Virginia Sullivan: Aging Gracefully? No Way!

When it comes to aging gracefully, I'm clearly on the rebellious side. Like Napoleon holding fast for the last battle, I refuse to give up, not one single inch. I run half marathons, raft with my friends and go to rock concerts. I'm finally getting to fulfill a life-long dream of skydiving next May.

To do these things, I stay healthy. Now, there are a million blogs and books that will tell you how to look young, and tons medical papers on how to eat better; this is not a post on that.

How do I fight it? I have my own plan for staying young. Here goes:

Say "WGAC" (Who Gives A Crap?) more often. Who gives a crap if you want to move to a deserted island, or are late on every bill until you're 92, or if your kids don't make it to the best colleges? It's your business. I mean honestly, how big of a deal is all the junk we worry about? Stress is the #1 ager. So, say "WGAC" every time you start to worry about something. Tell your brain that you don't give a crap about whatever little thing you agonize over. Don't sweat the small stuff. Let it go.

Continue Learning. You can't believe how arrogant some older people sound because they're convinced that they know it all. "I've been around..." "In my day..." and "Let me tell you, son..." should be banished from your vocabulary. We're never fully baked, so there's a still a lot to learn and you'll be a student of life.

Stay in 2013. The past was just that -- the past. And if we focus on it too much, we will miss the opportunity to make these years spectacular, with lots of good memories. So, live in today. Leave the past where it belongs.

Think of your bright future. Remain anxious to see what the future will hold. Surprisingly, when people get old, they tend to stop thinking about the future. It's exciting to think that someday, we'll ride in a spaceship, they'll balance the fiscal budget and we'll find a cure for cancer. Just think of the possibilities.

Throw caution to the wind. Don't spend every waking minute making sure that you avoid all risk in my life. It can be wonderful and serendipitous to just do things sometimes without a 5-year plan or a safety net. Does it make sense to start out on a cross-country trip without checking the oil? No, but we probably will get there. Does it make sense to spend your last pennies on a cool sports car? No, unless it will feed your soul.

Wear rose-colored glasses. What's wrong with thinking the best of people, and that things are going to work out fine? Have the patience to wait it out. Think of things in the best light. Grumpy people are emotionally draining and should be avoided at all cost. Look for people that are good for you and put on a new pair of glasses.

So, why not fight aging every step of the way? And if you're doing these things, you will love the years you hav -- no matter how old you are. I still drink a little too much every once in a while, I still eat fast food when the urge strikes me and I still go outside on a warm sunny day without sunscreen. Why? Because who wants to be here if you're not treasuring every minute.

Let me know what you think. How do you fight it every step of the way?

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Follow Virginia Sullivan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FirstClassWoman

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/virginia-sullivan/aging-gracefully-no-way_b_2959794.html

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