066: What Does It (Really) Mean to Be Ageless?

Ageless.

It's a commonly used description that does have some longevity baked-into it.

Since the idea of aging is on theme around here let's unpack what it truly means to be ageless.

The term gets tossed around a lot.

"She looks so ageless..."

"He has this ageless appearance about him..."

What does that even mean?

Think about it, the ageless theme occupies much of the marketing and advertising we're exposed to - especially what's targeted at you if you're nearing or are currently in your second-half era of life.

Try this...use this...do this...each with goal of achieving this alleged pinnacle of appearing ageless.

I actually think we do the term a disservice by attaching it to a certain look that's merely achieved by consuming a certain product or service.

I find that agelessness is more of a mindset about how you approach aging.

Failing to nurture an ageless mindset puts you at risk of being stuck in the status quo of what culture and societal trends tell you is the expected norm of aging

The norm?

Think: unfulfilled retirement years, age-related health issues, hyper-sensitivity and catastrophizing around every ache-and-pain, ageism as you near the alleged "retirement age," feeling marginalized and out of touch...you get the picture!

Agelessness, on the other hand, awakens you to an entirely different mindset - one you control (not culture, not well-meaning people, and certainly not political legislation).

Being ageless gives you permission to take action.

• Living by your own rules regardless
• Finding a way when it appears or feels like there isn't one
• Being solution oriented instead of problem focused

Live regardless

I recently decided to filter the inputs in my life.

For starters, I'm cutting back on my consumption of mainstream news media and negative, opinionated, and conspiracy-oriented social media.

If I want to live with a regardless-make-my-own-rules attitude I must turn down the volume on what is designed to set my agenda for me as I age.

An ageless mind will not thrive under the influence of a relentless diet of information designed solely to keep you off-balance emotionally.

Why not choose to live regardless of the sky-is-falling, what-if narratives that are consistently delivered in real-time on a momentary basis?

Life's too much of a gift to miss out on the joy and playfulness that isn't bound by avarice or age.

Maybe it's time to play more regardless...

Regardless of what...you ask?

Regardless of whatever displaces joy and playfulness in your life as you age.

Maybe it's your media consumption, a pre-conditioned mindset about arriving at a certain age, why you believe you must slow down now that you're older (come on, who told you that?), or any of a number of false-flags you've chosen to run up the pole in your life.

"Play isn't just for children; it's the essence of living fully, regardless of age." - Jassila 1

Play might just be the key to thinking and living differently.

Find your "play" (whatever it is) and get after it...regardless!

Find a way

If you resist being ageless you will likely feel that you're always up against a wall with seemingly no way over, around, or through it.

Could be a conditional diagnosis, an estranged relationship, a physical setback, or any unfortunate circumstance that puts you in a proverbial pickle.

An ageless mindset finds renewed energy through being resourceful.

In a previous issue, I referred to it as the "MacGyver concept."

MacGyver was that pop-culture television character that somehow, someway could get out of a dangerous, sticky situation by using whatever resources he found.

Might be a paperclip or a pencil - whatever it was he found a way to use it and resolve his dilemma.

I'm not telling you to ignore your condition, your estrangement, or your physical setbacks.

But I am encouraging you to take a resourcefully ageless approach to finding a way to solve or survive your situation.

Being ageless enables you to resist being a victim and instead taking practical action towards an acceptable solution.

And speaking of solutions...

Figure it out

My grandkids like my kids before them will occasionally express what is the timeless mantra of the overstimulated or overindulged child, teen (or adult):

"I'm bored!"

And I usually respond by saying, "You know I've seen bored people...and you do closely resemble them."

Then I make a strategic transition encouraging them to:

"Figure it out!"

In my opinion - everything is figure-out-able!!

An ageless mindset is solution-focused not problem-oriented.

There's a solution lurking within every problem that requires solving.

When you put pencil to paper, pen to page, cursor to screen, or better - begin to move and take action - guess what?

Ideas begin to flow.

And within a single idea a solution has the potential to emerge.

On that note...I have an idea that adopting an ageless mindset will begin to solve some of the problems that age is perhaps bringing to your doorstep.

Choose to be ageless and your age will become less of a liability and more of an opportunity to increase your longevity and with it - your legacy

• Live regardless
• Find a way
• Figure it out

Press on...

Eddie

Sources:

1-https://medium.com/be-open/unlocking-agelessness-embrace-your-inner-child-40684c1896c3