves as “old.” They talk about life as if their best years were behind them, rather than ahead. However, the 102 year old gentleman in the weightless chamber above is said to be healthier and more active than most teens.
Terms like “senior moment,” “cranky,” “needing a nap,” “old man,” “forgetful,” “not as young as I used to be,” “there was a time,” “old as the hills,” “over the hill,” “maybe once, but not now,” and the one I hear most often, “when you get to be my age . . .” are just some of the things we think about and say about ourselves and others of “a certain age.”
The person who said, “words can never hurt me,” obviously never considered their impact on those who are growing old. How we see ourselves, and how others see us, can have a lasting effect on our physical, mental, spiritual, social, and financial well-being.
Rather than see your advancing years as doom and gloom, what would you do if you knew you could live a long, productive, healthy, and happy life well into your 80’s, 90’s, and beyond?
Recently, I found a website dedicated to answering that question. It does so in a way that is guaranteed to change your perception of how we see age, aging, and the possibilities that lie ahead.
The website grew out of the vision of Vladimir Yakovlev, Russian Journalist, Author, Entrepreneur, and Activist, now living in Israel.
In 2012, Mr. Yakovlev, came up with the idea for an international project called The Age of Happiness dedicated to changing the stereotypical views of aging by photographing and recording the stories of ordinary people who have never stopped believing in what’s possible. Perceptions and reality really are in the eye of the beholder. Enjoy!
https://theageofhappiness.com/posts
https://healthypsych.com/the-age-of-happiness-an-interview-with-founder-vladimir-yakovlev
-Jeff Rubin, September 13, 2019
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