How Do You Feel About Aging?

What comes up for you when you think about your Birthday?

A. Oh my gosh, I'm getting so old!

B. It's just a number. Who cares.

C. Yippee, I love celebrating my birthday!

If your answer is A (and I know it is for many of you!), then this is for you.

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Don't let your age define you! Embrace it!

I was reminded of this important lesson this week by Iris Apfel, who celebrated her 100th birthday last Sunday. If you don't know who Iris Apfel is, you need to look her up. Even better, you should watch the documentary about her, "Iris" [2014], or read her book, “Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon” [2018].

Iris Apfel is one of the most vivacious personalities in the worlds of fashion, textiles, and interior design.

Iris ran a textile firm for over 40 years, where, among other projects, she had the honor of doing design restoration projects at the White House for nine different presidents.

When Iris Apfel was 84, The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art made her the subject of an exhibit, which was hugely successful. At age 97, Iris signed a model contract. That same year, Mattel created a Barbie doll in Iris' image, making her the oldest person to ever have a Barbie made in her image. At age 99, she designed a collection of eyeglass frames exclusively for Zenni Optical.

WOW!

If you are thinking you're too old to start something new, I want you to think of Iris Apfel!

If you catch yourself doing any of the following:

... saying, or even thinking, "I'm too old for this"

... being afraid of trying new things

... thinking that the best part of your life is behind you

then I want you to STOP and think about Iris Apfel!

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Even if you aren’t interested in bold, bright fashion, Iris Apfel’s words of wisdom about aging, individuality, and success are worth reading:

Life Advice from Centenarian Iris Apfel

Advice #1: Don’t obsess over your age

“I never think about my age. Maybe that’s the ticket. I never think about it — it’s a passing thought. It’s just a number. … I’ve found that work is very healthy for me. I love what I do and I put my heart and soul into it.”

“Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies. You start falling apart, but you just have to buck up and paste yourself together. You may not like getting older, but what’s the alternative? You’re here. Embrace it.”

Advice #2: “To stay young, you have to think young”

“When you get older, as I often paraphrase an old family friend, if you have two of anything, chances are one of them is going to hurt when you get up in the morning. But you have to get up and move beyond the pain. If you want to stay young, you have to think young. Having a sense of wonder, a sense of humor, and a sense of curiosity — these are my tonic. They keep you young, childlike, open to new people and things, ready for another adventure. I never want to be an old fuddy-duddy; I hold the self-proclaimed record for being the World’s Oldest Living Teenager and I intend to keep it that way.”

Advice #3: Start new endeavors with one small step

“You only fail if you do not try."

“I never thought that I couldn’t do something because I was a woman. I wanted to start a fabric business, so I just figured out how to do it. If I had thought about opening Old World Weavers [a textile firm she ran with her husband for 42 years] too much, I probably wouldn’t have pursued my dream. Sometimes you just have to take action, even if it is a small step. In my ninety-some years of walking planet Earth, I have applied this philosophy to living — and dressing — and it has never steered me wrong.”

Which advice resonates the most with you?

Here are some of my favorite takeaways from Iris Apfel. If they also click with you, you might want to screenshot and print the image below, so you can hang it someplace where you can easily see it.

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I want you to embrace your age, think young, and live your best life!

If your body is a bit achy and your mind is stressed, and this is preventing you from living your best life, then let this be a wake-up call to take care of your body and mind!

Come join me for online yoga or stretching classes. Yoga is proven to relax, help manage stress, and improve strength, balance, and flexibility. My next 8-week term of classes starts in mid-September. I welcome new students and go out of my way to make beginners feel comfortable and empowered in my classes.

Also, be on the lookout this week for an email from me inviting you to join my free wellness challenge. Just 15 minutes a day to relieve stress and body aches!

I want to make it easy for you to take that first step towards taking better care of your body and mind!

There is nothing to fear, so take the first step. The cost of not taking care of your body and mind is too high! Even if you have never done yoga before, it's not too late. Don't let another birthday pass without taking that important first step.

Best,
Christine

P.S. Sign up for my weekly wellness newsletter. Instantly receive my free short video series ("Yoga Bites"), where you discover effective yoga tools to relieve stress and regain your energy in just 5 minutes so can do the things you love!

Wellness & Yoga with Christine

Inspiring you to bring wellness into your life and providing you with the tools to do so.​​​​