There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.
~Sophia Loren
1. Celebrate every birthday with friends, family and champagne!
2. Practice yoga, stretching or Pilates to stay flexible, and prevent the aches and stiffness that are often erroneously attributed to aging
3. Explore the new freedom and opportunity that every age brings
4. Wear your hair more naturally, both in style and colour
5. Avoid obvious plastic surgery
6. Spend lots of time around children to avoid becoming grumpy, and to be reminded of the joy there is in play
7. Take a new class
8. Wear less make-up
9. Quit smoking
10. Give up flirting, and be charming instead
11. Smile more, it’s an instant facelift
12. Travel often, especially to countries that embrace aging
13. Keep up your appearance
14. Walk everywhere
15. Finally learn how to overcome your personal demons
16. Accept that there never really was anyone else to blame
17. Forget what you’re “supposed to do”
18. Eat more salmon
19. Learn a foreign language now, to help stave off Alzheimer’s Disease later
20. Leave the dance club scene behind
21. Show less cleavage
22. Embrace your age, it’s much more attractive than trying to appear younger than you are
23. Mentor someone younger, it’s a great way to help one another understand a different generation
24. Eat dessert more often
25. Learn to really appreciate all of your experiences, both good and bad, for what they’ve brought to you
26. Forget what everyone else wants you to be, and be what you want you to be
27. Learn the art of graciousness
28. Avoid gaining weight
29. Have regular facials
30. Write a memoir
31. Fall in love with you
32. Assign each laugh line/wrinkle a happy moment in your life that may have put it there, remember the moment rather than the wrinkle
33. Reduce your alcohol intake
34. Improve your calcium intake
35. Moisturize religiously
36. Drink more water
37. Get dressed up and go out at least once a week
38. Wear lovely lingerie
39. Find role models to follow
40. Set goals for 50, 55, 60 and beyond
41. Wear trends only as accessories
42. Get enough sleep
43. Accept and love your aging face and body (remember how you didn’t appreciate it in your 20s, and now you would die for that body?)
44. Find the balance between trying to look 20, and giving up on your appearance
45. Wear quality shoes, but avoid the sensible kind
46. Spend lots of time with friends
47. Don’t be afraid to fall in love again
48. Take proper vitamins and minerals
49. Don’t dress in a frumpy manner
50. Learn to tango
51. Keep an air of mystery
52. See a nutritionist, and learn to eat for maximum energy
53. Splurge on cashmere
54. Do one thing every day that makes you laugh out loud
55. Avoid excessive sunbathing
56. The more ladylike you are now the better
57. Sleep on quality mattresses
58. Spend your money on taking better care of yourself, and looking good naturally, rather than trying to cover flaws/signs of aging
59. Don’t hunch over a computer/desk all day, take frequent breaks to stretch (to avoid it becoming permanent later)
60. Forgive yourself
61. Continue volunteering
62. Realize that you’re more than just a mother/grandmother, father/grandfather and live where you want to live
63. Now is the time to give up regrets, they’re too big a burden to carry gracefully
64. Remember that age does not give you the right to say whatever is on your mind, courtesy still counts
65. Never give up on your dreams
66. Keep dreaming new dreams
67. Drink champagne more often
68. Good news~you now have time for golf
69. And bubble baths
70. Make it look easy
71. Don’t mention menopause, or your varicose veins
72. Appreciate the wonder of your children and grandchildren, and their many talents
73. Reignite the love affair with your partner
74. Tell people about the good things in your life, rather than the aches and pains
75. Redecorate your bedroom
76. Learn how to swim the backstroke properly
77. Hold your head high, and stand as tall as possible
78. Remember that you aren’t your job, or title, and start planning a roaring retirement
79. Stop thinking about how fit you once were
80. Write a children’s book on the most important thing they should know
81. One word…exfoliate
82. Learn to love kitten heels and beautiful flats
83. Keep wearing lipstick
84. Learn how to make the family holiday meal on your own
85. Stop wearing mini-skirts
86. Less has never been more more than it is now
87. Don’t forget that you may be many people’s role model
88. Shower the people you love with love
89. Learn to arrange flowers
90. Stop worrying about tomorrow
91. Go for walks after dinner
92. Now is the time to use the good china
93. Tell your children how proud you are of them, and name the specific reasons why
94. Add weight bearing exercise to your routine for strong bones
95. Make a list of the inelegant things you’ve seen older people do, and don’t do them
96. Stop frowning
97. Take up a hobby you’ve always wanted to try
98. Keep working part-time, to stay active and challenged
99. Attempt one thing every year that you never thought you could do
100. Make your new goal to live to be 100, with health and happiness, and live life in a way to make it happen
Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.
~Coco Chanel
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the list! It’s always so much classier to see someone age in a beautiful and sophisticated manner than trying to be what they aren’t … 20. I love the beautiful older model photos where they look so beautifully put together with their white hair in a twist and lovely fashionable dresses and jewelry. We’ve probably all walked up behind someone in a very young hairstyle with tight fitting clothes or a mini-skirt in bright colors with high heels and thought it was a rather tasteless young woman, only to see when she turns that she’s into her 60′s. I’m sure she’s not thinking that the way she’s showcasing herself is only pointing out the fact that she’s NOT 20 … and makes her look even older. I hope I’m wise enough to not make those mistakes.
Loved this. I only had a problem with a couple of them. I love to dance in clubs. Maybe it will wear off.
Wonderful list! Some made me laugh; some made me remember… the good things! Thank you!
I love your lists. I again agree with your list. Some of my favorites and I’ll only name a few to spare you – invest in beautiful lingerie and let yourself fall in love. Two things that I need to allow myself to do. Other than that I’m really truly working on the rest and will again save this list.
Have a lovely weekend DeeAnne.
Love the list! I really love 99. Always challenge yourself!
Excellent post, just loved this list! Definitely words to live by!
What a great list!! Thanks for sharing – going to save this!
I too love the list & shall be saving it. My particular favourites are 65, 66 & 67!
Thank you. I love this list because it’s not extremist in any way…it allows for and accepts choice, and it ties into what we are all looking for and that’s balance. Writing my book on Slow Home, this list fits right in as a right lifestyle for balance as we move through our world!
Sent to me by my daughter. I am nearing 70 and I already subscribe to about 90. I guess I have more work to do.
My favorites 72 & 95.
Have a happy day and keep a smile on your face…..
I LOVE this!! Would love to share with my readers…would give you the credit of course!
Hello Stephanie!
I would be honoured for you to share my post with your readers!
Very Best,
DeeAnne
What a wonderful post. It’s truly inspiring to think about what we can do to make the most of our present and our future. It also inspired me to do more yoga and drink more water…two things that are always on top of my to do list! Thank you!
Thank you all so very much for the kind comments! I absolutely love hearing which are your favourites, too.
xoxo,
D
This was marvelous! Loved every word…I want to frame this entire post.
Thank you so much Julia! What very kind words!
Very Best,
D
I’m 48 and still refusing to use the term “middle-aged” when describing myself.
After tending to my ailing mother I came away with 2 pieces of wisdom. Smile more and moisturize everywhere.
I also truly believe that the tight curly perms are the worst thing on the planet for older women. How aging. On the other hand, overly-coiffed helmet hair looks just as bad too no matter how trendy the cut. The softer the better. Bling is really aging.Too much gold and you look like and old rich matron.
Hello Hazel!
Thank you for dropping by! You and I are exactly the same age, and I so agree with all of your comments.
Very Best,
D
Such a beautiful list DeeAnn!
XO Piper
Thank you for this fabulous post! So much food for thought there, much to aspire to!
Some oops and some ahhhs – I would love to send to my friends and crediting you!
Happy Easter!
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