{"id":3484,"date":"2012-09-17T12:01:07","date_gmt":"2012-09-17T16:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=3484"},"modified":"2012-09-05T12:17:12","modified_gmt":"2012-09-05T16:17:12","slug":"getting-older-vs-getting-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2012\/09\/getting-older-vs-getting-old.html","title":{"rendered":"Getting Older vs. Getting Old"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>My birthday is this week and I\u2019m excited. Yet I know many people, especially women, who dread each birthday like it\u2019s a curse. I always find that a shame, especially since I\u2019m older than many of them. But I become a kid on my special day. And, I don\u2019t \u201cact my age\u201d\u2014period! After years in DoorMatville of trying to fit into the mold I thought I was \u201csupposed to\u201d be in, I now do things MY way, dress in clothes I like, and do things that normally someone my age wouldn\u2019t try.<\/p>\n

Why not! It\u2019s MY life and I now live it MY way, with no age barriers. And you know what? Most people think I\u2019m a lot younger than I actually am. So much is in my attitude.<\/p>\n

I consider myself young and will continue to do so, despite what number I turn on my birthday! There\u2019s a big difference between getting older and getting old. When I reach 100, I will still insist that I\u2019m not old. Of course people will laugh but, I\u2019ll be the one with the biggest smile from enjoying my life. You can\u2019t stop the clock from giving you another year on your age for each birthday you reach. But you can stop letting that number cloud your mentality.<\/p>\n

I read an anonymous quote that said, \u201cGrowing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.\u201d This week I\u2019ll be a year older chronologically, but in my head I\u2019m still young. I\u2019ll celebrate my acceptance of me with all the self-love I feel. It\u2019s a choice to let your age define you! You can change your life because of your age or accept that you\u2019re still you as you get another year older and a birthday doesn\u2019t make you old. YOU make yourself feel old. It\u2019s possible to do remarkable things at any age.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t believe me, watch the video below of 86-year old Johanna Quaas doing the floor exercises in gymnastics. Remember Aly Raisman\u2019s gold medal performance? While this performance is nowhere near spectacular, as Aly\u2019s, most teens couldn\u2019t do any of what she does at 86 years young! Let her inspire you to grow old with joy, not dread. When you love yourself and your life, you\u2019re never too old to have fun-filled, energetic life!<\/p>\n