Age is just a Number Pt 2

Posted on October 2022.

I’m back I’m 60. Has anything changed? No. Well actually yes I’m browner as I spent my birthday on the lovely island of Antigua. Do I feel 60? No. I’m now 20 with 40 years experience. As I said last month it all starts with you. Your mindset, your expectations, your desire.

We need to start seriously challenging our long-standing assumptions of age

To ensure we really live our longer lives, and that those around us do too, we all, regardless of whatever chronological age we are, need to understand that the number of years we’ve lived so far is not an accurate indicator or predictor of performance, capabilities or skills.

There are undoubtedly substantial changes that institutions and employers alike need to make to tackle the prevailing ageist attitudes faced by people of all ages. But, for the purposes of this blog, I’m going to talk about how I think we can all, on a more personal level, start to challenge some of the ingrained assumptions we may have around what it really means to get older, and what getting older means for our careers.

In my mind, objective, honest reflection is the first step in tackling the issue. If we can reset our own preconceptions around ageing, we will be better able to open our minds up to the opportunities a longer life can bring. To help get us thinking, I’ve summarised what I think some of those long-standing, and quite frankly, incorrect, assumptions are:

We think older people are all the same: Let’s end ageism. We tend to think of everyone in a retirement home as the same age – old. When actually they can span four decades…can you imagine thinking that way about a group of people between the ages of 20 and 60?” We don’t all sit rigidly within our own restricted age brackets – we’re all unique and our age shouldn’t define us or define how other people see us. We don’t stop being unique just because we reach a certain number of years on Earth. In fact, we need to stop using language which somehow separates older people from the rest of us: “As long as we refer to older people as ‘they’ – as in the third person, we will have negative views of old people.” This type of dangerous stereotyping permeates all too easily into our workplaces. We shouldn’t see our ‘older’ colleagues as somehow separate from ourselves. Chronological age doesn’t define who we are, inside or outside of work, nor should it be used as a predictor of career success, ambition or drive.

We assume that older people can’t learn new things: I’ve voiced my thoughts before around how I think we all need to appreciate that the brain is a muscle – and the research says that the age of the brain doesn’t impact its propensity to learn new things. For years and years, we thought that the brain wasn’t plastic beyond a certain age. We now know that the brain remains plastic forever. We know that your brain creates new brain cells all the time.” Yes, admittedly, we all learn differently, but the key to learning, regardless of age, is to adequately challenge ourselves every day, adopt a growth mindset and practice new skills in order to really master them. So, don’t assume that with each year you grow older, the less able you will be in growing your skills or keeping pace with emerging technology. The science says that this just isn’t true – as long as you embrace the right mindset.

Did I let my age stop me?

I started my hypnotherapy business when I was 54. I didn’t once consider my age as a barrier or a hurdle. I believed in me I knew I could help others and in doing so helping myself because I’m doing this for me.

We believe that getting older means downing tools and slowing down: Just because you’ve hit a certain age, which is deemed by society to be somehow ‘old’, doesn’t mean that you need to down tools and slow down, in any area of your life. We are all living healthier and longer than ever before, so we have extra time to do the things that fulfil us – whether that be. Travelling the world, going back to education, or even starting a side-hustle. It seems that, increasingly, many are choosing to spend this time at work; according to a study by Kings College London, one in four retirees in the UK return to work or ‘unretire’, usually within five years of retiring. Plus, the most successful start-up founders and entrepreneurs tend to be middle aged, and those aged 60 and older have a 70% success rate.

To me, getting older is not something to be fixed, endured or avoided. Far from it. Getting older is to be embraced and celebrated, and the ‘extra time’ we all have is a gift to be used wisely and meaningfully.

Why you shouldn’t fear getting old.

Fear of getting older? That fear can stem from a lot of different anxieties, so it may be helpful to nail down exactly what is frightening you.

Perhaps you are afraid that the 20-something junior associate will get your job? Being an older employee can give you a leg up, believe me. Confidence and maturity in the workplace go a long way. Just keep demonstrating to yourself and others that you bring expertise that comes only with years of doing the gig, and continue to upgrade your skills and evolve as your company or position does.

The Beauty of aging

Maybe you are worried about waking up one day and not recognizing yourself in the mirror? In today’s youth-obsessed culture, more and more people associate aging with losing beauty and even love and respect. It’s important that you don’t let yourself succumb to superficial aging stresses. Instead, reframe your traits as positives (those forehead lines are like tiger stripes; you’ve lived a good life and earned them!). You may even be happier with your looks as you age.

Friendships get better with age. You have more memories, and the time spent together feels more precious. Remind yourself that no one is going to love you less. The relationships that matter—the ones you put work into maintaining—will continue to thrive.

Live your life don’t just accept it.

Perhaps you’re more worried about losing your lucidity. True, some mental and physical decline is part of the natural aging process—everyone will go through it. The good news is that you can improve your chances of maintaining a healthy mind by taking care of yourself. This includes exercising daily, eating well, taking care of any health problems, getting plenty of sleep, learning new things, and staying socially engaged.

If you’re wondering what type of exercise is best for the aging process? Research shows that endurance exercise–like running, swimming, or bicycling–and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) both slowed signs of aging compared to lifting weights–at least on the cellular level.

Still, if you’re taking care of yourself on all fronts (exercising, eating right, saving money for retirement), you are already controlling what you can to live your best life long-term.

It sounds cliché, but don’t forget that with age comes wisdom, experience, often a wider circle of loved ones, and more comfort and security in your sense of self. Those are things worth looking forward to.

So until next month

Stay Healthy, Stay Happy and grow old happily.

Have a great month.