{"id":2167,"date":"2017-02-10T06:00:40","date_gmt":"2017-02-10T11:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thequeenofmyself\/?p=2167"},"modified":"2017-02-03T17:52:54","modified_gmt":"2017-02-03T22:52:54","slug":"my-own-best-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thequeenofmyself\/2017\/02\/my-own-best-friend.html","title":{"rendered":"My Own Best Friend"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Amber A. Penrose<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to myself,
\nand less critical of myself. I’ve become my own best friend.<\/p>\n

As you get older, it is easier to be positive.
\nYou care less about what other people think.
\nI don’t question myself anymore.
\nI’ve even earned the right to be wrong.<\/p>\n

So, to answer your question, I like being old.
\nIt has set me free. I like the person I have become.
\nI am not going to live forever, but while I am still here,
\nI will not waste time lamenting what could have been,
\nor worrying about what will be.
\nAnd I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).
\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

* ***
\nDonna Henes is the author of The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife<\/em>.<\/a> She offers counseling and upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity. Consult the MIDLIFE MIDWIFE\u2122<\/a><\/p>\n

The Queen welcomes questions concerning all issues of interest to women in their mature years. Send your inquiries to thequeenofmyself@aol.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Amber A. Penrose   As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I’ve become my own best friend. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore. I’ve even earned the right to be wrong.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":218,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[103,62,13,18,57,44,43,258],"class_list":["post-2167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-self-esteem","tag-compassion","tag-courage","tag-holistic-living","tag-queen","tag-self-approval","tag-self-confidence","tag-self-esteem-2","tag-unconditional-love"],"yoast_head":"\nMy Own Best Friend - The Queen of My Self<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thequeenofmyself\/2017\/02\/my-own-best-friend.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"My Own Best Friend - The Queen of My Self\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Amber A. 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