I have to admit ... I've been feeling a little bit down about getting older lately -- the years are passing and I see it on my face (in the newly arrived lines under my eyes) and on my body (desserts seem to gravitate toward my thighs a lot faster and stick around a lot longer than they used to). In the past two months, I've surrendered a lot of bad habits that I used to indulge in while I was younger because they weren't serving me well anymore (I'll miss you, happy hour). Illnesses have been striking me and my family and my friends' families more than ever before; the years are passing and it's easy to get down about. All of this made me wonder what "staying young" means to my fellow bloggers ... because I knew they'd have some inspiring words for me. Read on for this week's responses. ~Meredith
What do the words "staying young" mean to you?
"I actually posed this question to my whole family over dinner the other night (food for thought). My 7-year-old son—who, granted, doesn't really have to worry about *staying* young because he already is—said being young to him means feeling "energetic and happy—which makes me move a lot!" I think that's a pretty good description, actually!
"I get my inspiration to stay young from my wife's grandmother, who we call "Super-Gran" around here. At 92, I bet the farm she could beat some of my clients in a 10 yard dash, no joke. She looks and feels young, and though it's true she's traveled the world twice over, I credit it more to the simple fact that she laughs a whole lot. Her zest for life, her desire to see and experience everything she can—all the while encouraging others to take care of themselves from day one—that is what I think of when I think of 'staying young'."
"Having just watched my 66-year-old mother battle gall bladder cancer, for me 'staying young' means staying healthy and fit. I want to make sure that I do whatever I can to remain strong and vibrant. It is important to me to be able to continue being active and not be limited by age. Like I often tell my clients, it is much easier to maintain fitness than it is to regain it."
"'Staying young' to me means being able to move about as I please without experiencing any pain. It also means being able to laugh at myself and the silly things that life has to offer. I hope that I never lose these things."
"To me, 'staying young' means feeling your best. There is so much pressure in our society to stay youthful and beautiful. However, I think there's a huge difference between looking young (think creams, lotions, and plastic surgery) and *feeling* young. Keeping active, eating healthy, and challenging my brain are three ways I strive to 'stay/feel young.' I realize I have one more year until I enter my thirties, but I already feel the aches and pains that years of soccer and a herniated disc have caused. I find that if I'm not active, my muscles and joints retaliate—sometimes they even cramp up—and make me feel like an old lady. That's when I give myself a kick in the butt and get moving! I like to keep my body happy."
