This year I past the 50 year mark. It is when there seems to be more life in the rear view mirror than there does looking out through the windscreen. However, despite reaching this milestone, I still feel young at heart. Thank god, I am healthy and fit. I do regular jogging, weight training and am a leader in a local youth club. Although I have a stressful job, I somehow have mastered the art of leaving my work in the office. My active lifestyle helps me to unwind.
So does my chronological age matter? I don't feel 50 but I know I am. I often feel that I am still young at heart.
However, I do also notice, like others, that my body isn't what it was years ago. My eyesight started deteriorating in my 40's. Sport injuries take a lot longer to heal then they did when I was young. Although, I am proud to say my smart weighing scales tell my metabolic age is only 49. Whoopee! Not sure how it works that one out.
“I will never be an old man. To me old age is always 15 years older than I am”.
Francis Bacon
I can relate to what Francis Bacon said, that is probably roughly where I feel. Mid 30's feels right for my subjective age.
I do wonder though how other people feel. I know someone at work who is born the same week as me. He looks a lot older and always grumbles about how old he is and how difficult everything is. So does positive attitude really make a difference? Or is it more lifestyle?
Well definitely eating well, sleeping well and exercising well will help all of us keep our energy going and feeling more youthful. Also, not smoking and drinking helps.
Stress is a big factor in impacting both our mental and physical health. It is therefore not surprising, that research shows that people who have lower stress in their lives also had a lower subjective age relative to their chronological age.
Research also shows that social interaction is important. This has been hard in the times of Covid where many old people seem to have been locked away for a couple of years. I see the impact on my father who after 2 years of not doing much, suddenly looks like he has aged a lot.
Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Mark Twain
Having thought about this for a while, I have come to the conclusion the subjective age is more important than chronological age. It really does matter how you feel. So perhaps today, you can help someone else. Make people feel good about how they are despite their age and you may just help them to become younger (well at least subjectively).
