GETTING OLDER

I read somewhere that the number 3 resonates with the energies of optimism and joy, inspiration and creativity, speech and communication, good taste, imagination and intelligence, sociability and society, friendliness, kindness and compassion.

I turned 33 a few weeks ago (which means I am receiving a double measure of all the goodies mentioned above!) 7 more years and I’ll be 40! PHEW! I don’t feel 33 though, and hopefully, I don’t look it either. But I do feel stronger, wiser and more of a woman.

Birthdays for me are a time to reflect, a time to look back on my life and see how far I have come. I must confess to being a little moody on most of them though (Please tell me I’m not the only one this happens to). However, this time, I feel different. So peaceful. Almost content.

A few days before the day, I checked into a hotel. Last year, I hosted 5 of my lovely fans to dinner and this time, I decided to celebrate my new (sexy) age, with a few of my closest and dearest friends, and we had a blast!

I told my party planner I wanted a lot of balloons and I also wanted huge number 33 ballons right at the entrance of the venue!

‘’Her”: Emm, are you sure?

“Me”: Yes.

“Her”: But…

‘’Me”: If you don’t do it, you wont get paid in full

“Her”: How huge did you want them again?

LOL. I couldn’t understand what the big deal was. At the party, a male friend of mine said to me that most women would never display their ages like I did. It’s not new to me that many women don’t like revealing how old they are, (not our football ages, I mean our real ages), but I have never really understood it. I mean, in a world where even newly born babies die, shouldn’t getting older be considered a blessing?

Afterwards, some of my friends and I got into a lengthy conversation about why many women dread getting older. Most of the reasons came down to looks; putting on weight that’s not as easy to loose as it is when you are younger, saggy skin, wrinkles, more bills and responsibilities that come with having a family, building a career, and so on and so forth. But it is what it is. With each passing second, we are getting older (whether we like the thought of it or not). However, even though we can’t stay young forever, we can definitely enjoy getting older. Infact the older I’m getting, the more ‘’at ease’’ I’m feeling just taking life one day at a time, (although I also admit to having some stubborn concerns)

After our discussion, I thought to do a little research on how to age gracefully as women and I came across a few tips I would like to share with you as regards some of the fears we have about getting older and what we can do to overcome them, just incase this applies to you. So while I’m listing tips on how to age like fine wine, I’ll be sharing with you some pictures from my birthday party. Yaaayy! Please forgive my excitement. I have a lot to be thankful for.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Let’s face it. It’s very unlikely we will look at 45 exactly how we looked at 18. And if you tried to maintain the same dress size all your life, you may run the risk of looking malnourished or sickly, right? Hang on. Let’s not get discouraged, we still have hope. Regardless of your size or colour, its important to look good, to switch things up every now and then. Being 55 is no reason for you to wear drab clothes. I know some much older women who are giving some of us younger ones a run for our money. Some of them could even steal our men, if we let them! LOL. Pay extra attention to how you look. As the saying goes, ‘’How you look greatly affects how you feel”. Choose ‘’power looks’’ that make you feel confident and sexy.

AVOID USING TOO MUCH MAKEUP AND SKINCARE PRODUCTS: If you fall into this category of women, you might want to slow down now (that is assuming its not already too late). Using harsh products on your skin removes the protective barrier that your skin has. When this happens, your skin is exposed to sun damage and environmental toxins, which in turn speeds up its ageing process. Invest in moisturisers for your body type (you should moisturise your whole body and not just your face ) Also, makeup should enhance your features not mask them. Go lighter on it. A soft and clean look is better on not just older women but on every woman.

EAT HEALTHY FOODS, STAY HYDRATED AND EXERCISE REGULARLY: Eat a variety of nutrient – packed foods. You don’t have to wait till you are old. Start now. Eat more whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables. Keep drinking water. Its great for your skin. It increases blood flow, makes you sweat, releases toxins and makes you glow from within! And of course, exercise very often. There are lots of women well into their 70s, 80s and even 90s, who are still very agile. Chances are that they have kept moving most of their lives. Exercise makes you stronger, strengthens your bones and improves your balance and coordination. Our children or grandchildren might not always be willing or able to carry us around, so we must start today to take better care of our bodies in preparation for tomorrow.

Live well: What are your habits? Have you ever noticed that the people who club and party the most tend to look much older than they are? A little fun every now and then never hurt anybody, but all that air and noise pollution on a regular basis, isn’t great for your internal and external body parts. Ever wondered why you feel so drained the morning after? Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid smoking. Indulging in bad habits will shorten your youth. Stress, environment and our day to day lifestyle play a huge role in how well we age.

Attitude matters: No matter where you find yourself, cultivate a positive outlook. Choose not to focus on regrets or on the things you should have done differently years ago, you will be robbing yourself of today’s numerous pleasures. Remember that when you made those decisions, you had weighed all the options you had and chosen the best, at the time. You could never have known what the future would hold for you. So don’t be too hard on yourself. It wasn’t entirely your fault, mother nature had a part to play in this too! LOL. Practice mindfulness and find the silver lining in your cloud. A positive attitude will help you enjoy each passing year.