Are you a pro-ager?

“…Pro-agers don’t deny their mortal state; they simply make the most of life and enhance their health in all the ways they still can. They have shown time and again that it’s possible to embrace aging for all it offers, even as we miss what it inevitably takes away. ”

In “Experience Life” magazine Jon Spayde wrote about Pro-Aging, and in his research and interviews covered some interesting themes among those people who have shifted their attitude about aging, and thus their health. In our western anti-aging culture discarding the assumptions that youth is required for vitality and age equals obsolescence, might lead one to become a pro-ager.

Naturally the aging transition can be a challenging one. Many of us want to feel good about aging, collecting relevant tips of how best to do that while letting go of negative beliefs that may get in our way. The main crux of pro-aging seems to be one’s attitude or mindset. Living in a culture that respects aging obviously helps, yet a positive outlook wherever you live can influence motor skills like balance and faster walking speed. And age can bring wisdom. We have a choice of how to use and share our earned experience. We could be negative, glass half-empty, or go with the flow, saying yes more often. Have fun! That is the pro-aging choice. The article of course includes the usual aging tips like keep moving, eat well-and a little less, improve sleep quality and stay hydrated.

As Spayde summarizes, “A pro-aging attitude, pro-aging beliefs, and proactive self-care make it easier to say yes to all that our lives still have to offer.”

(Sunflowers photo credit: Peter Jandula-Hudson)