As the years pass we all grow older, it’s something we can’t control.

Or so I used to think.

Age is funny thing to think about. We timestamp ourselves by listing how many years since we were born. Very often we even bend the truth.

Children and teenagers all want to be older, they want to be grown up so they can live like adults do. They say things like “I am fourteen, nearly fifteen”. They are constantly pushing to grow and appear older.

Yet, as we advance into our thirties and forties this is no longer the case. This is when we start to tell white lies about our age, dropping a year or two.

When we reach the fifties and sixties, our actual age becomes a secret we share only with family and close friends.

As I have passed through all three of these stages, I have observed this behavior in myself as well as others.

Until one day, I decided that I didn’t want to grow older or worry about age.

Instead, I decided to grow young.

Not by lying about my age, I am glad to share it if people ask. But growing young comes down to a way of thinking and acting.

One thing that helps me grow younger is that I like to associate with young people and listen to their ideas. This isn’t normal, I suppose. Most people stick in their age group and have a perspective of the world based on their experiences.

You will hear them say things like “It’s not like it used to be” or “Things have changed today”.

Yes, things have changed, and they will always change.

That is why talking and learning from those younger than me helps me grow young. I get to understand what is important to them today, and how they see the world differently. It helps me to keep fresh in my perspective and adapt.

It’s not always easy to learn from those younger than you, as there is a desire to think you know better as you are older. But when you do it, it is a very rewarding experience.

Make your children and grandchildren your friends and you will learn a lot from them. They will help you grow young.

Another way I keep growing younger is by challenging my brain. I do crosswords to learn new words, I play games on my computer. I learn new crafts to keep my hands supple. All these activities keep my brain active and learning.

The final way I grow younger is to dress in clothes that are more modern. I am not saying I am fashionable by modern standards, but I do try to keep a current look. The way I see it, the smarter the better. I dye my hair and have a trendy hair style. Maybe some people find this a little strange, but I also get a lot of compliments on it, and it makes me feel like I am still in command of my image.

When I am talking to people of a different age to me, I don’t feel there is any age difference. But amazingly, some people will label themselves as old, or ‘getting old’. To me, this idea is silly. You are just labeling yourself that way because that’s what is conventional.

As for me, I love my freedom. I like to be in control of my life.I get to decide how young I feel. The more I think I am growing younger, the more it seems to have a positive effect on me.

My age does dictate not what I am, it is just how many years I have lived. It is just a label and it only has power over me if choose to believe it does.

Thinking old makes you feel old. Thinking young makes your feel young.

Sometimes people say to me “when you get to my age”. The ironic thing is that very often I am actually older than they are.

Do I act my age? Not really. I just act the way I think and feel. The way I see it, I still have much to achieve.

So, I am sure if you’ve read this far, you probably want to know how old I am? The way I see it, while ever I am alive, I am the same age as you.

Some days I still feel like I am twelve, other days I feel eighteen. It all depends on my frame of mind that day and what I am doing.

I have lived on this earth eighty-one years. Today, I am eighty-one years young.

– Nancy