What I Have Learned…About Staying Youthful
How comfortable are you in your own skin? Is it okay with you to be who you are and how you are? Can you enter a room without a concern for what folks in there think about you, or do you have to summon up your courage to just walk into the room?
I didn’t have a concern about any of this growing up. I forged ahead based on my own decisions, but life his me like a sandblaster after my second son was born and I felt forced into introspection. That was fifty years ago and in the interim, I have learned. I often feel as if I have a PhD in Life Itself and as tough as the lessons were, they were worth it.
I was born with a high degree of energy and blessed with a voracious mentality. Curious and twitchy. No wonder I loved the word flibbertigibbet. And indefatigable wasn’t far behind. With my high degree of aliveness, I grated on a lot of folks’ last nerve, but because I hadn’t yet become introspective, I was clueless about the effects I was creating.
I was always ready to play, to work in our garden, to help around the house. I came to think of myself as a Clydesdale when it came to work. Energy just poured out of me.
Why am I sharing this when the topic is Staying Youthful? Energy is part of the secret of my success. I know that energy is part of the essence of my being. It came with me at birth and I’ve always been so grateful that it did.
A high degree of willingness is another piece of the Staying Youthful puzzle. I can wrap my mind around most requests for participation, and if I see the good in them for me and for others involved, well, I’m up for it! It’s not about time, place, or condition. If I want to, and if I think I can, I DO. I refuse to allow myself to think “I can’t” because that is limiting and that’s part of how the sense of old age settles in. Not for this girl!
A third aspect of Staying Youthful is gaining an understanding of Life and of Self. I have worked to truly understand God. Once I did that, and felt comfortable that at a minimum, I had a foundational knowledge on which to grow, I then correlated the idea of being born in the image and likeness of God. I cannot imagine a less-than attitude with this formula. I know too, that God is changeless – no aging here – and then there’s that image and likeness bit – also me, not aging.
A fourth idea in my Staying Youthful attitude is the magnificent idea that spirit beings do not diminish. How old do you think the Angel Gabriel is by now, and is that spirit being ever depicted as an old dude? I think not, so I’m into the idea that I am a spiritual being and I do not diminish either.
Say no to wrong ideas such as aging or the concept of diminishment is something I’ve worked on. Think I’ve got it perfectly? No, and I’m going to attach a current photo of me so you can see what I think age 77 looks like. I love to embrace the idea of youthful maturity vs. old age and I’m comfortable continuing on that path. My plan has always been to live until age 126 mostly because I’m a slow learner and have moments of mental laziness. I need all the time I can get to add to my understanding.
Here’s a dynamite idea to keep you Staying Youthful: enjoy what you eat or drink without adding negative sauces to it. You know the ones I mean. The ones that say, “Too many calories” or “I’ve inherited diabetes” or “There’s too much fat in that.” Folks, you are mental or spiritual beings controlled solely by your own thoughts. Think back to your early days when you ate simply for the joy of eating and gave no thought to calories. Eating is for enjoyment, so watch out that no other sauce gets poured on your eating experiences and you’ll stay as youthful as you’d like.
Say “No” a lot to your inner negative thoughts. This method will also keep your countenance smiling and Staying Youthful. Just say no! Nike was right.
One of the last ways I’ll share with you in the way to Staying Youthful is to unlearn generosity. If your generosity does not burden you or cripple another, it’s just the right amount. But if you feel burdened, you’ve probably wandered over into the enabling mode and it’ll wear you out and beat you down, plus it cripples the one you’re enabling. We are each of us created with the same capabilities. All you have to do for that other is to encourage them on their path.
I’ll leave you with the brilliance of Mae West: “You are never too old to become younger.” Have fun. Bay at the moon. Go on long drives with no destination with your girlfriend. Take a chance. Express yourself volubly without care. Dream an old dream that’s still unfulfilled. Let enthusiasm crawl up your neck into your jaws. Jump in mud puddles. Don’t be afraid to fail. Develop a new hobby. Deny death. Work a new puzzle. Go find hundreds of new things to love.
I’ve retired from my copywriting business. I’m still teaching metaphysics. If you would like to know what is behind the way I think, pat.matson@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. I want to make hundreds more new friends and share what I’ve learned before it’s time to go toes up. BTW, I’ve always thought living to be 126 was a great idea. I’m working on it.
Author: Pat Matson
Pat Matson’s path of life’s unfoldment has led her into the world of copywriting where she lends her expertise to the writing of blogs, ezines, curriculum and articles with a common sense message for entrepreneurs, especially life coaches or spiritual coaches. Pat loves to bring the story inside her clients representing their businesses out into the world that needs it so. In addition to her copywriting, Pat is a Walter Method Teacher of metaphysics where she helps illuminate Life’s Laws for her students. Pat’s Write Mind is her home base.
