When we were younger, our focus was on getting older. Whether it was being tall enough to get on a ride at a carnival, old enough to drive, old enough to enjoy a drink legally, or even old enough to have money of our own and call our own shots in life, getting older represented freedom.

What about now?

In this article, which is the fifth of a seven-part series on The Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™, we will dismantle the Myth of Aging by looking at why it is false and how to reframe your perception of aging through self-love.

Grace, Vitality and Joy

Somewhere along our path in life, getting older was not perceived as something to look forward to but something to resist.

When we were teenagers and in our 20s our generation was being sold on the virtues of youth. What we didn’t know at the time is that we were also being primed for another narrative about age, which is that getting older is a disease.

While our generation of women is not immune to the negative perceptions about aging, we are the first generation to cross the threshold of 60 that has completely rewritten the script on what it means to age with grace, vitality, and joy.

Yet, despite how vibrant, wise, and empowered we are, this outdated narrative about aging persists.

What can we do about this?

First, we must be willing to understand how the Myth of Aging distorts our perceptions, both in terms of who we truly are and what our place in the world is.

What Is the Myth of Aging?

The Myth of Aging establishes and reinforces the belief that aging is an ugly, painful and distasteful disease.

If you are not of an accepted age for what constitutes true love and beauty, the prevailing belief is that you are perceived as unattractive and undesirable. This triggers unconscious patterns of feeling unwanted and easily discarded.

The Myth of Aging serves as a magnet that draws on the power of the other Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™, creating a perfect storm of self-doubt which fuels unworthiness, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness.

So, how does the Myth of Aging do this, even, at times, to the most empowered women?

The fear of getting older and losing what you believe youth gives to you, takes you out of the present moment by redirecting your focus and appreciation from where you are now to an illusionary point in the past and future.

In the past, you see a younger and more vibrant version of yourself. Whereas in the future, you believe love and happiness will be yours if you can interrupt the aging process.

Obviously, this myth is utterly false. But those who buy into its debilitating narrative make it all too real.

A Compelling Illusion

Age is one of the primary forms by which people all over the world gauge their individual and collective happiness and overall self-worth.

Underscoring this is the belief the younger you and your body look the easier it is to attract more lucrative opportunities and ideal relationships. Therefore, the Myth of Aging creates a compelling illusion, forcing a battle between youth and aging.

Reinforced by stories that populate the media about the perils of aging, this myth convinces millions that the further you get in life the less of life there is to enjoy. This places your sense of self-worth in outside pursuits, with futile and unfulfilling attempts to win a battle against the immutable law of nature, which is change.

Celebrate Your Age Every Day

How can we flow with change while also dispelling the Myth of Aging?

Most people wouldn’t immediately correlate the connection between age and self-love, and yet, when you reframe your perception of what aging means, you can reframe your perception of self-love.

Take some time to journal your answers to the following:

• What limiting beliefs about aging are you willing to courageously look at and let go of that will open the floodgates of love, happiness, and fulfillment in your life?
• In what ways can you show unconditional love to yourself by enjoying life to the fullest?
• How can you celebrate your age every day?

After you journal your answers, be sure to write out a list of ways you can celebrate your age every day for the next 21 days.

Few things will fuel your creativity, fill your body with blissful energy, and empower you like celebrating your youthful essence every day.

Breathing new life into your desires by engaging in joyous and playful activities is one of the most effective ways to get present and express appreciation for who you are in the now of nows.

To help you overwrite the Myth of Aging, and further integrate what you have learned, in my video for this article, I will guide you through an inspiring action item and share with you 10 empowering affirmations.

Do you believe the myth of aging? What will it take you to dismantle it in your mind? Do you celebrate your age? In what ways?