You have spent the last 5 years working 60 hours a week. You have spent most of your other waking hours taking care of your children, but now your schedules are too busy for you. The sexy little red dress you bought 4 years ago just doesn’t look the same. And the new intern in her office just called her ma’am. You are a woman over forty years old and you feel old. Here are three principles to increase your youth quotient:
1. Practice personal wholeness
In short, do more things that make you feel whole and satisfied. Many women are born nurses. We spend most of our time doing things for others, whether they are our children, spouses, or employers. We spend our time making other people feel happier, more secure and appreciated. While giving to others is virtuous, when something is missing from your life that makes you feel whole, the end result is that you feel resentful, empty, and old. Take some time in the second half of your life to discover what makes you feel whole and satisfied. Explore new hobbies, interests, and careers. Stop living your life in a vacuum and watch yourself instantly feel younger.
2. Get an attitude adjustment
Too often, women over forty have an “over the hill” attitude. They obsess because they can’t wear those jeans that were so cute when they were 30, or they start dressing like their mothers. Others may feel that they cannot make any useful contribution at work because their ideas are “stale” or they simply feel that life is practically over for them. The reality is that you are getting older, but your way of thinking doesn’t have to make you seem like you’re dead and gone. While those jeans may not fit the body you have now, new ones can make you look just as good. Being older doesn’t mean you have to wear ankle-length dresses. A knee-length dress can make you look and feel sexy and youthful. And old ideas can work just as well to solve new, modern problems. Consider the saying, “You’re only as old as you feel.”
3. Maintain good nutrition and exercise
Eating right and exercising regularly is essential to turning back the clock. Proper nutrition helps maintain bone density and keeps hair and skin looking their best. Not only does exercise help you lose weight, it also improves muscle tone and increases your energy level, making you look even younger.
