Why do I love my age? What do I like about being 49? Like a fine wine, we can all grow better with age. With 50 around the corner, I know what's important. Not to be doom and gloom, but I'm reaching the mile marker, the midpoint of life, and I want the rest of my years to be happy. While I've always been a get-it-done, check-it-off-the-list person, balancing my work and my personal life, now I am acutely aware that I want to spend more time on the things that matter, the people that matter, and leave my mark on the world, however small, by making it a better place. As I get older, I have even more gratitude and appreciation of the world.
"Have a celebration of your worth and your increased competence. Celebrate triumphs and the moments when you didn't think you'd make it and did." -- Dr. Christiane Northrup
I love that age brings wisdom.
I tell my kids all the time, wisdom is a gift and it happens over time. At my age and place in life, I feel less worried about what people think of me, more confident in my decisions, and more understanding of myself. I am more tolerant of the differences of others in opinions and lifestyles, and I have less need to prove anything to the world. I notice the beauty in so many more things as I've aged, and I love that feeling.
I love that age can bring better health.
Yes, my back has a few issues and there are certain things I can't do physically anymore, but in many ways I'm in better shape now than I was in my 20s. There weren't the fitness and health options back in the '80s and '90s like there are today. I watch younger moms with little kids at the gym carting their kids into the childcare, getting 10 minutes into a workout and being called back to the childcare for a diaper change, and I love that I can exercise uninterrupted. My three kids are now young adults. I love that women my age are conquering fitness feats like races, marathons, boot camps, and fitness goals... while feeling great about their bodies and taking care of both their physical and mental health.
I love that age brings confidence.
Okay, so I don't love the grey hairs, wrinkles and sagging skin, but I love and appreciate my body more now than in the past. I am okay with my imperfections and feel good about who I am. I am aware of my strengths and accepting of my weaknesses, and I am always willing to work on them. Age makes people more attractive in so many ways because of how they have developed on the inside and less of what's on the outside.
I love that age brings freedom.
After spending a couple of decades racing through each day to meet the demands of raising a family, I now have a little more freedom. I can get more sleep (sometimes) and take more "me" time. And even though I preach to younger women to make time for themselves, it gets a little easier when you have fewer mouths to feed, kids to drive around, and schedules to organize.
"One of the best ways to feel younger is to surround yourself with people and activities that give you joy." -- Dr. Christiane Northrup
I love that age brings more time for friends.
I saw a funny cartoon with a mom holding a briefcase in one hand, kid on the other hip, and was talking on the phone to a friend, as she said, "Can I call you back in five years?" Right? We've all felt that way, but I love that I have more time now for friends. By this time in life, I have a handful of faithful friends that have been with me over the years, some my adolescent years, my college years, and many from my married and mothering years. We have shared good times and sad times and have shared life changing moments, love and laughter. At this point, I know which friends I want to stay connected with and I love that even after five days, five years or a few decades, I could call them and start off where we last left off.
I love appreciating my family.
It's satisfying to have been married for 25 years and know that we have that many and more ahead of us. It's really hard to describe how wonderful it feels to see your kids turn into amazing, thoughtful, kind adults. I love being able to focus on each one of them separately. It's great when they start to enjoy you as an adult and actually want your advice. I love being able to enjoy family time together, which is now fun, adult activities, and less chaos! (Most parents remember vacations with little kids and the word exhausting comes to mind.)
I love being 49, and I'm okay with the whole aging thing. Now, I'm not gonna lie, I could do without grey hairs!
I want to hear! Why do you love YOUR age?
"Getting older is inevitable. Aging is optional." -- Dr. Christiane Northrup
Chris Freytag is a nationally recognized fitness expert, speaker, and founder of GetHealthyU.com a website dedicated to helping you Get Better Every Day. She is a contributing editor to Prevention Magazine and an emeritus member of the board of directors for the American Council on Exercise. Chris has authored five books, created dozens of fitness DVDs, appears weekly on the Minneapolis NBC affiliate and loves teaching classes at Life Time Fitness. Connect with Chris on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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