Once when I was 18-years-old, my mother told me, “Go get yourself a hair coloring product, or you will feel older” wiith all those early silver hairs coming in. I did not.
Today I am a couple of days away from my 44th birthday; I collect way more silver hairs than then, and, no— color them, I will not.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I am not an anti-aging person. I have always been a pro-aging person.
Since I was a teenager, I have never understood all the stigma around women’s age. The TV constantly advertising anti-aging products, etiquette protocols reminding us not to ask a lady’s age, filters to remove wrinkles, as if aging was a curse. Suddenly, aging turned into a modern bias while, in fact, aging is a gift.
Age (and beauty) stereotypes reflect others’ perceptions and have an enormous impact on our mental health, self-esteem, and even decisions we make for our lives. Women have always carried heavy tolls if they work or stay at home, if they have, or decide not to, have children, if they look skinny enough … this calls for action.
Women tend to be very self-critical, and society, the media, and the beauty industry are not helping. I believe (and practice as much as I feel comfortable with) in products, exercises, and habits that promote health, beauty, and happiness. Therefore, I am not expecting to become (or look!) younger— that has never been my purpose.
In me, there is no place for such a mindset because I stand for self-love, self-acceptance, and self-respect, no matter the age, depth of wrinkles, or number on the scale. I will keep going against the stream, proudly exposing my greys and living my age unapologetically. I hope I can help other women do the same – look how they feel better – and somehow free them from the fear of looking old, unattractive, or unsuitable.
You can be 15 and love those old classical crooners.
You can be 30 and decide not to raise a family.
You can be 40 and restart your life.
You can be 50 and look incredibly sexy.
You can be 60 and travel the world.
You can be 70 and fall in love.
You can be whatever age you are and sparkle. Make the most out of it. Own it, proudly.
Nothing will change the aging process; yes, every year, we will turn older, so why don’t we change the mindset? Instead of constantly trying to look younger, why don’t we focus on living better? Intensely. Confidently.
I am about to turn 44. I do not want to look younger. I want to look happier and live longer. Remember my mantra? Pro-aging, never anti-aging. We only live once, so I embrace the gift of every stage, gracefully.
“And a girl should say:
It must be wonderful to live and grow old.
Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! “-David Herbert Lawrence
