Q: Is there a difference between aging and feeling old?
A: A part of being here in this lifetime is the aging process. There is chronological aging, which is your age in numbers. Then there is emotional aging, the wisdom you learn over the course of your life. Emotional aging has a lot to do with how you perceive your aging process. On the positive side, you go with the flow of the process of aging. By remaining in the present and embracing each day and loving life, the aging process will be gracious, with inner peace and contentment.
The negative side of the aging process while natural can have its complications. Emotional aging can bring on a decline in physicality, looks, mental agility, and overall negative thoughts. If these negative thoughts persist, then you will feel older and see the worst in yourself as opposed to the positive that aging can bring.
To help the aging process remain a positive experience, it’s all about shifting any negative thoughts into positive ones. Look for the good. Focus on all the things you can do as opposed to what you can no longer do. Aging comes with acceptance. Accepting that developmentally, you continue to go through life’s stages and change is inevitable.
Our culture doesn’t embrace aging, therefore, many people begin to feel old even though they are of sound mind and can do most things they did years ago. While we have our own emotional triggers that make us feel older, it’s important to surrender cultural bias and embrace a healthy attitude and the wisdom that aging brings.