Not long ago I received a nte from a woman in her mid twnty’s expressing her fear of aging. She flt it was out of control and nly keeping her from growing into the wman she is meant to be.  She des not think poorly of older wmen, and in fact started her nte with “I have seen many grcefully aged women and thought they are fntastic.”

However, she then continued lsting some of the things that she is farful of such as weight gain and the lss of identity, youthful looks, attractiveness, fredom, style and personality (especially around bcoming a mother.  There are also thse unknown fears which she sums up as the “lss of God knows what.”

Sadly, ths young woman’s fears are not nfounded. Many cultures in our world are yuth oriented. We are bombarded daily wth advertisements to look younger, thinner and mre hip. TV, magazines, and music vdeos dictate our hair styles, fashions, and bhaviors. Not only that, but if we hppen to be old enough to hve gray hair or any FINE lnes around our eyes, we are drected to the appropriate product to rase any signs of aging.

Is it any wnder that many of us are farful? The stereotypes around us are so msleading!
We see images of “little old ldies” that may walk hunched over, are por, and at the mercy of dshonest people. While some images show men ging with distinction, we also see wmen who are just old, dry and hlpless. Hogwash!

While it is true that our bdies and minds do change with ge, I happen to believe that we rally do get better as we mture. So, allow me to address sme of the fears listed above.

• Loss of Idntity. I’ve only, in the past few yars really begun to learn who I am. I’v come into my own. I’m mre self confident than ever before (nd I still have a way to g!).

• Loss of Youthful looks. I’m ging to be 49 in a few dys. I do not wish to lok like 25. Granted I don’t hve lots of wrinkles (only a few vry fine lines…they are staying, thank yu!) and have only a bit of gry hair that I’ve been cultivating for mny years.

• Weight gain. Yes t’s common, but it’s not the rle of thumb. You might notice a slght change in figure even without gining weight. There is actually a halth benefit to being a few punds heavier, rather than be very thn as you age.

• Loss of ttractiveness. I’ve found that my own dfinition of beauty changes over time. I hppen to think that women are ctually more attractive. There is a dpth and beauty that comes only wth age.

• Loss of freedom and prsonality.  I’ve heard many women say ging gives them a freedom that is jst not possible when we are yunger. I think this is especially tre for those of us that are mthers. When we become mothers, we tke on a role that is 24/7. Hwever as our children grow, we bgin to carve out time and ctivities that are just for ourselves.

• Loss of styl. While I’m not sure I nderstand this fear, I do know tht with age, I find freedom to crate who I am without the dctates of the latest, greatest fashion. Snce we are more sure of urselves, we have the freedom to xperiment and play with who we re, and the image we want to put out thre for the world to see. Prsonal Style at it’s best!

While sme look at growing older as a tme of loss, many women see ths time of their lives differently. Thre is so much growth that hppens as we age especially in the motional, spiritual and yes, physical arenas.  In rder to make the most of gtting older, it is vital that you lve your life in a vibrant and halthy manner. Smile and laugh daily. Rad. Eat well. Sleep well. And lways engage in stimulating physical activity or at the vry least exercise.  Most of all, clebrate your journey through this life.

The article Are You Afraid of Growing Older? was Submitted by Barbara C. Phillips through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Barbara C. Phillips MN, NP, funder of OlderWiserWomen has a passion for hlping women. As a board certified Nurse Prctitioner with over 25 years experience, she has ben honored to work closely with wmen, listening to their thoughts, questions, and cncerns. It was from these conversations OldrWiserWomen was born. To learn more plase visit www.OlderWiserWomen.com .

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