This is the very beginning of my blog. I wanted to start it off with something profound thus I want to focus on what one thinks about aging and what it really means. What does it really mean to "act your age". I've been thinking about this a lot and seeing that society has a presumption about what "acting your age," is, I thought I would bring a little experience and wisdom to the conversation.
When people say "act your age" I don't like it. Why? Not because I think acting your age is a bad thing but because I don't understand really what that means and I've never understood it. So as you age and I have aged and am aging, you reach an age that you've never been before so how do you know how to "act," your age? If I haven't been this age before, then society surely doesn't know what it means either.
Now if you get your cues from society or people, acting your age is a very dull, boring and disappointing life. I don't recognize the cues in society that says this is the way I should be because that's not who I am or want to be and you shouldn't either. I say, if acting your age is to be bored and boring, to only talk about aches and pain as you age, then count me out. Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I do understand that there are people who have aches and pains that come from getting older, sicknesses that happened to them which they had no control over but there are those who refuse to let those illnesses define them. I'm not judging, because I know how difficult this is and as I am attempt to work on myself, daily, I see it's not always easy. I am not by any means putting anyone down, it's just a way of saying we can to do better as we age. We can do better with our health and our mind and all the things that God has given to us so richly. This isn't about transforming yourself into a glamour puss but about experiencing and making more of the life you were given, barring the physical, emotional and mental pains.
If "acting your age" means taking life by the bullhorn, then count me in. No, the goal is not that you will NEVER have anymore pain or sorrow from life, but as the word of God says, we are to be joyful in our affliction. Romans 12:12. Now before you curse me out (I know you don't do that!), understand we are not called to be joyful that we have pain, but we are to concentrate more on what is "good" in our lives so that the pain is minimized both physically, mentally and emotionally. When we keep ruminating about hurtful events in our life or keep bringing them up, we can become so depressed that we can't see any good in life, we lose hope, and that's when we are unable to experience the abundance that God has promised us. Even after understanding how to be "joyful in affliction," we will still suffer some days, hours or minutes. We have to just keep placing our trust in God and our mind on His promises and being obedient to His word. It works!! Gratitude is powerful.
After having said all of this, I believe "acting your age," is really a reality. Right. It sounds contradictory but what I'm really saying is that "acting your age" is based on your perception of life and that's real. The kind of "acting your age" I'm referring to has nothing to do with acting an age society and people deem appropriate.
In case you think I'm saying to "never grow up" I am, but not in the way of remaining a child.....but in the way of seeing life through the eyes of a child. To continue to have wonder, excitement about life, goals and purpose and not lose them because life get's harder and more challenging.
I like being silly. That's just who I am. I don't usually even care what people think. Not because I'm not concerned about how I am perceived, but because I'm just not just that concerned about the unbalanced perception that others have of who I am and who I'm becoming. You can see me and you can see those things about me that say she's being foolish she's acting crazy dancing around the street, blah, blah, but you don't really know me. I will never stop dancing, dreaming and becoming until the day I'm no longer on this earth because when you're dead there is no more life. Read what Ecclesiastes 9:4 has to say about this: "Anyone who is still living has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"
For me, acting your age, is acting at any point in ways that are beneficial to yourself and to society. Dressing well, trying to eat well, keeping myself hopeful, self care spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically does not mean that I'm taking botox or trying to remain young. What it does mean is that I'm eating well and I'm trying to look my best because, tomorrow we might die. We will have nothing else to give because we won't be able to. So the Lord teaches us to "number our days," so that we can live wisely and enjoy them now. Psalm 90:12
Some people feel like this is over the top. They don't want to eat that healthy and I get it and I'm not suggesting that you have to. I'm not trying to eat that healthy either whereby I won't eat good tasting food at all but I do watch what I eat. This decision has made the greatest difference in my life in regards to my energy level, my physical appearance and my attitude towards aging. I'm not bragging about it, I'm just being honest. I know there are no guarantees for any of us, so why not take the chance and enjoy the life you were given. Make the best of it and make your experiences better.
As you get older your energy lags which is why you have to keep moving, you have to keep working out and I don't necessarily mean you have to do a serious workout, unless you want to, but you have to have something you do such as walking, swimming, playing a sport, bike riding, etc. Anything that keeps your muscles moving and you active mentally, emotionally and physically. However, connection and communication with God trumps it all .....because this is what keeps your mind positive, strong and healthy. With him as the center everything else will fall into place.
"Acting your age" then to me means to never ever stop dreaming or believing. We should never stop growing, believing and learning--trusting God for the end result. You don't have to be dreaming of a stellar career at this point or of winning a marathon. If that's what you wanna do that's great but that's not what I mean. Dreaming means setting goals in all areas of your life, having some thing to look forward to, feeling useful, alive and able to get more out of life. It means having a list of things you would like to achieve....and being "too blessed to be stressed about things you cannot change."
Since we're still here, we still have purpose. That purpose is what God has anointed you for. It could be gardening....passing out your flowers to others, creating flower buckets or something, and give them as gifts. Adding more beauty to the world and to people's lives. Maybe you don't want to do any of that but you should still be seeking the "goodness of God through your gifts and life and bringing glory and honor to him through your life. We should have lives that other's envy. Not in a bad way, but in a way they want to know what is different about our lives.
I'm one to believe that you should have several passions in different ways. People call them hobbies but I call them passions. The reason I call them passions is because a hobby can be something you try once or twice and don't do it anymore. A passion is something you are consistently doing that you go back to again and again. You may not be able to do all of your passions, but they will always be in your heart.
An example of passion? I love painting. I like watercolor, I like acrylic. I like abstract painting. Now, am I going to be an expert in abstract and acrylic or watercolor painting? I don't know but I'm going to keep doing it and enjoying the process. I don't do it because I think I'm gonna be an expert one day--that's trying too hard. I know it sounds like I'm advocating laziness or a lazy mindset but actually it's a very healthy and balanced approach to living a good life. God doesn't say that we will become famous or popular by doing these things He's called us to, but He does promise us his joy and a taste of His heaven here on earth.
I'm attempting to be what God has called me to be in character in order for me to have the kind of joy and goodness -- the things in life that everybody wants.
Granted, whether you're trying to be successful in terms of the world or whether you're trying to be successful for yourself it still requires a level of discipline. Life still requires you to "just do it." Dreams aren't anything until they're actually done. When I say dream, I'm referring to putting into practice those things that are God given and in your heart.
Ultimately, "Acting your Age," becomes acting your passions by submitting our lives and our callings to God So lets:
"Live life artististically and creatively focused but beautifully for God."
To add to your fabulousness, I have added links to the "acting your age" statements in bold. I receive money as an affiliate and you receive ideas for "acting your age," fabulously. Check them out. If you're not interested, that's fine but it doesn't hurt to look.
